Philanthropy Spotlight - Alpha Gamma Delta How Sweet It Is

Each year Gamma Iota chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta hosts a fun and delicious philanthropy event called How Sweet It Is.

To raise funds for the Alpha Gamma Delta foundation, the sisters work hard to prepare a plethora of sweets and sell tickets all week for this exciting buffet. For $3 anyone can get a plate to fill with as much sweets as possible. 

The Alpha Gamma Delta foundation focuses on the research and education of childhood diabetes as well as assisting in many other areas.

This annual event is a favorite of all the students at Mercer University and was definitely my favorite event when I was an active sister.


What is your favorite philanthropy event?


*Images courtesy of Gamma Iota Chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta

Thankful

Tomorrow is one of the few days that most people really stop and think about all they are thankful for and I'm just as guilty as the next person. We joke that we are #blessed but never really remember to thank those who do so much for us. In order to break the habit, I took this month and have written down one thing that I am thankful for each day and it has been an eye opener. I think I may keep up the habit the cause being gracious makes people want to be around you and help you and just makes you happier overall. Here is what I am thankful for (the number corresponds to the day of the month): 

1. My college friends

2. My parents

3. The front office staff at my apartment complex

4. The baristas at my Starbucks 

5. My (biological) little sister

6. My Big, Little and Grand Little 

7. My boyfriend

8. My roommates

9. My pledge class #AlphaClass

10. The people I have worked with planning Semi-formal

11. My professors

12. My Accounting study group 

13. My sorority sisters 

14. The boys my boyfriend lives with 

15. The people who invented earmuffs 

16. My high school besties

17. The bus drivers at Georgia Southern

18. My alarm clock

19. My grandparents 

20. My faculty mentor 

21. My puppy, EJ

22. The people who grow my food

23. My extended family

24. The police officers that protect me 

25. My fellow Sisterhood Redefined writers 

26. You amazing readers 

A very happy thanksgiving from our family to yours! What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? 

Thanksgiving Break Netflix Binge

Many of you ladies are either currently on Thanksgiving break or are waiting for Tuesday to end so your break starts! Either way it is good to have a game plan of how you plan to spend you break. With at least five days off it is safe to say that Netflix will be brought out at least once; however, we all know it will be used much more than that.

Here is our list of favorite shows to binge watch on Netflix this break...

1. Orange is the New Black - A slightly raunchy but oh so wonderful show. Give into your guilty pleasure and watch every single episode available.

2. Gilmore Girls - It doesn't get any better than this throw back! With seven seasons of perfection, you should be set for your break.

3. The Fosters - It is Thanksgiving, so it is nice to take some time to watch a show that shows compassion during the break. Throw in the extra drama and some beautiful male actors and it's a winner.

4. Gossip Girl - If you have watched it once, watch it again. It only gets better with each Chuck and Blair moment.

5. Baby Daddy - If you want something on the funnier side then this show is a must.

6. Pretty Little Liars - If you are a PLL obsessed student or if you have yet to jump on the bandwagon, there is no time like now to get your PLL fix.

7. Extreme Cheapskates - At some point you will be craving so tacky reality TV. This show is perfect it that's what you're looking for!

8. Doctor Who - This show is a must watch for all college students. You will not regret giving it your time!

9. Hell on Wheels - While it doesn't seem like a top choice for many college sorority girls, this show has a certain something that hooks everyone in as soon as they watch the first episode.

10. Breaking Bad - You may dread your chemistry lab but if you pay attention well enough you may be able to have your on TV show some day...


What shows are your favorite shows to binge watch?

What to Wear to Meet the Parents

Thanksgiving week is the perfect time to meet your new boy's parents and have him meet your family. I remember when I was meeting my boyfriend's parents for the first time, I was so unsure of what to wear so I stressed all afternoon. I did what all of us would do and I asked my boyfriend. Naturally, he told me what ever I wore would be fine but that was absolutely no help at all. Fear not though because I am here to help!

I have compiled 3 outfits that are perfectly appropriate to meet the parents in. I hope something here is perfect for your outing with his family!

For the first outfit, grab a basic button down, Polo or otherwise, and tuck it into a skater skirt. Don some tights and throw on some basic boots. For the final touch, add a sparkly accent necklace to make this outfit perfect for a dinner out.

For the second outfit, start with skinny jeans and a loose oversized sweater. Add a quilted vest and fluffy scarf to keep it comfy and warm. With a pair of booties, this outfit is perfect for a bonfire

For your last outfit, start with a t-shirt dress in a fall color. Make it a bit warmer with a long cardigan. Add some tall socks and a pair of boots. With some big earrings, this is a great outfit for dinner at his house. The socks make it perfect to take off your shoes if that's how your SOs parents roll.

Any of these outfits are also perfect for dinner with your family or families of any of your friends!

Thanksgiving Traditions

The countdown is on! There is a week left until Thanksgiving Day and even less until Thanksgiving break. With up to a week off to engage in many fun activities it is also a time to revisit those traditions from your younger years. You can even start some new traditions with your family and friends this year!

Whether it’s cooking a random dish from Pinterest or playing “Bingo” while watching the parade these fun traditions will keep you entertained for years to come!

1. Have a skype date with your college friends and sisters! It is likely that you are home for Thanksgiving so set a date with your sisters to reunite!

2. Place bets on which relative will fall asleep first after lunch!

3. Play board games - Try to find a lively board game such as Apples to Apples or an obscene one like Cards Against Humanity and invite the whole family to play. 

4. Cook a "non-Thanksgiving" food to serve - Who says you can't have french fries with turkey?

5. Cook a new recipe - Pinterest is a wonderful place to find new recipes, pick one at random and try it out for Thanksgiving dinner!

6. Make Christmas Cards - After you have finished Thanksgiving dinner it is officially Christmas season! Gather the family and make Christmas cards for your local nursing home or children's center!

7. Wake up at 3 am to go Black Friday shopping the day after Thanksgiving.

8. Travel if you are able to and visit a new place. This is best to do a day or two before Thanksgiving!

9. Parade Bingo - This is a simple game that can be played annually while watching you favorite Thanksgiving Day parade! Make player cards with things such as a girl wearing a red scarf or a wrongly sung lyric and fill them in when you see the corresponding item in the parade!

10. Make fun crafts with the whole family! Browse Pinterest for fun crafts and pick up some supplies to get the whole family involved! Maybe make some Christmas decorations to put up?

What are your favorite Thanksgiving traditions?

5 Things to Look Forward to Over Thanksgiving Break

I don't know about you but this week before Thanksgiving feels like the longest week of the semester. Some would argue that the week before the end of the semester is worse but honestly, we have finals so I don't think it even compares to this week where you don't feel productive at all.

One thing that almost always helps me get through long days or long weeks are things to look forward to! Here are the top 5 things (though there are countless more) that I am looking forward to next week.

1. Seeing my family. I haven't been home since the beginning of August and let me tell you that it is so incredibly rough. I have plans to shop with my sister, catch up on favorite TV shows with my dad and my mom and I are hair salon bound the day I get home.

2. Catching up with old friends. My two closest friends go to a different school and while we try to see each other during the semester, somehow our schedules never seem to align. I use my week home for Thanksgiving to spend time with people I love. 

3. Going shopping on Black Friday. For those of you that don't know, the shopping in Statesboro is essentially obsolete. I can't wait to take advantage of my mall back home to find a dress or two for winter date nights and a few comfy power outfits for finals.

4. Eating all the incredible food. It's Thanksgiving. Enough said. 

5. Saying no to school work. Now unfortunately, I will have to do a little bit of studying for finals but I am looking forward to vegging out instead of blistering my fingers in the library. Hello Netflix, here I come. 

Top 5 Starbucks Drinks of the Season

It's that time of the year again... Starbucks season. Time to shamelessly spend an unspeakable amount of money on those perfect, little, red cups. Whether you want to see if your go to made the list or if you are looking into expanding your Starbucks world, you have come to the right place!

5. Peppermint Mocha 

It's only around for a short time folks! The peppermint in this drink reminds you of eating what felt like hundreds of candy canes as a child, yet the fact that it is coffee reminds you that you're a "grown-up" now and overeating candy canes is no longer acceptable. Picking up one of these is sure to bring back feelings of nostalgia and happiness. 

4. Caramel Macchiato

It has caramel in it! Need I say more? Also, when someone asks what you are drinking, you will ooze class when you respond with "caramel macchiato." This is a timeless drink that will never let you down. 

3. Gingerbread Latte

Slightly spicy, exceptionally sweet, the gingerbread latte is another seasonal drink that is sure to put a smile of your face. It will take you back to the days of snagging a gingerbread man before your mom caught you and will remind you of how great it felt to get away with a tasty treat with each sip. 

2. Cinnamon Dolce Latte

It is sweet and cinnamony and when topped with whip, it can create extreme feelings of happiness. There is no going wrong with this drink. 

1. Pumpkin Spice Latte

With #pumpkinspice having nearly 450,000 photos and #psl having almost 300,000 photos on instagram, there is no doubt that this beauty would hold down the number one spot. If you see a sister with a Starbucks cup there is about a 50% chance it will be a PSL. It has an amazing taste and and even better scent and is perfect for fall! There are many re-creations of the PSL but none as good as the Starbucks one! 

Did your favorite Starbucks drink make the list? If not, which one do you love? We love suggestions! 

* Photos via Starbucks

Sisters Helping Sisters: Academics

“Which professor is better?” “Did you enjoy this class?” Ah, yes. It’s registration time on college campuses all across the country. This is one of those times that makes me glad I joined a sorority. If it wasn’t for the advice of one of my sisters I never would have taken the economics class that made me declare a double major. Registration advice is just one of the many ways we can help our sisters succeed academically.

Setting up a mentor/mentee program within the house can help younger members connect to older members as well as help everyone with school. This can be a formal system or just informal pairings that people make themselves. My chapter assigns each new member to an upperclassman who has the same major as them. That way you have a go to person for academic help.

Listening to your sisters talk about their work load can help you find out if someone is struggling. Most people have a hard time admitting when they are in over their head. If you notice that a sister is constantly stressed and disappointed when she gets assignments back, it might be time to talk to her. You don’t want to make her feel attacked or reprimanded. Make sure she knows you care about her and that you just want the best for her. Suggest some on-campus resources or study dates to let her know you support her. And if you are the one in over your head, don’t be afraid to ask for help, whether it’s from a sister or your teacher.

As college women, we are here first and foremost to get an education. There’s a delicate balance between work and play that even many seniors still haven’t quite mastered. When you notice that you or one of yours sisters is dabbling a little too much in the play realm and not enough in the library, it might be time to intervene. Some people might just need a little warning to get back on track. Occasionally, though, you’ll come across a sister that needs a little more help. Some suggested ways to help are to increase their required study hours or to ban them from certain sorority social events until they can figure out their academic life.  

Academics can be a very personal issue for some people, so tread with respect and love when confronting someone you think is struggling. Every sorority values academics. Let your sisters know you do too by preforming to your fullest potential and helping your sisters to do the same. 

Semi Formal Fashion

As we approach semi formal and winter formal season, we begin the ever constant struggle of finding the perfect dress. First of all, no matter how much you love the concept of a new dress for every event, shop your closet and closets of sisters before you go drop $100 on a new dress that you will wear for a few hours at the most.

This velvet green dress will not only keep you warm as you dance the night away but also won't break the bank at $15.90 from Forever 21. Style it with black booties and silver or gold accessories. 

This blue lace dress is fun, flirty and perfect to style up or down depending on how formal your semi is! For $29.95 from H&M, you get a lot of bang for your buck! Style it with some awesome pumps and big earrings.

This cute black dress is perfect for a less formal evening. Style it with some black tights to keep warm during a colder season, For $29.98 from Body Central, you can also save some money instead of dropping all your savings. Plus this is perfect to wear again! 

This classy little number is perfect for when you don't know what to expect at a Semi Formal event. If you know alumni will be there, this screams I can have fun but also can be a grown up. Reuse this dress for Christmas Eve with your grandparents! It's a little bit of a splurge for $58 from Francescas. 

Send us your semi formal pictures to show us what you end up wearing and we will feature you on Instagram! 

A Day in the Life // Photo Blog

It might just be me but I have always had a fascination of seeing how other people go about their day. It may be the psychology major in me coming out, who knows!?



8 am

Good Morning! My alarm clock is set for 7:30 am which is when I get up, open my blinds, turn on the lights, and get back into bed until 8. 

9 am 

I am off to my first class of the day! I walk to the bus stop and catch a ride to campus.

10 am 

Halfway through biology... I can do it...

11 am 

Biology is over and I make my trek across campus to my health class. Thankfully health is only fifty minutes long!

12 pm 

I am done with my first set of classes for the day! It is time to head home and eat lunch! Today was soup and I also boiled eggs for tomorrow's breakfast! I typically watch some TV during my lunch break as well to give myself a break from school.

1 pm 

I am back at the school work grind. In this picture I was actually finishing up a last minute assignment... oops.

2 pm 

Time to head to the library to print off my paper before class! (but not without my afternoon coffee, of course)

3 pm 

It is time for composition!

4 pm

... still in composition

5 pm 

Composition is over which means I am moving on to American Government...

6 pm 

I am done with classes for the day. It is time to return to my apartment and eat dinner. I had spaghetti, veggies, and fruit for dinner tonight!

7 pm

It is time to relax! I love to light a candle and indulge in chocolate while browsing my favorite blogs or writing for Sisterhood Redefined!

8 pm 

While typing, I noticed my nails were chipping so I took some time to give myself a manicure! I truly believe that having your nails painted can completely change your attitude!

9 pm 

Taking time to record my grades for the semester and study some for my future tests! 

After 9 pm, I took a shower, got cozy in my PJs, and read for about an hour. Then I went to sleep to prepare to do it all over again!

What's your routine?!

Mid-Week Inspiration

It's Hump Day! We want to keep you inspired to make it through this week so we are sharing some of our favorite words of encouragement!

What has been good about your week thus far?

Sisterhood Is...

    

During recruitment, one of the most common questions we ask PNMs is "what does sisterhood mean to you?"  It's one of those questions that we use to help evaluate why someone is going through recruitment. It is also one of those questions that when a PNM asks us the same thing, we give a sugar coated answer 9 times out of 10. We don't lie per se but we also don't talk about the no perfect side of sisterhood. My PNM answer to this question is:

Sisterhood is a lifelong bond between me and all the girls in this room. We are there for each other in any situation. My sisters love me for who I am and don't want me to change. They are all my best friends and will be my future bridesmaids. 

       

None of that is wrong however it isn't completely true. Not all of my sisters are my best friends. There is certainly a list of sisters within my chapter that would get the first phone calls when I need help before I reached out to people who aren't my sister. Here is my real life answer to "what does sisterhood mean to you?" 

Sisterhood is a lifelong bond between a group of women. It is the smiles and the tears. It is the laughing and the yelling. It is being in the middle of a fight but when your sister says she needs you dropping everything to go comfort her. It is wiping someone's face and holding their hair when they are sick. My sisters won't all be my bridesmaids but they will be the first people to know (behind my family) that I'm getting married. I know all of my sisters names but I don't talk to all of my sisters. My sisters aren't all my best friends but they all could call on me for help and I'd do whatever I could to be there for them. 

Every now and then I think it's important to really think about (and share with your sisters) what does sisterhood mean to you?

I would love to know what sisterhood means to you so please let me know in the comments!