Arriving on the move-in day of my sophomore year with both of my parents and a carload of stuff, I looked up, up, up at the majestic brick building in front of me adorned with red letters and thought about how excited I was to call this place my home for the next year.
After joining my sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi (AOΠ), in my first-year spring semester, older members put a big emphasis on my Member Class getting to know each other and being comfortable with each other. Since it was the Spring 2021 semester, however, social distancing and the disallowing of big group gatherings were still in full swing because of the COVID-19 pandemic, making it nearly impossible for all 25 or so of us to be in one room together. We made it work, hanging out in smaller groups that were switched up very frequently. But it was a challenge that no other Member Class had ever dealt with before, so it was tough to feel completely settled in at that point.
So, standing on the giant column-lined porch of the AOΠ sorority house at the top of the hill, looking inside at the hustle and bustle of all of my new friends moving in with their parents and exploring the beautiful home that was now ours, I felt so fortunate.
Most members who lived in the AOΠ house during the year I lived there had either one roommate or lived alone. This was an unexpectedly nice benefit of the lingering effects of the pandemic: No one had to live in triple or quadruple rooms, which (knowing us girls) would have made for messy rooms and loud evenings. My room had air conditioning, a big closet and a desk, and was right at the top of our kitchen stairs, making it extremely accessible and comfortable for me and my twin sister whom I shared it with.
Lunches, dinners and the weekly brunches we were served by our in-house chef were moments I would never forget. Being able to enjoy the presence of all of my friends in the comfort of my own home at any time of the day was a unique and fun experience I am so grateful AOΠ gave me. The dining room tables were always littered with backpacks, laptops and homework assignments of girls getting their stuff done, whether it was early in the morning or (very) late into the night. From my vantage point at the top of those stairs, so many nights ended with the sounds of laughter and loud chatter floating up from the kitchen.
For anyone thinking about joining Greek life and getting to live in one of Lehigh’s spectacular on-campus sorority or fraternity houses, I would give my experience “two thumbs up.” You will have the chance to make friends of a lifetime and have a very special on-campus living experience.