Recruitment Workshop Epiphany

 Before I begin, here are a few things you should probably know about me.

·        My attention span is virtually nonexistent.

·        I really, really, really like food.

·        I hate mornings with a passion.

·        I’m kind of addicted to Diet Coke. Yes, I know it’s bad for me.

·        I never expected to join a sorority. The look of shock on my old friends’ faces still amuses me when they find out I joined my chapter.

·        I don’t fully fit in anywhere. I never have, and I don’t think I ever will. And I kind of like that.

·        I got a job to pay for sorority life, t-shirts, and extras.

·        I went through recruitment as a sophomore knowing where I wanted to call my home away from home (more on this in another post).

·        I knew who I wanted as my Big Diamond Sister as soon as we talked at Meet the Greeks.

·        I was planning on going financially inactive this year for several personal reasons.

I think that covers the bases.

Everyone told me to expect this moment of absolute wonder during my Initiation that I almost felt guilty for not feeling. I just didn’t feel anything through it. It wasn’t that I didn’t care or wasn’t excited. I just didn’t get some magical feeling or butterflies or anything. I was exhausted and kind of just want to get back to my pizza. That feeling added on to my personal reasons lead me to consider financial inactivity. I even got the paperwork half filled out. I got busy and didn’t worry with it for a while. Then our June workshop came around. I didn’t expect to almost completely change how I felt about my sorority.

I went through the motions on that first day. I sing-screamed my way through all the songs and chants most of us already knew, cheerleader-cheesed it up every time a camera was on me, and couldn’t wait for food. When it was over, I finally got to go home. I finally got to see my boyfriend after a week. The next morning I had to get up early for the Initiation of our two sweet Alphas. It was too early for me to get my Diet Coke fix for the day. To say I was cranky would be a gross understatement. But I love my sisters and wanted our two newest Alphas to have as great an experience as they could.

It was during their Initiation that I finally had my magical moment. I don’t even know what caused it. I just know that somewhere during the ceremony, I looked around the room at all the girls I had gone through the very same process with. I looked at them and knew I was exactly where I was meant to be. I realized that though I may not get along easily with every single sister I ever meet, the bond we share because of Alpha Delta Pi is more important than any of that. I had several more of those moments later in the day. I just realized exactly how much my sisterhood and letters mean to me in the long run.

I wouldn’t give up being in Alpha Delta Pi for anything. My letters aren’t just there to look cute on a shirt, fanny pack, or pair of sunglasses. My letters are to remind me to grow in who I am and to help push my sisters in the right direction as well. My letters are to remind me to be better than I was yesterday, even if it’s only a little. They’re to remind me that I will never be alone again. I knew all these things before workshop, and yet I also didn’t. I had to refocus on that. And that, my dear friends, is an epiphany to last a lifetime.

I believe that our motto, “We Live For Each Other”, expresses the true spirit of fraternity; and that by living this motto my life will be enriched by true friendships and by unselfish service to mankind.

Check out this great article from our new writer, Meaghan!!