Letter to Potential New Members... XoXi, Clare Thanner

Dear Potential New Members,

What a time we are living in! I remember being in your place 3 years ago: just graduated high school, frantically texting my future roommate about what size rug we needed for our future dorm, feeling excited yet oh so nervous about starting my new chapter of life at Georgia Tech. I did all of this during the easy, breezy summer of 2017 where the biggest news was Beyoncé’s pregnancy announcement and Prince Harry getting engaged. But you, my recently-graduated, almost-college-freshman friend, have it a lot different than I did. You had the best parts of senior year stripped away from you, and for that I am so sorry. We are also fighting a civil rights battle in America, seeking justice for all - the weight and importance of which is felt by everyone in our country. As we all fight for justice as well as adjust to this mask-wearing way of life, I want you to know how excited I am for you. We are living during the age of change, an exciting and awesome time. We get to experience first-hand what our new world looks like and we will be able to tell our kids about it in years to come. We get to be at the front lines of fighting for change!

I know that nothing will ever make up for missing senior prom, but the memories you made inside your bedroom via zoom with your classmates will shine just as bright, if not brighter, further down the road. I also don’t want you to lose sight of what is to come either. We at Alpha Xi Delta are so excited to welcome you in August! Since December, we have been carefully planning our Bid Day, and despite recruitment looking a little different this year, I personally am beyond excited to welcome a new Member Class. The memories you will make with your new sisters at date nights and mixers will be better than any high school dance. The Alpha Xi dining room and our amazing Chef Brii are better than any cafeteria you could even imagine. Being able to walk through Tech’s beautiful campus with trees and flowers everywhere beats out the narrow hallways of your Alma Mater, I promise.

I know these uncertain times of COVID-19 are taking a toll and it has taken adjustment for all of us. The best part of Alpha Xi’s sisterhood is that we always have each other’s back, and we want to have yours too. As any questions come up throughout the summer, never hesitate to reach out to us. There are also several resources I have linked below. Enjoy the rest of your summer, and I cannot wait to meet you in the fall!