Sisterhood: A Synonym for Family
April 16, 2024
Writer: Zoe Gellert
Editors: Jaz Seiden
I distinctly remember birthday parties growing up. The lights would dim, and the whole room would fill with singing and laughter. Someone would place a candle-lit cake on the kid's table. Parents would lean in to hug their child. There would be applause and celebration, and usually, a family photo.
Recently, when my college friends started to sing at my twentieth birthday celebration, my sorority family rose out of their seats. I watched as a beautiful cake with flowers and gold candles was placed in front of me. I could feel my sisters surround me. My ‘little’ took my hand and squeezed. My chosen family smiled for a picture.
“Hi, my name is Zoey. I am from Westchester, NY, and my major is psychology.” said the girl to my right. Everyone nodded and smiled politely, then turned their attention to me.
“Same,” I said, laughing.
“My name is Zoe. I am from Westchester, NY, and my intended major is psychology.”
My roommate and I tell that story a lot. We met at Destination Tulane the spring before our freshman year. We had both been admitted as spring scholars but had different plans for our first semester. Zoey said she was going abroad to Paris, and I planned to live in New Orleans and attend Loyola. After the tour, we parted ways. I didn't know much about Zoey in March of 2022. She had a sister who was graduating from Tulane, lived twenty minutes away from me in Rye, and worked at a trendy clothing store I liked. We followed each other on Instagram and stayed in touch. However, it wasn't until spring sorority recruitment placed us in the same lineup, Frenchman and Gellert, one behind the other, that I realized I had found my soul sister. Eventually, she became my sorority twin, roommate, and person. Nobody would say we are similar; more like opposites or two halves of a whole.
I call my sorority big “mom.” It's what I call out when I walk into her apartment, how I find her when she loses me in a store, and how I make her laugh with the out-of-pocket things I say. Though it might be entertaining, she is like my mother. Lilli is my stability, my protector, my role model, and my best friend. We constantly teach each other and lean on one another for support. We welcome one anothers differing opinions; we share how we feel, working to understand and respect the other perspective rather than take the dissimilarity personally. Luckily, I met Lilli when I needed her most.
On the first day of Spring Recruitment, I met my little. Her name was Marley, just like my actual little sister. Her silliness complimented my own, and our conversation carried on like I had known her for years. Although her contagious smile left a lasting impression, I was naive to the impact she would have on my life.
Greek life at every university is different. Some schools rely on sororities and fraternities to populate the entire social calendar, while others have only a handful of participants. At Tulane, you will get as much out of the sorority experience as you put into it. Nothing in life comes without effort; forever friendships are no different.
Technically, we can't choose our relatives. However, Tulane and Sigma Delta Tau have given me the gift of sisterhood and family. From my 26-year-old ‘ggggrandmother’ to my 19-year-old ‘niece’, I treasure my friendship with each of them. Our lives are constantly changing as young adults, but when I am surrounded by my sisters, I can always find my footing. It's rare to find people you love so fiercely, but nothing is more rewarding than being part of this family.