New Year's Resolutions from Sisterhood Redefined

Happy New Years! 

As we enter the new year, we want to say a big thank you to our readers! Without you, we would not be as successful as we have been these past few months! 

At Sisterhood Redefined we have been thinking a lot about our New Year's Resolutions for the blog and we are too excited to share them with you all! We hope you will keep us accountable for our goals! 

Resolution 1 - Give our readers excellent content at least three times a week! In 2015 we will have a new blog post up every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday! We are so excited for the new content that we have planned that will be coming out soon! We have new writers this year to bring new opinions to the blog!

Resolution 2 - Update our social media daily! Each day, we strive to share inspirational, fun, and creative posts to give you a break from your day to day lives!  

Resolution 3 - Spread the love of sisterhood to all our readers! At Sisterhood Redefined, we represent a lot of different sororities. However, we all get along and love each other like sisters! We aim to spread this love of all sororities to our readers through our content. We want you to feel like you belong when you are reading our blog and we plan to make that happen this year. 

What are your resolutions for 2015?

Loyally, 

Sisterhood Redefined Team

New Year's Eve Attire

New Year's Eve is easily one of the biggest fashion events of the year. Everyone pulls out their glitziest outfits and prepares for a night on the town. I know how important that night's look can be so I have compiled a list of 3 easy outfits from stuff you have in your own (or at least a sister's) closet!

Look 1: Black skinny pants & glam black top

Monochromatic black is always the first easy answer to a NYE outing. Pants will keep you warm while you are walking (instead of driving - be safe) around the city and will also be way less of a hassle when you are dancing the night away. Add some chandelier earrings or a statement necklace and a bright red lipstick and you are ready!

Look 2: Sequin tank and blazer

This is perfect for a more chill evening in or an evening watching the ball or in my case peach drop over your city. It's warm but still festive and sparkly. Booties and jeans or even leggings will tie this look together!

Look 3: LRD - Little Red Dress

You can always opt for the classic black version of this outfit but why not mix it up with a pop of color (it doesn't even have to be red). This fabulous outfit option is sure to make you look and feel ready for the new year! Add whatever neutral accessories you want but be cautious of stilettos on a night like NYE!

Send us pictures of your New Year's Eve OOTD at sisterhoodredefined@gmail.com!

Thank You Notes

From the time I was little until now, every December 26th my family and I spent a decent part of the afternoon writing thank you notes for everyone who we celebrated with during the holiday season. It is a very southern tradition to write thank you notes but it has recently been overlooked and I am on a mission to bring it back. Here is my thank you note to all of you! 

My dearest readers,

We would like to thank you so much for embarking on the journey of Sisterhood Redefined with us. It has been a whirlwind that I wouldn't want to share with anyone else. Throughout the journey, I have been blessed to work with so many amazing sorority women around the country and with bloggers around the world. This is not something we could do without you - from a retweet to a comment, no interaction you have with us goes unappreciated or unnoticed. I absolutely cannot wait to see what 2015 brings for us and I am so grateful to be experiencing it all with you. I hope you had a very happy holidays and much love and laughter into the new year. 

With lots of love,

XOXO

Sonia

I challenge you all to write a thank you note for a friend, colleague, or family member to make sure they remember that they are always appreciated 

Holiday Philanthropy Ideas

With the hustle and bustle of the holidays it often becomes easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of all that is happening. However, as a sorority sister, it is necessary to remember to give back through philanthropy during this season. Remember, philanthropy doesn't have to be boring, so grab a few sisters and have fun while giving back!

Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen - With a few sisters, you can call your local soup kitchen and schedule a day to get together are serve lunch to the less fortunate.

Go Caroling - It is easy to spread cheer by simply caroling! Go to your local nursing home and sing to the residents. You will have a blast and spread cheer!

Make Cards for the Elderly - Before you go caroling at the nursing home, gather all of your craft supplies and craft cards for the elderly. You get to use the left over scrapbook paper that is sitting in your drawers and the recipients will love them!

Volunteer at the Animal Shelter - Animals need love too during the holidays and what could be more fun than playing with puppies all day?

Wrapping Gifts for Busy Moms - Mothers of small children can rarely find time to go Christmas shopping much less wrapping the gifts as well. Gather supplies and a group of girls and set up a wrapping station for busy mothers!

How do you like to give back during the Holidays?

Holiday Movie Marathon

Now that finals are over, you probably have a lot of time on your hands. There's no better way to kick off winter break than with a holiday movie marathon! Here are some of my top picks:

White Christmas

Classics 

• White Christmas 
• It's a Wonderful Life
• Miracle on 34th Street
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
• Santa Claus is Coming to Town
• Frosty the Snowman
• The Year Without a Santa Claus

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

New Favorites

• Home Alone
• Elf
• National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
• The Santa Claus
• The Nightmare Before Christmas
• This Christmas
• Love Actually

What are your favorite Holiday movies?

Stay in Touch!

I know how hard it is to be apart from your sisters for a long break. A month in December and almost three over the summer, it’s miserable! I have a few ways to keep it together thought and I’m here to share them with you!

1. Download GroupMe: what’s more fun than a massive group text message with up to 50 of your closest sisters? Absolutely nothing!
2. Start a pen pal system: I know I love getting mail and mail from sisters you don’t know as well not only improves your loneliness but it also does wonders to your sisterhood bonds!
3. Organize meetups in different areas: have all the sisters that live within an hour of you, over for a movie night and holiday cookies!
4. Call your besties frequently: a texting conversation is one thing but a phone call really helps you reconnect with someone!
5. Keep the email love strong: if you don’t want to search for a stamp, write your letters online and email them to different sisters!
6. Use a website like Elfster to set up a Secret Santa: even if it doesn’t get started before the holidays do, sending and receiving gifts will make you feel extra special.
7. Skype: have everyone brew a cup of coffee and log on to a chat! If you regularly meet up for coffee at school, this is a great way to do it from your own homes away from school!

Have fun keeping in touch with sisters and while you are sending out holiday e-cards, send one to us too at sisterhoodredefined@gmail.com!

Reunited: Things To Do with Your Friends Back Home

Reunited and it feels so good! Finals are over, and everyone is back home for break. With not an ounce of homework in sight, there’s nothing standing between you and your high school friends from catching up. Some of your friends may have gone to the same college as you, but most likely you all went separate ways after graduation. Winter break is the perfect time to get together to reminisce about the old times and to make new memories. Here are some suggestions to keep you laughing together all break long.

 

Every December, my high school friends and I get together to have a secret Sana gift exchange. Everyone dons their best ugly Christmas sweater and brings holiday treats to share. We do gifts differently every year. One year we are randomly assigned another girl in the group so we knew who we were buying for. Another year we just brought a present then played a game to see what order we picked gifts in. This is always my favorite way to play. You can each pick a gift in a random order, but everything gets more exciting when you can “steal” presents from someone who already opened theirs. Another way to play is musical presents, where gifts get passed around the circle until the music stops. No matter what way you play, it’s usually best to put a spending limit on gifts. We’re college students, not millionaires. By limiting everyone to the same budget it equalizes the playing field and forces people to get creative.

If presents aren’t your thing, have a baking party! Everybody knows calories don’t count over break. So pull out grandma’s recipe and turn on the oven. You’ll get some quality time to catch up on gossip while you’re baking. Who’s got a hot new boyfriend?  Who’s got the crazy roommate? Which girls from your high school are pregnant or married already? If you’re old enough, add some wine into the mix! By the time you’re done chit chatting, your desserts should be ready.

Nothing compares to shopping with your girls. No dressing room mirror is as honest or as helpful as your best friends. There’s so many shopping opportunities over break. Braving the mall crowds for pre-holiday shopping is 10 times easier with your friends. Post-holiday, you can all get together to return that well-intended, but not so chic sweater from your aunt or you can spend; all those gift cards that are burning a hole in your wallet. Don’t forget to stop for lunch or coffee at your favorite little café.

Get outside with your girls! Go ice skating or sledding, just like when you were little kids. You’ll laugh more than you have in weeks and you’ll get some cute photos to add to your Instagram. If you live near the mountains, hike the slopes for a ski or snowboard weekend. If you’re lucky enough to live somewhere warm, go to the beach or for a hike. There’s no better way to work off that extra cookie weight than with an adventure with your best friends.

Hear ye, hear ye! We have NEW WRITERS!

Hello all! We are so pleased to announce that we have chosen 10 writers to join our staff! These ladies have showcased themselves beautifully and have so much knowledge they would love to share with you! Without further ado,

      Alexis H. – Alpha Sigma Alpha
Amanda G. – Alpha Gamma Delta
Cara C. – Phi Mu
Chantel M. – Alpha Gamma Delta

      Christina D. – Pi Beta Phi

      Kendall R. –Alpha Gamma Delta

      Lauren T. – Alpha Gamma Delta

      Megan M. – Kappa Delta

      Nikki Y. – Sigma Sigma Sigma

      Samantha H. – Alpha Xi Delta

We can’t wait to work with you all! Please email us at sisterhoodredefined@gmail.com at your earliest convenience if you choose to accept your position!

Happy Holidays!

The Sisterhood Redefined Team 

It's A Marshmallow World

One of my favorite ways to waste time over the holidays is by making all sorts of holiday treats! Here is one of my absolute favorite holiday goodies - perfect with a cup of hot chocolate while cuddled up by the fire with someone special!

This is the simplest thing in the world to make and you can easily adapt it. Heat some chocolate bark in the microwave and roll your marshmallows in them on sticks or even pretzels or candy canes. Decorate them with white chocolate designs, sprinkles or crushed peppermint. These are the perfect treat to take to any party you attend or to wrap up with some homemade hot cocoa for a last minute gift. 

Moving On Up

This year I finally took the leap and moved off-campus. Freshman year I lived in the dorms, but for the past two years I lived in my sorority house. I have so many great memories from living there, but I wanted a change for my senior year. So, I gathered up a group a friends and we embarked on our house search. It was just like House Hunters. We toured houses, and then had three to choose between. I’m so glad I made the decision to live off-campus, but I’m also really glad I waited until my senior year.

My humble abode for the year.

One of the main reasons I wanted to live off-campus was so that I could choose who I would live with. I absolutely love my sorority sisters, but I also love my rowing teammates. By moving off-campus I was able to live with who I wanted, which happened to be 2 teammates, 2 friends from freshman year, and 1 girl who is a teammate and a sorority sister. Choosing who to live with can be really difficult, but it’s essential that you find a group that melds well. Just because someone is your best friend doesn't mean you would be great housemates. It’s okay to be honest with yourself about who you can and cannot live with since that house will last for an entire year.

When looking for a house, make sure to weigh all your options. First and foremost, consider whether it is better to live on-campus or off-campus. If you decide that off-campus is the best option for you, it’s time to figure out your budget. Most people account for rent and utilities, but don’t forget the other expenses. There’s no longer anyone to provide toilet paper or cleaning supplies. The little odds and ends expenses can really add up. The biggest shock to my wallet has been food. I didn't have a meal plan when I lived here over the summer and I was surprised by how much time and money to took to make three meals a day. When school started I decided to get a small meal plan so I could grab lunch on campus between classes and coffee whenever I wanted it. Some people are amazing cooks and bakers…me, not so much. If I had to rely on my own abilities, I would be eating a lot of bagels and taquitos.

Although living off-campus can be daunting, it can also be really fun. My housemate and I scoured garage sales all summer to collect décor for our nautical themed living room. It’s still a bit of a work in progress, but I love it so far. Not living on campus also means not having to follow strict campus rules. No more quiet hours for me!

Living off-campus can be a great experience in college. If you have any other tips, leave them in the comments!

A Gift Giving Guide for a Large Group

One of the challenges of being so close to so many people in your sorority is that once holiday season hits, you feel obligated to shower everyone with love and presents. Here are my top 3 large group and inexpensive gifts for your favorite sisters!
Travel Coffee Mugs – this is actually what I am doing for all of my friends this season. I found a cup I liked online and ordered 50 (my little sister is passing them out to her friends as well) and each cup rang up under $3. I stuffed mine with hot chocolate and instant coffee travel packs but you could fill it with candy or baked goods as well! It’s an easy gift for under $5 each.

DIY Ornaments – hit up your favorite craft store’s holiday isle and you can pick up a dozen clear glass ornaments for around $4. Then just decorate with glitter, fill with pearls or bedazzle these ornaments for an easy gift. If you want to personalize it even more, pull out your trusty paint pen and add a first initial, monogram or even sorority letters to each ornament.

Finals Week Survival Kits – This is what I got from my little last year and I absolutely adored mine! Pick up a few bags and fill each one with anything from highlighters and a spare pencil to a candle or travel size lotion. Add some candy and some peppermints to help fill in space. You can also add in hot chocolate mix or instant coffee here too! 

I hope you have a great holiday season and be sure to let us know what mass gifts you do for your friends and sisters! Happy Gifting!

Finals Freakout

** If the title of this post gives you anxiety, don't be alarmed. Read on to see ways to tackle that anxiety and prep yourself for the most stressful time of the year... finals!

For some of you finals may have already come and gone, but for many the next two weeks are those dreaded weeks. From staying up late studying to binging on everything in the kitchen, finals week can really take its toll on your health and sanity.

Tip 1 - Stock up on vitamins, fruits and veggies. If you look around you will see many people have bad allergies or develop coughs during finals week. This is because stress can cause serious damage to the immune system. Prep your immune system by eating lots of fruits and veggies and taking vitamins. Add Vitamin C if you are susceptible to colds. This will keep you in tip-top condition if you happen to miss some sleep later on.

Tip 2 - Aim for increments of 3 hours of sleep. The sleep cycle lasts an average of 1.5 hours and it is shown that you are most rested at the end of each sleep cycle. This means that if you are planning on sleeping less during finals, try to make it through at least two sleep cycles. It is often better to sleep 6 hours than 8 hours. If your goal is to pull an all-nighter, try to plan for at least 3 hours of sleep. You need time to cool your brain anyway!

Tip 3 - Please shower and primp. I am not sure when or why there was an unspoken rule created that it is acceptable for college kids to not shower during finals week but it needs to end. When you are stressing out, you are producing sweat which accumulates on your body and it is gross if you do not wash it off. Many students develop stress acne during this time so it is important to also continue with your beauty routine. Each day you should shower, wash your face, apply moisturizer to your face, apply lotion to your body, and wash your hands often. You should also continue to shave, clean your hair, and primp your self with pedicures and manicures this week. These will not only make you look better but will make you feel better about yourself.

Tip 4 - Study with music. Many studies have shown that listening to classical music will help you concentrate and retain information. I have studied with classical music and I love it; however, I have found that peaceful, relaxing tones appeal more to me. My go to study soundtrack is Overheard in a Dream by 2002 and Balance by Liquid Mind on repeat. Try it out!

Tip 5 - Do something fun! Do not spend your entire week cooped up in the library drilling yourself with flashcards over and over and over. Take an hour or two each day to step outside and walk around a bit, watch a movie with friends, or go to a group fitness class. Whatever you find enjoyable, make sure you schedule out some time to do it!


What are your tips for a successful finals week?

Big Appreciation Week Ideas

There’s no relationship quite like the big/little relationship. She’s your mentor, your best friend, you role model, your partner in crime. She was showering you with gifts before you even knew her name. Now it’s your turn to pay her back for everything she’s done…it’s Big Appreciation Week! If you’re at a loss for what to your amazing big, here are some suggestions:

Picture Frame - I’m sure you and your big have tons of adorable photos together. What better way to say “you’re beautiful and I love you” than with a frame for her to look at every day. Bonus points to you if you craft the frame so it’s more personalized. If crafting isn’t your specialty, hit up your local TJ Maxx or Target to look for a cute photo frame.

Crafts - Speaking of crafting, why not make some crafts! I’m sure your big made you a slew of cute crafts for big reveal. Now it’s your turn to return the favor. Whether it be a paddle, monogrammed wine glasses, or a pin box, I’m sure she’ll love whatever you make. Every craft is beautiful if it comes from the heart.

Date Night - Take your favorite lady out for a big/little date night. Grab a bite to eat at your favorite café and then catch the latest RomCom that your boyfriend refuses to see. Don’t forget a trip to the nearest ice cream parlor at the end so you two can catch up on gossip over a cone of rocky road.

Matching Shirts - There are so many cute big/little shirts out there. You can find the style that fits your relationship perfectly. Preppy? Get matching frockets with your monograms embroidered on the pockets. Too cool for school? Get the all too hip Biggie Smalls shirts. The possibilities are endless!

When in doubt, just buy candy! Every girl loves candy. With gifts like these, it will be like big reveal week all over again, but this time you get the be the gift-giver!

What have you done for Big Appreciation Week? We’d love to hear it in the comments.