Why I Joined A Sorority

I get this question all the time.

"Why would you want to join a sorority?"

"But why would you pay for your friends?"

I guess you don't really understand the motivation until you actually rush, and meet so many strong, independent and motivated women who might someday call you "sister".

Personally, I wanted to be part of something that was bigger than myself. I wanted a group to call my own, in which to share myself and my experiences. I wanted to feel like I belonged on campus. I was so sick of coming to class, walking between buildings, and going home without saying a word to anyone.

Even as I write this, the president of my sorority saw me sitting in the campus coffee shop and came over to chat about the day so far. 

Such a far cry from those lonely days of keeping my head down and making no connections.

It goes so much farther than that, though. 

The women I now call my sisters are some of the most amazing women I've ever met. They're a diverse bunch, and I've gotten to see a few points of view that otherwise I wouldn't have had the chance to experience. 

We support one another, through everything. My big sister was there for me when I needed to vent about the problems I was having leading up to my divorce. Myself and my pledge sisters helped another of our pledge sisters move in her residence hall when her suitemates made life unbearable. The sisters all looked out for me when I was a pledge, never letting me give up or doubt myself.

This semester has been rough. Not only did I leave my husband, I fell hard for someone and got summarily rejected. My best friend in the whole world since high school lives three states away. I don't know how I would be getting through this if it weren't for my sisters, every single one of them. Who else would just hold me while I sat in the library and cried? It is an amazing comfort to walk into chapter meeting and know that every single woman sitting in that room has your back.

I have nearly 40 friends that I can call in the middle of the night, and I don't think my dues nearly cover how much that sense of sisterhood is worth to me.

So yes, I pay dues and I am a member of an organization. But no, I don't think I paid for my friends. Instead, I pay an administrative fee that allows my sisters and I to do some really neat stuff together. We volunteer and raise money for charity, we support one another academically, and we foster leadership skills in one another.

These women are all truly my sisters, for life.

That is why I joined a sorority.

~Megan

This Is The End

I'm finding myself taking a series of deep breaths before beginning this post. It's going to be hard to write, and I imagine heavy to read, especially if you don't know me.

I'm getting a divorce. 

"But Megan," you'll say, somewhat confused, "You just got married last April!"

I know.

I'm uncomfortable putting all of my dirty laundry on the internet where anyone can see it, so I won't go into any details, but suffice to say that there were cracks in the relationship even before the wedding. It just took me until New Year's Eve to fully realize the truth: It's over.

I am sad, but in a very passive way. It's odd to think of myself as a divorcee, given that I'm not yet 25, and that my marriage has only lasted nine months. 

I was the instigator of the end. I have had months, maybe even years, to slowly build up anger and resentment, so for me, the official ending is more of a relief than anything else. I think he was a bit blindsided, and seeing him hurt really hurts me. But the thing is, you can't just stay with someone to avoid hurting them, because then you're in perpetual hurt as well. Something's gotta give.

So, I moved out, and I'm trying to move on. 

~Megan

Catching Up

It seems I've got a lot to catch up on, here. 

The problem with catching up is that when so much has happened, it takes time to really fill in the blanks. As time passes, more stuff happens, and it becomes intimidating to begin writing. Then, it becomes embarrassing because it's been so long and there's so much to write, so avoidance happens.

But unless I stop writing entirely, I'll have to start somewhere, and where better to begin than the beginning?

~Megan