My New Home Away From Home

My New Home Away From Home

Blog Post 27 - Photo 1

Let me begin my saying that I have never talked so much, to so many people, in my entire life, as I have this weekend.

Since last fall, going through Panhellenic sorority recruitment was something that I had looked forward to with eager anticipation. However, no one warned me of what was to come, which some have said is comparable to speed dating, for three straight days, essentially non-stop. After 22 hours of meeting and chatting my way through all the members of different sororities, I now have nearly two hundred friends, whom I call sisters. Through this process, I found a home away from home, and I am extremely grateful to be part of such a wonderful family. Nevertheless, the path to here comprised somewhat of an arduous and exhausting, yet rewarding and exciting journey.

This year was the first time that recruitment was held in just one weekend during the spring semester. On the first day, Friday, potential members, me among them, visited the six different PanHellenic sororities on campus, staying for 20 minutes at each. The following day, we recruits visited at most four sororities for 30 minutes each. Then, on Sunday, the final day, we spent 40 minutes at each sorority. Making a decision that will impact the next years of college life and beyond that, based on 90 minutes of interaction, really places a huge amount of importance on first impressions.

This experience has allowed me to meet many fellow Loyolans with whom I would not have otherwise crossed paths and has enlightened me in several ways. Of course, not everyone who goes through recruitment will end up “loving” Greek life, and that is okay. I think the most important thing is giving it a try, so that you will not have to wonder ‘what if,’ the most haunting question of all time. If you have even the slightest possible interest in an activity, try it out, because you never know what the outcome may be. In addition to broadening your social, academic, or career network, you might be surprised to discover a latent interest or talent, and the experience itself is likely to leave you with insights that you can draw upon down the road.

I have to admit that choosing a ‘sisterhood’ was probably the most difficult decision that I have ever had to make in my life. Yes, it was even harder than choosing a college, because the only deciding factor was “how I felt,” in other words, my impression of the sorority. It took me two long and grueling hours of going back and forth, to decide between my top two choices. I was uncertain until the very last second. In the end, I went with my gut and chose the sorority with which I had always felt an affinity. Today, having rebooted back into the calm of my daily routine after a turbo-charged Greek weekend, I can safely say that I made the right decision.

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