There's something about walking up to the chapter house and going inside that still gives me butterflies. Maryland's fraternity row is very impressive, with fourteen houses that are all the same and situated in a U shape. Greeks and non-greeks, students and visitors, even the random passerby, have all commented about how nice the row looks and how impressive the houses are. Maybe thats why I still love walking up to the house, no matter why I'm going there, but deep down inside, I know it's so much more than that.
The first time I ever stepped foot in the Zeta house was fall recruitment in 2014.
I didn't originally plan on doing fall recruitment when I had to pull out of recruitment earlier that spring. I just figured I'd wait until the next spring, and go through formal recruitment. But then I learned that Zeta was doing fall recruitment, which they do not usually do, this was a rare opportunity. Now by the beginning of sophomore year, I had many friends in most of the sororities on campus, and I had a good idea what each of the chapters was like. Oddly enough, Zeta was the one sorority I knew the least about. I only knew two girls in the chapter and those were simply through mutual friends, and I really knew nothing about the personality and reputation of the chapter. All I knew about Zeta was what I had heard from my high school college counselor, who was a UMD ZTA alum herself, and what I had learned from media and personal research on different sororities. Looking back now, that made all the difference. Going in with a completely open mind allowed me to look at the chapter for what it was, and not what I wanted it to be. So fast forward to those first steps into the Zeta house. I went by myself, and walking up to the house was definitely nerve racking. Obviously I wanted them to like me, and I did not want the conversations to be awkward, but most of all I wanted to stay true to myself and not give them a fake perception of who I was.
Many people will say that you'll "just know" a few things immediately when they happen- when you meet the right person to spend your life with, when you find your perfect wedding dress, and what chapter you're meant to be in during recruitment. I was nervous, that because this was not formal recruitment, I'd have nothing to compare Zeta to, and I wouldn't get a clear sense of if it was a good fit. Wrong.
From the moment I walked through the door of 12 Frat row, I felt home. The girls were warm and welcoming, and even the house itself was very homey. (I always like to tell people how it has the same colors on the walls as my living room at home, making it even more like home to me). Never once did I feel awkward, the conversation seemed to flow, I got along with every girl I met, and never once did I feel pressured to be someone I wasn't. I knew right away that I could spend the rest of my life as a part of this amazing sisterhood.
As soon as I joined, I was welcomed in with open arms. Walking across campus meant running into multiple sisters and saying hi to me, and I gained so many more friends in my classes. I gained a support system of more than 100 sisters who can help me with almost every different thing that comes up. Whether it is helping with school work, attending an event, or even donating to one of the many different causes I have fundraised for, I have always found that sisters are usually willing to step up and help.
The girls in my chapter are from so many different walks of life, and yet we are all accepting of each other. There are blondes and brunettes, science majors and dance majors, native and foreign born, red fish and blue fish. And yet we all get along so beautifully. Put over 100 girls together, and you're bound to have squabbles and drama. Sure, there are definitely disagreements at times and not everyone always sees eye-to-eye, but without a doubt, I really believe any of my sisters would come to my aid if I called them at a time of need, even in the middle of the night. Likewise, I'd be there for any of my sisters if they ever needed me, and even if I'm not close with them or don't always get along with them, I have the utmost respect and appreciation for who they are as my sister. I have never been a part of a more accepting, loving, supporting, understanding, and all around amazing group of people. Needless to say, accepting the bid to join Zeta was a no brainer. And it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Every day, I grow more and more in love with my sisters and our chapter and Zeta Tau Alpha as a whole.
I think thats why I still love going to my sorority house. I'm reminded every time of the appreciation I have for Zeta, for the love that they've showed me, and how privileged I am to be a sister. Its been 117 years since our founders established ZTA, and yet here I am walking into the house, holding myself to the standards and values they set out for us in our creed and wearing the same crest as thousands of women before me. But more importantly, I love coming home, to my home away from home. Home is where the heart is, and my heart is with Zeta.
✽ Feels like home to me,
Zeta's home to me ✽
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