When I started out as a freshman at Rutgers, I had the stereotypes of sorority life – as many of you probably have or have had– but something that made me different from the other girls was that I also had the courage and the ability to overlook the comments and preconceived notions of my peers in order to come out and experience rush – I thought to myself, “Why not? You get to meet new people, expand horizons, and learn about something you never would have normally found out about.” My first semester, I rushed a multicultural sorority for about a week – but there was no interest – no fit. I felt like I didn’t really belong, the girls didn’t cater to my interests or my personality – and that was where my curiosity in sorority life ended. My second semester, I was hesitant in coming out to meet KDPhi, but with the attendance of some friends, I decided to give it another shot. Some things in life just deserve another chance – and to be completely corny, little did I know that that night would change the rest of my life. Sometimes girls are drawn to sororities because of their fancy rush events or their expensive publicity tactics (gifts and whatnot) – the event that I had attended was simply “milk and cookies” held at one of our (now) alum’s suite on Busch Campus. And after a half an hour, I knew that I wanted to join aKDPhi. I had never met a group of more independent, intellectual, genuinely interesting women and I just thought “this is exactly what I imagined a real sorority would be like.”

Anyways, I’m not going to bore you with the entire process of how I came to be in KDPhi – but I will tell you this: never once along my way did I ever regret my road to becoming a sister or being a part of aKDPhi. Coming out of high school I thought that I knew all there was to know about myself, but I have learned far more about myself in my two years of KDPhi than I ever did prior to that. You’re involved in activities and opportunities you never knew took place, you meet people and make friendships and connections that you never knew could have existed, and most of all, you really find out what it means to be a part of a genuine, authentic, 100% certified sisterhood. The numbers of occasions you get to step up and be a leader, the number of chances you get to stand out in our university and community and the opportunities you have to be a part of something so much larger than yourself is indescribable. KDPhi is truly something special. The goal of each of our sisters is to leave a legacy: no matter who you meet, what you do, or what activities you take part in – leave an impact, a mark, a positive change in people, Rutgers, and the community.

KDPhi was everything I imagined it to be and so much more. Through it, I was able to get involved with our larger Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs through which I am given the opportunity to meet deans, faculty, staff, Greek alumnae, and fellow Rutgers undergraduates. I’ve also been blessed with the chance to take part in our sorority’s national board. I’ve been presented job and internship opportunities, travel opportunities, and the chance to create a sisterhood that would withstand the worst of the worst. KDPhi has given me every reason to be proud and honored to be able to call myself a sister of this sorority. Through seventeen years of existence, we have managed to organize and structure ourselves to be the largest nationwide Asian American interest sororities, 43 chapters strong and growing, the biggest supporters of the undergraduate Asian American community, and the most respected and esteemed Asian-American Greek organization. You will not find a sorority full of more dedicated, motivated, and established sisters than in alpha Kappa Delta Phi. In a very intense phrasing, we breed future leaders – we give you the tools and the opportunities necessary to succeed in college and in life and THAT is what makes KDPhi so special.

Last semester, as part of a sisterhood project, we were asked to write a little something about what sisterhood meant to us and what KDPhi has meant to us and what made us grateful that KDPhi had come into our lives. I Just want to share with you a little excerpt from that. “I don't know where to begin sometimes... KDPhi has been, by far, my greatest strife, failure and success that I have ever had to know. It is my source of stress, sadness, anger, and frustration- but also love, laughter, tears, happiness, and friendship, and for that (even with the bad), I am grateful. Coming into college, I really thought I knew all there was to know about myself and my life and I have never been proven so wrong since I joined KDPhi. Every day of my college life with KDPhi, I astonish myself and find that I can never know too much or stop growing and maturing. At times when I find myself in my downfall, KDPhi becomes my wings of support and encouragement. Even when I want to seclude myself from the world, KDPhi does not allow me to do that- but instead forces me to push past my pain and strengthens me once again. I talk about KDPhi as if she were her own person, and in a sense that is true. KDPhi is the woman in all of us and the role model we seek for everyday. She makes us who we are and at the same time, we make her what she is. Without these girls, I don't know where I would be and I'm afraid to think of what I would not have learned thus far in life. KDPhi has matured me far beyond my wildest dreams and more than I could ever hope for or imagined. From KDPhi, I see 74 women of strength, honor, courage, dedication, passion, and love for the sisterhood. Sometimes I wonder why no one else sees this... why, despite our efforts and hard work, we are still beat and forced into stereotype- and it is because what we have cannot be seen by the naked eye, it is deep down that we find it within ourselves. While it is unfortunate that this may be so, at the same time, it is a blessing to know something that only very few other women know.”

So for all of you who want to do something different, inspiring, genuine, and rewarding with your college life, KDPhi is absolutely the route to take. Believe me when I say that KDPhi will exceed all of your expectations. Coming into college, I wanted to do everything- cultural organizations, community service, social stuff, and academic excellence – really immerse myself in everything that Rutgers had to offer, which I definitely think every college student should do a little bit of. What I found out was that KDPhi was able to fulfill all of that and so much more.

I once read a quote about sorority and fraternity life that said “From the outside looking in, you can never understand it and from the inside looking out, you can never explain it.” Although this is mainly true, because many cannot even begin to understand what life as a KDPhi is like, I hope that I have given you a little bit more perspective and a deeper understanding of what we, as a sorority, are trying to accomplish and what we are able to provide to you girls. I sincerely wish all of you the best of luck during rush and this semester at Rutgers.