How did you know?

[AOII Angel]

I'm someone who felt none of the touchy feely "connection." I was released by everyone but AOII. My older sister was an active in our chapter, only one year ahead. I assume everyone thought I was going AOII since I asked everyone if they knew her! I thought rush was cheesy and was so thankful when it was done, but I was ecstatic to get my bid and run down the AOII hall to my new sisters. I just wanted to be Greek. My sister had such a good time her first year that I knew AOII would be a good place for me no matter what the week of superficial rush had been like (yes, it was rush back then!) I haven't looked back once and am a more involved AOII now than anyone else in my pledge class.

[psusue]

I might have said this before, but I wasn't really certain Tri Sigma was for me at first. My favorite story to tell PNMs is that the day I got my bid day bag (complete with Sigma letters on it) I turned it inside out so that no one could see that I was in a sorority! I was SO not sure I had done the right thing at all, thank goodness I was with my friend who had also received a bid at the same time.

The moment I realized I was a Sigma though was when I was headed to a new member meeting looking like a complete mess, no shower, no makeup, probably wearing jeans and a ratty hoodie. I hadn't had time to change prior to the meeting and for every event before that I had made sure to look my best because I still really felt like I had to impress these women. But sure enough, when I showed up at the meeting, no one cared what I looked like, everyone was just glad to see me and treated me just the same. That was the moment when I realized that these women really liked me for me, and that they cared about me and wanted to be my friend. That was the moment I realized I was a Sigma, and that feeling has only intensified over time.

[TPA85]

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.

[ElieM]

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

[DubaiSis]

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.

[psusue]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

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.

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

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.

[KSUViolet06]

I've posted about this elsewhere, but I knew the first time I had lunch with 3 Sigmas (I went through informal.) It felt like I was at lunch with people I'd known forever. Same with other events. It just felt like I was hanging out with friends.

[kaylaxlove]

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!

[honeychile]

If I'm honest with myself, I'd say that I knew on the first day. But, it wasn't my legacy chapter, so I was terribly torn. Recruitment was a month long for me, and the entire time, I was torn - so I preffed ADPi & KKG. I ranked them that way, too, and while I would have been happy in either, I'm SO glad to be an ADPi! FWIW, I wrote a retro recruitment thread a few years back - I always wished I had given DZ more of a chance, just in case!

ETA: It's here. I thought you might want to see it, if you're considering Pitt. It's changed A LOT since I was there, though!