Short and sweet story..

[awkward1]

I last left you on pref day. My pref party was really enjoyable, it was sincere and even emotional. I really felt like this sorority wanted me to join them and were not just flattering me. I tried to stay relaxed and not look desperate, hoping that they didn't know I only had one party and it was either them or nothing.

I remember not sleeping well that night. In a matter of days I had gone from not knowing anything about sororities to desperately wanting to be a part of one. The morning of bid day is not a vivid memory, I think I was too tense to register much. I remember holding my envelope and praying that it wasn't blank. I held my breath and opened my envelope and could not believe that I had actually received a bid from Chi Omega!! I can't begin to describe the feeling that came over me at that moment. The next thing I remember is being at the house and getting hugs from sisters who had rushed me and actually crying because I could not believe that I had done it! The following moments were a blur as we received out t-shirts and had lots of pictures taken. I couldn't wait to share the news with my family back home in Alaska, but not having a cell phone meant that would have to wait. During a quiet moment I had to ask one of my new sisters why they picked me because I didn't exactly fit the mold. She said they liked that I was brave enough to travel so far on my own, I was funny and outgoing. In other words, I wasn't exactly like everyone else but I was exactly what they were looking for. Who knew?

The phone call home was a little anti-climatic. My mom tried to be enthusiastic because she knew this was important to me, but she really had no idea what being in a sorority meant. I told her about the real live House Mother, the Parlor in the house, the Dining Room, How boys were not allowed anywhere but the parlor, about the t-shirts and on and on.

Classes started soon afterwards and so did my new member education. I went to my first SEC football game and still remember it like it was yesterday. I could not believe that I was sitting in a stadium filled with so many people who all knew cheers, chants and songs by heart. And the cheerleaders were amazing, I watched them more than I watched the game. I didn't have a sundress to wear so for the first game I wore shorts and no one really seemed to care. Afterwards I ended up borrowing clothes from friends for games and socials and everyone was happy to oblige me. While my friends back in Alaska were staring winter in the face, I was laying in the sun between classes. And yes, I wore shorts to class. That was so cool!

The moral of my story is this...Be yourself during rush and keep an open mind. The day I tried to pretend I was a graceful southern girl was the day I was cut. Also, don't dwell on who cut you but rather on who wants you. You may not be exactly like the rest of the girls but you may be exactly what they are looking for, so just be yourself. I can't say it enough!

HOW MY ADVENTURE ENDED.....
Unfortunately my mother was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer not long after I started college. I had to make a decision, stay at a school I had completely fallen in love with or go home and be with my mom. I chose to go home, it was an easy decision. I never ended up getting initiated because I knew that I would be leaving in December. I'm not a member of Chi-O but Chi-O will always be a part of me. I enrolled at the University of Alaska - Fairbanks (go Nanooks!) where I ended up graduating. While I ached to be back at my southern school, life didn't cooperate with me and my mom passed away the summer before my junior year.

I'm back in the south now with two children who are greek at SEC schools. It didn't work out for me but I do get to experience a little bit of it through my children. We are not an old south family with deep connections but my two kids did well with their rush and are very happy. I'm not revealing where I went to school because I don't want to give the impression that the students there are idiots at geography because of the not well thought out remarks of a few. Sorry, but I can't do that to a school that I am so fond of! I hope this thread is read by some of the girls currently, or soon to be rushing. Maybe it will encourage them to sit back and enjoy the ride and maybe find themselves on a path they never imagine taking!