not just four years, for life

I swear I just started my freshman year. But nope, I graduated just a few days ago from the best university in the world. I have no idea how the time went by so fast and now I am sitting here reflecting on everything that has happened to me, the good, the bad, and the ugly! 

​Being a part of a sorority really helped shape my college career and my experience would not have been the same without Gamma Phi. Coming to Clemson from out of state seemed like a big feat for me, but after a month into my freshman year, I was so comfortable and it felt like home. Part of what made my transition so easy was joining Greek Life. I know it sounds super cliché and all but it’s true! It really did give me a smaller group of people to connect with and I started to form lasting friendships. I served as the New Member Educator (NME) for the spring and fall pledge classes of 2017 and it was the best thing I could’ve done. Being NME brought me closer to the history and tradition of Gamma Phi Beta and it also helped me connect with the current sisters in Epsilon Theta at a deeper level. With a background in camp counseling and a Psychology major, I was really in my sweet spot with NME. The relationships I made with the new girls that year are ones I have kept, and will keep, for a long time after college. 
 
​But Greek Life is not the only thing that describes my college life. Especially as an underclassman, I was always involved on campus and participated in lots of events and clubs. I joined the Pencils of Promise club as a founding member during my freshman year, and then became Marketing President my sophomore and junior year. Eventually, I moved up to Club President for the last half of junior year and into my senior year. I also attended every home football game for 4 straight years, played on the Club Field Hockey team with some of my Gamma Phi sisters, joined the Clemson SHRM chapter, studied abroad in Australia, and participated in countless volunteering and philanthropy events. Needless to say, sorority life did not limit me from doing all the things I wanted to do while in college. And now that I am graduating and moving on, I am grateful for all the different experiences and knowledge I have gained from college and from the enrichment Gamma Phi gave me. I made my best friends in Gamma Phi and know that I can count on these women to be there for me for life.


Written by: AnnaWade Strawsburg, PC '15
Senior, Class of 2019