Dear Potential New Member,
This is normally the time when we’d use our blog to post recruitment outfit suggestions, conversation tips and tricks, and promotional videos to get you excited for recruitment, but as a group we know that our voice and platform are so much more than that. Instead we’ve chosen to use this space to be open and honest about our experiences in Kappa Delta. We asked our sisters to write about how they’re feeling, reflect on the world and on their time in KD. We have compiled bits and pieces of our sisters’ stories, but you'll find that their authors are anonymous as this is a letter that we all stand by. We hope this letter shows you that everyone has a place in Kappa Delta, and no matter what your experiences are, this chapter is made of women who can't wait to shower you with love and support.
“Not just two years ago I was going through recruitment. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I was wondering if I’d need to hide my sexuality to fit in. Especially with going to college in Indiana, a traditionally conservative state, I was honestly scared. Greek life hasn’t always had the best rep with our community. Every time I walked out of a house during recruitment, I’d ask myself if I felt like it was somewhere I could truly be myself.
When I first joined Kappa Delta, I was hardly out to anyone. As I came to know more of my new sisters, I realized that I wasn’t alone. After years of being invalidated by both society and my peers, I had finally learned to accept myself and my sexuality. I started coming out to some of the sisters I was closest with, and I was met with so much love and acceptance. The sisters of Kappa Delta accept me for who I am, allow me to share my experiences, and make me feel valued. It’s because of this love and support from my sisters that I recently had the confidence and courage to come out to my parents. These women don’t treat me any differently because of my sexuality, and they’ve supported me through thick and thin.”
“The whole concept of Greek life can be daunting to anyone, but especially to those of us who have a hard time with mental health. As someone with depression and anxiety, I was very scared of recruitment and having to constantly talk about myself to strangers who would then evaluate me. The process of rushing was definitely exhausting, but in the end was so worth it. I got involved in KD early my first year, but when it came time for me to move in second year, I was very scared to be living with so many girls at once. I did not want them to see me struggle, cry, or see me as weak. However, through my sisters I have found the greatest support system. I’ve had girls sit with me while I cry about things that may or may not be rational to them, help me face my fears, encourage me to pursue leadership roles, and so much more. My sisters have encouraged me to go to therapy again when they could see I really needed it, calm me down, and just cheer me up when I’m not at my best. I was so terrified to let my friends see this side of me, but through Kappa Delta I have found my biggest supporters and the most accepting and understanding girls. I am so lucky to be surrounded by girls who have truly been with me through the best and worst times I’ve had at college. We can go from listening to sad music and crying to watching TikToks and laughing at each other within the span of a few minutes, which is exactly what I need most of the time. I was so pleasantly surprised at how much I was able to open up to my sisters and let them in, and I was not disappointed by their responses. Dealing with mental health in college is a challenge of its own, but my sisters have definitely helped me make it much more manageable and I am forever grateful for that.”
“While movies and shows might not portray it, the community of love you find yourself in once you enter Greek life is incredible. Entering college, I was only two years out of my epilepsy diagnosis after countless brain scans and blood tests to solve the mystery behind the development of seizures and a constant migraine. I never once considered joining Greek life before my feet hit the floor of Wiley Hall and I met one of my now-best friends who encouraged me to rush. To be quite honest, I was afraid. I have to file for disability in everything I do, and I already knew in college I would have to share my differences with new people for health and safety. I knew I couldn’t let my fear of what others think define how I lived, so about three nights before rush sign-ups closed, I entered my name, information, and disability. Going through rush, I was holding back from telling all these seemingly perfect women that I was disabled, because I didn’t want to be rejected for something I couldn’t control. I considered giving up so I wouldn’t have to face a house full of girls looking at me like I was broken, but knew I was stronger than that; and you are too. Your disability does not define you, it merely adds to you. Your sisters will care for you and protect you no matter where you are, and they will never treat you like you are less than perfect. Disabilities are broad and affect many aspects of our lives, but in Kappa Delta, you will find a group of women who help you through your struggles, no matter how much or how little they know of your case. No matter your disability or its severity, you are loved in your entirety here.”
“In Kappa Delta, I have found not only my best friends, but also my biggest supporters and fiercest allies. These women have helped me grow in so many ways, and having them in my corner has been the most unexpected yet wonderful part of my life. They continually give me the confidence to walk out the door with my chin held high. I know that no matter what each day brings, I get to run home everyday to my best friends and they will be there for me whether I need a hug, a thoughtful opinion, a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, or a sister to laugh with."
"As Kappa Deltas, we work to build confidence in all of those around us.
However, the way we build confidence in others starts by building confidence in ourselves.
If I could somehow stand side by side with the young woman I was when I joined KD, I don’t think any of my sisters or I would even recognize her. The confidence that I have gained as a Kappa Delta is monumental and it shows inside and out. My confidence came from the women I am surrounded by each and every day in KD. Not because we all think the same way, value the same things, or even share the same interests. But because even though we have differences in those things, my sisters support, love, and appreciate me.”
As we move to virtual recruitment, we imagine it can feel scary to feel like your introduction is solely based on your social media presence. (That’s scary for us too!) But we hope that these short notes and stories from our sisterhood gave you a better understanding of who we are and what we value. Also know that Kappa Delta Theta Nu looks beyond the surface when selecting members. If you are a potential new member, we would like to direct these words to you personally. We not only accept but appreciate you for who you are and would like to personally invite you to consider joining a sisterhood that not only values but fights for your confidence. There are big ways to inspire action, but we so often forget that there are small ways to build confidence and inspire action too. We can start by inspiring action right here with each other by hopefully offering you the confidence boost you need to click “Register for Recruitment”.
To all of our potential new members: no matter your story before now, we open our doors, our arms, and our hearts to you. Kappa Delta is a place for women of all walks of life. We know that Greek life has not always been an inclusive place. We are not only taking actions to make sure recruitment is an equitable process for all, but also that after bid day, our panhellenic sisters are in a community of inclusion for the rest of their time at Purdue. We are committed to making sure that our chapter is not just non-discriminatory, but actively inclusive.
We look forward to meeting you, learning more about you, and celebrating the wonderful women that you are.
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