Can't Put a Price on Sisterhood

One criticism of Greek life is that you are paying for your friends. While the dues can be expensive, this is not the first organization I have had to pay dues. But that's not the point of this post.

The point is, my sorority has afforded me some amazing experiences. I found my sorority at exactly the right time in my life, when I needed them most. When I was going through recruitment, for this sorority that was re-chartering it's chapter at my university, I was diagnosed with severe clinical depression. Those were some of the worst times of my life. There were days that I would only stare at walls from my bed. I don't know how I even got through my classes. One professor, one of the hardest, fairest and probably the best professor I had, commended me at the end of the year for how well I did despite it at all. She knew how hard of a teacher she was, and I had her for two classes that semester. Truly, I thank my sorority for helping me get through those times.

I probably would not have met some of my sisters if it hadn't been for my sorority just through chance; different majors, different circumstances. But, because of my sorority I found some of my very best friends. Our headquarters sent us the two most amazing advisers for the recolonization process. They are legitimately the big sisters I never had and helped me out a lot. My sisters were so accepting of my depression and have fought with me-one of them by my side when I got a fighter tattoo on my wrist, to be stronger than the depression.

I realized, yet again, how valuable my sisterhood is at our big/little reveal the other night. Last year, I took a little who is the little sister that I never had. We were a great match. As a founder, I don't have a big, so taking a little means a lot to me, especially watching her grow into sorority life and live our values. Before this year's recruitment, I had signed up again to be a big but I really didn't think my family could get any more perfect.

However, come Bid Day, my little's "rush crush" had accepted a bid, so both of us were hoping that she would join our family. Although I am a senior, I connected with one of the freshman who accepted a bid. She is not much like me, but I was absolutely thrilled when we were matched up as big and little. And my first little's rush crush became my grand little.

Fast forward to big little reveal. My family finally had a tree, I had two littles and a grand little. We are a variety of personalities, a mix match of characteristics. But I think that's what makes us complete. Welcoming one little into our family and watching my little welcome her little into our family was really awesome. We're all sisters within the sorority, living the same values. But there is just something about family. Yes, having a little is definitely an additional responsibility.

But here is what I love about being a big, yes, I get to spoil my littles and grand little with crafts that I see on Pinterest, which is a ton of fun and I love it. However, I love watching my littles learn, learn what our sorority means and what it means to be a part of it, as they take on more responsibility to the chapter. Being a big means being a mentor. My first little has already made me so proud, and I can see how much my second little and grand little love our chapter.

You can't explain what it means to be in a sorority, which is why I think you can't put a price on sisterhood. There is nothing else similar to it. There is also no comparison to the love that a sister has for her sorority. It is not something you usually get to see.

From the beginning, my sisters were so accepting. And it's wonderful how much we just welcome our girls on bid day with open arms. It's your home.

I told the little I just took that you become a part of your sorority, but you'll learn that your sorority has always been a part of you.

You can't say that about many other things. That is what makes it so valuable. At least to me.