Just over a year ago, I joined Kappa Kappa Gamma as a new member. I never intended to join a sorority, yet after being part of this organization since last fall, I know that my life would not be the same without Kappa. After transferring to UofM last fall from a really small women’s college I was looking to find a similar sense of community and support that I experienced during my first two years in college. To my surprise, I found all of those qualities and so much more. Since joining, I took up an office, joined two committees, and moved into a house with 30 other women. I’ve learned countless lessons, made lifelong friends, and have incredible memories in just one short year. Here are a few of those lessons I have learned:
Be grateful for the memories you’ve made in college, once you graduate and enter the “real world” wearing pajamas five days a week and living off a diet of pizza and bagels is no longer going to be normal life.
How to take an Instagram worthy candid picture, even if you have to almost drop your friend to get the perfect shot. 
Your friends really are the family you chose, the best ones stay up until 3am laughing and telling crazy stories, but will also be there for you when you need a shoulder to cry on or to help you know when it is time to let go.
Be comfortable in your own skin, regardless if you’re wearing onesie pajamas or a formal dress.
Always be curious, keep an open mind, and give people a chance to surprise you. Sometimes, the best of friends come from unexpected people.
Pizza is always a good idea. There is always someone to justify ordering Jimmy John’s with you at midnight or willing to drive you to pick up an Oreo milkshake from Five Guys. Eat the dessert, it’s good for the soul.
You can never have enough glitter…
and lastly, true friends will stick with you through the good times and the bad, they’ll be there to encourage your dreams and to pick you up when you fall. There is not a day that goes by when my sisters don’t make me smile or help me see the silver lining in an otherwise unfortunate situation. Even though I’ll graduate next Spring, I know that regardless of where I am in the world, Kappa will always be home. 
By: Kelsey McCauley