Archive for 2015

Home Archive for 2015

By Kaitlin Capps

Going through recruitment can be extremely overwhelming, and you might have a million doubts and thoughts running through your mind. How does this work? Am I even at the right house? Is it okay to say that? Oh gosh, I’m being weird! While it’s true that you might not know how the house feels about you, or if you and your friend are thinking of the same sorority, it’s also true that you’re going to be fine. It’s a lot to think about, but if you know what to expect it will make the decision at the end of the day so much easier.

Recruitment is basically like shoe shopping. You pick which shoes you like, try them on, mentally list your preferences, and then commit! Seriously though, recruitment is so exciting and rewarding. The best way to go into the first day of recruitment is with a completely open mind. Try going into each house with the mindset, “Let’s see if I fit in here!” Listening to everyone else’s opinion can be confusing, and you might feel misplaced. Remember, you are going to be in this sisterhood for four years, so you want to make the choice that feels natural for you.

A really common concern is staying together with your friends, and trust me-- we’ve all been there. You’re going to the houses and you like this one, but your best friend likes a different one. My roommate and I had this exact problem. We went into recruitment wanting to stick together, but ended up picking different houses. It’s important to remember that being in a sorority doesn’t mean you can’t have other friends. In fact, being in a different sorority than your friend could be fun for both of you when it comes to supporting each other and having different events to participate in.

Going into recruitment with an open mind and optimistic mindset makes the whole process easier on you. I knew I belonged in the Tri Delta sisterhood almost immediately. As soon as I started talking to the girls, we became fast friends and it started to feel like home. You want to go where you feel like you belong and can get involved. If you don’t have to make an effort to have a conversation and you feel 100% comfortable, then that is your home. I experienced all of those with Tri Delta, and I am very happy to call it my home.

Good luck and Delta love,

Kaitlin Capps

By Sydney Reed

As president of a Panhellenic sorority, I confess that I get caught up in the day to day responsibilities that the full schedule of a Panhellenic woman entails. Something I do not do nearly enough of is telling my chapter how much I love them. I am lucky to serve a chapter full of incredible women. I am forever grateful for the strong friendships that have withstood the trying times of college, and I am thankful that these are the women that wear my letters.

One of my favorite sports quotes is from recent World Cup Champion Abby Wambach: "I've never scored a goal in my life without getting a pass from someone else.” That is 100% true in my own life, and luckily for me (and soon for all of you going through recruitment) I have over 100 women kicking me passes. I never imagined that this is the role I would have going into my senior year of college, but I'm thrilled that it is.

I admit to being slightly envious when I see all of your careers at SFA as Panhellenic women just beginning; it makes me realize mine is coming to an end. I’m still holding out hope for the truth behind what one of our alumna advisors tells us. She says, “If I had to choose my 4 years as a collegiate Tri Delta verses the 20 years I’ve been an alumna of Tri Delta after that, I’d choose the 20 years.” Although it’s hard to imagine Tri Delta as something other than the late night study sessions (that turn into anything but studying), the intramural games, or the experience of living in the “Dome,” it has to be true that our lifetime membership in Delta Delta Delta will inevitably evolve.

Right now, you have yet to step foot into your future “home,” and there is so much excitement and anticipation in that. In one short year from now, you will be on our side of recruitment. You will be digging down deep to put your sorority experiences into words and discovering a new confidence in yourself and in your sisters. I’ve discovered recruitment to be one of my favorite aspects as a collegiate member of Tri Delta. I see everything that you all have accomplished in high school (yes, I’ve read every single one of your registration profiles!) and know that your futures at SFA will be wonderful and fulfilling.

I look back on all the passes I’ve received from Tri Delta: the officer positions, a place to call home over the summer, the relationships with my littles, the sweetest house mom, the professional connections, and of course, the lifelong friendships. As cheesy as it sounds, I scored big when choosing Tri Delta, and I think my sisters would say the same for themselves. I give all of my thanks to the ideals of Delta Delta Delta that have shaped me into the woman I am today and the one I will strive to be for the rest of my life.

I am excited for all of you to begin your journeys as Panhellenic women, and I can’t wait to meet all of you at Recruitment!

Delta love,

Sydney Reed

By Kelsey Matter

Most of you know Nacogdoches for the breathtaking pine trees, beautiful Stephen F. Austin State University campus, and the fact that it is the oldest town in Texas. For others, Nacogdoches is more than just a college town they spend part of their life in, it is a home full of friendly, unique people and I can proudly say that this is where my roots were planted. SFA has been in my life ever since I can remember. From football games to the homecoming parade and the surrounding school spirit the town shares, SFA has an amazing environment and support system from the people of Nacogdoches, college students, and the faculty of SFA. Although some would think growing up in a small town wouldn’t be very interesting, I love that my parents decided to stay here to start their family many years ago.

Growing up where my parents attended college, I often heard stories of their time here together. I heard many stories about my dad’s fraternity as well as my mom’s sorority. My mom happens to be a Tri Delta, and throughout my life I have been familiar with the traditions and morals that Tri Delta stands for. I remember going to the sorority house as a little girl as supporting their philanthropy at the annual Pancake Breakfast with my mom and her sisters. I loved seeing how happy everyone was and how close the girls were as an organization and sisterhood. My mom is still close with many of her sisters as well as her "big" and "little." I knew that when my time for college was approaching that I couldn’t wait to find my own home away from home just like she did. I hadn’t always planned on staying and attending college in my hometown, but life had other plans for me. I haven’t had one complaint about staying in Nacogdoches and attending SFA, and I am more than thankful for the people I have met and opportunities I have been blessed with.

When my time to begin life as a college student arrived, I went in as freshman thinking that my friend group wouldn’t change because most of my high school friends stayed in Nacogdoches for college as well. Little did I know there was a new world and variety of people waiting for me when I decided to participate in recruitment. The people I met outside and inside the houses during recruitment are the reason I chose Tri Delta, not because of the family history I have with the chapter. In my experience, Tri Delta had the best school spirit, such a touching philanthropy, and an amazing sisterhood, and I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else. I felt that I had a new home even though I technically was still “home” in Nacogdoches. I loved everything about Tri Delta, and I am so thankful to have pledged such an amazing chapter. I have met the most extraordinary people who have helped me through more than I could have predicted. I know that going to any college would introduce you to new people, but SFA and Tri Delta were similar in the fact that they both had a welcoming atmosphere and positive, school-spirited attitude. Attending SFA and joining Tri Delta has changed my life in the best ways possible and has given me many opportunities as a young college woman. Even though staying in Nacogdoches for college wasn’t always my plan, I could not have asked for a better experience, and I'm thankful to carry on the Lumberjack and Tri Delta legacy.

Axe’Em Jacks and Delta Love,

Kelsey Matter

By Sydney Bergesen

A lot of my friends in high school had already decided to go through recruitment very early on. As soon as they got accepted into whatever college they were going to, they started doing research on Greek life and began following all the chapters on social media. I would always hear them talk about it, and they would show me all of these cute pictures. They would talk about how excited they were to go through rush and join a sorority and meet their future sisters. I wasn’t really like them; I didn’t really have any desire to go through recruitment. I had always heard of the stereotypes of sororities, I didn’t think I would be able to handle all the time it took to be in a sorority, and I honestly just didn’t think I would like it.

I began my freshman year at SFA without joining anything. I figured that I would just focus on school and try to make some friends in my classes. A week or two passed, and I honestly was getting pretty lonely sitting in my residence hall doing nothing but homework. Then I started seeing all these girls in my residence hall with their cute pictures on their doors with the sorority that they joined, and I realized how MANY girls went Greek. I never really did any research on the SFA’s Greek life, so I was kind of shocked to see so many girls join a sorority. I started to feel left out because I kept seeing all these girls looking so happy with all their sisters. Every time I went to class I felt like there was at least 5 or 6 sorority girls in each class. I was beginning to regret not giving Greek life a chance. I felt like I had missed my opportunity to join a sorority because I was under the (incorrect) impression that you had to be a freshman to join. I was honestly pretty upset for a while until one day, thankfully, one of my friends from high school who was also a member of Delta Delta Delta at SFA told me that it wasn’t too late to go through recruitment and that I should definitely give it a try the next time around. That’s when I decided that I was going to go through recruitment ASAP!

A lot of girls, just like me, believe that if you don’t go through recruitment as an incoming freshman that it’s “the end of the world." It’s really not y'all. Although I do recommend just trying it out, even if you’re on the fence about it as a freshman, going through recruitment as a sophomore does have some positives. These are the perks that I felt I had from waiting a year:

1. It allows you the chance to really see what the chapters are like during the school year and not just the week of recruitment. One of the best things was seeing how involved each chapter was on campus and with each of their philanthropies. One reason why I chose to go Tri Delta was because during the fall and the spring they had a big presence on campus. In the fall, I felt like EVERYONE knew about the annual Pancake Breakfast for St. Jude, and the same happened in the spring for the Triple Play Softball tournament that also benefits St. Jude. I loved that about Tri Delta. I wanted to be a part of something that was very involved with philanthropy and with the school. It was definitely a big thing for me, too, that Tri Delta’s philanthropy was St. Jude because I have always loved the work that St. Jude has done for families.

2. You get to meet a lot of the girls in the sororities before having to go through recruitment. I loved that when I went through recruitment I wasn’t as nervous as I would have been as a freshman because there were familiar faces helping me and introducing me to everyone. Waiting a year gave me the opportunity to meet a lot of the girls in a more relaxed environment like class or other things rather than in the stress of recruitment. I went into recruitment having friends that told me what it was like and what to expect, so it made the entire experience a lot less nerve-wrecking and even more fun than it already is. It’s also nice to have friends already in sororities because obviously they want you to rush theirs, but they want you to be happy more than anything, so they encourage you to try it out in all the houses to find where you really belong! When I went through recruitment, I had friends that introduced me to a lot of girls and when I went into the Tri Delta house for the first time it was great because I had already made friends and they knew who I was. It made my experience so amazing!

3. A year of not being Greek lets you see the other options that the campus offers. My pledge sister, Clare Rezentes, shared with me what she liked about rushing as a sophomore. She said, “For me personally, I thought it was a good to experience to wait a year because it lets you experience other options on campus and meet other people outside of Greek life. It gives you a diverse group of people to connect with. Also, I felt like I knew a lot more about myself a year into college and I knew exactly who I wanted to be and how I wanted my college life to be. People don’t necessarily know that when they are 18.” Being in Greek life gives friendships and connection that will be lifelong, but experiencing other things before you rush is great, too! I also agree with what Clare said about learning what you want to be in the year of not being Greek. I changed so much my first year of school and so did my priorities. That year really made me realize what I value in my life and who I wanted to be surrounded with, and it definitely helped me choose Tri Delta. All of my sisters value the same things, and I feel like that is what makes us all so close. It’s really good to know what you value; that way you can find other girls who value the same thing.

If you’re trying to decide whether or not rushing is for you, just try it. Also, if you're older and you feel like you missed your chance, you didn’t. Freshman or not, just try going through recruitment. It was the best decision I have ever made, and I have been so much happier since I joined a sorority. My sisters are the best support system anyone could ever hope for. No matter where you are in life, whether it’s a good time or bad, they’re there for you no matter what. I promise you won’t regret giving it a try!

Happy Recruitment,

Sydney Bergesen

As a young girl watching my older sister pledge Tri Delta, I was introduced at an early age to the bond and sisterhood that being in a sorority brings. Quite often I would be that annoying little sister who begged to spend the night with her at the amazing "Delta Dome" or tag along to Derby Days and other special events. I watched with wide-eyed anticipation as she and my mother painstakingly painted intricate chandeliers on her Delta Dome walls and navigated the African safari as my younger sister participated in the newest version of "Delta Tunes." I always looked up to my older sister and these fond memories left an impression on me. I knew someday I wanted to follow in her footsteps.

Continuing the legacy set before me, I also pledged Tri Delta. I entered rush with eyes wide open, taking in each and every moment and giving every house my upmost respect and consideration. It was that unforgettable moment as I stepped into the Tri Delta house, covered in goosebumps and chills, that I knew instantly I wanted to call this place home.

Pledging Tri Delta awarded me many special opportunities, but one of the most cherished will be the "family" I became a part of. Not only did I gain hundreds of beautiful and intelligent sisters but I also received the most amazing "big" and "twin" I ever could have imagined. My "big" is always there for me day and night, and offers me unconditional love and support whether I deserve it or not. My "twin" is my soulmate as well, she finishes my sentences and literally is my other half. This sorority of young women have become woven into my soul and play a huge part of the young adult I am becoming.

One of my proudest Tri Delta moments has been our participation in St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Coming from a family who is dealing with cancer, I have seen first-hand the effects this devastating disease has on families. Being a part of something that is so much bigger than ourselves is so rewarding and remarkable. To see that Tri Delta is making a selfless difference in the world makes it all come full circle to me. I am excited to embark upon another rush season and see the look of excitement and anticipation on the faces of new members. The best is yet to come.

Delta love and best wishes to recruitment,

Hailey Woods

What it means to be a Panhellenic Woman:

"We, as Undergraduate Members of women's fraternities, stand for good scholarship, for guarding of good health, for maintenance of fine standards, and for serving, to the best of our ability, our college community. Cooperation for furthering fraternity life, in harmony with its best possibilities, is the ideal that shall guide our fraternity activities.

We, as Fraternity Women, stand for service through the development of character inspired by the close contact and deep friendship of individual fraternity and Panhellenic life. The opportunity for wide and wise human service, through mutual respect and helpfulness, is the tenet by which we strive to live."

For most of you reading this it may not mean a bit of sense. If you were like me I only thought I was joining a sorority for my letters, my friends, my colors, my t-shirts, and my house. It was all about what Greek letters I would represent one day, never about anything else. When you are looking at the adorable pictures (yes, every chapters PR is fabulous) on social media and are thinking oh my goodness that could be me. Or even meeting up with girls and learning all about them and what their chapters represent. It’s an overwhelming feeling knowing that one day you will be a apart something so grand. I remember day dreaming about what cute shirts I would be wearing, who I would meet, and how I would have stories to tell (if you know me I am all about the story telling). I was more than ready to be a part of this. I was ready to make a name for myself, find myself a home, and be wearing letters with such pride.

I went through recruitment with this simple minded concept. Being so incredibly selfish, I only wanted what I wanted and I hoped one day the same chapter would want me. This was my entire impression of what Greek life was all about. Never did I think that I could be something more than that. But the hard truth is it doesn’t work like that. College is the time to be selfish; I will be the first to admit it. You have four years to be you, with no attachments and no ties, just you. But when you’re going through recruitment we all (including our chapters) get so wrapped up in our progress and forget what exactly you are joining. Every single sorority woman is not just representing their own letters but more importantly being a Panhellenic Woman. You are not just a part of XYZ chapter, you are now a woman representing all of Greek Life. When we are in college the individual letters mean so much, and forever will remain in your heart. But in the bigger picture we are all one. A unity of women whom “stand for service through the development of character inspired by the close contact and deep friendship of individual fraternity and Panhellenic life.” This is what you are a part of now, you are now a Panhellenic woman along with thousands of other women across the nation. This commitment is larger than SFASU, it is something more.

Fortunately for me I did find the chapter of my dreams, Tri Delta was my home. I knew the second I walked into those doors this is where I belonged. It was a relieving feeling knowing the stress was all over when I opened up my Bid day card in the fall of 2013. I have truly found my friends and sisters whom are helping shape me into the woman I am, and who I will become one day. I am so lucky to have found my home and hope that every single one of you find yours as well. I loved Tri Delta ever so much that this summer I have given up my letters (which I hold with so much pride) in order to help YOU have a better recruitment experience. I love being a Tri Delta, but I love even more being a Panhellenic woman. I know what you all are going through, every single Panhellenic woman you will meet this recruitment season also knows what you are going through. Every member is just as excited and nervous as you. So take a deep breath it’s all going to be just fine. Here are a few tips I have for you going through recruitment:

1. Be yourself: Bottom line this is the only thing that matters. Every chapter wants to know about you, nothing else. So be yourself. If you’re goofy, be goofy. If you're witty, be witty. If you’re quiet, then it’s okay to be. Do not change who you are for this, because no matter what, you can’t change who you are.

2. Ask questions: When you go through recruitment always ask questions if you have any. A lot of the time you will feel very overwhelmed and miss things that every chapter is telling you and forget to ask or are too nervous too. My advice is to listen, learn, and ask. If you are joining a certain chapter everything matters, you don’t want to join something thinking one thing and finding out another once you have committed to that house.

3. Ignore EVERY stereotype: I know sometimes it hard not listen to all the gossip that will be swarming the weekend of recruitment. Everyone has an opinion, an older sister, or friend that has done this before. Every one of those people have their beliefs, but you have to remember that the stereotypes going around are the homes of hundreds of women on your campus. These women love and respect their chapter and are giving you 100% in order to help you find your home. So please give them 100% back.

4. Use your Rho Gammas: Your rho gammas are your support system through this entire process. They have given up their letters to help you. We are all willing to help you, talk to you, and guide you to finding where you belong. We are here for a reason and are your best asset. Ask us anything and everything and I can promise you that you can rely on us.

College is the greatest time of your life. Soak it up. Enjoy every minute because one day it will be over (sadly). Enjoy this recruitment season; learn all you can about every house and have fun with it. From every Rho Gamma we can’t wait to meet you all and get to know more about you. Being a panhellenic woman has been the greatest journey so far, and I can’t wait for you all to experience this too.

XOXO,

Your Tri Delta Rho Gamma

By Chandler Gentry

Recruitment. The end all/be all of most incoming women's college experience. The emotions are indescribable, your excitement is uncontainable, and your mind wonders constantly... wondering who is watching and how all these girls you meet always look impeccably put together; beautiful.

You think to yourself: how did each of these girls go from frazzled freshmen to finding their forever home along with finding themselves? I can say from experience I was the definition of frazzled as I ventured from house to house on day one of recruitment. I returned to my dorm and thought to myself, Okay, did I just black out because I can't remember anything I talked about with these girls! I went from that feeling on day one to returning to houses on day two and speaking with the girl I spoke to the day before. I couldn't even remember her name, but boy did she remember mine. Next was making it to pref day, being so exhausted to the point where you don't know really why you're crying, but you are. It could be because you're finally done, or because you're in your forever home in deep conversation with possibly your future sister you clicked with, or just because you're taking your swollen feet out of your heels on your way back to the charter bus. When I stepped into the Tri Delta house on pref day, I felt relieved and accepted. Yes, I did shed a few tears ... okay, maybe a lot of tears, and felt perfectly welcomed to do so.

I am blessed to say, 3 years later, I am VP of Membership and in charge of one of my favorite aspects of Tri Delta.

Yes, recruitment brings out the frazzle in all of us. The words of wisdom I can give to you as you begin this journey are to keep an open heart and an open mind. As you are visiting different houses, picture yourself down the road and see if this house will encourage you to grow and expand yourself into a better woman. My next piece of advice is this: it’s okay to cry. Some won't and some will. Your heart will lead you to your forever home ... follow it. Be upfront, know where you stand, and know where you see yourself. This helps you focus your mind on the bigger picture (being closer to finding your home away from home). Lastly, enjoy every minute of recruitment; you only get this experience once in your lifetime, so take every expected and unexpected encounter happily and with open arms.

This is said to be the best four years of your life, so why make it anything else?!

By Tory Abshire

Going through recruitment was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I not only gained over a hundred new sisters, but I also gained over a hundred lifelong friends. I always knew that I was going to rush, so before starting the process I would talk to other people who had already gone Greek. Every single one of them said, “You will have these friends for the rest of your life." At first I didn’t believe them. Taking my high school experiences in to account, all of those friendships soon faded. Coming from a small private school I was very nervous to venture on to college by myself, but at the same time I was ready to start this next chapter in my life. The first week of school flew by and then it was time for recruitment to begin. That entire day my stomach was in knots, and once I stepped onto the bus I thought my heart was about to explode.

The bus ride over was very quiet because we weren’t allowed to speak to each other so that opinions wouldn’t be swayed between the five sororities. We were all given a nametag and our schedule for the day. My first two houses felt like they were joined together. I was asked the same questions at both of the houses. While I was walking to my third house, which was the Tri Delta house, I was hoping this experience would be different. While lined up outside of the doors I could see Tri Delts in the windows waving and throwing up their sign. I loved seeing this because they all looked so genuinely happy. All of those girls backed away from the window and the singing began. Even though it was my third house I was still so nervous. The doors opened, the singing got louder, and a new friendly face brought me into their brag room. I love to craft, so seeing all of the beautiful crafts was really exciting. I figured these girls would ask me the same questions like the last two houses, but this experience was so different.

The girls who were talking to me were not only beautiful but they were also so kind and down to earth. Within minutes of being there I already felt the awkwardness go away. The girls made me feel so comfortable, and I felt like I could be myself. Before I knew it, the time was already over and I was being escorted out of the door. As soon as I walked back to collect my things, I knew I wanted to come back to this house again. Day 2 was awesome because we got to learn about each sorority’s philanthropy. I absolutely loved Tri Deltas philanthropy which is St Jude Children’s Research Hospital. While being told about the philanthropy, I could tell that each girl was touched in a unique way by it. I loved Tri Delta more and more as the party time went on. I was able to talk to different girls on this day, so I was able to see that they too were so down to earth and genuine. Just like day 1 flew by, so did day 2.

Day 3 is the final day to talk to each house before bids go out. I was a nervous wreck because I knew in my heart that I wanted Tri Delta, and I hoped that they wanted me just as much. I couldn’t wait to go back to the Tri Delta house because I knew that as soon as I walked in the door my nerves would ease and I would be able to relax and enjoy conversation. The house was decorated so beautifully and the girls looked just as beautiful. The same girls who I talked to on day 1 came back to see me. The conversations we had were light hearted and fun. I watched how the girls talked about memories and being the best of friends and I wanted that for myself. They cared for each other and complimented each other. The stories they would tell me about I wanted to be apart of one day. While the party progressed I noticed how some girls were holding hands and hugging on each other. I asked the girl talking with me what that was about and she explained that they were seniors and this was their last rush. The love and tears flowing from each Tri Delta towards their seniors was absolutely amazing. I didn’t even know half of the girls in that chapter, but I cried along with them. I knew at that moment that Tri Delta was the sorority I wanted to join. The bond that these girls have is a bond that I have been longing for. I felt comfortable to cry with the girls I was talking to and most importantly I felt comfortable to spill my life story, the good and the bad. By the time the party ended, I looked around the room and I wasn’t the only girl crying. Some girls were torn between two houses, but when walking out of the Tri Delta doors, I knew for a fact that on bid day I wanted to be walking back in them.

By Hannah Love

As Fall Recruitment draws closer, I’m sure your mind is stirring with a million thoughts. Will anyone notice that I spent hours working on this outfit? Will my Kendras match this dress? What impression will I make? I wonder what house my roommate will pledge? Will we still be friends if we join different houses?

While these questions may seem important now, when recruitment is over and the makeup and fancy outfits are gone, you will wish you would have asked yourself … Which house will be the best community for me? What letters do I want to represent on campus? What girls do I see myself watching movies with on a Friday night because we are too lazy (and broke) to do anything else? Which group of girls do I want by my side through the ups and downs that may come in the next four years?

Far too often, we let silly questions cloud our minds from the ones that really matter. Don’t let recruitment come and go without asking yourself, “which house is going to be the best for me?” Here are just a few (out of countless) reasons why I chose to pledge Delta Delta Delta and why I am sure that I made the best decision possible for myself. I hope that I leave you with a better understanding of the passion that I have for my chapter and for the Greek community as a whole.

1. Diversity. The various personalities that make up our chapter keep things interesting and super fun. Sarah Ida Shaw and Eleanor Dorcas Pond (our founders) encourage, “to be kind alike to all and think more of a girl’s inner self and character than of her personal appearance.” Although we share thecommon bond of sisterhood, we have the ability to keep our originality and stay true to ourselves knowing that our sisters will always love who we are. This concept is one that our chapter happily takes pride in and one that is very reassuring when we’re all laying around without our makeup on.

2. Philanthropic Passion. We are so proud and beyond privileged to devote our time to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Delta Delta Delta chapters across the country are committed toraising $60 Million because we’ve successfully accomplished raising a goal of more than $31 Million already in such a short time. This philanthropy has touched so many of our hearts personally, and continues to be a source of unequivocal fulfillment. Going through recruitment as a potential member, this was something that I found particularly important. I wanted to be a part of an organization that stood for something worth all the countless hours of effort. Now as an active member, I see that St.Jude doesn’t serve as an obligation to our chapter, it means a chance to make a difference for the betterment of someone else’s well-being.

3. Community. My faith is something that I prioritize above all else. When going through recruitment, I knew that I wanted to find a group of girls that would be my community. When I pledged Tri Delta, I found this immediately. Our purpose states, “to develop a stronger and more womanly character, to broaden the moral and intellectual life, and to assist its members in every possible way.” My sisters were there for me when the struggles of freshman year were too overwhelming. My Tri Delta family attentively holds me accountable and pushes me to be a better version of myself, instead of asking me to be something that I am not.

4. Sense of Belonging. College is new, and honestly, a little scary (whether we want to admit it or not). The new times and new adventures that college brings, also call for new groups of people. I believe it’s important to find like-minded friends that will continuously help shape your future. You’ll meet people in your classes or in your dorms that you will form relationships with, but once you pledge a sorority, you automatically gain about one hundred new friends. The friendships that I’ve gained by becoming a part of Greek life have taught me so many lessons over the course of the year. I am forever grateful that Tri Delta has brought me thissense of belonging to such a priceless group of people.

5. Legacy. All of the women in my family have been Tri Delta women. Learning the principles and the lifelong lessons that Tri Delta is teaching me, and has taught them, I see the Legacy that I hope to leave for my children in the future. The way that Tri Delta encourages me to live life is the same way that my mother, and sisters have encouraged me as well. It’s important to share a bond with your sisters here, but when you can share this same bond with your family, it takes it to a whole new level. I love this chapter with my whole heart and it is encouraging to think that I have the opportunity to leave a legacy here that my family in the future will be able to share with me, just like I’m sharing with my family now.

6. Memories. Yes, I will remember that time I made an A in English. Yes, I will be proud when I remember that whole day that I spent at the library during finals week. But mostly… I will remember the times that I spent with my sisters. I will remember that we played our music as loud as possible and mattress surfed down the stairs in the chapter house. I will remember the countless times we went on late-night snack runs. I will remember the sisters that were there for me through the times that I thought were the end of the world. At the end of the day, I remember that I have the best friends around to help me make the memories that I will one day wish I could relive.

Wherever you decide to call home, make sure that it is a place that you can see yourself proudly representing anywhere you go, at all hours of the day. Ultimately you may feel as if you’re choosing the sorority that you want, but in all reality, the sorority chooses you as well. It is so important to take into account the morals that you hold yourself to, and base your decision on what you feel is best for you.

On my final day of recruitment when I knew that I would have to make my decision, I was overwhelmed with nerves. I was in the Tri Delta house when a member pointed out that I shouldn’t make my decision on any pre-conceived ideas that I had in my head, or by any superficial reasoning. She was right. I had been caught up in the hype of recruitment and wasn’t thinking about what this really all meant for me. Right then, I knew that I was at home. I knew that I was talking to a girl who would soon be one of my best friends. I knew I wanted to be a Tri Delta woman more than anything.

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