Kate Thuestad

​I have always loved learning. Whether it’s taking an extra history class, figuring out to cook something new, teaching myself how to knit, or exploring a new place, I really enjoy the challenge of the unknown.  This passion has only grown deeper since becoming a member of Theta.  I remember that I was hesitant but open to the idea of joining Greek life after arriving to campus.  I knew that if I were to become a member of a chapter, I wanted to be joining a community where we would support, inspire, and grow alongside one another.  One of the reasons I love being a member of Theta is that I am surrounded by women who see each day as an opportunity to learn something new.  Intellectual curiosity and personal excellence are not just a catchy phrases that seemed good to put on a website, they mean something much more to us.
 
It would be a lie to say I don’t miss seeing the women of my chapter at Philanthropy events, Monday Night Dinners, or study sessions in Tube but my distance from those individuals have made me appreciate what Theta, as an organization, stands for.  Now when I jet set across New Zealand for an adventure, I am not only excited about the journey and new experiences but am reminded of my connection to other women who have felt this same rush.  I thought of my sisters and how they supported my decision to seek adventure and study abroad when I went on a weekend sea kayaking trip to Doubtful Sound.  I thought of my sisters when I hiked to Tunnel Beach--how half of them would have loved to hike along with me and the other half happy to chat and see the photos without a first-hand nature experience J  And every time I walk past the pansies on my neighbor’s porch, I think of my sisters—how their classes are going, if they got that interview they were waiting for, how their spring break was.  So even though being abroad this semester has inevitably changed how I can connect with Theta, I haven’t felt disconnected.  

---