One thing I've heard, and I feel is very true, is to try to picture yourself in the chapter you're considering in everyday circumstances. Can yu picture yourself studying in your pjs, or crying after breaking up with your boyfriend? Or even watching tv and eating popcorn? Sometimes that makes all the difference. In retrospect, I felt very down to earth with ADPi, and like I was wearing a mask at other chapters.

There is one line in the song that Theta Phis sing during pref that really hit me. That's when I just knew that's where I had to be.

And then, just as you may never have "the one" wedding dress moment, you may not have "the one" sorority moment until later - initiation or a particular moment when you really need your sisters most

This is exactly the mantra we need to be sharing for all of the upcoming "I got the icky house and I don't know if I should accept my bid" and "I pledged my dream house and there are no longer any unicorns pooping rainbows" posts.

Suck it up. Bring your own fun and you'll find out your new sorority sisters are more fun as a result.

I can totally relate. I was torn between 2 on bid night. And I picked the one that I felt like the girls would help me grow more as a person than the other. That sounds weird when

I try to explain it. With the majority of the girls in my chapter, we didn't have Ah-Ha moments until after we got bids, were initiated, or during Big/Little. I knew I was meant to be an AOII at the chapter when, on Bid Day, a girl an active who had preffed a different house when she went through rush explained her Ah-Ha moment. She was saying that it was during work week I think. And she realized that AOII picked her for her. They picked her because she was cool, down to earth, and nice. Not because she was on pomsquad, or president of her high school, or rich. And I loved that even though I was a hot awkward mess during recruitment that I still found a place with awesome girls like that who I knew would push me to be better, while still being me!

For a lot of girls (especially those who have chapter houses) that real feeling of sisterhood comes during work week before fall formal recruitment. It is SUCH a crazy time, but the bonding is fierce. If you aren't willing to take a chance, you'll never discover such a great feeling of togetherness.

Quoted for awesomeness. One of my greatest 'aha' moments after the one I listed was during the absolute insanity that is recruitment. After you've been through an 800-women, no rec to remind you of Party Two Sally, spread over a grueling 10 days recruitment, you know that you have been through the trenches and have come out better for it. I realized that I could trust my sisters with so much more than I thought I could. I realized that I still wanted to see them after 5 hours straight with them, in the hallway, laughing hysterically because it was too late and everything was just so funny. I realized that these women were my true sisters, that though we fought and snapped at times that there was just so much love between us and that at the end of the day they were my shoulders to cry on, my strength when I needed it, the reason I carried on. They embodied Tri Sigma's statement 'to receive much, you must give much'. They gave their all with me and it made us so much stronger as a result. I love them and that love grows all the time. Tri Sigma is without a doubt one of the best decisions I've made in college and in life.

I loved both of the houses that I went to on Pref night. I went to house A first and the ceremony was beautiful and emotional and made me feel SO special, I looked around at the circle of other PNMs and at the girls of house A, and I saw myself in the house. I went to house B, tears still in my eyes from house A, and there wasn't the same type of ceremony. There was talking and some house B actives told stories about their experience. I walked out of the house completely confused. I was the girl who sat in the room, staring at my bid card, crying. A Pi Chi (recruitment counselor) came up to me and talked me through why I liked both houses. When I was done...she looked at me and said "You know." I DID know. That was my a-ha moment...I knew that at house A, I had talked to a couple girls who I thought were great...at house B, I never had to try. It was easy. It was fun, and I made a connection with every girl I talked to.

Best decision I've ever made.

AND--it's also why I signed up to be a Pi Chi! :)