My Home away from home

From kindergarten to 12th grade, I went to the same school with the same group of people. I never got the chance to experience life outside of my small private school bubble. Being best friends with the people I grew up with and knowing everyone’s life story was my norm. Considering that I graduated with 23 students, the thought of going to school with around 23,000 students somewhat terrified me. I didn’t know if making new friends would come easy for me or if I was ready to say goodbye to everything in Charleston. After coping with the idea that my life was about to completely change as I was about to begin a new chapter in my life, I decided to make the most out of it by going through recruitment. 

The thought of rushing intimidated me since I would be talking to many diverse girls without knowing a single thing about them. It was an experience I felt like I was never really prepared for and didn’t know what to expect. During rush, I felt confident and comfortable talking to the girls in Gamma Phi. I didn’t feel like I had to put on a show or try to act like someone I wasn’t. Looking back on my experience, I would have never thought one of the girls I talked to during Preference Round would become my bid day buddy, big, and best friend. As cliche as it seems, the wisest advice I was given during recruitment was to trust the process and follow your gut. 

I can proudly say that joining Gamma Phi has hands down been one of the best decisions I have made in my life. It brought me out of my small private school comfort zone and opened many doors for me, one of which was joining the club field hockey team, TOPSoccer, and intramural basketball team. Although my experience was cut short due to COVID-19, I cherished every moment I was able to spend with Gamma Phi. I’m so thankful I was able to enjoy my spring break at Disney with two of my sisters and even show them a little piece of my life back at home in Charleston. 

Thank you GPhi for being my home away from home and giving me life long friends!!! 

​-Cat