How To Network With Alumnae

With awesome events like homecoming approaching for many universities it's time to start thinking about alumnae networking, you should also be thinking about this year round as well. Alumnae are an important part of any sorority and they should be valued members that you want to spend time with and appreciate. Today I am going to share a few tips with you on how to make alumnae feel welcome in your sorority and how to feel more comfortable getting to know alumnae.

1. Realize they are just as nervous as you are: Your alumnae don't have super powers where they aren't nervous about being at your event. They are just as nervous as you are to be attending your event. They may be coming alone so they may not know anyone at the event. Some alumnae come from different chapters and they are just shy to be around so many people they don't know. Just like you are nervous to meet them, they are doubly as nervous to meet you. 

2. Start by talking to alumnae in a non-formal setting: It's so much easier to start talking with alumnae if you start small. Maybe send an email to the president of your local alumnae chapter and ask her if she knows of any alumnae with similiar interests to you. Start small and ease your way into getting to know alumnae. A one-on-one dinner with just one alumnae or a Facebook conversation might make it easier for you to jump into talking with multiple alumnae.

3. Introduce yourself: Your alumnae might not remember your name, but a great way to start a conversation is with a handshake; introduction; and smile. You might have a common interest through something you mention like a chair/officer position you hold or held. It might be the thing that gets ya'll talking all afternoon.

4. Make room in your conversation for multiple people: Absorb people into your conversations if you feel that a certain alumnae is being left alone or if you feel a sister needs help having a conversation with alumnae. Tag team your alumnae discussions and form bigger groups, becuase bigger groups mean different conversation topics that can take place. Be aware of your surroundings though just in case your alumnae are uncomfortable with the bigger group of people.

5. Just do it: Nike's slogan really works here. Networking and talking with alumnae is never going to be easy. It's going to be hard to do it, but sometimes you have to just go and do it. It's going to be uncomfortable, but if you just let yourself do it and not second guess yourself you can have some really awesome conversations with your alumnae.

I hope these tips helped you as you begin to have conversations with the alumnae of your sorority. If you just sit and talk with them you can learn so much about your sorority history just by giving your alumnae a few minutes of your time.

Moving into Midterms

                         

As we move into fall we also move into one if the most miserable times in a college students semester. Midterms. These tests can be really easy or absolutely dreadful depending on the class so we have compiled a list of study tips to help ease your stress and help you prepare for your tests.

                                 

1. Review and rewrite your notes only this time write the most concise and most important points and lose the rest. See how small of a section of paper you can get your notes on. When you get rid of the fluff you will have a list of concepts that if you understand, you can figure out everything else. 

2. Make flash cards with vocabulary and concepts. Keeping these handy can enable you to study when you have five minutes on the bus or before class starts. 

3. Utilize practice tests. Review the questions and even make flash cards with the question on one side and the answer in the other. Use the wrong answer choices and write out on your test why they are wrong. You can even make more practice questions with the wrong answer. 

4. Take breaks so you don't overwhelm yourself. For every hour, take a 5-10 minute break. Stretch, check social media, walk around, anything to keep you free for a few minutes. 

5. Study in advance. When you start a week or even two weeks early it will be way easier to break your studying into chunks and you won't feel as stressed. 

One of the beautiful things about college is that you know exactly when you have tests from the beginning of the semester. It allows you to plan in advance. 

Take a breath and good luck on midterms! 

                                       

How To: Meet People Outside Of Your Sorority

I love every single one of my Kappa Alpha Theta sisters, but they’re not the only people in my life. As wonderful as your sorority sisters are, you can’t make it through college unless you expand your social circle a little bit. Whether you are a freshman or a senior, it’s never too late to make new friends. It might sound difficult (or even terrifying if you’re an introvert like me), but trust me when I say it is worth it. Here are a few tips that might help you meet new people:

• Get involved: You’ll never meet new people if you only ever do sorority activities. Some of my best friends are my teammates on my rowing team. You don’t need to join a sport to get involved outside of your chapter, but you should try to join at least one club or organization. When you find a club that matches your interest, then you’ll be sure to find people who have something in common with you.
• Meet the Greeks: I know, I know, your sisters are the best house on campus. But there are other amazing sorority women and fraternity men on your campus too. Try to get to know some of them as well. Whether it’s through all-Greek events, Panhellenic events, or other things, these friends can become something very special to you. I have friends in all the sororities on campus. Going to Panhellenic events is a lot more fun when you know some familiar faces will be there.
• Study buddies: Friends in your major are an invaluable resource. Who else do you expect to get notes from when you’re sick? Start by talking to the people in your class or forming study groups with them. You can even join an organization or honor society specific to your major. You’re going to have a lot of classes with these people over our four years in college and they will be the people you sit with at graduation. Best to learn their names now and not as you’re hearing them be called to walk across the stage.

Healthy Snacks for College

If you are like me, you are officially feeling the full weight of college. With midterms weighing us down, events stacking up like crazy, and even the stress of the upcoming holidays, you may feel yourself always in a rush or lacking free time. Often times we forget about keeping up with our health as we dart from class to class or event to event. We tend to find it easier to grab a candy bar and soda than to take the time and prepare a healthy snack. However, if you take a few minutes each week you can easily prepare a weeks worth of healthy snacks to stash in your backpack or purse.

To start off make sure to keep your fridge stocked with healthy drinks. Individual sports drinks, Propel, and green drinks are great choices to take to class. Not only are they healthier for you but they also contain nutrients to give you energy (which is a must for college kids.)

Then make sure your fridge and pantry is stocked with items that are healthy. The above list is a great place to start. Make sure to include items that are easy to grab and go if you are running late and well as items that might take a little extra preparation.

Some of my personal favorite grab and go snacks are:

• Belvita Crackers - Not only are they delicious, but they also contain B-vitamins which give you energy and keep you full longer. I
• String Cheese - It is simple to grab a string and head out the door. Also, string cheese was one of my go to snacks when I was in grade school so it's like a throwback!
• Trail Mix - You can buy it already made or make your own! I always make a huge batch and separate it into baggies to carry all week. 
• Protein Bars - I travel a lot on the weekends and find it is easy to have a protein bar as a meal supplement. They provide nutrients, vitamins, as well as taste good. 

I also like to prepare snacks to take with me throughout the week. These items I seal in Tupperware or baggies and mark them with the date I prepared them so I use them before they go bad! The Undressed Skeleton has a great post about preparing snacks to take to-go!

• Mixed Fruit - I love to pick up fruit that is in season and chop it up and mix it with other fruit in a container. It is a healthy and fresh snack that is also easy on my budget!
• PB&J Crackers - Preparing mini-PB&J crackers is almost as fun as eating them. I take two Ritz crackers and put peanut butter on one and jelly on the other and put them together. I then put them in the refrigerator to keep them fresh until I eat them. 
• Veggie Tray - Using a separated Tupperware container, I add light ranch in one section and mixed veggies in the others. Then when I have time, I sit down and enjoy my own personal veggie tray.  

What are your favorite healthy snacks?

Impromptu Memories

My years in Delta Zeta afforded me some awesome opportunities I would have never experienced on my own. I’m not talking about business contacts or having to buy chapter clothes that now double as interview outfits—I’m talking about sisterhood events that brought me all around Columbus, and even outside the city limits, and the memories I made with both sisters I saw regularly, and those I didn’t.

I had never even heard of Sky Zone before we started planning 2013’s bid day. Now I’ve been there twice, both times with my chapter, and I absolutely loved it. Though I love hockey, I probably never would have attended a Blue Jackets game. But when the Greek Life office offered us seats in the press box, I was beyond excited. And when my sisters and I had so much fun we decided to make a weekend of it and hung out at a local spot before heading to an Ohio State hockey game, it combined for a weekend I won’t forget.

Tip: only jump off the walls if you want to snap your neck

Because even though I would probably not have made it to Nationwide Arena without DZ, it’s the impromptu sisterhoods like the OSU game that have always been my favorite.

OSU hockey game

The entire month of October was devoted to scary movies in the informal room. And, subsequently, Insomina cookies to make us feel better after The Exorcist girl rotated her head all the way around. It’s my favorite thing to talk about every year during recruitment when I pass through the informal room during house tours.

It’s the sisterhoods we have after the Mirror Lake jump each year, all congregated in our dining room tracking mud all over the house (much to our house mom’s dismay, sorry Barb!) and talking animatedly about the night and potential hypothermia we faced to show *ichigan we’re still better than them that I remember the best.

Or the times I’ve spent on the mouse mansion floors upstairs, talking about the most random topics until four in the morning when I had to get up for an early class the next morning.

Even though planned sisterhoods are all about bonding with one another, it’s always the unplanned ones that have the most lasting impact. They're worth the late nights; the relationships last far longer than the desire to take a nap. 

How To Balance School Life and Home Life

Being away at school can be a really tough transition to have to make. Every year I go back to school I know that I have problems adjusting to being back at school and without my parents. There are ways to balance homesickness though and I want to share a few tips with you.

1. Don't make it a point to go home weekly: A little bit of homesickness never hurt anyone. Sometimes it hurts just as much to keep re-opening the wound. You can never get seriously adjusted to your college campus if you are breaking to go home every weekend. It's great to take some time and see your friends and family back home, but also remember that you are trying to make new friends at school too.

2. Do things: It's easy to get homesick when you are stuck in your room all day and not actually doing anything of value. Get involved on campus, have dinner with your roommate, go to a party if you have to, get out of your room and do something fun. Homesickness will come if you are not supressing it with activity.

3. Realize you aren't alone: You are by far not the first person to ever feel homesickness, nor will you be the last. I am almost certain that you have a friend or two that is feeling the same level of sadness as you for their friends and families back home. Instead of suffering silently make sure you are lamenting together.

4. Utilize Skype/Facetime/phone calls: You have wonderful devices that can connect you to your parents and friends. Use them, but don't overuse them. Dedicate some time daily, weekly, whatever to calling your family and friends back home. Don't make the mistake and not call them, you want a life, but you still want your family and friends to be a part of it.

I hope these tips have helped you as you fight to balance your school life and your home life this year!

Quick and Easy Make-up Routine

Happy Friday to you! I hope you have been keeping up with Sisterhood Redefined this week as we have had some spectacular posts!

Today I am sharing a quick and easy make-up routine to get you out of the door and off to class faster than ever!

First start with a clean face and apply a BB Cream. I choose a BB Cream because it is super easy to apply and gives a light coverage that is perfect for class. I personally love the Urban Decay and the Clinique BB Creams most but any will work.

 

Once you have applied a BB Cream, set it with a facial powder. This will prevent your face from appearing shiny. Bare Minerals has a great powder on the market!

To finish up your face, apply blush to your cheeks to give you some color!

After applying blush it is time to move to your eyes. I always put shadow one first and for class a neutral palette seems to work best. This way you are not overpowering your face for class. Tarte has currently come out with a limited edition cheek and eye palette that contains perfect colors for this simple class look. 

Eyeliner is essential to your everyday make-up look. If you are in a hurry, I find it easiest to use a pencil liner as opposed to a liquid liner because it allows more room for error. Stilla and Clinique both produce a great pencil liner that can be applied in only a few seconds. 

  

Finish your eyes off with a volumizing mascara to make your eyes and face appear alive (even if you did happen to pull and all nighter.) I swear by Bare Minerals Lash Domination because it does not clump up your lashes and the brush applies the mascara quite evenly. 

With this quick routine you will surely look fabulous for class and still have time to stop by Starbucks for your morning coffee!

What are your favorite make-up routines?

Gifts For Your Little

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 

1) DIY Canvas - super cute yet fun idea! Gather a couple of your sisters and hit the craft store!

2) Build - A - Bear - who doesn't love a teddy bear? Your little will always remember who gave this to her and have great memories with it!

3) Mason Jars - when you combine a mason jar with your monogram I don't think you can do much better!

4) DIY Wine Glass - I love the glitter idea I found on Pintrest! Of course if your little happens to be under 21 you can mix it up a little and make a cute mug for her.

5) Letter Necklace - this is such a small and simple accessory. It's not too flashy yet you can always layer other necklaces with it.

6) Starbucks - saved the best for last.  Who doesn't love Starbucks!! Whether it's drinks to go or a gift card you can never go wrong.

How to Dress For Your (First) Ritual

Despite the many differences between each sorority, one thing that I've found relatively similar is how we dress for our rituals. If you're a new member of a sorority or if you've just never really grasped the concept of ritual attire here are some tips on how to dress for your ritual.

White Dresses (or sometimes a white skirt and top are acceptable) are worn at rituals. The dress should not be tight or show too much cleavage. It should be modest. White Shoes are also required. In my experience I've found white closed-toed flats were the most comfortable and the safest bet when it comes to proper shoes. You wear white because the color white is a symbol of purity and you are supposed to come to rituals in your purest form. Which leads me to...

Minimal to No Make-up or Jewelry Again, you are supposed to be in your purest form, make-up and jewelry are not a part of that. If you are going to wear make-up, it must be very light and wedding/engagement rings are the only form of jewelry allowed to be worn.

When in doubt you could always google "Sorority Ritual Attire' and look at pictures of other sorority girls online in ritual attire or just ask a sister who has been through numerous rituals already. Here are some good examples:

Transitioning From New Member to Second Year Member

Okay, so contrary to what you might think I’m not a second-year member of my sorority. I’m actually a senior (yikes!). As I look back at my time in Kappa Alpha Theta, though, I think that transitioning from a new member to a second-year member was one of the most difficult parts. To help other women navigate this tricky time, I’m going to offer up a few bits of advice.

When you are a new member of a sorority, everything is about you. From bid day to big reveal to initiation, you’ll be showered with more gifts and crafts than you ever thought possible. You’re in a whirlwind of Facebook friend requests and coffee dates with your new sisters. Everything is new and exciting: first chapter meeting, first formal, first set of letters. But like all good things, this can’t last forever. Soon you won’t be the new bids on the block, but that doesn't mean the fun has to stop.

Being a second year member comes with a whole slew of new opportunities. In my opinion, your second year is the most meaningful year. You come into your own as a member of your chapter. This is the time to step up and take on leadership roles in your chapter. For most people, this is also your chance to finally live in your chapter house and nothing beats living with your best friends. I got closer to my pledge class and the older girls when I lived in because we would see each other so often.

(My first preference night as a member and my little's first night...and yes I wear the same dress every year.)

A lot of the exciting events for new members are even more fun as a second year member. Being on the other side of recruitment for the first time will open your eyes to so many wonderful things. As your chapter prepares for recruitment, you’ll have a unique opportunity to spend uninterrupted time with all of your sisters. Recruitment preparation is a great time to reflect on why you joined your house, its values, and what being a member means to you. When you’re thinking about who to welcome into your sisterhood, you’ll remember that the women before you chose you specifically for the same reasons you are choosing others. Being on the other side of recruitment is a truly heart-warming experience.

After recruitment is over, the fun of being a second year member reaches its peak: little hunting! Now this may have started during recruitment, but it gets really intense once you actually have all of your new members. Now it’s your turn to invite girls on coffee dates and Facebook stalk endlessly. And once you've found the mac to your cheese, it will be time to enter into the wonderful (albeit sometimes stressful and expensive) world of crafting. You’ll spend days covered in glitter and paint but it will all be worth when you get that first hug from your brand new little on big reveal day. It’s a moment you will both treasure for years to come.

So if you’re ever nervous about transitioning into your second year, remember all of the special moments of your first year and realize that now it’s your time to make your new sisters feel just as loved as you did when you joined.

Build Your Chapter Binder

                      

     

With recruitment over and school back in session, chapter meetings are about to get crazy! The best thing to do before that happens is to get organized and build the perfect chapter binder.

Honestly, I think the easiest way to stay organized is with segmentation - aka you need dividers. My chapter binder has 5 tabs - Notes, Calendar, Workshops, Constitution and a tab for my position or committee information.

Lets start at the beginning! I think that the best thing to have at easy access, not in a tab at all, should be a contact list with your executive boards phone numbers and emails. If relevant, you can put really any sister's contact information here. Then comes your first tab, Notes.

In the notes section, put notebook paper. A little more. Maybe a smidge more than that. If it seems like you have too much you probably have enough. Here is where you will keep notes during chapter, have spare paper for when you have that amazing t-shirt idea or when you need to talk to the person next to you without really talking. This would also be a great place to put our chapter printable!

Second, I would put in a calendar of all soroity events. This shouldn't replace writing the dates in your planner but it sure can help when you are trying to figure in when to have your weekly study group. This is also a great reference tool during chapter that enables you to always know what date something is going on. 

Third, keep a copy of your notes from all of your workshops. Your executive board doesn't just put these on for fun - they really want you to remember and be able to use this stuff. With a copy of all of your notes from workshops, you can reference back to your Academic chair's study tips during finals or your Special Events chair's checklist for a perfect event. 

Fourth, keep a copy of your chapters constitution and bylaws if it's something you have access to. Not only is it awesome to have one at eAsy access, but if you have questions about whether something is ok or not, you can refer back to your original rules. 

Last, keep a tab with info for your current position. When I was Social Media Coordinator, I kept a copy of all of my chapter's login information. You can also use this space to help keep meeting notes for different committees you are on. 

        

Good luck with your chapter binder and have a great semester! 

-Sonia

Chapter Planner - Free Printable

Happy Labor Day ladies! I hope you are all enjoying your extra long weekend and are taking some time to be lazy! 

Today we are excited to share this free printable chapter planner with you and hope that you find it useful for prepping your chapter binder! If you are looking for more tips for organizing your chapter binder, check out How to Build a Chapter Binder for some great tips!

(download here)