During the first semester of this school year, I was often times finding I was unsatisfied with my college experience. I had made a good number of friends, and I was always busy, but I never felt as if I was really comfortable with where I was. I often found myself feeling like an outsider in groups that I was involved in. I worked for the club hockey team and was a part of a club and taking 15 credit hours and somehow still maintaining a healthy social life but I never felt completely happy in the spaces I had put myself in. I told myself that I just hadn’t given it enough time but as time went on, I was starting to worry that no time would ever be enough.Â
In November of 2017, I met Kelsey, who I now consider one of my best friends. She had come with one of my friends to an event and I ended up hanging out with her more than anyone that I already knew that night. From then on she and I would text all the time and hang out whenever we were able, including studying together any time both of us were headed to the library. We had very little in common in terms of major and minors, or even activities we were involved in on campus, but I felt almost immediately as if I had made a friend for life. One day, Kelsey told me about her sorority and how they were looking for new members. Originally, I had told her that I wasn’t interested in joining a sorority, but over time I grew fonder of the idea. I’m not the kind of person who you usually think of when you think of sororities. I don’t like glitter or the color pink and I can’t stand being in a dress for more than a few hours. There is nothing wrong with anything I just mentioned, but it just simply isn’t me. However, I was interested in getting involved in the community, helping philanthropies, and being part of a big group of people whom I love and love being around.Â
I decided to go to spring recruitment events hosted by Sigma Delta Tau, the sorority that Kelsey mentioned to me and found a bunch of people whom I connected well with and wanted to get to know better. After that first event, I couldn’t stop myself from going back time and time again. When I received my bid there was no doubt in my mind that I accept. I never even questioned it. That night was the first time I really felt as if I had found where I belonged on this campus. I have never felt like an outsider at any event that I have gone to and never during meetings or hanging out with sisters have I ever felt that I didn’t belong.Â
Joining a sorority is possibly the best decision I have made since coming to college. It has been an opportunity to meet so many new people and create such lasting bonds with friends that I know I will keep up with after college. Next year I am living in my sorority house and I will get to share the love I have for all my sisters with a new group of girls. I will be able to show others the kindness and sense of belonging that my sisters have given to me and hopefully help someone find their place, just as I found mine.Â