Branching Out To Other Organizations

Do it. It will do you some good.

While joining a sorority will look great on a resume with the ever-lasting commitment you display, good character traits, your ability to lead -- it should not be the only thing that shows what you are capable of doing.

As it is still the beginning of the school year, try to look into other organization to not only build up your resume, but to also build up your networking. It will create a lot of connections to a field of interest.

All college campuses varies by what clubs are offered but each has a consensus for an enjoyable student life.

Look into an academic or business fraternity. It will show that you are goal oriented to prove your own leadership potential and your LinkedIn profile will be blasted with so many connections from your peers and current business employers who will be impressed with your endorsements.

Community service clubs are a great way to connect with something bigger. It can be for a national community service organization like Circle K International or Habitat for Humanity, where you vie for the same type of services for a common goal. Each organization not only provides their services to the community with something small like trash pick up or big like building a new home, but they also fundraise money for their counterparts! You'll get that heart warming feeling when you see so many smiling faces from a job well done.

Get cultural with culture clubs, even if you aren't born into it! You'll get a whole new perspective on an exciting lifestyle for people who are eager to show you! You'll learn something new every time and there will also be an abundance of food from all of the potlucks that will ensue. Yes, please.

Step out of your chapter to develop a better college experience. This will create many memories with different people who, too, share the same interests as you!

What Every College Girl Should Know

A few pieces of advice I've collected, for college girls, throughout my time spent in college. 

1. You may not like your roommate, which is fine.  All you need to do is learn how to live with her.
2. Nobody really cares where you went to high school, what clique you were in, or how many awards you won.
3. Chances are high that you will change your major. I promise you it won't destroy your college experience.
4. It's okay to not get straight A's.
5. Sometimes that paper you think deserves and A+ will get a B, and it's okay life will go on.
6. Tutoring is something that everyone uses, even the smart kids on campus.
7. Your first semester is one of the most difficult adjustment periods you will experience, in college.
8. You're definitely not going to stay in touch with all of your friends from high school.
9. Speaking of high school, you might miss it sometimes and that's okay.  It's all part of the transition process. However, don't let yourself dwell on the pass and miss out on the here and now.
10. There's a lot more to college than frat parties and football games.
11. You don't have to drink to be social.
12. First impressions are important, but your first thoughts about people aren't always correct.
13. It doesn't how well you know "that girl at the party", if she's too drunk help her! After all,  if by chance that was you, your friend, or your sibling you would want someone to help you.
14. Always charge your phone before going out. 
15. Never go out alone.
16. Create a budget, it's easy to spend too much.
17. Don't send a snapchat that you wouldn't want someone to screen shot.
18. Don't post anything on social media that you wouldn't want your grandmother to see.
19. Sometimes you have to cry to feel better.
20. 95% of the time crop tops are not a good look. 
21. Have self respect.
22. Don't change your morals because they don't match someone else's.
23. Get dressed for class. It makes you more alert and leaves a good impression on your peers and professor.
24. Talk to your parents! They can provide great advice and support.
25. Take lots of pictures (You don't need to post every picture you take)!
26. Unless you are 21, don't post pictures with alcohol in them. 
27. Red cups are not a good look for social media posts.
28. Get involved! 
29. Use an agenda. They help a lot.
30. Go to class. 
31. Spark Notes is not going to get you too far in college. Shocker, you have to actually do your own work!
32. Take advantage of all the opportunities your campus has.
33. Failure is a part of life, but remember to learn from it.
34. Try something new.
35. It's okay to have a late night snack every once in awhile just don't make it a habit.
36. Add the number for your campus public safety into your phone.
37. Leggings can be worn as pants, but not for every single occasion.
38. Pinterest is a great resource for just about everything!
39. Stand up for what you believe in. It's okay if you have to stand alone sometimes.
40. Splurge on something for yourself every once in awhile.
41. A little retail therapy won't kill you.
42. Be sure to eat a balanced diet.
43. Be active, it's good for your physical and mental health.
44. Balance work and play.
45. Don't go home every weekend.
46. Step outside your comfort zone.
47. Take time for yourself. Your mental health is important.
48. Take some time for reflection. It is important to realize what is and is not working for you.
49. Be kind to everyone without letting them walk all over you.
50. Have fun!

XOXO

-Michaela

Being in the Wrong Major

Let’s face it- junior year of high school is arguably the most stressful year of high school. You start to think about what college(s) to apply for, the hundreds of scholarship apps you’ll need to fill out in order to even go to college, and what major you’ll decide to be. Year after year, your teachers and guidance counselors told you to not only major in something you “like” but also major in something that is practical and will make you money; so majors like professional writing or psychology always raised the question “what are you gonna do with that after you graduate?”  But by my second year of college, I realized that I had inadvertently gone along with that same mindset. I was also more miserable in my major and felt it would only get worse.

My first two years of college, I was a biology major. My ultimate dream was to be a doctor and I was never going to give up on that dream, even though biology is one of the hardest majors out there. Don’t get me wrong, I still want to be a doctor more than anything else in this world, but I found that majoring in biology just wasn’t for me. I have a special love and appreciation for science, but I also love more artistic things such as playing the piano and writing poetry. While being a biology major, I found that my major was taking so much out of me in every way possible that I actually started to hate it. I hated going to class, I hated the material, and I especially hated how expensive all those books were getting. I felt so trapped! Then it dawned on me- I came to college not only for a degree, but to grow and expand my way of thinking and I wasn’t getting that. So I decided to make a change.

I took a sociology class last year and I instantly fell in love with it. I realized that I was more excited about going to class more so than I ever was while in college. The work for that class didn’t seem like work to me; it was enjoyable and extremely fulfilling. And while I was searching through a long list of majors to choose from, I thought to myself-“why am I making this so hard?!” In that moment, I knew sociology was for me.

Once I told my advisors, friends, and family about my change, I was bombarded with questions, comments, and a whole lot of concerns. I felt I had to give them more than just “because it just feels right” but I realized, that’s all I really needed. (Plus, if I’m gonna be spending thousands of dollars and 4+ years on a degree, I sure better enjoy every penny I’m spending and every hour of work I’m gonna be putting in.) But once I also explained that I can still go to med school and take the necessary prereqs while studying something I didn’t realize I always loved, everyone started to realize why I made the change in the first place. Now, this fall, I will officially be declaring my major as Sociology with a concentration in Medical Sociology and I may even add a minor in Chemistry! And even though I have a long road of ahead of me, at least I know I’ll be happy. I’ll have time to get back to the things I love such as playing the piano and having the opportunity to write for an amazing blog such as this one!

So if you’re having legitimate thoughts of changing your major (because let’s be real, we all have those thoughts at some point during college), talk to your advisor. Really do some soul searching and do what you feel is right in your heart. Who cares if no one else sees the vision that you do?! You only go through this kind of college experience once, so why waste it on being in a major you hate? Do what you love and have a passion for. If that ends up being a major that’ll make great money, then good for you. If not, you’ll always figure out a way to make it work. Trust yourself and trust in your instincts and you can’t go wrong.  

Look at the great job Charisse did on her first article!

Sorority Recruitment Prepares You For the Real World

Believe it or not sorority life is more than matching tee shirts, fake candid pictures, and themed parties.  Just like sorority life is more than all that, Recruitment is more than a popularity contest, matching outfits, and fake smiles. Being a member of a sorority means you are recruiting 365 days a year, whether it’s through formal recruitment, social media, networking with women in your classes, or the way you act while wearing your letters.  At some point during your time as a collegian, you will experience Formal Recruitment.  I’ve had the opportunity to experience the Formal Recruitment Process both as a PNM, Potential New Member, and as a recruiter. Formal Recruitment requires a lot of preparation leading up to the days filled with rounds of meeting new women. So how can Formal Recruitment help you in the real world?

Time Management Skills: Preparing for Formal Recruitment require long hours of preparation in the weeks leading up to the actual recruitment events.  For Fall Recruitment these days, known as Spirit Days, are crammed into the first few weeks of the year. On top of establishing new semester routines and remembering how to study, you now have to spend hours preparing to recruit your sorority’s future.  This requires time management.  For me, my agenda helps keep me sane during the first chaotic month of the fall semester. Time management is a skill that will help you be successful for the rest of your life.

Optimistic Outlook: Whether you are a PNM or a sister who is recruiting, the Formal Recruitment process can be very long and tiresome.  Sometimes you spend a long time in uncomfortable shoes and clothes, you go hours without eating, and you get hardly any sleep.  While these things sound awful, the experience you are getting makes up for it. There are two ways you can deal with these negative things: with an optimistic attitude or with a pessimistic one. Being pessimistic will make the whole process seem much longer, and if you are a PNM you will have a tough time getting into a sorority because nobody really wants a negative Nancy to be their sister. The better option is to have an optimistic throughout the whole process. Being optimistic will make you happier and allow you to turn the negatives into positives. This is a trait that will get you far in life. Living life with an optimistic attitude will bring you a lot more happiness and positivity, which makes life much more pleasant.

Communication Skills: Formal Recruitment is all about being able to converse with other women.  It is through these conversations that you either figure out the organization you will call home or the women you would like to add to your organization. Without these conversations recruitment really wouldn’t exist. Recruitment teaches you how to have quality conversations and how to communicate even when a conversation is dying. Being able to communicate in awkward or normal conversations is a skill that will help you in the workplace, socially, and on a daily basis.

Appearance: Believe it or not, first impressions are incredibly important.  During recruitment first impressions matter, which is why it is important to be groomed. This means your hair should be done neatly, attire should be on the conservative side, makeup should give off a clean appearance, deodorant should be worn, clothes should not be wrinkled, nails should be trimmed and painted neatly (or not at all), and perfume should be on the lighter side. Learning to make a great first impression through a well-kept appearance is something that is good to know how to do as you will need to do this during a job interview.

Good luck to everyone engaging in the Formal Recruitment process this Fall! Just remember that the experience you are gaining is helping you develop better professional skills, which will help you post college.

Congrats to one of our new writers, Michaela, for this amazing article!! She also blogs as The Shore Life According to M!

My Recruitment Story

Charisse A.

I don’t have the typical recruitment story. I didn’t sign up as a wide eyed freshman fresh outta high school, anxiously waiting for this process to begin. I didn’t meet so many sororities on campus during recruitment to where I lost track of faces and names. My recruitment experience is just the opposite.

               I had struggled with the thought of seeing myself in a sorority, but figured “hey, why not?” So I told my parents I wanted to go through recruitment during first semester of college. Needless to say they were not on board because they wanted academics to be my number one focus, understandably so. So I waited until spring semester. At that point, I was fully immersed in my school work and other extracurriculars that I didn’t even know how I’d be able to balance everything! But after a lot of back and forth from my parents, they finally became a little bit more understanding.

               Because I went through spring semester, I had an informal experience; meaning I would go to some events that each sorority was hosting and see where my best fit was. (It was pretty easy to decide, considering my school at the time only had 2 sororities.) I knew which house I belonged to. I knew where I wanted to establish my roots. Getting my bid was just perfect yet so surreal! And at first, I thought I wouldn’t feel the same as someone who went through recruitment before felt when they were greeted by so many sisters singing and yelling, waiting for new sisters to embrace them! I did in fact felt that way! Here’s where everything gets a little weird.

               Towards the end of second semester, news broke that my school and another one were “merging” which meant that my university and another were to now be housed under the same name and jurisdiction. This also meant that for the fraternities and sororities who existed on both campus would also consolidate and we’d have to take on a whole new group of guys/girls whom we didn’t even know! After a lot of back and forth and trying to fit all the pieces together, everything turned on alright! I was initiated with a pledge class of 4, but now have a pledge class of over 70, will be recruiting with more than 80 sisters, and are expected to recruit HUNDREDS of PNMS!

            

   So like I said, I don’t have the most traditional recruiting story, but it’s unique and something special that I’ll always carry with me. 

Protecting Your Values

          One of my sisters, with whom I am very close, recently attended the Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute, a leadership conference that brings together fraternity leaders from across the country to remind them of the importance of reconnecting with their values in addition to training them in how to bring back the importance and awareness of their values to their campuses. Before she even left, she texted me asking me which of our fraternity’s values I had reflected today. I’ll admit, it wasn’t something I was expecting. I know our values, don’t get me wrong, but they were always something that I just knew were important to me. Integrity is something I hold very dearly. Honor and Respect are very important to me. All our values are incredible and good, but not something I thought about consciously on a daily basis. 

            I remember floundering for a minute, thinking, “all I did today was unpack and pick up my sister from gymnastics.” I hadn’t been reading to second graders, as my fraternity does as a part of our philanthropy, nor had I been raising money to improve literacy. Essentially, I hadn’t been doing anything important.

            In the end, I said something like, “Does driving my sister around count as a Philanthropic Service to Others?” and it does. And then I thought, “Oh I did some reading for my paper for graduate school, so there’s Intellectual Growth. And I chatted with my best friend from 8^th grade, and that’s Sincere Friendship.” So I guess our values apply to more than just fraternity and service heavy days.

            I began writing the values that I had reflected daily. And it has brought me closer to my fraternity. We are value-based organizations. We pride ourselves on our sisterhood, and our values are what bring us together. But unfortunately that which makes us strong can also be our downfall.

            Whenever a scandal breaks regarding our organizations, be it hazing, partying, or racist behavior, our organizations are heinously vilified in the media. Fraternities involved in hazing are called “appalling,” “vicious,” and worse. Furthermore, scandals involving mistreatment of minorities either in or out of the organization are repeatedly reported upon—the SAE scandal at Oklahoma University, for example, had well over a hundred headlines. Fraternity scandals tend to burn longer and brighter than many other organization’s scandals. Hazing, for instance, exists more openly and prevalently in other organizations, including but not limited to high school organizations, sports, honor societies, and the military (side note: a professor at my university, Jane Ward, recently wrote a book about hazing. I haven’t read it, but I have had a class with her and she’s incredible, so I would totally check it out if you’re interested).

            However, because Greek organizations are value based, we are more closely scrutinized. I would equate this to the way that those who create laws are held to them more closely. For instance, when politicians are caught breaking the law, they are persecuted harshly (well. As harshly as any United States politician will be).

            While journaling my values daily has been an incredible exercise in discipline and positivity, but I’m not sure that I would recommend this for everyone. I keep (what many would refer to as) too many journals, and I write prolifically on several aspects of my life—I have a general life journal for diary purposes, a bullet journal for organization, a reading journal dedicated to notes on whatever I happen to be reading at the moment, and a values journal. I completely understand that a lot of people don’t have this kind of time in their day, but there are other methods of keeping track of your values. A check-list is another good way to keep track of your values. Alternately, just tying your daily reflection to something else you do daily, like brushing your teeth is a good habit.

            This reflection has been incredible in helping me reconnect with my fraternity, especially when the fact that it’s summer right now is taken into consideration. I don’t get to see my sisters weekly at meeting or at letters, but I think of them when I think of Sincere Friendship. I found a Dr. Seuss book the other day and I thought of our Philanthropic Service to Others and how privileged I was to be able to participate in Champions are Readers, in which my sisters and I encouraged elementary students to love reading. I think about our founders and their hunger for learning every time I spend some time on Personal and Intellectual Growth. It’s a good way to feel productive and positive even when you don’t think you are.

            Pi Beta Phi has six values: Integrity, Lifelong Commitment, Honor and Respect, Personal and Intellectual Growth, Philanthropic Service to Others, and Sincere Friendship. Today I displayed four of my values:

·       Personal and Intellectual Growth: not only did I finish writing this article, but I also finished my philosophy class’s reading for the week and wrote out a section of GRE vocabulary flash cards.

·       Lifelong Commitment: My first and most important lifelong commitment is to myself, mind and body, and today I worked out.

·       Sincere Friendship: I counseled a friend through her first break up, even though she goes to school 8 hours away from me now and I haven’t seen her lately. Maintaining friendships despite distance is incredibly important to me. I also hosted a brief hang out session with a few sisters, with whom I cannot wait to be reunited officially once the school year starts.

·       Honor and Respect: This one is tough. A few months ago I got into a fight with someone I was very close to. He did not respect my boundaries and repeatedly ignored my requests to take the discussion somewhere more private and to pause long enough for me to stop shaking and crying. The fight resulted in more than a month and a half of radio silence. Today he sent me an apology. It checked all three marks of a good apology: he recognized what he had done, he understood why it was wrong, and he promised to not allow it to happen again. However, he continued to tell someone (with whom I am very good friends) precisely how insincere his apology was, and how he was entirely selfish in his reason for apologizing. I have a hard time not accepting apologies, generally speaking. My first instinct is to give people the benefit of the doubt and befriend them again, but this guy in particular had already hit his three strikes. And sometimes, honor and respect means putting yourself first. Sometimes honor and respect means recognizing that after a certain point, people don’t change—won’t change, and manipulation is never ok. Sometimes Integrity means sticking to your guns and holding when so much of you wants to cave. Sometimes Personal Growth means knowing that two years ago that person would have slid right back into your life only to hurt you again and again and again. Your first and most important Lifelong Commitment is to yourself, and sometimes you cannot compromise on your own wellbeing.

We joined these organizations for different reasons, but I think one thing we can agree upon having found is sisterhood. But more than that are the values that bind us together. Our values are what our founders had in mind when they set forth to create a space where women can support their fellow woman, and where our love of each other and our values can shine.

I like to sign off every values journal entry with “here’s to the wine and blue,” my fraternity’s colors. So with all the love in my heart and the values of my sisterhood, PPL.

Which of your fraternity’s values did you reflect today?

Show Kaitlin some love on her first article!!

Picking Up a Little on a Budget

So, you’ve been a part of your sorority for a semester or more, and you’ve entertained the idea of expanding your sorority family, but that’s all you’ve done. That’s when you get the unexpected call from your chapter’s VP of New Member Education, and you learn one of your newest sisters wants you as her big sister. You are flattered and, of course, you can’t refuse because in the past couple weeks you two have formed a bond that transcends the normal bond of sisterhood. However, here’s the catch: you’re absolutely unprepared and your funds are minimal. The panic starts to sink in. How are you going to give your new little the Big/Little week she deserves? Don’t worry you can do this, and without dropping $500 like some big sisters (yours truly).

Don’t Fool Yourself:

            
First things first, give yourself a little tough love and a reality check on what you can and cannot afford. If two new members wants you as their big sister take a while to think this through. If you believe you can pull it off, and make sure each girl gets the same amount of swag then go for it. However, if you feel that picking up twins would stretch you too thin then you’ll have to make the hard choice of picking up one versus the other. It’s rough, but you need to have faith that your VP of New Member Education will find another big sister that will be just as great for the other new member.

Big/Little Shirts:

            
One of your biggest purchases you’ll make is your Big/Little shirts especially if your buying shirts for your family or picking up twins. If you can’t afford more than two shirts (I find shirts to run around $40-$50 a piece) then do not hesitate to ask your big, g-big, twin, etc. to pay for their own shirts. Also, keep in mind that your whole family does not necessarily need shirts for you to get great pictures.

            
If you are picking up twins think about making your own shirts with fabric and shirts bought at the fabric store and puffy paint. Then you can just give your littles an IOU on official family shirts for when you have adequate funds.

            
Secondly, be wary when picking fabric for your letters. I know the store in which my chapter gets their Big/Little shirts that Lilly Pulitzer fabric costs extra. Now I love Lilly just as much as the next sorority girl, but if it costs extra that’s a no go. You could find cheap Lilly fabric online at Etsy or other such sites. However, by the time you order it and pay shipping you are basically paying the same amount if not more then you would in the store. Save the Lilly for Christmas or birthday gifts.

            
Also, pay attention to how much the shirt itself costs. It is better to go for the cheaper shirt then to pay a few extra dollars for the American Apparel v-neck. If you’re worried about how your little will look in her shirt remember she’s your little; she’s going to look great in anything!

            
Lastly, if you’re thinking about getting embroidery on the back do the minimum. If the store charges per letter get your monograms.* If the store charges in a range, for example 3-8 letters is x-amount, then it’s okay to get “Big” or “Little” on the back.

            
After this your second expensive thing will be your little’s craft box, but I’ll address that later. Now that you know roughly how much your expensive things will cost you can budget. My advice is to set a limit per little, for example $150 per little etc.

*Note: When getting your little’s monogram make sure you have the correct monogram. Unfortunately, when I picked up my little I got her middle name from Facebook where she had spelled her name phonetically, and therefore; her middle initial was wrong. Thankfully, I called the store in time and was able to change it.

It’s The Little Things:

            
If you are having a hard time thinking of small cutesy things to get your little just think back to when your big picked you up. What type of things did she get you? What types of things did you wish she got you? What are the other bigs thinking about getting their littles?

            
Now there are a few things that I believe are totally worth spending the money to buy. The first is a car decal with your letters on it. This is on the list because it fills your little with pride for her letters. She will literally have her letters with her wherever she goes, and that is a great thing. The second is a pad of stationary in whatever design represents your sorority. This way whenever your little goes to write a note to herself or one of her sisters or even to one of her Panhellenic sisters it’s a little reminder that she joined the best sorority for her and that she chose the best big sister in that sorority. Next, don’t forget to splurge a little on sunglasses. They are actually relatively cheap, and let’s face it any sister is cool wearing her shades with her letters on them. Lastly, get your little a baseball cap with your letters on it. That way the days when she rolls out of bed running late for class (because let’s face it we’ve all done it) she can just throw up her hair, and slip her hat on. Call it I-forgot-to-set-my-alarm chic.

            
Now the best place to buy all the little treasures to give your little is going to be most likely Dollar Tree/Store/General and the dollar section at Wal-Mart. Honestly, the things that you can find there can be absolutely silly, but at the same time absolutely magical. Some ideas are: tumblers, plastic crowns, glow sticks, silly string, plastic jewelry, mugs, etc.* All of these things you can customize for your little. Remember puffy paint is your best friend in this area.

            
Do not be afraid to ask your twin or your big if they have anything that was crafted (without their name on it or their name is easily removed) that they don’t mind parting with, so that you can re-gift it to your little. Trust me, every sorority sister has that one thing that someone made them that they really don’t want to keep. It also helps if your big is about to graduate because as an alum I can tell you I passed down a few things I knew I wouldn’t have room for in my adult life. Now if you are missing a few key pieces that’s when your crafting will come in.

*Note: Do NOT forget to pick up your candy, gift bag/basket, and tissue paper at these sites!  These will be your “fluffers”. It will give your gifts a feeling of fullness and fill in any gaps you might have.

Craft Supplies:

            
Now if you’re having troubles coming up with ideas for things to craft then navigate over to Pinterest! You can follow Sisterhood Redefined, and find different craft inspirations for your little.

            
Now there will be some supplies that you will have to buy at Michael’s or A. C. Moore. It’s inevitable. I know my sorority family just started the tradition of doing stools. Honestly, stools really only cost $15, and a good thing about buying canvases at these stores is that you can quite often find them in bulk packaging. Take advantage of this! You never know when you’ll need to craft a gift again.

            
For other supplies such as paint and that type of thing go ahead and just browse your fellow sisters’ craft boxes. Most of the time in a chapter those sisters who are picking up at the same time will often craft together. Take advantage of the things that your sisters have in their craft boxes. It will save you a ton of money. Also, you do not necessarily need spray paint. I will admit that it saves time, but you can just as efficiently craft a stool with acrylic paint. You can also do a homemade coloring book by printing off free coloring pages online, and you can make your own coupon book for your little with coupons for a crafting dating or an ice cream date.  

            
Now if you were anything like me when I first started crafting you may not be a savant. That’s okay! Practice makes perfect, but if you’re still wary of your skills don’t be afraid to ask advice or help from your more artistic sisters. I learned a lot about crafting from one of my sisters who was an art major. If you are also in a time crunch where you’re picking up without a break in between do not be afraid to ask for help from your big, twin, or other sisters. When my little picked up we split the crafting half and half. Of course afterwards I never wanted to see another canvas again, but it was worth it.

            
Also, don’t be afraid to snoop and stalk your little on Facebook to find out what her interests are, and ask her friends what she really likes or obsessed over. You want your gifts to be catered to who she is.

The Craft Box:
There is a simple way to put together a craft box on a budget. Only really give her the necessary tools, i.e. brushes, a few tubes of paint, something small to craft, fabric, a few paint pens, ribbon, etc. Most of these things you can ask sisters if they have and they don’t use. However, do not put already used paint or paint brushes. Then it really looks cheap. Yes, the goal is to do this on a budget, but we don’t want it to look like that.

Tips:

The first is my own opinion for picking up a little, but you should at least do one special thing for your little that week. My big had my twin and I do a voluntary (we volunteered) scavenger hunt across campus. When I picked up my little, I ordered her a pizza to be delivered to her with a special message. It’s those somewhat grand gestures that make littles feel extra special.

            
If you find an idea on Pinterest that you really like, but you feel like it’s out of your skill zone, and you can’t print it off and modge podge it onto a canvas then just leave it. Big/Little week is really not the time to start experimenting. Instead use the experimenting for an activity that you can do with your new little.

            
Remember Big/Little week isn’t about you, it’s about your little.

            
If you pick up twins make sure that they each get equal amount of gifts. This is very important for building a healthy and equal relationship between you and them.

            
Lastly, make that week as deceptive as possible. That’s the whole fun of Big/Little week. Keep her guessing as to who her big is that way when reveal happens she is totally surprised.

Big/Little week doesn’t have to break your bank and it doesn’t have to be stressful. If you follow these tips and tricks picking up your little will be the greatest and one of the cheapest things you ever do.

            
But also remember, it’s not about the gifts it’s about building that bond that goes beyond the normal bond of sisterhood. Not only are you her big, but you’re her mentor and best friend.       

Editor's Note: This post was written by one of our new writers, Alexis. Congratulate her in the comments on her first post! 

Start the Semester Strong

Well first semester has come and gone and we are officially done with those classes - thank goodness! I know one of the biggest goals for this semester for many people is to maintain grades better than we did last semester. I have a few tips for to help kick off the semester!

During the first week of classes, go ahead a print off your syllabi for the semester and mark all of the important dates that your teacher gives you or really any dates your teacher gives you into your planner. Don't have a calendar? Utilize the calendar associated with your school's email address.

Bookmark the websites you will use most in the semester for completing school work and un-bookmark sites like Pinterest and Facebook. If nothing else, this helps you stop procrastinating by reminding you of homework regardless of the temptation of other internet sites.

Look at your class schedule and figure out where you have breaks to make it to the library to study. When you make the habit of heading to the library now, it makes it so much easier to wander that way when you feel unmotivated to get there.

Good luck in your classes! What are you taking this semester?

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!

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. 

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?

Power Through the Mid-Semester Slump

I don’t know about you, but I’ve already had two midterms. School is finally in full swing. The excitement of bid day and seeing old friends has been replaced with the stress of midterms and the anxiety of turning in parts of my thesis. Usually at this point in the school year I find myself in a slump, though. The work is piling up with no break in sight. If you’re going through something similar, here are some tips to help you power through your mid-semester slump.

Give yourself and your sisters a boost out of the mid-semester slump. (photo)

• Talk to your professors: Mid-semester is the perfect time to check in with each of your professors to see how you’re progressing in the class. You don’t want to get all the way to finals before you realize that your grades just aren’t where you want them. If you are struggling in a class, the professor can provide some tips on how to succeed in their class that might completely change how you are doing in the class.
• Form study groups: If you read my last article (find it here) you hopefully made a few friends in each of your classes. Now is the perfect time to get these people together for study parties. If you tend to be a lone wolf when it comes to studying, mixing it up with a group study session every now and then can really help your grades improve. Even classes that involve a lot of papers can benefit from group work. When you have a group of people to work with, you will all hold each other accountable to actually getting the work done.
• Realize that there is still time: If you’re grades aren’t where you want them to be, you still have an entire half of a semester. But make sure you are proactive about improving your grades. As don’t just fall out of the air. Meet with your professors, tutors, classmates, etc  or mix up your study routine. Don’t regret not working hard now when you’re struggling to get a passing grade at finals time.