Kappa Delta
(ΚΔ)
All my life, I’ve been a self-proclaimed, “small town girl.” I graduated with a class of about one hundred and nineteen students, all of whom I knew by name since Kindergarten. Both insiders and outsiders referred to my town as a “bubble,” a place where rarely anything went wrong, everyone looked the same and pretty much practiced the same religion and way of life. This little cocoon was an amazing place to grow up in, however, when it came to graduate high school I knew that I belonged somewhere with a vast community of students made up of all different backgrounds, beliefs, and ideas. Therefore, Penn State was my top choice for the upcoming fall. Not once during my high school years or the summer prior to my freshman year at Penn State did it ever cross my mind that I would be interested in becoming a part of Greek Life. The given stereotypes about “sorority girls” just did not seem like it would fit my lifestyle. In truth, I thought I was beyond a sorority and its common misconceptions such as “buying your friends.” Boy, was I wrong.
That fall was nothing more than a shell shock for me as I was welcomed by a student body of 40,000 people. If my hometown had been a “bubble,” State College was the entire rest of the universe. I thought I had gotten what I wanted, could figure it all out and make great friends and lifelong bonds in an instant. The girls on my floor proved to be nothing short of amazing. Their kind, welcoming and friendly attitudes were comforting through this drastic change. Although we all differed in backgrounds, we all shared one common thread; we were alone, we were new, and we were scared.
As the first few weeks of school quickly passed by, it seemed as though the halls of my dorm were buzzing with talks of recruitment, a concept that seemed so familiar to everyone else and yet so foreign to me. Almost every girl on my floor had done previous research and already were set on what sorority they wanted and which one were the most highly rated on campus. While they all shared opinions, as well as clothes during those days of Fall Recruitment, I sat listening and watching as the girls who I thought were going to be my new best friends were all becoming apart of a world that I would never be apart of. I became curious and almost regretful for not joining in on this exciting and new journey that many of my freshman peers were embarking on. There was one time, while eating dinner at “The Big O,” were I expressed this fear to my two new friends, and recruitment participants, who encouraged me to keep my interests open and maybe join in the Spring. Days later I received a phone call from one of those friends saying that her now found sorority had an open spot and they wanted to “snap” me into their Fall ’09 Pledge Class. I don’t know whether it was the excitement or the eagerness, but I instantly began crying due to my overwhelming happiness of finally finding a place in this huge campus where I could say that I belonged.
Looking back on that time in my life now, as a sophomore, that decision alone to join a sorority was single-handedly the best decision I had made during my freshman year. I am confident I have created bonds and friendships that will last me a lifetime and taken part in multiple philanthropies, as well as leadership roles; in fact I am on my way to become the President of my chapter this November. When outsiders, such as people from my hometown, ask me about my sorority or voice some of their negative opinions on “sorority girls,” I simply shrug it off. I know now that unless you are apart of a sisterhood, then you just won’t understand. Not a day goes by where I am not thankful for being given the opportunity to join this wonderful group of young women. There is a moment, upon returning from class or meetings, when I look up at the hall I am entering and see my sorority’s letters proudly shown on the windows above. It is in that moment that I am happy, that I am confident, and that I am home.
Kappa Delta Chapter Information
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