How I love those Alpha Gams :)

Today, I’m linking up with Greek is Greek and blogging about my college sorority experience! Clearly, from my blog name, you know that I’m a sorority gal through and through. My first exposure to sorority life was the movie Legally Blonde which was actually written by one of my sorority sisters! I knew after watching that movie in 8th grade I wanted to pledge a sorority in college.

Virginia Tech’s formal sorority recruitment is before spring semester. My first semester of college, I didn’t make many friends, so I was really excited to rush. It was an experience that truly changed my life. The very first day of Recruitment, I met one of my future pledge sisters (both our last names began with a “V”).  By the last round, I knew 100% that I wanted a bid from Alpha Gamma Delta. An ice storm the next day may have cancelled our Bid Day, but I still trekked across campus to pick up my bid. My semester as a “new member” was a whirlwind of meetings and mixers and was highlighted by my Initiation (then Initiation day to a long walk off a short cliff when I got food poisoning at our banquet on top of already having Strep throat). I ate 90% of meals with these women, and we went out to bars and parties together. Every day for three and a half years. I lived in my house my last two years of college and relished having 26 of my best friends (for the most part) at my disposal whenever I wanted them. We even used to be super awkward and cuddle while watching TV. It’s only weird if you haven’t done it.

During Recruitment sophomore year

With our sisters at Georgia Tech

I love Alpha Gamma Delta. I truly believe in what we stand for. My time wasn’t always perfect (we were on collegiate and International probation for about 2 and a half years), and my chapter is no longer active (it was closed the year after I graduated). But I made some of the greatest friendships of my life. I witnessed first hand the amazing things women can do when challenged or called upon. One of my dear friends even inadvertently introduced me to my husband at a party that another sister hosted. I had two sisters stand with me on my wedding day with over a dozen more watching. We’ve supported each other through break-ups, babies, and burials.

I still wear my letters (which might be creepy considering I’m about to be 25). I’m proud to be an Alpha Gam for life. I was at the mall in Fayetteville earlier this year sporting a lettered t-shirt from my senior year. An elderly lady at Macy’s stopped me to tell me that she was also an Alpha Gamma Delta from a chapter in Pennsylvania. How amazing is it that she and I had nothing in common at first glance but shared the bond of sisterhood? Every time we open a new chapter, I sign up to be a Pearl Sister, or pen pal to a new woman starting out on her Alpha Gamma Delta journey. I even drove to Columbia, South Carolina, to meet my Pearl Sister at the Initiation Banquet for our new chapter at USC.

Now my heart is exploding with love and warm-fuzzies, and I want to move back into my sorority house.