While some people don’t like Facebook, I love that it helps me stay in touch with people near and far from many different parts of my life. Today my timeline was filled with news of University of Georgia Bid Day. A long standing tradition in Athens, Georgia and on college campuses across the country, Bid Day is the day when young girls find out what sorority they matched with after the formal recruitment time period.

I went into college pretty lost. My high school years, while formidable from an education stand point, were very tough socially. After my sophomore year of high school I switched from public school to private school, entering into a world where my graduating class would only consist of about 80 students, many of whom were “lifers” or had attended the school from Pre-K through 12th grade. Needless to say, this wasn’t an easy change. I consoled myself during these tough years with family size packs of Twizzlers during late night study sessions and immersed myself in academics. I found enjoyment in rowing but even exhausting two hour workouts after school couldn’t make up for all the candy I was consuming in the evening during late night study sessions or the fast food stops after practice.

By the time I moved up to Athens, Georgia for college I was over 185 pounds and was very self conscious. I couldn’t run a mile. I thought that Special K was the best way to lose weight. I’d been on a constant “diet” for years even though depriving myself during the day only led to late night eating behind closed doors. Always one to play by the rules and be scared of consequences, there were so many things I didn’t experience during high school. I was ready for a change.

When I moved into Russell Hall in August of 2002, I didn’t know much about myself or what I wanted out of college. But, I knew one thing. I was thrilled to start a clean slate in college and take advantage of every single opportunity possible. Though I was still overweight, had a horribly awkward wardrobe, and a haircut that didn’t include a single layer, I was excited.

The above picture is from my Bid Day at Delta Gamma freshman year of college. The women in this picture and the rest of our pledge class meant more to me that year than they’ll ever know. The year I pledged Delta Gamma ended up being the turning point in the sorority’s rebuilding on campus. Over the next 10 years the chapter has gone from being one of the smaller sororities, known for attracting “nice girls” to being one of the largest on campus and winning multiple accolades each year! Regardless of the chapter’s size, through the doors of 290 Milledge Avenue I found the support I would need to step out of my shell. They balanced me and helped me take life a little less seriously. Always old for my age, sometimes I think making a C and a B my freshman fall semester of college was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. It helped me realize that the extra curricular experiences in life are just as important as the things you’ll learn in a classroom or work place.

Thanks to the love and support I found over the next four years in Delta Gamma I found the courage to do things in college I never thought possible.

• Participate in a summer long field study program which took us from Sapelo Island, Georgia across more than 20 states across the United States through the Interdisciplinary Field Program.
• Taking a leadership position within my sorority, beginning in my sophomore year.
• Learn what game day in Athens, Georgia means regardless of your age: Jack and Coke, tailgating, calling the Dawgs, traveling to SEC championship games the weekend before finals, and staying until the very last play of the game even when we’re winning by over 40 points!
• Learn how to balance my emotions  and strong personality while living under a roof with 40 other women, including 2-3 roommates of my own.
• Train for my first road race after bring inspired by my sorority sisters who ran the Labor Day race each year.

There are so many memories under that roof that I could never find a way to put into a post. I still can’t believe that I pledged Delta Gamma 10 years ago today but I couldn’t be prouder to be part of such a strong sisterhood. While sorority life may not be for everyone, it certainly was for me.

Where were you 10 years ago?