In honor of International Women’s Friendship Month, we will be highlighting a few of the many empowering, uplifting female bonds that make women’s friendship so meaningful. Mary Argel writes to Sydney Neubert, her best friend belonging to a different sorority, in the following letter:

Dear Sydney,

It’s funny to think about how I floated to many different friend groups in high school. My inner circle was constantly changing, and while I was happy to have lots of unique friendships, I felt like something was missing. Then during our junior year, I met you, and you became the best friend I’d always hoped for. We sat next to each other on the first day of AP psychology and the rest is history. From that day on, we were inseparable. I have never shared so many similarities with another person, and yet in so many ways we are the exact opposite, too!

As we approached our senior year of high school, it was time to look at colleges, and we knew we likely would not end up at the same school. It was sad to think about, but we both needed to do what was best for our futures. I was so happy when I chose to go to Georgia College & State University and was even more excited to find out you selected GCSU as well! We knew then we simply had to be roommates.

I was on the fence about going through recruitment, but you knew from the beginning you wanted to do it. You ultimately convinced me, and come the first day of recruitment, we were both ready to find our homes. We talked about how it would be OK if we didn’t end up in the same chapter, and how it might even be good for us to do our own thing. Fast forward to Preference round and neither of us had the same options, but we were both so excited for one another. You loved Alpha Omicron Pi from the first day of recruitment, and it was so fun to see you join your new sisterhood. I was so thankful for your support for me when I joined Kappa Delta. We were happy to be sisters in Panhellenic!

Here is where our Panhellenic friendship gets really interesting. You applied to be AOPi’s  assistant vice president of membership, and I did the same in KD. You went on to serve as AOPi’s recruitment chair, and I became VP-M of KD. After that, you served as president of AOPi, and, lo and behold, I was elected as the president of my KD chapter.

We shared the exact same leadership paths in our respective chapters, and it has never interfered with our friendship. If anything, it has made our friendship stronger. Had we been in the same chapter, we would not have been able to share the opportunities and lean on each other for advice and guidance. We went through similar struggles in our roles, which benefited our friendship greatly. I loved having a friend to attend Panhellenic meetings with, compare notes from recruitment practices with our chapters and share ideas for sisterhood events.

Throughout these past few years in college, we have remained best friends even though we weren’t in the same sorority. Our campus Greek Life Office even knows us as best friends, and always say we are a package deal.

Sydney, you have been there for me in the hardest of times and the best of times. We have always been there for each other and will continue to support one another even after college. Panhellenic friendships are so important because they improve the strength of our Panhellenic community and Greek life as a whole. I am forever thankful for my Panhellenic friendship with my favorite AOPi.

Lots of love,

Mary

opens in a new windowEta Mu-Georgia College & State

Learn more about IWFM and ways to celebrate your female friendships opens in a new windowhere.