Looking at Abby Swenson today, no one would have ever believed that she ever lived before Theta Delta Zeta. But it was not long ago that Abby lived a pre-Theta existence, a life that as Abby puts it was, “life only if you can call living before Theta actually living.” Not long ago in this case refers to the Monday of Rush week before Abby began the whirlwind that rendered her old plebian life meaningless.

Although the entire process was documented by a series of wide-eyed Instagram photos, Abby still struggles to remember a time where she wasn’t a member of the UNL Greek system. In fact, it was only earlier this month that Abby even learned what the Greek letter for Theta actually was and could stop referring to it as a “zero with a line inside” and treat it as the symbol of her new life.

“It’s just such a part of my being now ya know, TDZ is in my DNA” says the girl who as of July still wasn’t set on the whole “Sorority thing” and wanted to keep her “options open.”

“Gawd, I was so young then. I didn’t know about the proud history of Theta Delta Zeta or their philanthropic contributions or all my girls. I even considered other sororities at the time”

The turning point for Abby was the twenty-minute conversation she had with an existing Theta member. Although the interview contained several audible yawns from the Theta interviewer and she was addressed as Amy throughout, Abby loved the unique experience TDZ offered her.

“They just weren’t trying to prove anything and I mean, they were already on academic probation so they didn’t put up any fronts. They were just so real and accepting!”

Abby is proud to say that soon she’ll be an initiated Theta and will never have to contemplate a life without her sisters. The girls of Theta Delta have come to represent family for Abby, if a family consisted entirely of people you just found out existed and they charged student fees to live with them.