If we are lucky in this life, we have a few friends that we can reconnect over a long period of time as if it was only yesterday when we saw each other. I’m very blessed- I have many friends that fit into that category. This is dedicated to one of them- Jess.

We piled into Bryant Denny Stadium on a hot August day awaiting our fate and where we would spend the next 4 years of our lives. We had just survived a long, hot and sometimes wet week of dressing to impress and to find connections, a sisterhood. We also endured door song after door song. I wasn’t much of a cheerleader type so this was a little overwhelming, but you got used to it.

As we took our seats in the stadium, a girl with a megaphone barked at us “Do not open your bids until I say so.” I thought crossly to myself, “I wonder which one she belongs to.” Ironically, I would find out later that day.  We were then ordered to sit on our bids and on the count of three open them. I just knew I would be a Tri Delta. There were several girls from my hometown in Tri Delta. I felt I had “rushed” well with them. They seemed to like me. I could picture the cute dolphins on my Tri Delta swag. The girl sitting beside me also wanted Tri Delta. I thought to myself- look I’ve already made a new friend that will be in my sorority.

1..2..3, I tore open my bid. It read the “Ladies of the Sisterhood of Delta Zeta invite you…” Wait a minute, what happened to the 2 other Deltas?  I was a little surprised but not disappointed. My experience had been positive at DZ especially on Serious Night where I really liked the girl that I was paired with.

As we ran out the stadium to our new home, I thought to myself, “It might be nice to be the only one from home town- a new start.”

As I came to the antebellum looking home, I was greeted by the girl from the night before. Whew! I sighed with relief- a friendly face! This friendly face would later become my Big Sis. As we stood on the porch or maybe just inside the house, I was introduced to another new member- Jessica. She was also from a small town- Brewton. We both did not have our mothers with us- a memo we both must have missed during orientation earlier that week- that your mom and/or parents could attend Bid Day. I felt an instant connection and relieved that there were someone else from a small town.  Like me, Jessica had been a big fish in a small pond- involved in everything in her high school. Coming to the University of Alabama was humbling- there were small fish from big ponds, big fish from small ponds, and big fish from big ponds. I was not quite sure when I was going through Rush that I would fit in- I drove a 94 Toyota Corolla (God I miss that car and it’s gas mileage!) with a stereo I bought from Hooper’s in Meridian, Mississippi for $300 I saved with my part time job. I was from a middle class family, and I didn’t care about spending a gazillion dollars on clothes (don’t get me wrong, I liked to dress well but did not care where my clothes came from). The most I spend on a prom dress was $80. I was not a legacy but did have help with recs. I did not know the difference between Old Row and New Row (found out later and still didn’t care- I was in the right house for me).

Jess and I were inseparable that evening. We were encouraged to spend the night in the basement of the sorority house for bonding. We ended up leaving and hanging that night at her apartment. From then on, we were best friends. I lived with her for a couple of months one summer before I moved into my sublease. We saw each other at our best and worst.

Just recently, my husband and I attended a surprise zoom birthday party for Jessica- part of the new normal during this Pandemic.  We ended up spending 4 hours on the call. I laughed so much I cried and my side ached. As you grow older, you lose little bits and pieces of yourself. Your life becomes all about your children, spouse, aging parents, job etc. (not a bad thing, just a reality). On that Zoom call, I caught a glimpse of the younger version of me. Yes, it was Jess’ birthday but I felt like I had received a gift. At the moment, I was back in college on a bus headed to a formal or date party or at the Venue listening to a band with friends- hanging with Jessica.

Since then, we’ve been sending each other encouraging messages daily. What a blessing you were that day in August of 2003, Jess, and what a blessing you are now.

Post College but before kids, lol!