My Dearest Sister,

Allison, I’m writing this letter to you as you commence on your journey as a member, not of Alpha Gamma, but of Alpha Rho. When I graduated from Bellcrest all those years ago I couldn’t have imagined that you would join my old house, or that you would make such a monumental difference in the way that it operates. Things are always changing, and I’ve come to learn that sometimes, the people we least expect make the biggest changes. There are so many things that I want to say to you and only so much time in the world, so all I’m going to do is give you the same advice that mother gave me when I started my journey.

First and Foremost: Be Brave

Life is going to throw curve balls at you. Sometimes you might lose the job that you always dreamed of having, other times you might find yourself in a broken relationship. There are so many things that can change in the blink of an eye, and at the end of the day the most important thing you can do is pick yourself up and move on to the next big thing. Don’t be afraid to take on a challenge, don’t be afraid to defy the odds. You’ve got this girl, I believe in you.

Secondly: Be Yourself

There are a lot of people in this world who are going to tell you who you should be. Don’t let them. You are a beautiful person and a beautiful woman all on your own and I for one think that the world is getting an amazing gift.

Third: Trust in Those you Love

You’ve gained so much in the last two months; you have amazing, sisters who love you. You have Remy, who probably does things to you that are illegal in the state of Alabama and at least three fourths of Asia. You have me, you have mom, you have so many things that other people would love to have. You are an individual person and a strong woman but you are greatly influenced by the company you keep. Don’t be afraid to ask them for help or advice, don’t be afraid to love them. Life is short, make the most of it.

Fourth: Believe in Yourself

The world is a cruel place, Allison. It’s going to tell you that you’re not good enough, it’s going to tell you that you don’t belong and to be honest, you’re going to have it rougher than others. If you’re ever feeling down, or if you’re ever feeling that you’re not good enough, I want you to think back and remember the time when you inspired a nationwide change and altered the course of a century’s old organization. I want you to remember the love and happiness that you brought to us and I want you to remember the sisterhood that you gained – a bond that will be with you for the rest of your life.

Allison, I won’t always be with you, we have our own lives and our own ambitions, but I carry you in my heart wherever I go. I remember so well that annoying little brother who used to bug me when we were kids. I remember this one time you asked me: “Brianna, how big is the world?”. I replied with: “Bigger than you can imagine!”. The next week you came back with: “Brianna, I looked it up, the sky is only twenty miles high.”. I was so annoyed but in the end it’s your sense of curiosity and your drive to explore that is going to make your life amazing. Keep exploring, keep inspiring, and most importantly: keep being yourself. I’m proud of you, Mom is proud of you, and I fully believe that as you move forward, a sister of Alpha Rho, a student of Bellcrest, and most importantly, my sister, you’re just going to continue to make us proud. I love you sis, thanks for everything.

Love,
Brianna