How My Sorority Changed My Life: A Personal Story

According to an article published by USA Today, approximately nine million college 

students are members of a Greek organization. 

Webster defines sororities as “a society for female students in a university or college, 

typically for social purposes.” However, like many other things in life, there is more than 

just the simple description in a dictionary. The truth is, being in sorority is something 

very hard to explain because it is so profoundly personal. Each woman’s reasons for 

joining and overall experience are her own. 

Before I entered Pace University in the fall of 2009, I had no idea what Greek Life was. 

I was however, looking forwarded to being more independent and learning more about 

myself. 

Growing up with an abusive “father” (I use quotations because technically speaking he is 

my stepfather I was just raised believing he was my biological father), college was a way 

for me to escape. It was the light at the end of the tunnel that hopefully would provide me 

with freedom.

After my freshman orientation in July, I was excited to finally be getting closer to starting 

school. I had made some friends and knew that I was about to embark on the greatest 

journey of my life. 

Flash-forward a bit, my first semester at Pace was something I will never forget. I 

enjoyed my courses (with the exception of math, obviously), got along great with my 

roommates, made some awesome friends, and was going strong with my new boyfriend AJ 

(we have now been dating for five years), overall I was very happy. When my best friend 

Jemma started to look into sororities on campus (she has wanted to be in Greek Life since 

One Tree Hill aired. Fun Fact: Sophia Bush was a sister of Kappa Kappa Gamma) I went 

along with her and was slowly introduced to the idea of Greek Life. 

After attending several events, Jemma and I became close friends with three sisters of 

Phi Sigma Sigma- Delta Omega: Amanda, Kim, and Clari. Before any of us realized 

it, we became pretty irrespirable. When “recruitment” came around (which was very 

informal and has completely changed since my first year at Pace) both Jemma and I found 

ourselves really wanting a bid to join the wonderful group of women in Phi Sig. Jemma, 

of course was ready to accept her bid the moment she got it. For me, it wouldn’t be that 

easy. While I wanted more than anything to join the amazing group of girls I have met 

at Pace, there was one very big problem standing in my way. My father.

 To make a long story very short, my father was physically, mentally, and 

psychologically abusive toward the rest of my family since he enter my life when I was 

three. Furthermore, he was sexually abusive towards me from the time I was 9 until just 

before my 19th birthday. 

Our relationship had increasingly worsened as college grew closer and I started to realize 

how abusive he truly was. When I left for school, I hoped he would finally start letting 

me go. I was wrong. The distance and time apart (plus an addiction to narcotics) only 

heightened his controlling, abusive, and manipulative nature. How would I be able 

to go through New Member Education if my father expected me to be around at his 

convenience at any given point?

Sometime in mid November I received a text from Lauren (a sister of Phi Sig who I 

became friends and who was elected New Member Educator for the upcoming Phi Sig 

class) asking me "if  you got a bid, would you accept it".  After thinking about it for few moments  I responded, “Yes” to her. I decided that it was my life and that if I really wanted it I would make it work. I few days later, I received my bid, accepted it, and begin New 

Member Education as one of eight new members of the Retain 2009-2010 (also known as 

the Alpha Omega) class. 

Being that I was part of a retain class, we started New Member Education at the end 

of November, had winter break, and finished in early February. By  the end of the first part of New Member Education, I was dreading going home for winter break. 

When I returned to school after that fateful winter break, everything had changed. After 

being violently kicked out of my house, I finally reported my fathers’ crimes to the 

police, moved out of my parents’ house, and returned to Pace completely free. 

Despite all the things I was still dealing with, including a criminal case against my father, my first decision I made as a free and independent college student was to continue New Member Education. 

On February 19, 2010 I was officially a sister of Phi Sigma Sigma. Looking back, continuing the process was the best decision I ever made. 

In my five years a Pace University, I was able to find out who I am as a person. A large part of finding myself steamed from my role as a sister of Phi Sig. I met some of the greatest 

people I have ever met, people who are still part of my life today as alumni. Overall, Phi Sig made me a better person and challenged me to not only be a leader but also to be myself. I would not be the person I am today without that experience. So I thank Phi Sig for coming into the most difficult point in my life and helping me through it. 

At the end of the day, while every sister’s reason for joining a sorority is different, one 

thing is always the same: it is always worth it!

                                              Phi Sigma Sigma- Dela Omega (Fall 2012)

My sisters and I during our fall photo shoot!