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.