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.
0 comments:
Post a Comment