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)