How I Found Home

Sorry guys, but this has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with me. 

   Growing up I was always a bit of an outsider. I had a hard time finding a circle a friends, partially because I went to five elementary schools and when I did settle down in a school system, it was in a small town where everyone had known everyone since birth. I was a perpetual new kid, which both helped and hurt my social skills. To be honest, in all that moving no where really felt right. I was never really comfortable. I always stood out and was invisible at the same time. That's probably part of the reason I never saw the merits in joining a sorority when I was getting ready to go to college. Sororities were for preppy girls, girls who partied hard, and had lots of money. I was none of those things. I was the girl sitting in class with her nose stuck in a book, who only really spoke up to answer questions in class or to sing in the choir. That did not fit the sorority mold. Or so I thought. 

   When I went off to college at Virginia Wesleyan College I decided to make a change. I am naturally a boisterous, extroverted person and I was sick of repressing that side of me. So I didn't. I walked into VWC on my first day and spoke to the first person I saw. Then I spoke to every person I came across. I found friends amongst the other freshmen as well as the Orientation Staff. My new friends and I ended up hanging out with a few of the SOSers (as they were called) the night of Scene 1 Orientation and that is where I met Lynette and Lisa. They became fast friends of mine and when I came back for Scene 2 we hung out more and more. 

That's Lynette. She's basically my favorite human being.

   During Scene 2 Orientation I really clicked with Lynette and she started inviting me over to her room to hang out with she and her friends. Just so happens those friends were her sisters. To be honest, I was surprised in what I saw. These weren't the bleach blond party girls I had thought sorority girls to be. These were student leaders, artists, writers, scientists, actors, and so much more. Within the first two weeks of my freshman year, I had a new goal. I wanted to join a sorority. Not just any sorority though. These amazing women I had grown to love and look up to were members of Phi Sigma Sigma Fraternity, Inc. I wanted to be a Phi Sig and I refused to be denied. 

My first tagging of the Surf Board.

   The whole first semester of my freshman year I went to every recruitment event. I knew I needed grades to get considered and would need to wait until the next semester, but I wanted to make my interest known. Slowly, but surely, I watched a large number of my friends go Greek. My best guy friend, John, (within the first two weeks of school mind you) accepted a bid from Phi Kappa Tau. Lynette dragged me along to the Bid Card signing for IFC and I got to see him go in all dressed up and then come out looking so excited to announce that HE was going to be a PKT. On top of that, my female friends slowly started going Greek too. Stephanie, a girl on my hall I had bonded with over choir and Hanson, got her bid into Phi Sigma Sigma as we were walking to her room from the bathroom. That was definitely an interesting experience and I was so happy for her. As all this went on I waited. I had friends who were in the same boat. We had to wait until Spring Semester to go through Formal Recruitment because of the credit requirement and we were fine with that because we still got to hang out. 

That's John. Phi's gotta stick together. All the way to graduation.

   I probably spent more time in the then Phi Sig Suite than my own room. It was either movie nights or video games or talking about everything and nothing. I would not change it for the world. They were there for me even when I wasn't a sister when I needed someone. When Spring Semester finally arrived I was SO excited. Minus the fact that I couldn't hang out with half of my friends due to rules that attempt to keep formal recruitment fair. 

Phi Sig Suite Antics (Stephanie, Me, Emily)

   So Formal Recruitment started and I went to parties with each of the sororities for 3 days. Then came Preference Night. I was invited back to Phi Sigma Sigma's pref and I was overjoyed. Though I had enjoyed getting to know women in the other organizations on my campus I knew exactly where I wanted to be. To be honest, I cried during that ceremony. It was beautiful and I got to share with people I had become insanely close with. And then I had to wait. That night my friend, Christine and I, both slept in my room and by slept I mean we actually just stayed up the whole night in eternal anxiety. The next morning we received a call telling us to come to the Student Activities Office in a white shirt to receive our bids. When I walked into that office and opened the envelope to find a bid card from Phi Sigma Sigma I nearly cried, and by cried I mean I jumped up and down and squealed like a crazed school girl. That is still one of the best moments of my life. 

Picture of the Best Moment Ever. (2/9/09)

   The actual best moment came later though. It was when we lined up outside the Bid Day room to be introduced to our new sisters. I was first in line. I put myself there because I could not wait any longer. I walked into that room and I have never felt more wanted or loved than in that moment when 20 or so women that I admired so much rushed at me and hugged me so hard that I wasn't actually standing on my own feet at the time. I will never forget that moment. It is the single most amazing moment of my life to date. That was February 9, 2009. I was initiated into the Wonderful sisterhood of Phi Sigma Sigma Fraternity, Inc. on March 28, 2009. 

That's my Greek Family up top and down below, we rock for Kidneys.

   To this day I will always say that going Greek was my best decision in college. It brought so many things. I became a leader on campus (President of Equality Alliance and Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society 2011-2012). I took part in philanthropy and charity (Rock-a-thon, Special Olympics, Relay for Life, and Marlins Make A Difference Day). I became friends with some of the most amazing fraternity men (Sigma Nu, Phi Kappa Tau, and Kappa Alpha Order) and sorority women (Sigma Sigma Sigma, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Alpha Kappa Alpha, and Zeta Phi Beta). We made a difference on our campus and we spoke out when we thought it necessary. There were good times and bad. I learned to fight for what I believed in and not allow people's judgements of me change who I am. I learned to be strong in my identity and own my choices. I became the woman that I always wanted to be. The woman that my sisters and the legacy of Phi Sigma Sigma helped form me into. 

My first year as an Alumni.

   Phi Sigma Sigma's open motto is Diokete Hupsula, which is Greek for Aim High. We were founded in New York, New York at Hunter College on November 26, 1913 by a group of women who wanted to be in the same fraternity for women and couldn't because they were not of the same faith. So they made their own, the first secular Greek organization. My founders were suffragettes, teachers, nurses, amazing and inspiring women. 100 years later, my sisterhood is still full of amazing and inspiring women who take life and make it what they want it to be. 

   I found a home with a group of women who accepted me for who I was and am. So, if you are heading off to college, don't count Greek Life out. We aren't all about hazing and cultishness. It's not paying for your friends. It's finding your place, your people. I definitely found mine because

Once a Phi Sigma Sigma, Always a Phi Sigma Sigma.