Breaking The Stereotype

We all face stereotypes. People have always felt the need to put what they don't understand into a category and generalize it. As a sorority woman I deal with being stereotyped on a near daily basis. Some people are generally shocked when they have an intelligent conversation with you and then find out that you are indeed Greek. They say "Oh" or "I would have never had thought someone like you would be in a sorority." So basically you never thought an intelligent, sweet, and pleasant young woman would be in a sorority? It drives me up a wall whenever I hear this. Many people get their perceptions about Greek life based on what they see on TV or hear in the news. Therefore to them we are stupid, all we care about is partying, and we don't have much of a future after college is over. Most Greek members that I know however do not fit in box that the media has placed them in. My sisters are smart, driven, compassionate, and kind. Yes, they also like to go out just like any other college student, but unlike some of their peers they also donate their time to philanthropy organizations, they make high GPA's, they hold positions in our chapter and other organizations. In short they rock. The media won't cover that, however we as Greek women know that we are all amazing individuals who made the best decision for ourselves by joining a sorority. My sorority has made me more successful because my sisters are there to support and occasionally even pick up my slack. My sisters and the Greek community have given me the ability to spread my wings and work to overcome stereotypes society has for us.

5 Reason Why Sorority Women Make Great Leaders

    It is always the same old stereotypes when it comes to "defining" a sorority woman. I can't tell you how many times people have told me "Oh, you bought your friends" or "You must go to a lot of parties". Truthfully, the list can go on and on.

While there is some truth behind SOME (not all) of the stereotypes that are placed on sorority women, most are wrong when they depict a sorority women as  "lazy", "narrow-minded", or "unintelligent"

Being a part of a sorority, if nothing else, forces you to jump head first into being a leader (not a follower). There is a certain standard of excellence required by that organization and furthermore, a sense of pride that every sorority girl feels when she wears her letters. Each and everyday, sorority women strives to earn and deserve the letters that they wear across their chest.

That being said, here are 10 reasons why Sorority Women Make Great Leaders

1. Most sorority women are extremely (and sometimes painstakingly) organized. This is because sorority women have a lot to juggle. Between classes, events, and meetings sorority women have to plan out their days in advance.

2. Since sorority women are very busy, a typical sorority girl has perfected the craft of multitasking.

3. Every sorority sister has a role in her chapter and/or overall Greek community. Whether it is a committee head, a member of the executive board, or a representative at meetings for her chapter, sorority women hold leadership positions throughout their time as an active member.

4.  Sorority women are also very good at communication and networking. From sending out the minutes from the latest chapter meeting, to coordinating with other chapters for events, Greek women communicate effectively and efficiently.

5. Sorority women have standers, not only as an organization or a chapter, but on a personal level. These standers allow for sorority women to embrace their roles within their chapters.

At the end of the day, sorority women make great leaders because being in a sorority often helps mold leaders. These leaders continue the legacy of the chapter and often go on into the real world better prepared for their jobs in their chosen field.

During my time at Pace, not only was an active in several committees in my chapter and on our campus Panhellenic executive board, I also served as  Sisterhood Development Chairman/New Member Educator. These are my babies!

A Cali Girl and Her Heels

There are a few things that should be a staple in a girl’s closet… such as that one pair of jeans that make you look skinny, a little black dress, and a killer pair of heels…. But that last part doesn't always hold true as I've learned since I've moved to the south. Replace heels with boots.

Don’t get me wrong. I am all for a good pair of boots (although I left California back in 2009, and still have yet to own a pair of boots myself). But, If you ask this Cali girl, they should be reserved for certain occasions.

A night out is not one of them. Well, unless that includes going to a country bar and line dancing, or for all of you still in college and not in the real world like I pretend to be, a themed date party.  Oh, and you can’t forget game days.

Heels just do so much more for you than boots ever could. For shorties like me… the taller the better. No one ever realizes I am only 5’2, and when they do actually notice they are usually shocked. But not only do they give you a boost, if you are blessed with short legs like myself they elongate you and give the illusion your legs are really longer.  Boots really do quite the opposite. They make you short ad stumpy looking. For me, they just feel big and clunky on my feet.

Also, for all you non-squatters out there… heels make your booty look better too. I don’t know if anyone else is like me, but every time I am in the dressing room trying things on you always do the turn around and check out your backside. Well I always stand on my tiptoes in my imaginary heels.

Maybe I am just too much of a California girl, but I stick to my guns when I say boots should be reserved for certain occasions. It’s been about five years I've been in the south now and still not a pair in my closet. We’ll see if that ever changes. For now,  I’ll keep my 4 inch heels or higher.

littlelonghornlady Giveaway 8/25

              My name is Katie Burkhead and I own the Etsy shop "littlelonghornlady." I am a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin! Hook 'em horns! I am a History-UTeach major and plan on becoming a high school history teacher. Although I myself am not in a sorority, several of my friends are and love every second of it. I am a member of our Baptist Student Ministry and currently serve on the leadership team. 
                     I started my Etsy shop because I saw a pair of painted Toms that was going for $120. I thought to myself "I could do that and not break the bank." I painted my first pair and the orders started rolling in. I've painted just under 50 pairs of shoes along with canvases, wall murals, and sorority letters.  LittleLonghornLady Giveaway

How My Sorority Changed My Life: A Personal Story

According to an article published by USA Today, approximately nine million college 

students are members of a Greek organization. 

Webster defines sororities as “a society for female students in a university or college, 

typically for social purposes.” However, like many other things in life, there is more than 

just the simple description in a dictionary. The truth is, being in sorority is something 

very hard to explain because it is so profoundly personal. Each woman’s reasons for 

joining and overall experience are her own. 

Before I entered Pace University in the fall of 2009, I had no idea what Greek Life was. 

I was however, looking forwarded to being more independent and learning more about 

myself. 

Growing up with an abusive “father” (I use quotations because technically speaking he is 

my stepfather I was just raised believing he was my biological father), college was a way 

for me to escape. It was the light at the end of the tunnel that hopefully would provide me 

with freedom.

After my freshman orientation in July, I was excited to finally be getting closer to starting 

school. I had made some friends and knew that I was about to embark on the greatest 

journey of my life. 

Flash-forward a bit, my first semester at Pace was something I will never forget. I 

enjoyed my courses (with the exception of math, obviously), got along great with my 

roommates, made some awesome friends, and was going strong with my new boyfriend AJ 

(we have now been dating for five years), overall I was very happy. When my best friend 

Jemma started to look into sororities on campus (she has wanted to be in Greek Life since 

One Tree Hill aired. Fun Fact: Sophia Bush was a sister of Kappa Kappa Gamma) I went 

along with her and was slowly introduced to the idea of Greek Life. 

After attending several events, Jemma and I became close friends with three sisters of 

Phi Sigma Sigma- Delta Omega: Amanda, Kim, and Clari. Before any of us realized 

it, we became pretty irrespirable. When “recruitment” came around (which was very 

informal and has completely changed since my first year at Pace) both Jemma and I found 

ourselves really wanting a bid to join the wonderful group of women in Phi Sig. Jemma, 

of course was ready to accept her bid the moment she got it. For me, it wouldn’t be that 

easy. While I wanted more than anything to join the amazing group of girls I have met 

at Pace, there was one very big problem standing in my way. My father.

 To make a long story very short, my father was physically, mentally, and 

psychologically abusive toward the rest of my family since he enter my life when I was 

three. Furthermore, he was sexually abusive towards me from the time I was 9 until just 

before my 19th birthday. 

Our relationship had increasingly worsened as college grew closer and I started to realize 

how abusive he truly was. When I left for school, I hoped he would finally start letting 

me go. I was wrong. The distance and time apart (plus an addiction to narcotics) only 

heightened his controlling, abusive, and manipulative nature. How would I be able 

to go through New Member Education if my father expected me to be around at his 

convenience at any given point?

Sometime in mid November I received a text from Lauren (a sister of Phi Sig who I 

became friends and who was elected New Member Educator for the upcoming Phi Sig 

class) asking me "if  you got a bid, would you accept it".  After thinking about it for few moments  I responded, “Yes” to her. I decided that it was my life and that if I really wanted it I would make it work. I few days later, I received my bid, accepted it, and begin New 

Member Education as one of eight new members of the Retain 2009-2010 (also known as 

the Alpha Omega) class. 

Being that I was part of a retain class, we started New Member Education at the end 

of November, had winter break, and finished in early February. By  the end of the first part of New Member Education, I was dreading going home for winter break. 

When I returned to school after that fateful winter break, everything had changed. After 

being violently kicked out of my house, I finally reported my fathers’ crimes to the 

police, moved out of my parents’ house, and returned to Pace completely free. 

Despite all the things I was still dealing with, including a criminal case against my father, my first decision I made as a free and independent college student was to continue New Member Education. 

On February 19, 2010 I was officially a sister of Phi Sigma Sigma. Looking back, continuing the process was the best decision I ever made. 

In my five years a Pace University, I was able to find out who I am as a person. A large part of finding myself steamed from my role as a sister of Phi Sig. I met some of the greatest 

people I have ever met, people who are still part of my life today as alumni. Overall, Phi Sig made me a better person and challenged me to not only be a leader but also to be myself. I would not be the person I am today without that experience. So I thank Phi Sig for coming into the most difficult point in my life and helping me through it. 

At the end of the day, while every sister’s reason for joining a sorority is different, one 

thing is always the same: it is always worth it!

                                              Phi Sigma Sigma- Dela Omega (Fall 2012)

My sisters and I during our fall photo shoot!

Many Chances for A Home

Going through recruitment is nerve wracking. The PNM feels immense pressure to impress the sisters at each house, to dress a certain way, and most of all to get into the right sorority. Throughout recruitment PNMs hear a lot of talk about finding their "home",  the thing most girls don't realize is that they could most likely find a home in a few different sororities. Suciding or only putting one house on your MRABA after pref could potentially lead to not being in a sorority at all. Its sad when that happens, because those girls who were dead set on only one sorority could probably have had a great experience in a different house as well. The women whom you connect with in your sorority is what makes it home, not just the letters. Their are great women in every chapter, sometimes women going through recruitment get hung up on the name, and not the values of the houses they are visiting. While each house is different they all offer PNM's the opportunity to go Greek, and to be apart of a sisterhood. Something to keep in mind for women currently going through recruitment.

My Bid Day!

Welcome to College...now get it together.

Congratulations! You more than likely have your bid in hand (and if you don't....read the last post from me about conquering recruitment) and with that bid comes great responsibility! You have now joined to ranks of many women before you and have to start realizing right now that sororities are not just socials and letters. Now don't get me wrong, Sorority life is fun but you do have to always hold yourself to a high standard, you no longer just represent yourself. So here's how to survive your first semester. 

1. Go to class. That is why you are in school and focusing on academics are a big part of contributing to your sorority. 

2. Go out...but don't get schwastey pants every night. For most of you, this is your first time living on your own. Embrace the no rules kingdom but don't sacrifice other things just to party.

3. Bond with your pledge class. These girls have just gone through recruitment too and they will be facing all the new things about sorority life with you at the same time. I found my best friend in my pledge class! 

(Shoutout to the bffl) 

4. Say hi to older girls. Just because we don't acknowledge you doesn't mean we don't like you or anything. You have to remember, just like you guys are trying to remember faces, so are we. There have been tons of new girls in the house and we have to learn too! So if you see someone with your new letters on, introduce yourself. We will love to meet you! 

5. Utilize your campus perks. If you're sick, go to student health. If you're hungry, go to the dining hall. If you're stressed, go to the counseling center. These things are here for you to take advantage of! Don't waste it! 

6. No one will judge you if you don't dress up every day. You will learn that college is tiring and makeup and  dressing up in nice clothes are "extras". If you have time before class, go for it. If not, no one cares. 

7. Don't think you are better then others because you have your bid. Being a Greek is great, but it doesn't make you better than others. For some reason, there is always a group who walk around with their noses in the air because they are now "Greek". You're not...btw. 

8. Don't blow your money super quickly on frivolous stuff. Aka alcohol. If you have an amount that's going to last you the semester, make it last. Trust me. 

9. Join other campus groups too. Your sorority will be your "main" source of involvement but don't let that cut you off from other campus organizations. There are groups for almost EVERYTHING. 

10. Last but not least, enjoy and cherish every second of your first semester, you'll never get it back. My three years as a Kappa have flown by in a blink of an eye. Now I sit here as a senior and wish I had a second go around! Don't let it pass you by! 

Fit for a Belle Giveaway

         Fit For A Belle originated from a small town girl of North Carolina who had a vision of designing pretty, non tight, but fitted workout clothes for women. After completing her own physical transformation from gaining "the freshman 15" she was motivated to help others do the same. FFAB fitness apparel was designed to fit any body type, motivating Belles across the nation to feel comfortable and confident in their gear!
           This is one of their fantastic tanks! The material is so comfy and the tank is perfect to work out in and wear to the gym. Plus it is my favorite color mint so I absolutely love it!

Fit for a Belle Giveaway

SGT Takes Over Social Media

Social Media. We all use it, and now, you can follow your favorite sorority blog!! Sorority Girl Thoughts has joined Instagram and Twitter and welcomes you to follow all of our pages along with the Sorority Girl Thoughts Blog. Now, you can use these new sites as a way to further connect with the Sorority Girl Thoughts team.

Below is the links to all our social media pages, like us and join the fun!

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Pintrest

How To Deal When Your Big Is A Pi Chi

         If you are at all like me your big is your number one go to gal. When my big told me she had been chosen to be a Pi Chi for this years fall recruitment I was beyond proud. I was also already dreading the day when she would disaffiliate to help other women find their home.       
         The thoughts that went through my mind were: who is going to listen to me ramble, who is going to drop what they are doing when I'm sad and need a girls night in, and who's going to be the best most dependable DD when I call at 2 am. Basically my big is my lifeline. She's been disaffiliated now since August 1st and I miss her so much. In her absence however I have gotten closer to other sisters. Not having my big at recruitment retreat or recruitment school sucked, but I got to know a lot of sisters that I hardly spoke to before. I was forced out of my comfort zone and ended up having a great time at retreat with my sisters at the Gamma Phi house in Athens. 

Things to Remember if your big is a Pi Chi:
         1. She is helping other women find their home.
         2. Her disaffiliation is temporary.
         3.There are other sisters who are willing to help and support you.
         4. Her coming back on bid day will be the best part of recruitment.

         My big is doing a truly amazing thing by giving up her letters in order to help women through the recruitment process and ultimately find their homes. I am so lucky that I get to claim her as my big and cannot wait to run back into her arms on bid day.

XO-Rachel

I Do's

Well I’m the old lady of the group, and it’s that time in my life now where everyone is getting married, and those sisters of mine who have already gotten married are having babies. Even though I have a piece of paper that had cost me $60,000 dollars of debt, have a great job and career, and am pretty much in all aspects a functioning adult... I am nowhere near ready to take the plunge and marry someone.

So now, I get to just attend these glorious events. Well, it’s finally came the time where someone of my inner circle has “put a ring on it.” Lucky me was picked to be maid of honor.  I have been very fortunate that this sister is not the complete bridezilla type, but I think that is a whole other topic… But as her big day approaches I need to get in gear and start writing my maid of honor speech.

A speech… shouldn’t be too hard, right? She is one my best friends. I am a journalist…  I write for a living… I’ve given tons of speeches. I mean I’m on the news every day. Well, I am thinking it’s not going to be so easy.

This is the biggest day of her life. It has to be perfect. I want to be funny because let’be real, those are the speeches people like to hear, but I don’t want to tell any stories that no one else gets or will actually laugh at. I something think I am funny and really aren’t (…also another story). We are best friends, sorority brought us together… well she didn’t have the same fondness and passion for sorority as I did.

So… there is a lot of pressure there. I think if I stick to the basics, talk about love and their relationship, I will be fine.

I think to myself though. Man this is a lot of pressure. It’s her big day. She is the first one of us to get married. I don’t want to be the one disappointing thing for her.

But it looks like I am just going to have to suck it up and make it the best I can. I just wish I had a few practice runs before someone so special to me decides to spend their life with another person. 

Survival of the Sorority Girls (#recruitmentprobs)

Recruitment. Rush. Hell Week? No matter how you define it, it means one thing, some are about to find a new home and some are about to meet the new members of their sisterhoods. It is a hard experience filled with a multitude of feelings and emotions all along with a lot of sweat! 

So why do it? And better yet....how do we survive it? It's easy to get discouraged and the main tip I can you is to power through. In the end, no matter how many times you cursed the idea of joining a sorority, it'll be worth it. But just in case you need some reassurance or perhaps someone showing you the ropes, I'm going to give you some survival tips on how to get through Recruitment week. 

First off// here's some lingo:

PNM: Potential New Member {AKA you}

Pi Chi, Pi Gamma, or Rho Gamma: Sorority Women who have disaffiliated (unable to be recognized as a member of a specific sorority) for recruitment week and are going to lead you to the different houses and be there to help you figure out any problems. 

Panhellenic: The entire group of sororities as a whole. Think of it as the Panhellenic board is like the government and each sorority is a state. 

Recommendations: Letters that sorority members or alumni will send to their specific sorority's house, a few weeks before recruitment, to speak on behalf of a PNM. Usually, this is a close friend or family member. These are great if you have them, but if not, don't freak. It's not a huge deal. 

Bid: The formal invitation that a sorority will offer to you at the end of the week to join their chapter. You will not be offered multiple bids, only one sorority will be able to extend the invite to you. 

 

 1 // BE YOURSELF.

I know I sound cliche when I say that, but the worst thing you can ever do is pretend to be something you're not. If you walk into a house, and be someone completely different then who you are, how do you ever expect to feel at home if you get a bid? Your sisters, whichever ones they are, are going to love the real you and if they don't...well then that's not really something you want to be a part of. 

2 // Don't believe the hype.   

Every sorority on your campus, whether it is big or small, considered "top tier" or not, has fantastic things and women to offer. Listening to rumors and marking off a house just because you might've heard something negative is stupid. But it happens all the time and many wonderful girls who would've fit in perfectly, never give it a try. Don't be "that PNM". 

3// Don't wear heels. 

No seriously. Don't do it. For one, you are going to be miserable the entire day and two, if you come into a house clomping around and focusing on how much you SHOULDN'T have worn the heels, you'll have a bad experience and it could hinder your thoughts of that house. Don't do it. Just say no. 

4//  Chill with the crazy makeup. 

You are beautiful and we want to see your natural beauty. Contrary to popular belief, most sororities don't want girls who are hiding behind layers of bronzer and eye shadow. Do the feminine, pretty, natural look and you will shine! (p.s. If you do tons of layers, it'll sweat off after one house anyways.) (p.p.s WATERPROOF MASCARA) 

5// Don't flaunt money (it's tacky) 

It's really nice that you have a David Yurman ring and Tiffany pearls, but we couldn't care less. We want to know about YOU, not your stuff. And for Gods sake, don't ask me if my sorority is for "rich girls only". (True story) 

6// Drink the water/ punch/ juice. 

I KNOW the rumor. We all know it. And no, we don't think you're fat if you take anything to drink. It's hot as hell outside and if you don't drink something, you are going to pass out. So take the drink. 

 

Lastly // Go with your gut. 

Choosing a sorority is difficult, but for most of you, you will know by the end of the week where you belong. Whether that means the house you came in with your heart set on, the one you never expected you'd like, or even deciding that sorority life isn't for you....you'll figure it out. And utilize your PiChis or Rho Gammas, they are there to talk and want you to find your place too. 

Most of all, enjoy every second and know that whatever sorority you find, you be joining years of fantastic women and setting out to form your new legacy! 

(My Bid Day!!!!) 

Much love,

Molly 

Little Problems Giveaway

Meet Lauren Ashley:

            Lauren is a Gamma Phi Beta at the University of West Florida. She originally joined at Costal Carolina in the Fall of 2010. Since then, she has become the president of her area's alumnae chapter in Northwest Florida.
           She started Little Problems in May 2012 as a way of keeping busy while her boyfriend was deployed to Afghanistan. Since the begining LP has grown in various ways she never thought would be possible. It first started as a small twitter account oringinally by a Little who loved and appreciated her Big. Little Problems is now many social media accounts, and a team of sorority women, and a webstore.
         By shopping with Little Problems, not only are you stocking up on fabulous products to share with your entire sorority line, but you're also helping a greater cause. Portions of each order placed with Little Problems are donated to an amazing charity of our choosing. So please, check out their shop as well as our awesome social media pages!


Little Problems Giveaway

The Blue Raspberry Shop Giveaway

Meet Caroline King:

           She is a current sophomore at Wofford College in South Carolina where she majors in Business Economics. She is a Tri Delt and is the current Treasurer of her chapter. She has another clothing company called Caroline Dawn. She loves doing anything creative which is why she started the Blue Raspberry Shop. She had painted a few pairs of Tom's and then everyone wanted them so she began to sell them. From there she grew into switch plates which is what she tends to sell the most of. Recently, she has added vinyl monograms and she is working into expanding the shop into embroidered monograms!

The Blue Raspberry Shop Giveaway

The Charm of One Tree Hill

               At the beginning of my summer I was trying to figure out what next show to start watching after I finished Orange is the New Black on Netflix. I was digging all around and asking my friends their opinions. One of them suggested One Tree Hill, and not going to lie I was skeptical... I just thought it was a long lost TV show and I knew that Chad Michael Murray was in it. That's about it. First episode was ok, it had small town charm and well a few cute people. The story line was interesting though, two brothers who grew up in different ways. One had a mother and their father in a big house and the other had his mother and their cafe all growing up in the town known as Tree Hill. Boy, did I not know what I was getting into.
              The first aired date for episode one of One Tree Hill was September 23rd, 2003... Which means I was about 10. That is kind of scary, how I was so young but yet still in 2014 I can relate to almost every episode that are in each series... maybe minus the crazy stalkers and kidnappers but I get it.
               For those of us who did grow up in smaller towns we all had a "Nathan Scott" or "Brooke Davis" we just had to search a little to find the diamond in the rough for "Lucas Scott". This town is somewhat of a fairy tale land though but it is a great escape from reality and it is definitely worth the time to watch it. For now, since I have finished this series I am on to one with a very similar small town feel... any guesses?