|
4 Years Later...
As I sit at home stalking pictures of my chapter sisters at convention I thought I would add a “prologue” if you will to my story and share a little bit about my collegiate experience now that I’m * shudder * graduated…
-I ended up with the most amazing Big in the world. In retrospect I was so very very shy as a freshman (now I understand that probably played a huge role in my recruitment), but she helped me integrate in to the chapter and showed me that I would only get as much out of the sorority as I put in. Even though she took me as a senior she has remained my role model and next year she’ll be the maid of honor in my wedding.
-Winter term of freshman year my big convinced 3 girls from my dorm to go through informal recruitment. They were reluctant at first but years later it’s impossible to imagine the chapter without them. They all took leadership roles including Financial VP, New Member Educator, and Philanthropy Chair. They, along with a dorm friend who pledged with me, became my closet friends in college. One of them is even a regular GC poster now, although she prefers her anonymity!
-I guess it doesn’t hurt to admit that the sting of taking heavy cuts in recruitment stuck with me during my freshman year. I know, it’s silly and illogical, but what can you do. In a way it was good though, because in the words of another wonderful Gamma Phi and GC poster “I decided I would be the best Gamma Phi since Helen M. Dodge.” More specifically, on that rainy philanthropy day 4 years ago as I lined up outside Gamma Phi I looked up at the officers introducing themselves and made it my goal to be one of them one day. And to make a long story of intense personal growth short, I did. Which was how on my very last Bid Day 3 years later I wound up joining our recruitment chair for our own dip in the Millrace. The photos of me crawling out, covered in gunk and wearing a pink shower cap (that water was not getting anywhere near my hair) will probably haunt me for years, but it was well worth it. My two terms on exec defined my college career in the best way possible. For the collegians out there reading this remember that your experience as a PNM doesn’t define your membership experience.
-The girl standing behind me who I wanted to punch a couple of times for talking? Our boyfriends became close friends in the dorms and pledged the same fraternity. She was one of the many wonderful other sorority women I became close friends with through my boyfriend’s fraternity. We served as chapter presidents the same term, an experience I learned does a lot to bond you!
-Chuck Norris stayed in Elphaba with the girl from above. She really is a special kind of crazy, but I also came to see that her chapter meant the world to her. She dated a guy in my boyfriend’s fraternity as well, so we saw quite a bit of each other over the years and shared many mutual friends. There is probably a lesson about not burning bridges in there somewhere.
-More than anything I’m thankful that I had the privilege of being part of a group of women who were truly committed to leaving the chapter better than we found it. And in my opinion we did. Our past 2 recruitments were the most successful in the last decade, and our level of campus involvement has skyrocketed since the time I joined. The effort they put in help us win honorable mention for most improved chapter at Convention 2012, something we took great pride in. I watched my sisters accomplish so many amazing things, individually and collectively, and they gave me new reasons to have pride in my letters every single day for 4 perfect years. It killed me to say goodbye to my chapter at graduation, but as boyfriend (now fiancé) and I head to the Midwest next year I’m excited to start connecting with other alums!
__________________
GAMMA PHI BETA
Love. Labor. Learning. Loyalty.
|
Linear Mode
