A Month in Review - August 2014

Hey everyone!

This post will be a monthly roundup of all sorority news and will be posted every month on the last day of the month. If you have any relevant news, please send it to soniacw.sr@gmail.com by the 25th of each month! Without further ado here is what you need to know coming out of August!

Delta Gamma revived their #IAmASororityWoman campaign promoting why we are proud to be Greek.

The #40answers campaign raised a ton of awareness about preventing hazing with Sigma Nu.

NPC recognized 59 alumnae and Panhellenic associations with awards the annual NPC awards.

The University of Alabama chapter received negative feedback about a Snapchat that went viral. 

Condolences to the sisters of Zeta Tau Alpha at Indiana University who lost a sister at their house at the end of this month. 

Many chapters also celebrated bid day and brought in many pledge classes and new members.

The ALS ice bucket challenge went viral and raised almost 10 times more money for ALS than the organization raised last year during the same time frame.

There has been progress on a cure for Ebola in Atlanta. One man has even been released from the hospital.

 That's it for this month! Please note that Sisterhood Redefined is only reporting news (good or bad) and does not have any affiliation or judgement of any involved chapters or sororities. We will remain unbiased and represent any all Panhellenic soroities equally. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at the email listed above.

Thanks!
Sonia

What to Wear: Chapter Edition

Your sorority chapter meetings are like business meetings and most times you will need to dress accordingly. Personally, this is one of the things I love most about sorority life because it gives you a heads-up to what you'll be doing once you get into the real world. Here are some options for chapter attire that will pretty much fit a lot of people's wardrobe/personal style preference.

The first option is nice and simple. A nice pair of slacks can be dressed up so easily & a pants option is more convenient for the colder months of the school year. This is also a really neutral color scheme that anyone can get away with, it's not too bright or too dull. 

This is another option with a neutral color scheme (I just find neutral colors to be more professional). The dress is just super cute and so easy to throw on when you don't really have much time to think about what to wear to chapter or when you're just entirely unsure. Adding a blazer to a dress can make it so professional! I mean, adding a blazer to anything can give it an entirely different look but especially with a dress like this, it's like a go-to chapter outfit.

Lastly, this is for those people who do love that pop of color but still want to keep it professional. Pencil skirts and a neutral top is the way to go! Pencil skirts can be professional/chapter attire when worn the right way. Make sure they're not too tight, & to pair it with some really cute shoes like the ones in the picture and you should be solid!

Which chapter outfit is your favorite?

How To Budget For Your New Sorority

When it comes to Greek life one of the biggest things that comes up is affording Greek life. I am not going to lie, it can get a bit expensive, but it's all about being conscious of how much money you have to spend and keeping to a strict budget. Here are some tips on keeping your budget together and how to budget for your new sorority.

1. Always budget a little more than you think you'll need: The sticker price of your new sorority might not be the only charges you face. You might want to go to a semi-formal or a pageant; you might want that extra shirt you never thought you'd want. Also some fees just pop up that you never thought you would have to handle. Make sure you are always prepared for more.

2. Learn to say no: If you can't afford an event and you don't have to go don't be afraid to say no. If you can't afford that shirt that isn't mandatory you don't have to sign up for it. Being in a sorority shouldn't break the bank so if you don't have to sign up for something and you don't want to sign up for it, don't.

3. Check for national and local resources: A lot of sororities offer a ton of resources for members in the form of great scholarships for dues. Also a lot of local sorority councils might offer a scholarship to the new member of the year or other people so that they can pay their dues. With paying your dues every little bit counts so if you can find a great scholarship it might make affording sorority life easier. Some sororities also have special consideration opportunities for those in the chapter who can't afford the whole of their dues.

4. Adjust your lifestyle: If you eat out a lot, cut back on going out. Eating in saves a lot of money and don't forget to use your meal plan if you have one. Instead of eating off campus every night, be sure to actually use the meal plan that you have. This also goes back to learning to say no, if your sisters want to eat off campus and you can't afford it, it's okay to say I'd rather stay on campus today.

5. Remember that sororities cost: When you join a sorority you are committing to every part of that sorority, even the boring parts like paying dues. Paying your dues in full and on time is important to the existence of your sorority. Sororities are expensive to run; especially when you are dealing with a sorority with a national organization. When your sorority has a national organization you have those bills and then you also have a ton of local dues that go to things like t-shirts, important events thrown by your chapter, and keeping your chapter afloat. There are many ways to make a sorority more afforadable, but in the end you also have to realize this is what you signed up for when you signed your bid card.

I hope this was helpful for you. If you have any other ideas on budgeting for new sorority women please leave them in the comments below!