What Makes a Sorority House a Home?
Hey everyone! My name is Campbell Thomas, and I am a senior Chi Omega apart of pledge class twenty-twenty. Time has really flown by, and I cannot believe that I am at this point of my college career. This chapter has been the absolute biggest blessing of my life thus far. It has been my answered prayer and my place of belonging on this campus for four years now. Each time I walk through the doors of 105 Robert Louis Jones Circle, I have a feeling of relief come over me that I am where I am supposed to be. But what exactly makes your big sorority house feel like a home? Well, it is absolutely the people that fill that house.
When I first pledged chi o, I had a good feeling I had found the place where my future bridesmaids would be, but little did I know that I would be finding a mentor that would be a constant source of encouragement, laughter, support, and love all along the way. I first met our house mom, Mama Fran, my sophomore year of college because my freshman year was mostly during the COVID-19 pandemic, so I did not get come to the house often. We instantly clicked and soon I was jokingly calling her my “bestie” each time I saw her at meals or chapter meetings. We learned we had mutual friends and enjoyed a lot of the same interests, especially our workout routines. I remember her randomly asking me one day if I wanted to walk with her to get our mail on campus. As an eager sophomore, I jumped at that opportunity to walk and talk with our cool house mom. That one walk changed my college career forever, as we then began to walk and talk almost every day. Our walks quickly became a highlight for me as we shared about our weekly highs and lows, and sometimes having other chi o’s join us for miles all over Starkville.
Mama Fran has easily been one of my favorite parts of my college experience. She is the most involved house mom and truly loves every girl that comes through the door each day. She is hilarious and has been mine and many others’ breathe of fresh air. Mama Fran makes everyone feel seen and important and is the glue that holds this place together, while never getting enough credit for it. She truly is what makes this house feel like a real home. As young girls trying to find the right friends and navigate crazy college life, she is exactly what we need during this pivotal time in our lives. She is without a doubt what I needed at that point of my sophomore year. Mama Fran has supported and been there for me every day as a Chi Omega and I know she will always be just one text message away after my graduation. The memories I made in Chi Omega are priceless and I am so glad that Mama Fran is a part of some of those major memories for me and every chi o that she has touched throughout her six years as our house mom.
My advice to younger girls in our chapter, is to cultivate the relationships that this place has to offer. Speak to our staff here and thank them for what they do for us. You will never regret being appreciative or kind and they will never forget it. I encourage you to talk to everyone you see and take every opportunity given to you to meet someone new within these walls because as I am finding out, it goes by too fast. If I had not said yes to going on that walk with Mama Fran that day my sophomore year who knows if we would have become real life besties and that she would become one of the biggest blessings in my life. I am so thankful I that I did, and I thank the Lord for my Chi Omega house mom!
XOXO, Campbell Thomas PC’20