Proud to Be Greek Wednesdays - September 5th, 2018
The lifelong bonds you form, the communities you serve, and the invaluable lessons you learn are all part of an unforgettable Greek organization experience. Joining a brotherhood or sisterhood is an honor and a privilege, and with it comes social awareness and responsibility. Each week we are going to be featuring an essay written by a fraternity/sorority member to highlight how Greek life has had a positive impact.
Tackling Roadblocks
When I opened up my bid to Pi Beta Phi on the afternoon of Bid Day, my emotions poured over me. It was like I could not possibly contain the happy tears that flowed from my eyes like rain. I remember sprinting over to Pi Phi’s chapter representatives while the best friend that I had made during recruitment week sprinted to another chapter. That was my only moment of disappointment the entire day. It was not until later that year I discovered the power of the Greek Community, even beyond that of just an individual chapter. Anna and I found each other again through different organizations. As we both began to experience trauma in our lives - broken families and financial struggles, we began to get closer and closer. I found that through the Greek Community, I not only had the support of my entirepledge class and my entire chapter, but Anna’s chapter as well.As Anna and I began to mend our lives, we continued to get involved on campus. We both found our passion in a program called K-State Proud where we are able to raise money for students who are on their last leg of financial support, and keep them enrolled at K-State. A relatively new organization, Anna and I found support through our own chapters, as well as the entire Greek Community. Anna and I discovered that both Gamma Phi and Pi Phi had our backs throughout our entire campaign week and throughout the year. Women from our pledge classes helped us setup our booths and run us from place to place whether it was 5 in the morning or 11 at night. They were the first to donate to help students in need. Our chapters went beyond social media support, they showed up. To me, being in a sorority means being a constant support system, it means a group of women ready to back their members whether they are struggling or thriving. Being in a sorority shares responsibility and encourages accountability. Anna and I wouldn’t have survived our hard times or our peak times without the support of our incredible chapters, and that’s why being in a sorority has changed my life.Pi Phi has allowed me to take on more than I ever thought I was capable of. Pi Phi has encouraged me to tackle roadblocks and gave me an army of strong women to do it with. As a representative of Panhellenic and now serving as Director of Recruitment for KState, I am passionate about helping this incredible, supportive, familial community grow even more. My second year on Panhellenic has encouraged me to be thankful for the opportunities that Greek life gave me, but also has challenged me to give others the same experience. To me being Greek means strength in numbers whether you are in the worst part of your life, or the best.