I Found My Home in Theta

In the years leading up to college, I knew I wanted to join a sorority. Formal recruitment at my school was at the end of the fourth week of classes, so I became involved with other things first. I joined the women’s rugby team, and my teammates very quickly became some of my best friends. I went through one round of recruitment and decided that being in a sorority wasn’t what I wanted anymore. I spent the whole semester bonding with and making incredible memories with my teammates and other friends, but … something was missing. I felt that I was missing out on a values-based organization, opportunities for community service, and a lifelong sisterhood.

A few weeks into my spring semester, I decided to participate in informal recruitment. During formal recruitment, you visit every chapter on campus and are likely receive a bid from one of them. During informal recruitment, you go only to chapters that you want, and there is no guarantee of a bid. While I had three choices of sororities during informal recruitment, I decided to go only to Theta because I had met members during that first round of formal recruitment, and I remembered how genuine and authentic they seemed. I could see myself at Theta.

I walked into the house the first night of recruitment and was a little intimidated. There were more girls participating than I thought, and I thought there was no way I would get a bid. All my nervousness melted away, however, when I heard a Theta talking about one of my rugby teammates with whom she’s also friends. I awkwardly inserted myself into the conversation, which ended up feeling so natural, as did ones with every sister I talked to after that. I even talked to a girl who remembered talking to me for just a few minutes at formal recruitment months before. I met a diverse range of girls and loved that Theta embraced everyone’s differences.

The actual recruitment process felt so natural and not stressful at all, but since I ended up loving Theta so much (more even than I thought I would), I was nervous that they wouldn’t like me as much as I liked them. Saturday morning was the last round, and we would find out if we were to get a bid soon after we left. Again, I had a great time meeting new girls and this time getting a tour of the beautiful house.

Of course, you know the end of this story. I have made amazing friends, met my wonderful big, and become a more driven and focused individual since joining Kappa Alpha Theta. I love being a part of two organizations – rugby and Theta – that challenge me, support me and make me a better person. I don’t regret how or when I joined Theta, and I would encourage anyone on the fence about joining a sorority to give it a try and find her home, whether it be formally or informally.