A Letter to my Freshman Self

 Dear freshman me,

It’s currently January 31, 2015 and that means that it’s been about a month and a half since you graduated from college. Right now, there are a lot of things I wish I did, or didn’t do, depending on the situation.

Go through recruitment now instead of next spring so that you can spend more time in your chapter and with the girls who will become your best friends. Those “friends” from freshman year, I know it may not be what you want to hear, but none of those friendships will truly last. Once in a while you’ll see the people you came to know but they aren’t going to be the truest of the true. That best friend of yours that talked you into coming to college here instead of the school you really wanted to, your friendship didn’t last through your first semester, but don’t worry because things will get better.

Freshman me, you’re going to want to do a lot of things, but always keep your future in mind. Think ahead and don’t ever forget where you want to go, no matter what you have to do to get there. Work hard, pull all nighters if you have to, but NEVER give up on your dreams. Right now, in spring of 2011, you’ve officially switched over to Criminal Justice and I promise you that you’ll fall in love with it. 22 year old you still dreams of becoming an FBI agent one day, so strive towards that, okay? You’re only 18, but be responsible!

As for those boys who broke your heart, don’t pay any attention to them because I can promise you that, once again, the best is yet to come. The summer of 2014, you’ll meet the one that’ll make you forget that anyone else is in the world. When you meet him, you’ll immediately know because he won’t come into your life quietly. He’ll obnoxiously message you telling you that he thinks you’re beautiful and you’ll bond over Marvel and everything nerdy. He’ll call you beautiful and princess and he’ll always listen to you and give you advice, no matter what your problem is.  He’ll be the one that listens to you and makes attempts to care about everything that’s happening in your life. Make sure you love him every single day and love him as hard as you can, because when you least expect it, you’ll wake up to a message that’ll change your world. I won’t be nice about it because you should be prepared, especially because I wasn’t. A drunk driver is how he met his untimely demise and you’ll feel like you’re dying. Heck…it’s 4 months later and I still feel like I’m dying inside but guess what, you’ll have your three best friends.

These girls have been there for you no matter what. You met one in February 2012 and the other two in September 2012. You may not know it when you meet them, but you’ll end up being inseparable. These are the girls who take you hiking and go with you to the restaurant you’ve wanted to go to since you moved here for college.

You’re probably wondering what 22 year old you is doing now and to be honest, you’re sitting at your room at your parents house in your hometown. Trust me, freshman me,  you have a job that you LOVE and you didn’t give that up, even for another job in another state that paid twice as much. When you’re looking through internships, you’ll know in your heart where you’re supposed to be.

18 year old me, hug your parents every day and call your grandparents to tell them hi and that you love them at least three times a week. They’re still here and doing well, but just let them know that you appreciate them and all they’ve done for you. You’ll pay it back to them when you graduate in December 2015.

That’s all for me. I’ve given you a lot of hints, but you have to write your own story and be your own person.

Good luck, freshman version of me. You’re going to be successful.

Xoxo,

22 year old, UCCS graduate version of me.

Decorating Your Dorm Room: Making a Comfortable Space in Your Home Away From Home

Going away to live at school is tough enough as it is, and on top of that when you’re living in a dorm that is completely bare and lifeless it’s hard to feel at home. Even though this is a temporary home for the time being, there is so much you can do to maximize the space you’re living in whether it be a dorm or an apartment, and I have a couple tricks and tips for you in order to make it cozy and comfortable; trust me you will totally forget that it’s even a dorm room! 

Start off by putting tons of memorabilia and fun photos on your walls! Filling up wall space is the easiest way to get rid of any echo, and to make the room feel more personalized. I would recommend adding a string of white Christmas lights, they add an amazing soft light quality in case you’re not in the mood to turn on the actual light, and an assortment of posters and photos are the best keepsakes to have while you’re away at school! I try to minimize poking tons of holes in my walls at school so I love displaying my pictures on a piece of twine or string with clothespins to hang the pictures, it’s super cute and DIY! It looks vintage-y and adds your personal touch to the room.

Make sure your bed is an oasis for you. After long days of classes and studying sometimes you just want to relax on your bed, this means you should have one or two throw blankets to keep you warm and cozy, and pillows! I have a “husband” pillow for when I want to lay down but still be able to use my laptop or read. I recommend even having a body pillow if you’d like, to add extra comfort to your sleeping/lounging space.

Rugs Rugs Rugs! Dorm floors are usually some type of gross, cold, tile. Add a cute rug that your feet will thank you for, it ties the room together and covers up the tile on the floor so it’s nice and soft when you get up out of bed! 

I love corkboards, they allow you to hang up any personal items you may have, letters, cards, photos, you name it! As the semesters go by I add whatever I collect from the semester on my boards whether they’re tickets or cards, I love being able to look back at items I’ve collected throughout the year which brings back so many memories!

Lastly, make it your own! Add some cute items that you can find at a store like HomeGoods! I have some cute mugs, organizers, jewelry holders, and some small statues that tie everything together in my room.

What’s most important about your space wherever you may be is to make it your own. You always want to be comfortable and relaxed when you’re in this space so make sure that it’s items that you like! Also, it’s better to sometimes go with a color scheme so things match and feel put together. No matter what you decide to do with your space make sure it’s a personal oasis for you!

Passion; The Key to Any Successful Career

This past Friday my fellow #sgt blogger,  Ali Faccenda’s, posted a blog entitled “Adjusting Your Sails and Changing Your Future”. (Note: If your have not read this post I highly suggest you do, it is an great piece that many college students can relate to).

After reading her moving piece about changing your career goals, I started thinking about my journey to discovering what I wanted to do as a profession.

Like many people, as a child, I wanted to be everything from a teacher to a marine veterinarian (and several things in-between).

While at different parts of my life, I wanted to be different things, and I am beyond lucky to have the opportunity to dream big.

I am not going to lie, it was a long road to get to this sort of certainty, and over time, I became wise enough to realize that just like a good pair of boots or a significant other, sometimes you need to find a few wrong ones before you find the right one.

 I am blessed to able to tell you the exact moment when I realized exactly what I wanted to be.

In my junior year of high school I was lucky enough to take my photo class. At this point, the walls of bedroom were collaged (I am not exaggerating) with photos. Needless to say, I was excited. 

On the first day, our teacher, Mr. Cronk, took us on a tour of the classroom and the darkroom. On the tour he stopped in front of a large poster of Ansel Adam’s (my favorite photographer) El Capitan photograph.

I was forever changed.

It was that moment where I knew that if I could inspire the emotions that I received looking at that beautiful photograph, I would be happy. I knew from then on that I wanted inspire people with my art, I wanted to be able to provoke the same kinds of emotional response that I felt looking at that picture.

While I knew what I wanted, it wasn't easy to convince others. My stepfather refused to let me apply to art school and consistently told me that I would never find a job and make money as photographer. He told me that my "passion" for photography could only be a hobby, and nothing more. 

I ended up going into Pace University with a Childhood Education Major. After my stepfather was out of the picture after my first semester freshman year, I changed my major to Media Communications and Journalism, with a photo minor. 

I was lucky enough to have a major where I was able to still help foster my ultimate goal of being a photographer (ideally, a photojournalist). 

A bachelors and Master's degree later, I am happy in my first post grad job as a photo editor, and I am hoping someday to be able to go back to school and get a photography degree, for me. 

What I realized during this self reflection is that every person needs to decided for themselves what they want and cannot let others redirect and smoother your passion. 

The key word is PASSION- if you want a career where you don't dread going to work everyday you have to allow your passion lead you into the right career.

The moral of the story is, whatever you decide to do as a career should align with your passions and that is your decision, and no one else’s. Don't worry if your don't know what is, you will figure it out. Don't worry if you change your mind mid degree- you will be fine. Just do something that excites you!

A Few Simple Ways to be Productive

Do you have the winter blues? All you wanna do is stay inside with your Netflix. If you're like me you have a hard time getting back into the swing of things after winter break. Here are some tips to help you get back on track:                            
 1. Wake up early: 
Even on week days that you don't have class or not until later in the afternoon still get up at a decent time. Try for 8 a.m. you'll be so surprised by how much you're able to get done when you don't sleep half the day away.    

 2. Get organized:
Have a planner, ect. And look at our post about getting organized.                  

3. Take breaks while studying:
Don't kill yourself looking at a book for hours. Instead take a few minute break every half hour or so. You'll retain more!   

  4. Get a good nights sleep. 
Try for 7-8 hours, it's hard to get things done when you're tired. Try having a weekday bedtime!                                                     

  5. Work then play: 
Things typically don't get done the other way around!               

6. Prioritize: 
Make a list of things you need to get done in order of due date, to ensure you don't miss anything.
Going back to school after a break is hard! However, you don't want a slow start to affect the rest of your semester. Keep it moving ladies!

42 Thoughts You Have During Preference Round

1. This is it
2. Like, this is the last day before I can hang out with my new little
3. I mean, new members
4. Because I didn’t claim my rush crush as my little already…
5. I hope they like the ceremony
6. Too bad we can’t do the ceremony in sweatpants
7. And with pizza
8. Wait now I need water
9. Would anyone notice if I took a cup that's for the PNMs?
10. I mean it’s for the welfare of a recruiter, here
11. OMG, 5 minute warning
12. Game face
13. But I'm supposed to smile
14. They all look so nice!
15. *Making conversation with rush crush* I hope we are her top choice so far
16. Time to get deep here
17. She’s so cool
18. I should offer her the water
19. Man I could use that water
20. Time to seal the deal here
21. Ah, nothing better than bragging about my sorority
22. Wow, my life sounds so great
23. She smiled
24. And giggled
25. She must want us
26. Oh, time for the ceremony!
27. This heels thing is not going to work out for too much longer
28. Ugh, my sisters are so precious
29. Crap I think I am crying
30. I can’t cry too much
31. I need a cute cry
32. But I just love this sorority and these sisters
33. It’s crazy that these other women in here might be my sisters soon!
34. That PNM is tearing up!
35. This is so great
36. Time to walk her out and finish this up
37. Her wish better be the same as mine
38. One step closer to bid day
39. Bid Day. Bid Day. Bid Day.
40. Our theme is totally going to look the best
41. Oh, group photo!
42. #recruitment

Throw What You Know Giveaway

        Every sorority throws their sign up in pictures with sisters, scenic backgrounds, and especially recruitment or bid day but did you know that their is a website called twykdecals.com? 

        Throw What You Know Decals is all about us sorority girls. They specialize in making high quality products for college sorority members! From decals, to ornaments and wine glasses, their products create the perfect, unique gift for a sister, big, or little! And if you love their products and want to get involved? Learn more about being a campus representative!
       I recently got a bunch of their products and needless to say their amazing. Their glasses are engraved with letters and their stickers are beautiful, not to mention come in Lilly Pulitzer print. I plan on putting a sticker on the back of my car and one on my laptop. You can never have enough items to represent your sorority, fraternity and the person you are.

 

Instagram TWYK pictures and make sure to tag us to get a special shout out on our Instagram! And use the code "Thankyou20" to get a discount on the site. ONLY LASTS while the giveaway is available. 

TWYK Decals ZTA Mug Giveaway TWYK Decals DZ Wine Glass Giveaway TWYK SAE Glass Giveaway

Why Your Girlfriends Are Actually Your Soulmates

Think about it. If you're like me, you probably spend more time with your girlfriends than you do with your significant other or the person who you want to be your s.o.

Whenever I'm in a relationship, I never let that overpower the friendships that I've held with so many others before that silly ol' boy came around.

My girlfriends, nay, my best friends, have always been there for me when nobody else (other than family) was. They've seen me at my best and held me at my worst. They were there when the love of my life passed away and they were the suppliers of Mikes Hard and Smirnoff Ice when I couldn't get myself to leave my apartment. They're the ones that have force-fed me when I wouldn't eat or who would tell me that no, I didn't need that extra handful of the delicious puppy chow that my roommate made.

They're the ones that listen to me tell pointless stories over and over again and laugh at my jokes, even when they aren't really that funny. My best friends are the ones that I communicate with over Xbox Live when we're on opposite sides of the map in COD when we're kicking butt and taking names.

My best friends inspire me to be the best that I can be and I am truly the most of who I am whenever I am with them. I never fear being judged and I know I can depend on them, regardless of whether it's 1 pm or 4 am. They're there for me. They're my people.

"My best friends are my soulmates, and guys are just somebody for us to have fun with."

Adjusting Your Sails and Changing Your Future

Did you ever wake up one day and wonder, am I going towards the right career path? Is this career really what I want to do for the rest of my life? Do I love it that much? And the scariest answer you can come up with is “I don’t want to have that profession anymore”. This exact scenario happened to me my second semester of sophomore year. All my life, from the young age of 6 or 7 I loved playing “teacher.” I adored teaching my younger brother out of my old elementary school books, making up play worksheets for him, and teaching him on my infamous white board. The scariest day of my life was when that all changed and my mind and heart didn’t want to teach anymore.

I went into college knowing that I wanted to teach at an elementary school level. I adored children, and ever since I was young, teaching was what I wanted to do. When I finally got to college, made it through my freshman year, and approached my sophomore year, I started to realize that teaching wasn’t what it was when I was younger. It wasn’t something I was really passionate about anymore. This frightened me, I had already gone through one whole year of college, and my first semester of sophomore year, and finally realized that the path I was going on wasn’t what I wanted to do anymore. My older brother, changed his major several times in college, and I told myself that that wouldn’t be me when I was in college and it turns out it’s exactly me. All that time I thought he was being incredibly indecisive, and didn’t really care about what he went to school for, but it took until myself going through the same thing to realize that sometimes your heart isn’t in things anymore. Sometimes, it takes looking to your hobbies to figure out what it is you want to be doing in the future, and trust me it is extremely scary figuring out what you want to do for the rest of your life but for me there’s so much I want to do and accomplish.

I want to get into the Disney College Program, I want to work in the place where dreams come true and where countless amounts of mine did. I grew up in Disney, it’s practically a second home away from home and to be able to work there would be one of the biggest dreams come true. I want to work for a magazine, I want to put my heart and soul into working at one or possibly writing for one. I want to work where I put my faith and trust in all throughout growing up, the infinite amounts of magazines that I looked to as my holy bibles to get through adolescence. I want to make my blog even more successful than it already is. I want to start my own makeup line or maybe own my own boutique. What I’m getting at is that I’m 21 years old, almost done with college, and can’t figure out that ONE thing that I want to do. Because there isn’t just one thing, there’s tons of things, and I’m starting to be okay with that. It’s okay to love and be good at so many different things because it’s what makes you diverse and well learned. What I have found out though is that writing for blogs and possibly working for a magazine is something I’ve finally figured out. And although I changed my mind in college [which I never claimed I would do] I’m happy I figured it out and am going after something that now interests me and gets my creative juices flowing.

So I recommend you go out there and find what makes you happy, not your parents, not your friends, YOU. Find what gets your heart going, and makes you feel good while doing it whatever it may be. Everyone has always told me “Oh you’re not going to make good money doing that” well at this point in life my goal is to be happy. Of course I like expensive things and have lavish taste, but at the price of having a miserable job and a ton of money, it’s not worth it. I need something that makes me happy more than something that gives me a million dollars. Don’t be afraid to go out there and change your mind and don’t feel pressured to only want to accomplish one thing in life because I guarantee you there is so much more out there than the one thing you want as a career.

Preparing For Your Big's Graduation

One of the greatest things about joining a sorority is getting a big. I remember ecstatically waiting to see who my big would be ( I can assure you, I was not disappointed). Your big is your role model, your friend, the person who will help guide you as you enter this new and exciting world of Greek Life and, even more importantly life. So naturally, it is a difficult transition as your big's graduation date approaches.   With spring semester starting, many little's are now facing that daunting realization that there big is graduating into the big girl world.  To help ease some of the sadness, here is a list of tips to help make your last semester with your big the best one yet!

1) Hang out as much as you can. This may seem obvious but the the hustle and bustle of school it is easy to forget.

2) Start creating traditions that can go on after your big graduates.  Weather it is a weekly movie night or a monthly coffee date, have a scheduled time to be together allows you to plan ahead.

3) Take a ton of pictures. Every event, or trip to the bar, or just casual hang out sessions, document the moment. Being able to look back and be reminded of your time together, it will help easy the feeling of lost after you go from seeing them everyday to every few weeks. 

4) Speaking of pictures, plan something special to give your big for graduation, For example, with all those pictures, a scrapbook is a great graduation present! I made one for my big and she loved it!

5) Have the younger members of your sorority, especially if they are in your tree, get to know your big too. Long after your graduated your big and you will still be part of the chapter, it is important to leave some sort of impact or legacy.

So as you prepare to enter your spring semester, remember to use the opportunity to spend as much time with your big as possible, cause before you know it, you will be the big graduating and leaving her little for the many opportunities that the world has to offer.

What does a sorority girl look like?

Skinny, pretty, blonde, long hair. That is an imagine conjured up by many people not in Greek Life when they think about sorority women. I love legally blonde but it did nothing to help this image. In truth many sororities are diverse with different sizes, shapes, races, and backgrounds. The girls don't all look similar and go everywhere all at once. In fact it's diversity that make chapters strong. Having a multitude of perspectives is what helps a sisterhood to grow and become more well rounded.
On my campus my chapter is known for being diverse something I am very proud of. We may not be known as the prettiest sorority on campus but people know that we have beautiful girls inside and out. Knowing that my chapter cares more about the character of the girls than the looks says that we uphold our values and choose our sisters based on the principles of Love, Labor, Learning. and Loyalty. All of my sisters are amazing women with diverse interest that bring something to our sisterhood.
A sorority girl does not look one certain way. She can be tall, short, thin, plump, black, or white. Sorority women are not constrained to these stereotypes that society has placed on us. Its fine to be slim and blonde, however if that's not what you are, you should still feel proud to wear letters and to represent your chapter. You are an amazing asset to your sorority and they saw something in you that they wanted, so don't let stereotypes make you shy.

What It's Like Going to the Gym for the First Time in a Year

I have a confession to make: I don't exercise. Unless you consider dancing to Taylor Swift while singing into a can of hairspray a workout, because then I exercise like four times a day.

I knew working out was important, but I never had the motivation (AKA was too lazy) to go to a gym because I didn't know what to do in one. I took Zumba classes, but I didn't do regular workouts. Was embarrassing myself staring at the odd metal machines worth the trip? It didn't seem as rewarding as going to the cafeteria and eating three cookies.

Last week I decided to start making an effort and go 'gymming' with a sorority sister. She can help me understand what to do to make the most of the gym on campus. I decided to go because I had read an article about how unhealthy food isn't only bad for your body, but it also can cause acne. I have had trouble with my skin throughout my life, so I thought, "if how I handle my health can make that much change, I should take better care of myself."

For some reason, that one article did it to me.

So I whipped out my workout clothes that I thought would have motivated me sooner to go to a gym and headed out early with my sorority sister, Jamie. She said we would start out with 15 minutes on the bicycles first. I think I was on a basic level, but it seemed right to be on that level in order to get through the full 15 minutes. I watched a TV show with the subtitles, which really distracted me from the minutes I was pedaling.

Once Jamie stopped, we cleaned the equipment and went to another floor to continue the workout. I felt somewhat accomplished, but ready for more.

On the next floor were these obscure structures that I knew were for abs and legs and arms, but I was not sure how. Being with a friend in my mind meant it was okay to be a little embarrassing, so I messed around with a couple of available machines to see if I knew how to use them. I didn't. So I let Jamie show me what to do.

Eventually we settled at a bench for sit-ups. (After a Google search I discovered that this is called a sit-up bench. K.) Jamie handed me a medicine ball and positioned herself on the bench. After we each did three rounds of passing the ball back and forth ten times while doing sit-ups, I was surprisingly ready to keep going.

The last workouts we did were for our inner and outer thighs. Looking at the labels, I read that they are called hip adductor and hip abductor machines. I learned some new words that day.

Jamie and I had fun on these machines while singing along to the songs playing in the gym. On my third and final round at the machine, I managed to make it through all ten reps. 

Since we had other things to do, we left after that. After about a half hour of exercise, I felt pretty good.

Then the soreness came in.

Days later I still felt the pain in my abs and inner thighs. Save me.

I had no idea that the soreness would last multiple days, which apparently is super embarrassing to not know. "It's good. It means it worked and it was a good workout," my more in-shape sisters would say. I used to think people were just bragging when they said how they were sore, but this was like cramps throughout the body. This was also the moment where I discovered why people have "leg day" and "arm day" to alternate the focus of pain. I'm telling you I really didn't know this stuff.

Anyway, a little less than a week later and I can now reflect on this experience. There was a quote on a mirrored wall at the gym that really resonated with me: "The difference between try and triumph is just a little umph!" Putting in that extra effort to do something good for myself was rewarding, and I definitely want to do it again. I will admit, however, that I may need the motivation of going with a friend to push me in the beginning. Because that soreness, like, WOW.

Organization is Key

Moving back into your apartment or dorm after a long winter break all anyone wants to do is take a nap. If you rethink that and organize your helping yourself in the long run. 

1. Reorganized your closet. Color code your closet, it helps make everything easier when you are picking an outfit out for the day or even for a night out on the town.

2. Reorganize your desk. A clear desk helps promote working on things like papers, projects, etc. Have a place for all of your pens, pencils, and markers while leaving a space to put your laptop.

3. Utilize your planner. If your school is anything like mine, our teachers post the syllabus before classes start. Write down all those important dates and color code it. It gives me so much relief to see what and where I have to be and at what time.

4. Prepare your bag. Back pack or tote put everything you may need in it. I always will have the usual pencils, pens, white out, highlighter, and scissors. I also have Advil, tissues, lotion, nail clippers, hand sanitizer, and deodorant.