One of the first things that comes to mind when thinking about a sorority is friendship.
Many people wonder why young women join sororities, people ask themselves “Why do you need to pay money to have friends?”
However, the relationships formed in a sorority are different; it’s a sisterhood. As corny as that may sound, it’s a truly special bond to share with other women.
Last semester, my schedule was overwhelming: I was enrolled in 17 credit hours, worked about 24 hours a week and served as social activities director for my collegiate chapter. I felt overworked and like I was losing myself, day by day.
Some weeks, I would dread our weekly chapter meetings. At the beginning of chapter, we do an activity called “snaps.” Every member brings five handwritten notes to share with other sisters. Deep down, my sisters didn’t know how much I was struggling. They didn’t know how much joy and gratitude opening those small notes brought me. Around that time, I was planning our spring formal, the first one for our chapter in nearly three years. I felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders.I put a very high standard on myself, and I felt like everyone wanted it to be perfect. With Alumni from our chapter being invited as well, I really felt like the pressure was on. I wanted to plan something that they could come to, and feel a sense of pride that they are leaving their chapter in the right hands. So many sisters reached out to offer help or share encouraging words. On the day of the formal, they showed up to lend a hand and the event turned out even better than I had imagined. This meant the world to me, because deep down they didn’t know how much stress this event was putting on me.
That day, I felt a true sense of community. Even when I lacked confidence in my event, I knew they believed in me. To see everyone come and enjoy themselves made everything worth it.
Having a sisterhood is a beautiful thing. Those are just two examples of how my sisters have made me feel loved and appreciated no matter how I show up is something that’s hard to describe. The little notes that they write make my week; they truly don’t know how much that small token of appreciation means. Coming to college far from home, they’ve become my home away from home, my comfort after a long week, and most importantly, people I know I can count on. Planning formal and having them by my side through it all, I felt unstoppable. There were so many instances where I wanted to give up, say forget about this position and leave high and dry, but with their support and guidance, I knew I could do it. It’s a blessing to have others who are there for you time and time again, not just physically, but emotionally as well.
