Vicky

I’m Home
Vicky Hutchinson

During the thrill that is Bid Day, amongst all the hugs and pictures, I clearly remember taking a deep breath, looking around, and finally realizing what all those TSM articles meant. I was no longer nervous, no longer stressed, all that filled me was happiness and excitement for my future; and that’s exactly what AOII brought me.

Staying in this sisterhood has provided me with support I didn’t even know I needed. My sisters push me everyday to exceed past my original goals. As a freshman they saw my leadership potential before I was even confident enough to realize it myself. I never would have imagined taking an executive position as a freshman but now I realize how much closer it brings you to your sisters. All the work I put into AOII is returned to me ten fold with love and laughter and opportunities beyond my imagination.

AOII is definitely not just for 4 years, it is for life; and I am blessed to spend my time with the most beautiful and intelligent girls I’ve ever met.

Neeka

Unexpected

Neeka Stewart

When I first moved to Chicago I didn't know a single soul here. What's worse is I transferred from another school where I had an extremely tight knit group of friends who I loved more than anything. When I got here my roommate was already in a sorority (AOII coincidentally) and encouraged me to go through the recruitment process if anything just to meet people. I NEVER in a million years saw myself as a sorority type and fought her on it for a couple of weeks but when the time rolled around it figured "why not."
The recruitment process was exhausting, intense, and already a great place to meet people no matter where I ended up. I visited all of the other sororities but the one room where I felt like I had nothing to prove was AOII. For some reason I just knew from the start that these were my kind of women and boy was I right. At the end of the week, after a lot of blood, sweat and tears (just kidding), I ended up opening a bid from AOII and I couldn't have been happier. 
Since that moment I've found nothing but a loving home here. The women are some of my best friends, and I can always count on a sister when I need her no matter what it may be. These women inspire me academically, professionally, philanthropically, and in so many more ways that I am so grateful for. I had a really rough first year here, but the women of AOII were there to help me through the process and most of all push me to live up to my full potential. 
Flash forward a year from my arrival here in Chicago and it's already time to welcome a whole new class of baby pandas. I couldn't be more excited to welcome them into this unparalleled sisterhood.

Evie

Wouldn't Change a Thing
Evie Stoltz

When I arrived at DePaul as an incoming freshman I was overwhelmed with emotions. Watching my parents drive away it began to sink in that I am from a small town in Michigan, don’t know a single soul in Chicago and will be living and figuring life out on my own for the very first time. The transition proved to be incredibly difficult and making friends was even harder. Faced with the decision to pack my bags and head home or to stick it out, I made a crazy decision and went through recruitment.

This time of year you hear all kinds of cheesy stories about finding your home or how connected women felt to the sorority they eventually joined. For me this was all real. I knew going into this process I wasn’t looking for the cookie cutter sorority. I was looking for real connections, girls to be my sidekicks for life, and to really embrace my new life in Chicago. Finding the right sorority is like dating and you have to go through a lot to find the right one for you. The awkward conversations, the nerves and of course the over-thinking is all very normal.

Upon meeting the women of Alpha Omicron Pi I felt inspired, excited and most importantly accepted. I felt as if we were just sitting around having coffee rather than worrying about trying to impress them and force a fit. Being someone who has always struggled finding great friends, this was something that I hadn’t experienced before. Since joining this organization I have continued to be amazed by the experiences it has brought me. From the joy of receiving my bid to getting my big and then my own littles, all the way to taking my first two positions, it has been a whirlwind.

I was lost and struggling to find my place when I met the ladies that I now call my sisters. They have taught me so much about life, being a strong woman and what it means to be apart of a sisterhood. Life isn’t always rosy and perfect but what matters is that you have strong sisters by your side to get you through it. Entering into my senior year at DePaul and looking back over the past years, there isn’t a thing I would change. I owe most of this to my beautiful sisters of AOII. I wouldn’t be the woman I am today without them.

Mikaela

I Can Be Me

Mikaela Workman

"Finding your home" during recruitment can be confusing. But for me, Alpha Omicron Pi was the obvious choice.

During all the rounds of recruitment, in and out of different rooms, through all the different songs, I kept thinking that it was all about me trying to impress these girls. So many girls. But by the end of rush week I realized it's not about trying to appease anyone or squeeze myself into some perfect #TSM mold. Recruitment is about finding the women who will bring out the best in you. Women who will guide you through the craziest time in your life and keep you on a path of integrity, intelligence, and happiness. Women who think about your well being before you even do. And this is the essence of AOII; my sisters show all these qualities every day and inspire me to grow.

Why AOII? Because these women are not just my sisters by title, they are not for show, they are my true ride or die sisters to the core proven by years of action, not empty promises. Because it is only here that I was able to meet the beautiful and kind women who became my role models. Because it is only here, sitting next to my AOII sisters, that I spent countless nights eating Chinese take out or pizza in the library, cramming for my final exams with the only people that could keep me going with a smile on my face. This sisterhood is beyond compare and I feel AOII's effects everyday with the whole hearted love I receive, the midnight talks over Mexican food after a long night out, and crazy spring break adventures from Chicago to Miami with my sisters hand and hand.

Thank you so much to AOII's founders who started this incredible fraternity, without you I might have been a few bridesmaids short ♡

Emily

Following In Her Footsteps

 Emily Opperman

The only reason I decided to look at a sorority was because my mom was in one. She was a Kappa Kappa Gamma and encouraged me to go through formal recruitment. I never thought I would want to be in a sorority because of everything I’ve heard of and seen in big state sororities – all the parties, hazing, and frat guys wasn’t something I was looking for or even interested in being a part of. I didn't believe that a sorority would be a good influence on my decisions.

I decided to go through Rush Week to please my mom and see what it was like. I have no reasons for why I chose AOII other than they chose me. Yet, through my first year of being an Alpha O, I have hundreds of reasons why I should stay. I’ve always heard that you should just “trust the system” and I’ve realized that even though I couldn’t tell you why I wanted to be in a sorority, I am so grateful for being in one now.

Alpha Omicron Pi is so different from what I thought a sorority would be; yes, there is a bunch of fun socials, you make life long friends, and sometimes matching is a requirement. But you also learn how to be gracious towards your sisters in need, responsible for yourself and your chapter, accountability, class, gracefulness and poise, and generosity. All in all learning more about what a sorority truly means made me want to stay and makes me try to become a better version of myself everyday.

To follow in her footsteps means to leave a legacy like my mom. She is the definition of kindness, forgiveness, and grace. Those are also qualities that I've learned in AOII. Our ritual has taught me to love my sisters and most importantly do everything with grace and kindness. We all follow in the footsteps of our founders: Stella, Helen, Jesse, and Elizabeth. They dedicated their time to making a sorority of dignity, strength, empowerment, and love. Their dedication to AOII and our sisterhood has made us become more loving and strengthened our values. They've helped us learn in times of great struggle and encourage us to push on through the rough days. They've taught us how to become better friends and better sisters. They've taught us to use grace and forgiveness in all we do. I've learned many skills to help leave a legacy like my mom. And I hope one day, our future sisterhood will see why we chose to stay in Alpha Omicron Pi and can continue in our footsteps.

Lina

It's More Than Friendship

Lina Chaoui

I never thought about myself as the sorority type when I was in high school. While a lot of stereotypical things about state school Greek life are untrue at DePaul, the core values of Greek life remain.

I'm from Massachusetts, so Chicago feels very far away. I was scared of creating a home here. By joining a network of girls who push me academically and encourage me to do things I have been to scared to do in the past, Chicago has become my second home. My sisters are here to celebrate my successes and support me through my failures. I have found a few of my best friends but I have also found people who care about me no matter what. 


I joined Alpha Omicron Pi to make friends and meet new people. But I've learned that sisterhood is not just about friendship. Sisterhood is about unconditional love and support. My sisters will stick it out through mistakes and anger because they truly care. This is one of the many reasons why I have stayed in AOII.

Jill

The Sisterhood I Never Knew I Needed

Jill Sales

I know it’s cliché, but I have always loved AOII. I am one of the lucky ones who knew I landed right where I was supposed to be right from the start. Some girls are unhappy where they end up after recruitment, but AOII was the only sorority wanted to join or felt right in.

Freshman year I had a hard time adjusting to the college social atmosphere. I was always too shy, too quiet, and too cautious. When I was welcomed into AOII my whole world was suddenly different. I had sisters helping me along the way when things got hard instead of trying to take on everything on my own. They accepted me for who I was, and who I was not, which was something I had never had before. I learned so much about values, faith, and sisterhood from these women that I never would have known without them.

My big, Jamie, is one of the biggest reason I joined and stayed. She showed me what it meant to be fearless, lovable, and confident in who I am. All things I always struggled with, yet Jamie helped me to come out of my shell.

She and all of my sisters helped guide me through the tough parts of college that only sorority sisters can. Whenever I thought I was failing or losing my way I knew there was always a sister there to help me understand that life happens and I shouldn’t be so hard on myself. They taught me that sisterhood is everything you need, but can’t ask for, and more often than not it’s something you don’t even know you need.

AOII taught me to have fun, to trust in others, and never be afraid of judgement. I can honestly say I would not be the confident leader I am today without the help and love from my AOII family. I owe so much to this organization and the women in it, I am so happy to have been found and guided by such an amazing group of women and their values.