[AlwaysSAI]

As I stated before, I auditioned at UNCG as a vocal minor and was admitted. I also had a great deal of musical experience under my belt. I studied voice privately for 4 years before entering UNCG, I was the lead vocalist in an award winning trio, I had won competitions as a soloist, had leads in musicals, performed an Carnegie Hall (with a city chior) and had been accepted into a very competitive women's chior; all before entering college, except Carnegie Hall which happened my freshman year at UNCG.

My freshman year while in New York City a young woman came up to me and starting recruiting me for SAI. She told me it was a Women's Music Fraternity and that I should think about joining. I thought, a music sorority? right, like I'm going to join that. I don't need to be in some sorority to cement my talent as a musician. Needless to say, she was relentless. And, that same semester, a girl on my hall pledged SAI and she was having such a great time. She showed me everything her big made for her and all the clues she got during big/lil week.

After my unsuccessful formal recruitment experience, I figured, why not give SAI a shot. One of the older sisters had been hardcore recriuting me for almost a year. So, spring semester of my sophomore year, I went out to rush me SAI. The only people that knew I was rushing were my sister and my very best friend in the whole entire world. I didn't tell anyone else. I didn't want to have to do another one of those..."well, yeah, I didn't get in" speeches. I was horribly nervous, to say the least, but they were such great women and I had such a great time.

Bids went out Friday morning at 9a. I sheepishly made the treck to the music building shaking like a leaf. I get to the lounge........and.......nothing. Only bids from Phi Mu Alpha and Mu Phi Epsilon had gone out. I wasn't sure what to do. I walked back to my dorm and called my very best friend in the whole entire world (yeah, the same one). She told me that when she got out of class at 11a, we would walk over there together. So, we did and she held my hand as we walked down the hallway. I was soooo nervous. Sooooo scared. Something I had been so reluctant about, had become something I despirately desired.

We finally made it to the end of the hallway. We walked into the lounge and on the table sat a gift bag full of SAI bids. I searched frantically through the bag. Of course, here we go again with W. for a last name, but there I was! I opened the enveloped and saw the most beautiful bid card I had ever seen in my life. I had a huge smile on my face and my very best friend in the whole entire world began screaming with joy. We both began screaming and jumping up and down. My very best friend who saw me through hell my freshman year and held my head as I cried over NPC recruitment had seen me come full circle. We ran into the music lab because I had just seen my soon-to-be pledge mom go in there. I ran up to her screaming, YES! YES! YES! Right then and there, I filled out my bid card and couldn't have been happier.

The next six weeks are a blur. Taking quizzes, going to pledge meetings. And, low and behold, MY SAI BIG SISTER WAS A SISTER OF ALPHA CHI OMEGA, initiated by the Zeta Xi chapter at UNCG. She wasn't active anymore...I'm not sure if she turned in her badge or had just gone inactive. I was initiated as a sister into Sigma Alpha Iota on April 29, 2006. The initiation ceremony was so beautiful. I cried, I'll admit it, I cried. I finally understood why the ritual of each organization was so sacred.

That summer, I applied for a very prestigious internship with the NC state government through the North Carolina Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office. (EVERYONE SHOULD LOOK INTO IT!) There were more than 1,600 applicants and only 80 positions to fill. That year, it was particularly competitive. I was awarded my second choice position at the NC Museum of History!!! I spent the entire summer developing a week long camp for children in grades 3-6 that focused on toys and games as entertainment throughout the history and development of our state. IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS. And, through that position, I learned many leadership and research skills that I couldn't wait to begin using when I returned back to school. I knew I was well on my way to becoming a success.

But, something was missing. I returned to school in the fall. My Big, who had been so dear to me while I was pledging, decided to go inactive because she was tranferring to a school in Conneticut to be closer to her family. I had a hard time navigating through SAI. I wasn't a music minor anymore....I dropped it because i wanted to have a life outside of the practice room. All of the other sisters, except one, saw eachother everyday in the School of Music. I loved these girls. They were my home, the first women to accept me. I refused to go inactive. I had taken vows I would not betray.

But, I wanted something more......