The lifelong bonds you form, the communities you serve, and the invaluable lessons you learn are all part of an unforgettable Greek organization experience. Joining a brotherhood or sisterhood is an honor and a privilege, and with it comes social awareness and responsibility. Each week we are going to be featuring an essay written by a fraternity/sorority member to highlight how Greek life has had a positive impact.

My Impact on Others

Becoming a sister and an officer of my sorority has changed my life by making me think about the greater impact my actions have on others. Through my role as an officer in my sorority, I learned that in order to make progress and to make effective decisions you must be honest and have the best interests of the chapter in mind. No matter whether you are liked by everyone or not, you must be respected and trusted by everyone. I learned that the best way to earn the trust and respect of my sisters is to be accountable for my actions whether they are well-received or not. Owning up to decisions I’ve made and being entirely honest at all times has proved to be an effective leadership strategy for me in the chapter and in life overall. Honesty and accountability are important in running an organization and maintaining strong and healthy bonds of sisterhood. I have so much love and respect for the amazing women I have the privilege of calling my sisters and through being their Vice President they have all shown me how to be a better woman by being more a thoughtful and understanding leader. Another way that joining my sorority has changed my life is by teaching me a new set of values and how I can embody them every day. Before I joined my sorority I could not have explained what my personal values were if someone had asked me about them. I knew I had values and I knew that overall, I wanted to be a good person and a productive member of society but I struggled with how I could express them to others. Through joining my sorority, I gained a set of values that give my life a more concrete purpose and give me a better understanding of who I am and who I want to be. The core values of my sorority are wisdom, faith, hope, power and love. Before I do or say anything, I now stop and think to myself, “Is this something that a Tri Sigma woman would be proud to do?”. I consider if what I am about to do or say is coming from a place of wisdom and love. I consider the decisions I make for my sorority and whether the power I have is being tempered by love. I remember to have faith in myself and in my sisters and I remember to be hopeful. All of the values balance each other as I have learned to balance all of the aspects of my life. Joining my sorority has brought me balance, given me a strong moral compass and a strong sense of direction in my life with which I will guide the rest of my collegiate career, professional career and personal life.