Why I Went Greek: Rhea Sommer From Kappa Delta

School: Arizona State University
Sorority: Kappa Delta
Year You Pledged: Freshman year (however, I attended informal recruitment as a COB; continuous open bid)
Year Initiated: 2005

What did you hear about sororities before you went through recruitment? 

There are obviously all of those "typical" stereotypes of sororities that you hear in passing, see in the movies/on tv, etc., about the hazing, drama, mean girls, and paying for your friends. And to be quite honest I sort of believed all of that to be true. However, I had heard some positive things regarding joining a sorority before attending college from girls who had graduated before me from high school, who encouraged me to go through recruitment when I got to ASU, because they loved the camaraderie, the immediate friendships in a new setting, and the endless closets to be shared.

How much of it was true? 

Anytime you put 100+ girls in 1 room, there are going to be disagreements and personality clashes, but when it really came down to it, all of those positive things that I had heard were proven to be true. There was always someone there to lend an ear, or a shoulder to cry on, or someone to cheer you on or celebrate with you. And always, always, always clothing to be borrowed!

What encouraged you to go through recruitment? 

I actually was out of town for formal recruitment weekend, so I attended informal recruitment a week or so after formal recruitment had ended. However, a friend of mine since childhood had joined a sorority and encouraged me to attend the informal recruitment events because within only a week, she had made friends, found girls in her same classes, had immediate lunch buddies, and a tote bag full of fun goodies. My best friend had also missed formal recruitment so we decided to go through informal recruitment together.

Do you remember what you wore on Day 1 of recruitment? 

Please see above regarding informal recruitment, but I have absolutely no clue what I wore. But I wish that I remembered!

Who was the first person you fell in love with in your house? 

When I attended the 1st informal recruitment event at the Kappa Delta house, there was this beautiful senior named Jenie who just lit up the room when she walked in. She was so friendly and made the awkward forced hangout seem natural and she kept the conversation flowing. She ended up becoming my grand big in the house and I recently watched her get married last summer. It's true when they say that these are the girls who will be at your wedding!

Favorite sorority moment? 

It is so hard to pick only one favorite, but I would have to say my first night after moving into the sorority house my sophomore year. Me and my 3 best friends moved into a suite, which shared a bathroom and we stayed up all night dancing and singing at the top of our lungs in our pajamas, just bouncing back and forth between the 2 rooms. I remember the feeling of pure happiness and in that moment I knew I had made the right choice in Kappa Delta.

If you could go back in time, what would you want to relive in your sorority?

I always infamously say that I would never go back to college because there is no way I could ever do it any better than I did the first time. But if I could go back, I would probably choose to go back to our senior year spring break trip. 10 of my sisters and I booked a cruise and spent 4 days at sea celebrating one of our last times all together before graduation approached. The trip may have only lasted a long weekend, but the memories will last a lifetime.

Any advice for anyone going through recruitment? 

After spending 3 collegiate years going through recruitment and another 2 years as an alumni behind the scenes of recruitment, I think that the best piece of advice is to treat recruitment like a job interview, and find the best fit for you. A lot of girls go through hoping that they will join the same house with all of their friends from home or from high school, but each house has it's own fit for each girl, and joining for any reason other than for yourself, may not result in the best possible fit for you. Just let loose and have fun with it. It's tiring and overwhelming, but every single girl there is tired and overwhelmed, on both sides. But if you trust the process and ask questions you will find the best fit and have the best years of your life!

Thank you for sharing, Rhea! Be sure to also check out Rhea's awesome food blog called "Hot Dog It's a Food Blog"!