If there were one word to describe my childhood, it would be ‘sisterhood.’ In 2006, I became the youngest sister of my two older sisters. Even though we were almost five years apart, I was their little best friend. Then, 13 and a half months later, came my youngest sister. My dad was now seriously outnumbered by four daughters. Disney princess costumes, Barbies and American Girl dolls filled our house to the brim. Thankfully, my little brother came along a couple of years later to keep him sane. My sisters and I would play dress-up, do each other’s makeup and laugh until we cried.
Over the years, dressing up turned into helping each other pick out outfits for school and doing each other’s makeup for school dances. As we grew up, our sisterhood never dulled. There were still the same giggles and occasional arguments over shoes. This time, instead of the Barbie slippers, it was Birkenstocks. For others, having three different opinions on every single one of the decisions you make might seem crazy, but it was my normal. It was my home. I had built in best friends who loved and supported me, for me.
I was heartbroken when, in 2016, we moved my oldest sister into her dorm. Thankfully, she went to a local school, so she was no more than a 20-minute drive away. After we got her dorm room all set up, I stole one of the cat erasers from her whiteboard to have a piece of her with me.
Then, in 2020, my second-oldest sister left for college. She attended a school almost nine hours away to live out her dream of playing college volleyball. My heart was so happy for her, but selfishly, I was mad at her for going so far away.
HIGH SCHOOL
That year, I started high school without my two big sisters to support me. For a normal 15-year-old, high school is scary, but adding COVID to the mix made it terrifying. The transition wasn’t smooth, to say the least. I developed anxiety over the course of the pandemic, and school became my biggest fear. I went from the most extroverted girl who talked to every single person who came her way to an introvert who was scared to talk to anyone, let alone leave her house. The worst of all, I didn’t have my sisters.
My solution? I occupied almost every moment of my time, leaving no time for me to be anxious. I was involved in high school and community theater. I took on leadership positions, joined every club possible, took the hardest classes I could and worked as a volleyball coach at a local club. By the end of high school, I served as president of about six different clubs and was involved in more than 15 organizations. The accolades and my resume stacked up, but I was still missing so much. I lost many parts of myself trying to fit into a mold that would satisfy people around me. By the time I graduated, I had no idea what true friendship even was or who I was.
COLLEGE
In 2024, it was my turn to leave for college. I decided to go to Ball State University. I wasn’t initially going to go through recruitment, and I honestly couldn’t tell you why not. I had many family members who were not only in Greek life but also heavily involved. My family was filled with Panhellenic leaders and founding members of fraternities and sororities.
I knew the words sorority and sisterhood went hand in hand, but it sounded too good to be true. I already have sisters; nothing could replace or replicate that bond. Even with little interest in sorority life, I made a deal with my freshman-year roommate. I told her, “If you go through recruitment, I will.” I didn’t expect her to go through the recruitment process, but she did. Which meant I had to, too. Strangely enough, I felt a little bit of relief, because deep down, I think I knew I wanted to.
So, I made two promises to myself: I wouldn’t change my values or who I was for other people, and I would make genuine friendships. I kept those promises in mind during the recruitment process.
SORORITY LIFE
In Alpha Omicron Pi (AOII), I found women who didn’t want me to change my values or mold me into a shape I didn’t fit. Not only did they share values that aligned with mine, but they also consistently encouraged me to grow through the values I hold closest. I always felt people were intimidated by my ambition, but in AOII, my ambition isn’t feared; it is encouraged. I am no longer alone in shooting for the stars. My sisters truly push me to be the best person I can be and support me in whatever dream I may have.
AOII made me realize that the true meaning of friendship is sisterhood. And just like my biological sisters, we help each other pick out outfits, do our makeup for dances and laugh until we are sobbing. My sorority sisters are my built-in best friends who love me for me and support me, just like my sisters at home do. Sorority life feels like growing up with my sisters all over again.
I truly didn’t think sisterhood existed anywhere outside my home. I didn’t know that I could find a sisterhood that so closely mirrored the sisterhood I had experienced for the first 15 years of my life. But it does, and I did. In AOII, I found a second home, a place to belong and the bonus sisterhood I didn’t know I needed.
