Delta Zeta has made me Truly Exceptional
If you would have told me in high school, or even my freshman year of college, that I was going to join a sorority, I would have laughed at you. I didn't know what a sorority was. All I knew was from House Bunny or Sydney White. In high school I was hardly involved in anything; I had my group of friends and that was it. But, let's take it back to my freshman year at Wayne State. I really couldn't tell you the reason why I picked Wayne State, besides the fact that my mom works at La Pita. I tried convincing myself that I was ready to move out and be on my own, but I knew deep down that I was not ready. When I went to my first round of orientation, I scheduled all my classes with a girl I didn't know, who shortly became my best friend. Nicole was my only friend all of freshman year. I really wouldn't have had it any other way. To this day she is still my partner in crime. Without Nicole at school, I would have been lost. I was not enjoying my first year of college. My best friend went to the University of Michigan and was having the time of her life. I was jealous. She was making all of these new friends and all of these new memories while I was hanging out with my mom on a Friday night. I really wasn't sure that Wayne State was for me. I wasn't really happy about it. I went to school and came home. So much for a college experience, right?
It wasn't until my sophomore year when Hannah, who I have known since I was 11, transferred to Wayne State and told me that I should go through recruitment with her. I signed up with no intentions of actually joining. I was just going to feel it out. It was the first day and I remember being in the bathroom of the student center while a group of Delta Zeta's walked in with high heels on. I was terrified. I don't dress up, what am I getting myself into? I remember looking at Hannah and thinking "what are we doing?" But, I went through. The first day, I was just overwhelmed. It was exhausting, but I had met a lot of women in Delta Zeta that I liked. The next day came around, and I was sold. I wanted to be a Delta Zeta, despite being scared of the fact that they wore high heels the first day. I went through the rest of recruitment only looking at Delta Zeta. The other sororities are great, don't get me wrong, but Delta Zeta felt like home. I'll never forget the feeling I had at the preference ceremony. The stories they told, the feeling of sisterhood in the room, that's what I wanted. I wanted this. Getting my bid was such an amazing moment. I even hugged Hannah (which to this day she still brings up because we are NOT touchy feely with each other).
Fast forwarding a bit, I went through my new member period, got initiated, and I wasn't really sure how I felt. It was still so new. Chairwomen elections were taking place and I didn't apply. I wasn't ready to take a position, heck I still didn't know what I was doing. But, I was asked to take courtesy chair. I wasn't really sure what that was, but I decided I probably needed to take it. Thank goodness I was asked to take a position because then I probably would have never taken the opportunity to be on the executive board. I was probably the most awkward courtesy chair that Epsilon Sigma has ever had. Every single time I would have to give a card to the fraternities I would just hand it to them and not say a word. But hey, I did it!
My first semester in Delta Zeta I felt like I just coasted by. I wasn't extremely involved. Once the fall semester came around I decided that I wasn’t getting out what I wanted of Delta Zeta so I made a change and I would say I stepped it up a lot. I took a little (shout out to my peanut because she's my world) and I started helping out more and going to more events. Then it was time for executive board elections. I was so adamant on not running for e-board. I made up every excuse in the book. But then one day I decided that I needed to do this. If it wasn’t for Libby I probably wouldn’t have done it. That’s what best friends are for, right? So I ran, and got elected Vice President of Programs.
Being a member of executive board has made me a stronger person. I was lucky enough to be on an executive board with some of my closest friends and it has been such an amazing experience. I was never a leader. I always sat back and let others make the decisions. But being programming, I had to make the decisions, I had to make sure the chairwomen were doing what they were supposed to be doing. This past year has made me into a leader. I will probably always be the shy, quiet one, but I will say that I have come out of my bubble a lot. I take initiative in things I would never have expected myself to do.
Delta Zeta has made me the woman I was cut out to be. I always wanted to be a leader and to be more outspoken but the opportunities were never there for me. As cliché as this saying is, Delta Zeta has made me a better version of myself. It has given me a gift through college that I would have never experienced. I have gotten a leadership opportunity while having 60+ women cheering me on and supporting me. I met some of my best friends. I became a part of the dynamic duo, Mibby. I’ve found some of my future bridesmaids. Sororities are not like the movies. My sorority is my home, my comfort zone, my family. No matter how hard of times I may have, or how annoyed I may get, I would never change the experiences, or the women I am lucky to surround myself with, for anything. So, thank you Delta Zeta for making me the truly exceptional woman I always knew I was.
