It all started in the fall of 1993 when my sister was a freshman in college. I don't remember hearing anything about sororities or fraternities before that time, but I was only in the 8th grade. My sister went through sorority "rush" as it was called back in the day.
She was given a bid to Kappa Delta and from then on it was history...
I remember my parents going to see her perform in an All-Sing competition, but I stayed at a friends house that night. I remember going to homecoming at MTSU, but she was on the dance team also, so we watched her perform, I remember a bunch of girls coming to my parents house, and getting to color a bunch of teddy bears for notebooks.
I wanted so badly to wear her KD t-shirts. I could only wear the ones that were all greek affiliated, which I thought was pretty cool. I wore one til it had holes in it. Occasionally I would sneak one and wear it. I ended up being in a picture in my HS yearbook with one on. It was just a glimpse into my future.
So here I was a freshman at MTSU, the fall of 1998, knowing I was going to go through rush. My sister helped me with my application, and it was filled to the brim with awards and activities and achievements. I was pumped. Plus, I was a legacy. I went in with an open mind, but I always knew I wanted to be a KD. I saw how my sister made her best friends and I wanted that also...
Rush was crazy, but I can still remember every outfit I wore, and yawning from lack of oxygen in one of the chapter rooms on theme night. I didn't get invited back to that one. I remember my sister being in the room for preference night and the current president of the chapter came over to speak to me. I also remember crying to the song "In This Very Room", mainly because it was played at my sister's wedding. I would later find out how much meaning that song would have in my life.
I went through recruitment with only one a few friends that I knew from HS, but mainly just one that I was very close to. We both knew we wanted different sororities, and I knew I wouldn't really know anyone in mine, but I didn't care. All I cared about was getting a bid to Kappa Delta. I remember bid day sitting in the theater of the KUC and waiting impatiently while our Rho Chi's (they were called that back in the day) revealed their sorority. As soon as they said go, my friend and I jumped up and ran to the front of Cummings Hall to our person and grabbed our bids. I had one from KD. I ran to the chapter room, and was probably the first pledge to make it there. I knew I was home.
This was the beginning of new friendships, new life experiences, new challenges, new relationships, new everything.
Bid Day was a whirlwind - so may new faces, cheers, chants, pictures, etc. Then we went to our bid day party at Amanda's house and my sister was there. We ate and then all of the new pledges (again, an old term), stood up and told a little bit about themselves. It was a lot to soak in. The next night we had to wear all white for a ceremony. I remember I had a white/cream dress with blue flowers. It had to work. From that point I got my first glimpse into the ritual aspect of the sorority. So many meanings, but all pointed to God.
The next six weeks were filled with homecoming with Sigma Nu, and getting our homecoming buddies, getting our big sisters, pledge retreat, meetings, my first fraternity mixer, and a whirlwind of other activities.
All of this was going on while I was still trying to figure out how to survive my first semester of college. Classes, hot ham and cheese sandwiches and curly fries from the JUB, I had my braces put on that October, studying, missing my parents...it was a tough adjustment, but I was having a great time!
After the six week pledge period was up, we had initiation. I remember wearing a different all white dress and was much more comfortable. It was time to learn the meaning of AOT, and I am pretty sure I didn't catch it during the ceremony, but there is so much going on and so much information, I don't know if many actually catch it. Initiation was very special for my because my sister pinned me with her KD badge. I now had another bond with her.
I had become close with a few of the sisters and was ready and excited to become more involved. I had always been told that you get out of it what you put into it, and that could not have been more true.
I heard all of the sayings such as "You are paying for your friends" and "they do nothing but party" but my responses were always it was the best money I had ever spent, and who doesn't party in college. You don't have to be in a greek organization to go to a party, even though they seemed to always get a bad reputation. I didn't care what other people said or thought, I was proud to wear my letters and know what they stood for. I was proud to be a part of a fantastic organization and have sisters for a lifetime. I was proud to be a part of something to where I had the opportunity to be a better version of me.
That first semester of college was a turning point in my life that would lead to best friends, a support system, and relationships that are still going strong today...
To be continued....
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