Coming into college, I was so scared of what was to come. Was I going to make friends? Was I going to find my place at such a big university? Was I actually going to enjoy myself, or just feel lost? These were the questions running through my mind constantly during the week leading up to move-in. I remember feeling excited, but that excitement was overshadowed by uncertainty. Everything felt so unknown.
Looking back now, I realize that a lot of those fears are completely normal. Almost everyone walks into college carrying some version of those same questions. What I did not realize at the time, though, is that college is really about learning how to say yes; yes to opportunities, yes to meeting new people and yes to putting yourself in situations that might feel uncomfortable at first.
One of the biggest turning points in my college experience was joining Sigma Kappa, my sorority, through informal recruitment. They have given me a sense of belonging that I did not know I needed so badly. They have been my support system, my biggest hype group and the people I can count on no matter what. Being part of something bigger than myself completely changed how I experience college. It made the campus feel smaller, more personal and so much more meaningful.
However, if I am being honest, there is also a part of me that wishes I had been bold enough to go through formal recruitment from the start. I held myself back because I was nervous. I was nervous about not fitting in, about being judged and about putting myself out there. While everything worked out in the end, I can recognize now that fear made me hesitate when I could have just gone for it.
That is something I would tell anyone coming into college: do not let fear make your decisions for you. It is so easy to sit back and wait, to tell yourself you will try things “later” once you feel more comfortable. However, the truth is that you might never feel completely ready, and that is okay. Growth happens when you step into situations that push you outside of your comfort zone.
Recruitment, especially, can feel intimidating. You are meeting so many new people, trying to make connections and figuring out where you fit. What I have learned is that recruitment is not about being perfect or having all the right answers. Instead, it is about being yourself and remaining open. The people who are meant to find you will, but only if you allow yourself to be seen.
If I could go back and talk to my freshman-year self, I would tell her to be bolder. I would tell her to walk into rooms with confidence, even if it takes time to develop. I would encourage her to say yes to things that seem scary, because those are often the experiences that shape you the most.
College goes by faster than you think. It is made up of big and small moments that all contribute to who you become. The friendships you build, the organizations you join and the risks you take all matter. Often, the difference between feeling stuck and feeling fulfilled comes down to one simple choice: saying yes.
Yes to going to that event where you do not know anyone.
Yes to starting a conversation with someone in a class.
Yes to joining something that interests you, even if it feels outside your comfort zone.
At the end of the day, the worst thing that can happen is that something does not work out,and even then, you have still learned something about yourself. However, the best thing that can happen is finding your people. You find your place. You create a college experience that feels like home.
I am so grateful for where I ended up and for the people I have met along the way. Sigma Kappa gave me sisters I will carry with me far beyond college, and for that, I would not change a thing. At the same time, I recognize that I could have trusted myself sooner. I could have been a little braver.
If there is one piece of advice I would give, it is this: do not wait. Do not overthink. Do not let fear and questions hold you back.
Just say yes.
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