Sisterhood Story: Madi

Sororities mean a lot of different things for a lot of different people. For some, it can be the date parties or the formals or the outfits. For others it can be the leadership opportunities, the professional development or the connections. But for me, sorority life has always been about the sisterhood.

When I became a Gamma Phi Beta at Texas A&M University, I was one of the rare, few pledge classes that didn’t get a bid day. Instead, those that went through recruitment my year hunkered down through a hurricane: Hurricane Harvey. I woke up on what should have been my bid day, accepted my bid card via phone call and went back to sleep. Little did I know then just how much I’d rely on my new sisters.

When I woke back up around noon that day (college will really do it to you), I awoke to a series of text messages from my family in Houston. They were alternating between sheltering in a closet (in case of tornadoes) and taking as many of our belongings as they could upstairs (in case of flooding). Within two days, our home was flooded.

Now, I don’t know about you, but if I were to write a list of “good ways to start college,” my childhood home flooding wouldn’t be on there. Fortunately, that’s where my brand-new sisters came in.

On Sunday, two older members picked me up (in the pouring rain, mind you) and showed me around campus. On Monday, our chapter held a makeup bid day, showering all of us new members with shirts, jewelry and goodie bags. On Wednesday, the sorority hosted a prayer meeting to love on and show support for those affected by the hurricane. Nothing was revolutionary or life-changing, but the love showed to me by my sorority sisters never wavered — and still hasn’t to this day.

Throughout college, throughout the pandemic, the sisterhood I found in my sorority has been my biggest and strongest support system. When life is crazy, when I’m stressed from other organizations or jobs, I always have my Gamma Phi Beta sisters to fall back on. I didn’t grow up thinking that I would join a sorority — I didn’t even know what one was — but I am so thankful that I ended up in one. And, honestly? I’d recommend that every young woman do the same.