I Got My Identity Back!

When you talk to most sorority women, the one day they always look forward to is Bid Day. This day, which marks the end of recruitment, is like Christmas for women in sororities. You obtain your new members who will eventually become your sisters, you see old sisters, take a plethora of pictures and make memories. Bid Day is also the day when Rho Gammas get their identities back.

As I wrote in an earlier post, I was a Rho Gamma. Today marked my last day of not belonging to a sorority, not having an identity or talking to my sorority sisters and friends. You might be asking why I would put myself through this from May 18 until today. The answer is that I wanted to help girls find what I have found in college.

When I went through as a freshman, I thought my Rho Gammas were the coolest girls in the world (or at least at ONU); I wanted girls to have the same experience as I did. Once I found my home at Delta Zeta, I wanted girls who wanted to go Greek find where they belonged and their best friends, even if this meant giving up being with my best friends and sisters. I mean, I have held several positions within my sorority and I felt the next step would be to help freshmen girls find their home away from home. 

Unfortunately, with recruitment drama always occurs. As a Rho Gamma, I had to explain to girls why they were not invited back to certain sororities and see their dreams being crushed right in front of me. However, the events of the past 24 hours washed this all away. I didn't realize how much my nine floor girls liked me until yesterday, when they were calling and texting me all day to see when I was coming over to hang out with them before rounds that night. They asked for help getting ready and talked to me about boys, like we had known each other for years. I didn't understand how close I had become to these girls until they wanted my help figuring out where they should go and wanting to hang out besides recruitment rounds.

When I came today to hand out bids, I felt a rush of excitement go through me. After last night, I became sentimental about my nine floor girls. I have watched these girls grow within their first weeks at college and I felt like my own sisters were finding where they belonged today. I watched them form friendships between each other and with other women going through recruitment. I also grew within the past few weeks, becoming closer with girls in my own sorority and making new friends in different sororities. I will admit, I started to cry a bit as I reflected upon these memories. 

Once all the bids were handed out, I started thinking about the other reason I became a Rho Gamma. After the events of last year, I needed a break from Delta Zeta. I needed to give myself some time away from my chapter to remember why I joined a sorority in the first place. Being a Rho Gamma helped me do this. I realized that despite all of the drama we have to put up with, the good memories always outweigh the bad ones. 

Right before I was officially given back my identity today at Kinghorn, I started to shake uncontrollably. I felt like I was a freshman all over again running to Delta Zeta for the first time. I didn't get very far, as my little sister and best friends tackled me to the ground as soon as my name was announced. Even six hours later, I still cannot describe what I felt and how I feel having my letters back. Being a Rho Gamma not only helped other girls find their home, but I helped find my home again. I fell in love with the sorority I joined freshman year all over again and even more in love with my best friends.