From Big/Little to Future Bridesmaid

Everyone always talks about how in joining a sorority you meet your best friends, your favorite roommates and your future bridesmaids. On bid day 2015 I came to Delta Zeta to see Madison Wilson holding my sign, who I had talked to on preference round the day before. It was nice to see a familiar face since I did not know anyone. Being a freshman it was crucial having Madison to show me the ropes, help me get ready for date parties and introduce me to more friends in Delta Zeta. Quickly Madison became one of my best friends, which made it easy to choose who I wanted my big to be come time for big/ little reveal! Throughout my freshman and sophomore year my relationship with Madison grew and we were inseparable. We spent our time between classes at Starbucks, and evenings at the library together. It was even better when we both moved into the Delta Zeta house because then we didn’t need to drive to each others place to hang out. Summer 2017 I drove to Texas to spend the 4th of July with her and we talked about how excited we were for the upcoming year because it was going to be her senior year and we had to make it special. It was heartbreaking to realize this was my last year with her.

During recruitment, I was on the recruitment team and had been working endless hours for two weeks. Madison was not able to come to recruitment because of an internship, so I was not able to talk to her. During the morning of the preference round our advisor made an announcement that we had a candle pass to do. A candle pass is something our chapter does when someone gets engaged, there is a flower bouquet with a candle and everyone passes it around and sings a song. Once it gets to the sister that is engaged they blow out the candle. No one had any idea who got engaged so we all were standing in a circle singing the song waiting anxiously for our unknown sister to blow out the candle. Once the candle got passed in a full circle, Madison came out from the side door and blew out the candle. She hadn’t told me but she got engaged to her long time boyfriend at the end of the summer. I was ecstatic! It was unbelievable. So, when time came for her to choose bridesmaids she told me that she wouldn’t want to have her big day without me there. Madison also asked my little to be a bridesmaid because of how close we had all grown. All of the sisters that Delta Zeta has given me, especially Madison, I know are my lifelong friends. Cliche, but joining a sorority really does give you your future bridesmaids!!

-Lauren Baker PC '15