During my first semester at LSUS, I had butterflies in my stomach. This was my first time being in a public school since the 5th grade. That means that for seven years, I was not in any clubs and I did not have any particular teacher. I met my peers online, but genuine connections with them were few and far between. Once I stopped using Khan Academy, I forgot how to interact with others and I shriveled in on myself. I was hoping that 2022 would be the year that my social skills would blossom. (The joke was on me. They did not get better until my second semester).
The university hosted a fall festival where students could collect candy, souvenirs, business cards, eat crawfish, and find out more about the campus outreach opportunities. One of the first booths that I observed was the one for Phi Mu. Three or four girls greeted me kindly. Their smiles were contagious. On their construction paper, they displayed pictures of their outreach efforts. I had to ask them what they did, exactly. They explained that they helped children and did charity work. I have experience with volunteer work, but I had never gone out of state to do it. Traveling out of state with the girls sounded so exciting. I accepted their business card and held it close to me.
I have not been able to join the sisters because of transportation and money concerns, but I will definitely join them once I live on campus. I will explain why. Late that autumn, it continued to feel like summer. I do not fare well in intense weather conditions - or any conditions for that matter. It was usually cool inside the buildings. I made it on time to the sorority meeting. This was their chance to introduce themselves to the freshman and help them understand their goals for the rest of the year. There were water bottles and snacks. I graciously took bags of chips and cookies, but I do not recall grabbing any water. When I went into their meeting room, it might have been less than ten minutes before I started breaking out in sweat. There was no insulation in there. The girls noticed that I looked dizzy. They sat me down, asking multiple times “Are you okay? Do you want some water?” I confirmed this, and they returned with two water bottles and an ice bag. They even brought an electric fan into the hallway so I could sit in front of it.
I was embarrassed about my sudden "weakness", but they assured me that everybody in the room was hot and it was not just me. They offered to sit by my side so I would not be in the hall alone. I wanted to join Phi Mu before, but that is when I knew that I had to join. Some of the members liked video games and art just like me. It wasn't as if we would have nothing to talk about. I had been scared that they would not like me and that I would stand out like a sore thumb. They were all older than me and some of them were close to graduating. However, I think that the diversity in the group is a part of why it works so well. I wanted to be a part of that family. That is what sororities and fraternities are about after all, finding like-minded people and giving back to the community. The fact that they rushed to help me said it all; they were used to assisting others, and they were happy to do it. I believe that if they keep doing what they are doing, they will truly represent what LSUS is all about: helping each other, even in small ways like offering a water bottle. It really is the little things that make a huge big difference.
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