When you cross the burning sands, you forge a new sisterhood with the women who crossed along with you. As you begin your sorority journey together, it’s hard to imagine your life without these sisters in it. You do everything together. You are a support and a cheerleader for each other.
As the years pass and your lives take you in different directions, some of you may move and join separate alumnae chapters. Your connection and bond with your line sisters will shift. You will transition from being each other’s immediate confidant to a new role. While you still treasure your relationship and connection, it may not be as easy to stay up-to-date on your sisters’ lives, especially when you live across the country from each other.
Because you have a new dynamic in your line, it can be difficult to continue to foster relationships with the women who meant so much to you. This is why line trips are so important. Line trips allow you to continue to nurture your relationship with your line sisters even when you can’t be there for each other every day.
If you (or your sisters) still need a little convincing to book the trip, here are seven reasons why you need to prioritize a line trip with your sisters.
1. Travel makes spending time together a priority.
If everyone were to just meet up for drinks, there would most likely be some who would respectfully opt out or change their mind at the last minute. For travel, though, you don’t have other distractions. You have set aside this time to be with your sisters, and you will have physically removed yourself from other responsibilities. Without other distractions, you are really able to bond with your line sisters.
2. You will spend lots of time together.
If you choose to stay somewhere together, you will maximize the time you can spend together. Sure, planned events can be a nice way to catch up, but it’s the little moments while you’re eating breakfast or playing spur-of-the-moment card games that help bring back the sisterly love.
3. You will catch up.
Yes, you might have missed being there for births or moves, but you are together now with plenty of time to fill in all the blanks. You can find out the latest on everyone. You can congratulate each other on your accomplishments, cry together over your hardships, and rejoice together over your personal victories. You are, after all, sisters.
4. Travel makes you work together.
If you go somewhere unfamiliar to everyone, you have to rely on each other and work together to figure out where you’re going and what you’re doing. If you are out of your comfort zone, you have to support each other as you navigate the area. Any time that you can collaborate and show support, you become closer to that person.
5. You can glam it up for a photo shoot.
Line photo shoots are a whole vibe. Find a location that can show off where you traveled to. Pick out your color scheme and line up a photographer in advance. Don’t forget to take one with all of your sisters decked out in their Delta Sigma Theta nalia. Photos help you see how far you’ve come. (And they are a great souvenir, too!)
6. Travel creates new memories.
If you want to create a lasting memory, go somewhere new. All your old chapter meetings will probably start to blend together, but you will always remember the time you all went to Costa Rica for a week. Fun new memories keep your relationship with your line sisters solidified.
7. They are just really fun.
Everyone can have a good time on a trip. Escaping from your responsibilities every once in a while can help you reset and refocus on what you need to do at home. You can recharge and take a mental break from the tediousness of everyday life.
Line trips are often scheduled to commemorate the anniversary of your crossing, but your line can decide what fits best with everyone’s schedule. The key to having the entire group attend is planning in advance and communicating well.
Yes, technology is a great tool that allows us to keep in touch. But sending a text message or even a video chat every so often does not compare to the love you nurture when you spend time together in person. And spending time together on a beach sipping something sweet? Even better.
