Hi sweet sisters! This is Charla! Current VP of Member Education on CMT. So formal, so sorry (lol).
As I am coming into my senior year of undergrad and my last time recruiting, I have gone through a roller coaster of emotions. Sadness, happiness, anxiety, excitement, and nostalgia to name a few. Due to those feeling I have struggled with how to start out this little memoir to Gamma Epsilon, so I think I am just going to make this easy and start from the beginning.
Freshman year 2016 the Charla you know today was not who I was at all. I was shy, scared, and filled with an intense feeling of sadness due to my parents unexpected separation. I was riddled with questions like “Should I even be going to college?”, “Should I have stayed home to help my mom with my younger sisters?”, “Am I selfish for wanting to get out?” and so on. I was quickly realizing that I was withdrawing myself from everything and everyone apart from my family and boyfriend at the time. I knew that I had to change something in my life for my outlook to change. So, I signed up for recruitment the day before the link closed (procrastination we love it). I knew NOTHING about sorority life at all. I just knew that it would introduce me to meeting more people so that I cold hopefully find my people in Kent. Let me just say, it did MUCH more than that. Gamma Epsilon gave me my people in Kent and the friends that I now consider family. These women saw something in me that I could not see in myself during that dark time. These women have led me through my family’s divorce, heartbreak, rejection, embarrassment, accomplishments, and all the little things in between. Ever since I have been apart of Gamma Epsilon, I have experienced encouraging, genuine, loving people that support me and continue to see my potential especially when I do not.
That encouragement led me to running for positions and tapping into my leadership abilities more than I ever had. I remember ever since I was a new member, I wanted to be one of the amazing ladies that leads them through the new member process. Being a new member is a little scary for some (MOST). You are surrounded by people you do not know and are also learning all of these new and confusing rules and guidelines. Oh, and being a full-time college student all at the same time. I empathized with those shy, anxious new members that are coming in and knew I wanted to be a confidant for them. If I could in some way encourage someone who is not a typical leader type to be more confident in their leadership style and run for positions to make a mark on this chapter then I would be happy.
Everyone always says that you get what you give but I can tell you that I got more than I ever thought I would have out of this organization. I have found myself and learned to love myself through these past 4 years of continual growing and changing. Oh, and I also gained a support system that I will have always while doing it. I know that I cannot pay Gamma Epsilon for all it has done for me nor the amazing women in it, but I will do as much as I can during my last year as a collegiate member trying. LITB to the most amazing sisterhood.
