Back at LU!

Hey there friends.

In case the title didn’t give it away, I’m back from studying abroad! My time in France was equals parts amazing, challenging, and insightful, but nevertheless I’m happy to be back in good ole Appleton. Seeing everyone again has been great, but I don’t think I could have predicted how difficult the re-entry process can be at times. After being really focused on language and culture for four months, getting back into the groove of psychology readings and learning about plate tectonics (finally getting that lab requirement out of the way!) is not exactly what I would call fun. Thankfully, this past week offered the perfect distraction: sorority recruitment. I’m blanking on if I’ve mentioned this before, but I am a member of Delta Gamma, one of Lawrence’s four recognized sororities on campus. If there’s one thing I’ve learned since being back on campus, the support I feel from my sisters in Delta Gamma has been one of the main things keeping me smiling on a daily basis. The funny thing, is that I never intended to join a sorority in college. My only exposure to them was through Hollywood movies that depicted the organizations as a hotspot of girls who managed to drink an unhealthy amount of alcohol at crazy campus parties while still managing to go unnoticed by campus authorities. Needless to say, they didn’t really spark my interest. But then my older sister joined one at her school (also a small, Midwestern liberal arts school), and that’s when I became confused. You see, I have always looked to my older sister as a role model, and I know she would never invest so much of her time into an activity that didn’t align with her morals and values. With those contrasting ideas in my head, I decided to go through sorority recruitment as a freshman. To my delight, during the three days of recruitment, the image my sister had tried to explain to me about what sororities can actually be like was unfolding in front of me. Upper classmen women who I’d admired around campus fall term (side note: recruitment at Lawrence takes place during the beginning of winter term) were in these organizations, and they were asking me about my interests and hobbies. By the end of the week I was smitten with the notion that I could become close friends, sisters, with these women who were so inviting to me. Not to give a spoiler alert or anything (but at the same time I sure hope you’ve come to this conclusion by now), but fast forward to this year and most of my closest friendships at Lawrence are with the women in my sorority chapter. And that is why last week’s recruitment was a welcome change of pace from homework and studying. I have loved my time being in Delta Gamma, and I relish the opportunity to share my experiences with others… kind of like right now!

PS – Here’s some pictures of my sisters and me throughout the week during sorority recruitment.

From left: Lauren Ray, Liz Burke, Isabel Damman, and me!

From left: Maureen Marshall, Liz Burke, and me!