During my first-ever intake night on March 2nd, 2024, I was welcomed into a completely new environment and a completely new community. I entered my intake night knowing only one person. Each member in training was taken down the stairs into the basement one by one; once everyone was down, we began our bonding activity. 

Each person was handed a mirror and instructed to write their name on the back. The mirrors were then passed around the room as instructions were given. That night, a group of twenty strangers were placed into a room and coerced into getting to know each other sporadically. On the mirrors, we were directed to write something beautiful about the person to whom it belonged, completely disregarding the phrase “Don't judge a book by its cover.” expectedly, every compliment on the mirrors was about a physical trait. 

As the term progressed, the traits on the mirror seemed to become less and less important. The outer beauty of those around me seemed to pale in comparison to the beauty of their souls. Since the first time I stepped into a BBYO event, I knew that I had found one of my strings, a missing piece of my life, and a place where people would not only be judged by their outer appearance but also the beauty of their souls, and the content of their character. My first ever official BBYO activity helped me to discover the true meaning of truly connecting with those around me, not only on a superficial level but on a deeper and more meaningful scale. An Invisible String has been guiding me through my BBYO journey. Being placed into a chapter with strangers has pushed me to challenge myself and strive to see the beauty in everyone.