[newbie]

Gosh. What a great but tough question!

Like greeklawgirl, I don't know where to start. I found GC just by surfing the web and clicking on a GC banner. I knew my (biological) sister was in a sorority and thought it would be interesting to see a message board about sororities and fraternities. Little did I know I would be sucked into this messageboard and become a posting-way-too-much member! LOL.

At first, I asked questions like "how do you pronounce this" because I had seen sorority names such as Pi Beta Phi and Alpha Phi before but didn't know if it was "Fee" or "fie." I always thought it was Alpha "Fee" but thought Pi Beta Phi was "Pi Beta FEE." I also asked things about being a legacy and what that meant.

But then, I started learning so much more than just the pronunciation of Greek letters. I learned about the whole Rush process (my, is it complicated!) and how horribly Greeks are stereotyped. Next, GC reinforced my belief that Greeks, on average, are good people. I was amazed at how many sweet posts my topics would garner even though I was only a high school junior at the time I joined GC. I was happy to see just how sisterly sorority sisters are, yet how nice and open they can be to people who are not in their GLO. I was amazed at how family-like GC is (on the whole) though most of us have never met each other in person. Most of all, I am so grateful to the Greeks who opened their arms to me and became my friends, though I myself am not yet Greek.

I am blessed to belong to this online community. These GCers have been by my side and supported me, from the death of my grandparents to the college decision process I am currently going through. A few GCers I really want to meet in person! I feel like I know many of you, even though we have never met in person.

GC has made me want to rush and belong to a sorority, more than ever. GC has dispelled preconceptions that I used to have of some Greeks. GC has made me so happy that I have the Internet!

So to all who make up GC, thanks. And to John, THANK YOU!! You make online surfing so much funner. And to those GCers whom I have had the pleasure PMing/emailing - you guys have made GC my favorite website! Thank you for allowing me to open my heart to you all!