Hey ya’ll! My name is Katie Goodman and I am a rising senior from Richmond, Virginia. It is hard to believe I only have one year left of college and it has been three whole years since I packed up all my things and drove all seven hours down to Clemson for the first time.

To be honest, I was completely terrified coming into college. Most people that know me would know that I am extremely close with my family and used to be a complete homebody (I could barely make it a week at summer camp). So going to college so far away from home was definitely a scary thing for me. I barely knew anyone at Clemson, so going into recruitment I really was just looking for people to go out with or grab dinner with, but boy did I gain so much more. I would have never imagined in three short years I would be where I am today, surrounded by the absolute best group of girls I have ever known.

I genuinely thank my lucky stars each and every day for the friends I have found here at Clemson and in Tri Delta. Tri Delta truly emulates their motto “bring you”; all of the girls are so extremely genuine and unique and encourage me to be also. However, they don’t just accept me for who I am but constantly push me to be a better version of myself. We challenge each other and encourage each other to grow, which I think is the most important part of friendship. And our friendships couldn’t be further from surface level-we spend many late nights talking about the deep stuff: our upbringings, beliefs, dreams, goals, and everything in between, or having as we like to say DMC’s (deep meaningful conversations). I have learned so much from these girls and I am in constant awe of their kindness, intelligence, humor, and selflessness. They are future doctors, lawyers, engineers and so much more, and I am entirely confident they will do HUGE things in life.

Screen+Shot+2021-08-03+at+11.59.58+AM.jpg

Screen Shot 2021-08-03 at 12.00.40 PM.png

As I said, in high school, I was a huge homebody and loved staying in my comfort zone. Now, I feel like I am barely home as I spend most of my breaks visiting people or exploring new places with my friends. The best thing about college is the people you surround yourself with truly do become your family. You grow up together you learn how to be independent, navigate your life on your own for the first time, and grow into a more authentic and mature version of yourself alongside people doing the same.

So why Tri Delta? Because you will find friends to not only have a good time with but who you can confidently say will be by your side as you walk through life. The people who will cheer you on and encourage you to reach for the stars but also who will catch you on the way down when life doesn't quite go your way. So whether Clemson is hours away from home for you like me or it is right around the corner, my biggest advice is to find friendships that make a home feel a little closer. The girls that I have met in Tri Delta have become my family, my sisters, and I know wherever we go I will always have a home in them.

DLAM always <3