I’m on the volleyball court. My teammates are around me, and parents are surrounding the sidelines of the immense convention center, with what looked like was filled with acres and acres of volleyball courts. As I saw the serve travel its way across the net, I sprung myself to go dive for that ball. I felt the floor below me and my head hit the floor. All I could think about was the end. I knew I had gotten my third concussion at this point.
The pain and suffering I was going to have to go through was swarming my mind. I wondered to myself how long I would be out of volleyball, or if I would have to quit forever. I wondered what my life would be like if I wasn’t playing and what would happen to my plans to play in college. I worked so hard to make a National Volleyball Team and had such great hopes to play in college. Fear and sadness navigated its way through my mind the second I hit the ground. I was scared as to what was going to happen as soon as I made my way off the court, to what became the last time I played in a volleyball game.
All my life I had been preparing to play volleyball in college. Volleyball was my life and my priority. It was even how I identified myself, a personality trait. Due to my third concussion, I had to quit. It felt like everything I worked so hard for was for nothing. I not only lost my passion and what I saw for myself in the future, but most importantly, it felt like I lost my purpose. Ever since I lost my volleyball team, I had been searching for a place to call home, a group that I could feel a part of and find my purpose in.
Coming into college my freshman year was a hard adjustment for me. I did not know anyone from my hometown, leaving me feeling isolated and alone. It seemed that everyone around me had adjusted well to the college life and found their people and I did not. This feeling made me not only upset, but I isolated myself, became super shy, and did not get involved in anything my freshman year.
My sophomore year I made a decision that not only turned my entire college life upside down, but my life. I went through sorority recruitment and became a member of Phi Sigma Sigma. I can sincerely say that being a part of this organization shaped me into the woman I am today. I am a part of a motivating, inspiring, committed, and loving environment, which is what I had been searching for since I stopped playing volleyball.
I finally found my home on campus and felt that feeling of community again, only better. I even found a new passion to give back through our philanthropic work, as it has been so inspiring. Phi Sigma Sigma showed a side of me that I did not know existed, as I stepped out of my comfort zone and acquired a leadership position. Not only did this position teach me a lot of skills, but it brought forward a part of myself that I did not know existed – a person that has a passion to lead.
Although volleyball will always hold a special place in my heart, I am so grateful I found Phi Sigma Sigma. I feel I have developed as a woman and acquired skills that I can incorporate in my life, as well as had the opportunity to make lifelong friendships. Overall, Phi Sigma Sigma made me a more confident woman ready to take on whatever comes along. I have felt nothing but love from all of my sisters, and being a part of Phi Sigma Sigma has taught me the true meaning of friendship, and purpose in life. When one door closes, another one opens.
