"Why ADPi" #4 by Abby Meyer, Alpha Class 2020

Alpha Delta Pi was the first place where I found a home away from home. I definitely didn’t feel at home in my 6x6 dorm room with no air conditioning. I definitely didn’t feel at home waiting in line in the dining halls. I definitely didn’t feel home when people would take my laundry out of the washing machine and leave it on the counter. I felt lost at school. I wasn’t as busy as I used to be back in hi

gh-school. I wasn’t a part of anything. I felt small. At orientation and throughout my first semester everyone continued to say “This is home,” but I never felt that way. I wondered how so many people were able to confidently say that about Virginia Tech.

I was seriously considering transferring schools. I was unsure if college was even for me. I had met friends in my classes and in my dorm, but I felt as if I hadn’t found my people yet. My mental health was in shambles. My mom encouraged me to rush and said if I didn’t find my place at Virginia Tech after that, then I could transfer. Now, it is crazy to think that I ever hesitated and almost decided not to rush. I wanted that extra week at home with my family and friends (and dog), and didn’t want to come back. Little did I know, I would be going home anyway.

During recruitment, I wanted to keep my options open. I had good connections with all of the women I met throughout the week, but nothing compared to ADPi. It was the only house that I felt comfortable laughing and crying in. I felt myself, but most importantly, I felt heard. After going from house-to-house, having similar conversations throughout the week, it can feel like you’re just going through the motions. At ADPi, the girls I talked to were listening to what I had to say. We bounced off of each other and it was natural. Nothing felt forced or awkward. I made jokes without worrying if they were going to laugh or not.

By the end of recruitment, I had my heart set on Alpha Delta Pi. It was the first time I felt like I was home. Within the first week of meeting my pledge class, transferring schools was entirely out of the picture. I had been waiting to find these girls. There are girls with different interests and majors than me that I never would have crossed paths with if we didn’t join the same chapter. I keep questioning why I didn’t meet them during my first semester, but I guess good things take time.

Greek life at Virginia Tech not only gave me a smaller, close-knit group of women that I can rely on and confide in, but it also introduced me to a whole other world. I have met so many amazing women outside of my chapter as well. They have all encouraged and motivated me to become a better version of myself.