"Living in 'Xi' House" by Vanessa Stewart

Hi! My name is Vanessa Stewart, and I am starting my junior year at UT majoring in communication sciences and disorders. I am originally from a tiny town called Three Rivers, TX. Never heard of it? Most people haven’t so that’s okay! It is about an hour south of San Antonio.

Coming from a small town with a population of less than 2,000 people, adjusting to Austin and UT was quite a challenge for me. Joining Alpha Xi Delta eased this transition because everyone was so accepting and welcoming. I immediately felt comfortable in the house and around the girls, but it wasn’t until my sophomore year living in the Alpha Xi house - or Xi House as we like to call it - when I truly understood the phrase “home away from home.” At first I was nervous because I had never lived with so many girls before, but boy, did that change quickly!

On move-in day, I started chatting with a girl living a few doors down from me, and that short conversation blossomed into one of the greatest friendships I have ever had. Amelia and I are absolutely inseparable, which never would have happened if I hadn’t lived in Xi House. But it wasn't just Amelia. I feel closer to every single girl who lived in the house. It wasn’t until I lived in Xi House and was fully immersed in the family dynamic of the sorority that I finally understood why sorority girls call each other sisters. It really has shaped my sorority experience, and I'm so excited to be coming back to live there a second year!

So you may be asking yourself, “besides becoming a family, what is so great about living in Xi House?” Well here are just a few of my absolute favorite things about living Xi House:

1. With so many girls in the house, you have tons of closets to rummage through (with your sisters' permission of course)! Whether you need a game day outfit, a brunch outfit, or even just a necklace, you are bound to find what you need in someone’s closet!

2. We turn our chapter room into a movie room with lots of pillows, blankets, popcorn and a projector. It's just like a big movie theater screen!

3. I love Christmas more than the average human, so getting to decorate our Christmas tree with my sisters was absolute bliss.

4. We have Bachelor, Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise watching parties in our living room. Really, whatever your favorite TV show is, you’re bound to find people to watch it with you, but we are huge Bachelor nation fans... we even created a chapter-wide Bachelor/Bachelorette Fantasy League for the past few seasons.

The reasons of why I love living the house could go on forever. Alpha Xi cannot wait to have you over during Recruitment so you can find out for yourself why joining our sisterhood and living in Xi House will be the greatest time of your life. I hope that you will find your home away from home with Alpha Xi Delta just like I did!

XOXI,