Sarah Asinof

With recruitment quickly approaching, I am reminded by why I decided to rush, but more importantly why I decided to go Chi Omega.

Before coming to Baylor, going through the recruitment process never crossed my mind. I didn’t have any family members in Greek life. On top of that, I am from Colorado where Greek life doesn’t have as much as a presence as it does in Texas. However, the only things I ever heard about Greek life at other schools was usually negative. I heard about hazing, unrealistic expectations for girls and the typical phrase that “being in a sorority means you had to pay to get friends.”

When I finally came to Baylor, I saw the impact that sororities had on campus. I noticed the girls in my classes that were in sororities weren’t judgmental or superficial. In fact, they were some of the nicest, funniest and smartest girls in my classes. While I really liked the people I had met, I still had no intention to go through recruitment.

Unfortunately, I had a really hard first semester at Baylor. I had struggled with some of the relationships I had formed and midway through the semester, I ended up getting blood clots in my arms and in my legs. It left me going in and out of the hospital because I came close to dying. It was a hard and dark time for me. I was far away from home and I was seeing the world a little differently after having a near death experience. Honestly, there were some times where I didn’t even really want to come back for spring semester.

Thankfully, I had three wonderful mentors in my life. All three were in sororities and two were in Chi Omega. When I didn’t have a mom to take care of me and pray with me, they were there. They invited me to hang out with their friends, they asked me how they could be praying for me, they encouraged me and they helped me keep up with school. Everything that I needed, they were there in a heartbeat. All three of these girls encouraged me and got me back on my feet and somehow convinced me to register for recruitment the day before registration closed.

To cut a long story short, I remember sitting in the Chi O room on Pref Day and listening to two seniors tell their stories about why they chose Chi O. I distinctly remember one girl saying, “Chi O got me out of bed on days where I felt like I couldn’t walk.” I think that was the moment I realized I truly wanted to spend the next four years in Chi O because of the two girls in Chi O that took care of me and did that for me. After going through such a dark and depressing time, Chi O was my sunshine on campus. It was the place I could go to feel accepted, loved and encouraged even on my darkest days.

Chi O’s recruitment theme is “Come As You Are.” I could not think of something more fitting. Chi O took me in at one of the lowest times of my life. They cared about me and loved me not just during recruitment but throughout the semester as well. Chi O didn’t “rush” me, but they befriended me and took me as one of their own when I really needed someone to be there for me. They accepted me exactly how I was even though it wasn’t my best, but they helped me get back to my best self.

I am so thankful that I decided to go through recruitment but more importantly, I am so glad that I decided to go Chi O. Every time I walk into the chapter room, I am greeted by smiling faces and open ears. There is never a day where I feel like I am not accepted for who I am in Chi O or that I need to change something about myself to fit in. That’s what Greek life should be!

Chi Omega, thank you for giving me a home away from home.