My Sorority Story

If you told me three years ago that I would be in a sorority, I would have laughed in your face.

In September 2008, I was a new college freshman living eight hours away from home in a new state and not knowing a single person.

I had high hopes for college. I hoped to finally break out of my shell and become more outgoing, but despite my best efforts, I quickly found myself reverting to my old ways- shy, quiet, and withdrawn.

However my roommate was completely the opposite- she was outgoing, loud, and very comfortable to go out and be around people. She really wanted to be involved on campus so it did not surprise me when she joined a sorority a few weeks into the semester.

At the time, I thought she was crazy and I had absolutely no interest in Greek Life. When I was researching colleges in high school, I looked for schools that had little to no Greek Life.

I thought sororities were how they are depicted in the movies- superficial, catty, and annoying. The thought of being around a bunch of girls, prancing across campus wearing Greek letters on my shirt, and going to frat parties seemed stupid and egotistical.

However, as the semester went on, I got to know a few of my roommate’s sisters and actually found that I had a lot in common with them. They were genuinely nice, cared about my opinions, and were fun to be around. I was still not completely sold on Greek Life, but the thought of going Greek was tucked in the back of my mind.

I ended up transferring after a year and started my sophomore year at my current university. As I started my second year at a new school, I found myself quickly overwhelmed with the switch and had a lot of doubts. I did not even know about the Greek Life at my school, so I missed formal recruitment. Besides, I was more interested in my academics than social life.

My first year at my new school, while busy, was very great. I had performance opportunities, had made a few friends, and was pretty happy overall. But something was missing.

Over the summer, I started doing more research into Greek Life. I knew at least one girl in all four sororities on campus and heard about all the fun events they would host. It was intriguing and I decided that I wanted in.

The first week of my junior year, I signed up for fall formal recruitment. At first I did not tell my parents, but eventually told my mom (who later told my dad) who was a bit surprised, but supportive of my decision. We thought it was a great way for me to get out of my comfort zone, meet new people, and do something different.

To say that I was nervous the first day of formal recruitment would be an understatement. I was a Junior when most of the girls going through were either Freshman or Sophomores, which put me at a little bit of a disadvantage, since sororities liked to have girls that would be active for 3-4 years. However, I went in with all of the confidence I could fake.

From the moment I stepped onto the hall of what would eventually become my sorority, I felt completely at ease. The girls were LOUD and not “stereotypical sorority girls” but I loved them. They did not put on a “show”- they were completely genuine and not fake. Within five minutes of talking with some of the girls, I broke out of my shell and any nerves that I had completely dissipated.

However, there was another sorority that I was surprised that I really liked. They were almost the complete opposite and not what I was expecting at all. For the entire week my top two choices flip flopped back and forth so going into the final night of recruitment was a bit nerve wracking.

The final night was Preference Night where we were invited back to our top one or two (two in my case) sororities for a party where we got a glimpse into the sisterhood side of the sororities. I loved both parties and afterwards found myself trying to make a tough decision.

At the end of the night, we had to rank our top two sororities. The reason for this ranking is that if both of the sororities you chose extend you a bid, you get your number one choice. But if your number one does not but your number two does, then you get the bid for your number two.

For many girls, this was an easy decision, but I was pacing the hallway outside the room where we ranked for awhile. I loved both sororities but for completely different reasons. My brain was telling me one thing, but my heart was telling me another.

Finally, after a good 40 minutes of thinking, I sat down and ranked my sororities….

For the remainder of the evening and until the next morning, I was a nervous wreck. I knew that I had made the right decision, but I was scared that my first choice would not give me a bid.

The next morning I went into a holding room to see if I received a bid. When my name was finally called, my heart skipped a beat or two.

As I was led into the adjacent room, the girl leading me asked me all sorts of questions about how I was feeling. The only word I could get out was “nervous.”

Once I sat down at the table, I was greeted with a smile from the head of the Panhellenic Council at my school. She asked me if I was ready and I nodded my head.

My hands were shaking as I opened up the envelope, but a smile immediately crossed my face when I saw the bid card…

I had followed my heart and got a bid from my first choice!!!!!!

After the initial shock, I signed my bid and quickly found out that my friend Allison (whom I had gotten close to during recruitment) had also gotten a bid!

Once everyone signed their bids, we all lined up to get ready to be announced and run out to our sororities.

After what seemed to be an eternity, it was my turn. As I stepped to the doorway, I looked out and saw that my top two sororities were next to each other and they both looked nervous.

I was quickly jolted back to reality with…

“Katy Sputo….Alpha Epsilon Phi.”

As I emerged from the building and ran out to the women who would later become my sisters, I was immediately greeted with cheers and hugs.

At that moment, everything was right in the world. I had finally found what I had been lacking so far in my college experience.

On September 18, 2010, I found my home away from home.

It has almost been a year since I initially signed my bid with Alpha Epsilon Phi and almost ten months since I was initiated into the sisterhood.

In that amount of time I have not only gained the sisters I have never had, but I have also grown as a person. While I am still shy, I have broken down many of the walls I had built up around myself.

I am more driven, passionate, genuine, and stronger as a result of my sorority. My sisters and I are all different, but yet we all come together and form something beautiful: a family, a support system, but more importantly, a sisterhood filled with unconditional love.

Many people do not understand sororities. I’ll admit it; I did not completely understand it until after I was initiated.

Hollywood has painted such a superficial and negative picture of sororities. We are not a group of people who go to wild crazy parties every weekend and get drunk. Sure there are the occasional parties but we also do so much more.

We are involved on campus, we raise money for our philanthropies, we are leaders, and we try to make a difference in our community. We are a tight knit group and despite any small rivalries we may have against each other, we all have each other’s backs whenever some tries to bring us down.

My sorority has changed me for the better and it is an experience I will never regret. I only regret not getting involved sooner!

Three years ago I never would have thought I would ever be a “sorority girl.”

But three years later, I am PROUD to be one! I am honored to wear my letters across campus so that other girls can see what an amazing organization I am a part of.

Above All Else, I am right where I belong.