Thursday, August 8, 2013

Greek is Greek - I'm a Phi Mu

I am a big dummy! I had this down in my calender for today, when in fact the link up actually started yesterday. Opps. Good thing is that I'm still able to join, and hopefully find me some internet sisters.

Carolina Fireflies


I'll be honest, I went into sorority life looking to party and meet guys. I really had no idea what being in a sorority entailed other than what I had seen on that old MTV show. Anyone remember that one? Well, I got my fill of parties, met tons of people, plus plenty more! Becoming a Phi Mu was truly a life changing experience.

I need to start from the end and say that without having joined a sorority in college, I can guarantee that there's no way that I'd be where I am today. I wouldn't have found my amazing husband or had the two little trolls that I love more than anything in the world. Shout out to my sisters for making me go to the FIJI house for fraternity rush.



So I went into sorority recruitment with opinions based off of what my friends were telling me. You know, which sorority was the good one and which ones I wanted to avoid. Needless to say, I was dropped by my first choice. It pretty much crushed my soul. And then I met the sister who ended up becoming my big sister. She was nice, pretty, and even had a tattoo with a Phi Mu meaning behind it. That's what I wanted. I wanted a sorority that meant so much to me, that I'd be willing to tattoo it on myself.




At first, being in a sorority was not what I was expecting at all. We had to learn stuff, like the Greek alphabet and history. Not quite what I signed up for. Where were the parties?! Who knew that all of that history would turn out to be the important part and what I actually remember now, four years after graduation. Fun fact: Phi Mu is the second oldest Greek letter organization for women.


Something else that I didn't expect was all of the volunteering and philanthropy that was associated with being Greek. Being in a sorority is hard work! We held our own events, supported the events of other organizations, and prided ourselves on raising the most money for Dance Marathon. It wasn't until after I became a mother that I really realized all that the Children's Miracle Network does. I thank God that both of my babies are healthy. Knowing that I helped to donate to hospitals that take care of sick children is an amazing feeling.

Go get yourself some ice cream. TODAY!
Leadership took a ton of work as well. Throughout the years I held plenty of chair positions. The pinnacle of leadership was my junior/senior year as the recruitment director. Recruitment takes effort. After all, you're securing the future of the sorority. It was a frustrating but rewarding experience. Not everything went according to plan, but my two littlest sisters were a result of that recruitment, so it was definitely a success.



One thing that I didn't expect, was the opportunity to travel. I was able to go to a few leadership conferences in Georgia, some social events, plus all of the unofficial trips that sisters took for fun. Being that I lived at home during college, and we didn't have a house, some of our travel felt like it was the closest we got to real sorority life. A bunch of college girls away from home is a fun time!


Can't forget that time that we stopped in Godknowswhere, GA for tattoos and piercings by a guy with leopard hair.


One of the greatest things, other than the Hubster and the babies, to come out of sorority life is my bestest best friend in the whole world. Through thick and thin, up and down, we've always been there for one another. When I go home, she's the one person that I always have to make sure I see. I love this one so much that she got to be there when V was born, and later became her Godmother. My parents have also adopted her, since we're just about inseparable.



Not only did I gain sisters, but some brothers as well. I have my big and little brother, who have both literally become part of my family. "Little" who also happens to be Hubster's little brother, is V's Godfather. "Big" is in Army, sometimes it feels like he is the only person that I can relate to in real life. Plus a handful of others that I absolutely still adore!



I got the tattoo, plus all of the meaning behind it. A chapter that loved and supported me. Friendship, philanthropy, leadership, new experiences. A million things that I had no idea were even missing from my life until I joined Phi Mu.


Check out my fantastic sponsor:

9 comments:

  1. I am so jealous!! I want to be a Greek so badly. I am so upset I never went to a college that had a Greek systems. Biggest regret I have with not going to a college that has one.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I went through recruitment with preconceived ideas as well, and Phi Mu was on the "avoid" list. Someone told me that if I joined Phi Mu I'd get fat (What?). BUT, I ended up falling in love and by the end of the week I wasn't even bothering to rush anyone else! Love this, and love all your memories :) This link up makes me miss my sisters! :(

    ReplyDelete
  3. That is probably the one thing I would change about college. I never did rush or do any of the sorority thing. I attended the parties sure, but I missed out on the other part of it.
    And that MTV show ... that was done at my college and I knew one of the girls really well in it. We had to sign waivers to be on TV {she was in one of my study groups.} Fortunately she was a train wreck and they mostly aired her wild partying instead of her studying. Thank God!

    ¤´¨)
    ¸.•*´
    (¸¤ Lanaya | xoxo
    Raising-Reagan.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh girl.. I can't believe you were a recruitment chair! Bless your heart! Ha. That position takes some major patience and work! So excited to meet another mil spouse Phi Mu! I have been thinking about getting the quatrefoil tattoo but I am still deciding! It would be my first one so I am probably just being a chicken! LIOB!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Such wonderful memories you have!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. That is really cool! My Mom was in one too and still has reunions with some of her sisters. I never had the opportunity to join one really and wish that I had.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I was creeping on Bid Day photos on Pinterest yesterday. A Phi Mu sister had the Quatrefoil painted around her eyes.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a great story! I was also a member of a sorority and it changed me life for the better in so many ways! So blessed to have had that experience!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love reading about all the amazing sorority experiences and I love the bit about the tattoo. Not everyone knows the meaning behind my first tattoo, but the moment a fellow Theta sees it, there's an instant connection. Love the bond it brings!

    ReplyDelete

I love hearing from you! Thanks for stopping by!