During the Fall of 2015 I entered my sophomore year at Drake. However, it was technically my first-year in Des Moines after making the decision to transfer. After leaving my small college I attended my first year, it was difficult for me to accept the fact that Des Moines and Drake were going to be my new "home". I had been comfortable at the school I transferred from and had developed some amazing friendships. Coming to Drake was a risk; it required me to step outside of my comfort zone and trust that something good would come out of the experience down the road.
Since I enrolled at Drake as a sophomore, I didn't know anyone. My parents encouraged me to go through recruitment. I was terrified, I was taking the risk of putting myself out there with the possibility of being rejected.
Leading up to recruitment, I was not as nervous as I thought I would be. The most important part I reminded myself of was to be myself. While going through the recruitment process, I enjoyed all of my experiences with each chapter and found different ways to connect with all of the women I encountered. Kappa Alpha Theta was the first chapter I stepped foot in. The first conversation I had was with a woman that is now one of my closest friends. We bonded over our very similar undergraduate paths; she was a transfer student from a college in the same conference as the one I had trasnferred from. And to top it all of, we both played a year of volleyball at those schools. After my brief time with the women of Kappa Alpha Theta that evening, I felt more confident in myself and with my story that I had the opportunity to share. I knew that there was a lot in store for me, I just had to be willing to take that risk of getting to know others and letting other get to know me.
Throughout the recruitment process I learned a lot about myself and started looking at things with a different perspective than before. Accepting my bid was just the beginning. The opportunity of going through recruitment has opened a variety of doors. There have been ample opportunities for me to get involved and hold leadership positions within my chapter as well as the Fraternity and Sorority Life community. But most importantly, I have developed some outstanding friendships with women that inspire and challenge me to be the best person I can be.
I encourage each woman going through recruitment to trust that the process will allow things to fall into place. Take the chance of going through recruitment and get to know some amazing women in Fraternity and Sorority Life! There is so much that each person can gain from and offer to each chapter. Be open to new experiences, because you never know where they might take you. There will be challenges and uncertainty that every person will encounter, but I promise you it is so worth it in the end!
Looking back, I would go through recruitment again in a heartbeat. I would not be the person I am today if I hadn't taken the chance. I genuinly hope each woman will create their own story with the chapter that they will call "home."
