[*winter*]

Originally Posted by AlwaysSAI

I've been hemming and hawing over posting in this thread for a few days now. I finally decided to just do it.

Most long time GCers know my story (or I would assume they do). If you don't know it--do a search for all the threads I've started and you'll know which one to pick.

Needless to say, I didn't get into my first choice sorority. But, I did get into SAI. SAI was not an organization I considered until the spring of my sophomore year and I considered her only because I was (or thought I was) simply out of options for greek life. I accepted my bid because being a part of any sorority, to me, was better than being a part of none. My first year as an SAI was difficult. I didn't feel accepted or loved by my sisters. Once pledging was over, it seemed like no one cared about little old me. I ran for office and was elected. It was my time as an officer (I ended up serving in three positions for two years), is what really cemented my love for SAI. I took a little who I bonded with tremendously and she helped me see that I can't just wait for relationships to start--they must be nurtured. As I worked for SAI with SAIs, I formed friendships with my sisters that enhanced my collegiate experience as a member.

Now, as an alumnae member continuing to work with other SAIs, I have found women that I can rely on consistently. The SAIs from my alumnae group have become my closest friends. I can call any of them for lunch or just to chat. And, I, in fact, did both to two different sisters just last week.

Did I jump for joy when I received my SAI bid? YES.
Did I know then, how much it's sisterhood would come to mean to me? NO.
Did I have any idea that I would go on to [almost] charter an alumnae chapter and serve on a National Committee? NO.
Did I know that my chapter would go on to call me the most gung-ho SAI they'd ever had? NO.

And, as far as Alpha Gam is concerned (and I hate to be cliche)--it's not something I became, it's something I've always been.

Great post! I feel the same way about Gamma Sigma Sigma. My short story: I never went through any recruitement, I wanted to but I was so shy. So I figured I could at least see what GSS was all about, since that wasn't as intense as recruitement! And it was...an interesting ride.

Did I immediately feel a connection? No. Some of the people were cool, I had stuff in common with some of the sisters. A large group were all Education majors and/or pledged in the same PC (pledge class)...so they were amazingly close and had all these shared experiences. I was kind of scared off, because...well, what if I didn't find "my" group? Everyone else seemed to have found theirs already. And our PC was only 4! Tiny.

Two of the girls in the PC, I don't know what happened to them, I enjoyed the stuff we did together as pledges, but are they lifelong friends? No. The other girl- she is awesome! We talk all the time online (she is in another state) and we've been this way for 10+ years! Annndddd...one of the "established groups" happened to be a bunch of girls who were slightly older (like me) and I fit in great with them! We were kinda over the college party stuff, so we would go to clubs and bars in the city and dance and have fun. My Big is so much like me- even to this day, when I post a weird or overly political FB status, she is always agreeing with me!

Point is, this big group of women (45?) looked like something I'd never find my place in, in the beginning. But within that group (and keep in mind most NPC sororities are MUCH larger!) I found "my" people- girls I had so much in common with, girls who were there for me then, and still are. The likelihood that a PNM will find her niche in a group that CHOSE her based off of their own unique Membership Selection criteria, is just that much higher.

So...hang in there. NOTHING seems like a perfect fit in the beginning. Remember that feeling in the pit of your stomach when you were dropped off at college and your parents pulled away? I do! I remember thinking "OMG I will nevvvvvvver feel at home here." But in a few weeks, that all changed. Same deal on new jobs, new neighborhoods, etc.