I never planned on joining a sorority. When I was a senior in high school, my aunt would plague me with stories about the sorority she was in, how much it could change my life, blah, blah, blah.
She is an alumna of Pi Beta Phi at UNM. But I didn’t care how much she wanted me to go through “rush,” or about how many amazing memories she shared with her “sisters.” I just knew I didn’t want to be in a sorority.
Everything changed when I talked to my high school dance team coach, who had also been in a sorority. On a whim I asked her what being in a sorority was like. I’ll never forget what she said: “It’s like being a part of a big dance team, except no practices, no performances.” I decided I had to at least go through rush — it didn’t mean that I had to join a sorority. And it was one of the best choices I’ve ever made.
Through Pi Phi, I have gained experiences, opportunities and best friends. I found out about the opportunity to be a counselor at an autistic children’s camp — Camp Rising Sun — through a friend in Pi Phi. I enjoyed being a counselor so much I’ve done it every summer since. My friends in Pi Phi have proofread my essays, gone with me on 4 a.m. pranking missions to fraternities and offered me their shoulders to cry on. When I was trying to raise money to do a volunteer project in El Salvador, they were right by my side cleaning The Pit and painting buildings to raise money that they would never see a cent of. They have proven to be some of the most supportive and selfless women I’ve ever met.
Pi Phi members are not the only sorority girls that have affected my life positively. I can honestly say I have at least one good friend in every Panhellenic sorority on campus. I’ve traveled to San Diego with an Alpha Chi and a Kappa has given me a ride home. A Chi Omega has been one of my most influential mentors. It may be weird to think about, but being a member of a sorority gives people a special kind of bond: You know that even if you do something like a semester exchange, you’ll come back to your sorority and nothing has changed. Your best friends are all still there for you, and you can pick up right where you left off.
I might make being in a sorority sound a little too good to be true. And you might secretly be thinking, “The stuff this girl is saying could not sound more sugar-coated if she tried.” However, the biggest lesson I’ve learned through Pi Phi is that you are only rewarded when you put a lot of effort into something.
As a sorority member, I’ve tried to get involved in any opportunity in Pi Phi or Panhellenic that sounds interesting to me. Panhellenic is the governing body over all the sororities. I’ve been lucky enough be a part of recruitment and hold an office in Panhellenic. I’ve laughed for hours just watching YouTube videos with Greek Life advisers and other sorority women. I know that the friends I’ve made and experiences I’ve had in a sorority will stay with me and continue to affect me throughout my entire life.
