Coping With The Loss Of An Active Member

Handling the loss of anyone is intolerably difficult and handling the loss of an active member or any member of your chapter past or present is even more difficult. I get chills and goosebumps as I sit here thinking of ways to do this subject justice. First, I need to remember that I am so grateful as my chapter has not experienced the pain and hardship of losing a sister. However, I have seen first hand the suffering (of chapter members, entire Greek communities, and close friends) that death brings upon those left behind. My hope by writing this post is to bring peace to those suffering and to extend my support to anyone who has ever had to endure this type of struggle. 

Greek Life at SVSU Fall 2014

At my university, over the last two years, we've had to cope with the untimely passing of two specific gentlemen, one an alumni of Tau Kappa Epsilon and the other an active member of Phi Kappa Tau. My entire Greek community felt the heartbreak of not only the families of these two individuals but the pure, pit-in-the-stomach, agony the active members and alumni of these chapters were feeling. We, as Greek life, came together to attend memorial ceremonies, Relay for Life remembrance walks, and even attended the funerals of these individuals regardless of if we knew them personally or not. Being Greek is much more than bid day parties, themed mixers, decorated paddles, socials, fundraising events, and philanthropic endeavors. Being Greek means having not just your entire sisterhood or brotherhood to stand by your side in tough times, but an entire community of individuals who share their support with you in good times and bad. 

Kappa Sigma May 2014

One story that I will share comes from the Sigma Zeta chapter of Kappa Sigma at Northwood University in Midland, MI. I have had the pleasure of being very close with these gentlemen over the course of my college career. I've been able to see the their brotherhood blossom from a simple colony to receiving their charter and becoming a thriving part of Greek Life at NU. If there's one common trend I've been able to observe through each brother of this fraternity it's that they truly have a bond with each other, exactly what brotherhood should be. Recently, one of their active members, Austin, was taken from them too soon. Although I had only met Austin once, I knew immediately that he was one of those all around good guys. He was a genuine person with a desire to make others happy. I asked a few of Austin's fraternity brothers what they like most about Austin and how they will remember him. The responses I got filled my heart with bliss. "He always lit up the room and was always smiling! He was always game for anything and he never worried about what the next day might bring, that's what I admire most about him. He could make anyone, and I mean anyone, laugh. Everyone just loved being around him." said Nick Schummer, an alumni member of Kappa Sigma and very close friend of Austin's. "He was always happy and energetic. He was always smiling. He was someone who could make friends with virtually anyone and hold a conversation with them." said Jay Banks, an alumni member of Kappa Sigma and Austin's Big Brother. 

Austin with his big bro, Jay.

For many, losing a friend or a family member is the most difficult part of life. If I had to explain what it's like to lose a member of Greek Life, specifically a member of your chapter, it's like placing one hundred wine glasses on a tablecloth and having the cloth ripped out from underneath without warning. Ultimately, the glass will shatter into tiny pieces but what happens after that is what makes being Greek such an incredible thing. When you're standing in front of this disaster, wondering how you'll manage to pick up each and every piece you see out of the corner of your eye a glimmer of relief. Before you know it you have one, four, twenty, fifty, possibly even hundreds of people each picking up a piece of the broken glass for you. You are reassured that you are not in this alone.

Austin with a couple of fraternity brothers and close friends.

When I asked Kappa Sigma what they did to support one another other than the obvious phone calls, text messages, and other forms of communication, I was humbled by the response I received. I expected nothing less from this chapter of gentlemen. "At his service we did a passing ritual at his grave site. We had about 30 brothers and alumni members present for this service." said John McGrane, the current President of Kappa Sigma - Sigma Zeta. 30 brothers and alumni, traveling from all corners of Michigan and even from out of the state to remember Austin and stand by each other as brothers to grieve the loss of their dear friend and member of their fraternity family. That is extraordinary. Furthermore, Kappa Sigma will hold a balloon launch at Northwood University on September 1st in remembrance of Austin for the entire Greek Community and student body to attend.

I think what truly hits home for me is the fact that very rarely do you find a group of individuals like this who will travel hundreds of miles to give support when support is needed. Something as simple as standing by your fraternity brother, sorority sister, or any member of your Greek community in a time of need is what being Greek is really all about. Being part of Greek Life has given me and thousands of others the extra family we needed to get us not only through college but through life post-grad too.

This happens more often than any of us would like to think about. From car accidents, to disease, to acts of self harm, we lose people who are so very near to us too often. If you're trying to cope with the loss of a member of your Greek community or even a close friend you made in college, know that you are not alone. Remember the incredible times you've had with this person and share those memories with others to keep their spirit alive. If you're Greek, if you're not affiliated with any organization, or if you never went to college but you're still finding yourself in this same boat of trying to cope with the loss of someone close to your heart, this one is for you. From my heart to yours - 

Trend Spotter: Recruitment

Well ladies, the time is upon us. For those of you who are participating in recruitment, welcome to the club. No matter what sorority you find a home in, all of us are glad you are here. There are a few things however that I hope you wil take into consideration.

1// It's not the big show you think it is.

 Yes, we practice for weeks before you arrive and we are very ready to meet you, but you don't have to impress us with your clothing. I have rushed many girls and I have never once noticed what brand they were wearing or the accessories they had. Of course, you want to look professional and cute but don't go all out or suffer all day in an uncomfortable outfit for our benefit. As much as you may think we aren't, we are far more interested in your conversation than your clothes. 

2// Cool it with the makeup. 

Seriously, like seriously. I will take note way more if you come up to me totally "cake faced" as opposed to a natural glow. No matter who you are; I am far more interested in your personality than your ability to look like Snooki. 

3// Don't show off your money.

There is this rumor about sorority girls and maybe it was true in the past, but it's definitely not now, at least not for me. I don't care if you come into our house showing off a Michael Kohrs watch or a Tiffany's necklace or David Yurman ring, there is a major difference between style and showing off, and we don't like showing off. 

4// Prepardness isn't Weakness 

For some reason, girls think that having things like an umbrella looks bad. Why? Like honestly, why? I wish I knew where all these crazy rumors came from! We don't see you preparing for weather as a bad thing and for the record, if you didn't prepare, and you come into our house soaked head to toe, I hope you know we're more concerned about helping you out instead of judging you. Sisters are sisters.

5// Dress cute but be yourself! 

Of course we want to see your style, that's a major part of you! The biggest critic you will have during recruitment is yourself. Don't allow yourself to feel any different. Dress according to guidelines, but make it your own style. I love to see that more than anything! 

At the end of the day, the most important thing to rock is your confidence. We are so very thrilled you have chosen to go through recruitment, and I wish all of you the best of luck! 

Five Things You Should Thank Your College Best Friend For

As some of you may know, I am the Greek Life Blogger for Sorority Girl Thoughts. So, you're probably asking yourself, "How does thanking your college best friend play into Greek Life? That doesn't make sense..." and that, my friends, is where I begin my story. Your college best friends, not to be confused with your high school best friends because those people are incredibly important too, but your college best friends have most definitely seen it all. They've been with you through some of your most stressful and most exciting times in your young adult life. They've witnessed you change from a weird little freshman to the confident, leader you are today. My college best friendships all blossomed from being part of Greek Life. If I would have never joined a sorority, specifically my sorority, I would have never become such great friends with these people and my life would be entirely different. Oddly enough, one of the best friends I've ever had is from the same city that I am. We went to rival high schools and never met each other until we were in college, both in the same sorority. More times than not, I forget to thank my college best friends for all they have done for me through good times and bad. Maybe you lived with your college best friend or maybe your college best friend is someone you never thought in a million years you would be friends with. Whatever your case may be, here's a little list of things I feel are very important to thank your college bff for.

Look at the beauty that is my bff and ignore my strange choice of bat necklace accessory. 

1. Thank them for the times they went out of their way just to see you smile. I cannot tell you how important simple acts of kindness are in times of need. If it's stress from finals week, a break up, failing a class, losing a job, or just trying to juggle too much all at once - your college best friend is always there for you because, chances are, they understand your pain. 

2. Thank them for the times they were your biggest fan or biggest support system when you felt like the weight of the world was on your shoulders. You probably didn't even realize that they were giving you the support you needed or maybe you did. Regardless, your college best friend noticed you struggling to do all that you tried (and probably succeeded at) accomplishing. They took the initiative to give you an extra ounce of courage to motivate you just enough to get the job done. 

#TBT to that wonderful time when KTE and TKE were paired for Greek Week 2014

3. Thank them for the nights when you wanted to stay in but they made you go out with them anyway. Honestly, you probably had so much fun you completely forgot about the hours you wanted to spend binge watching netflix with no pants on while eating macaroni and cheese from the pan skinny pop popcorn. Thank your best friend for helping you show the real world that you're one hot piece of sass and a heck of a good time too! 

Spontaneous, unofficial Summer mixer with the gents of Kappa Sigma. (NOTE: everyone is of age)

4. Thank them for knowing your order at Starbs, Chipotle (or Qdoba for the Queso Lovers), Jimmy Johns, all-time favorite snack, or for simply knowing your favorite flavor of Gatorade. The fact that your bestie knows and remembers these specific details about you and can easily save you from mid-day hanger, starvation, or the worst hangover known to mankind, deserves an award all on its own.

Some of the best pledge sisters a girl could ask for.

5. Thank them for sticking by your side. It's not always easy, we all know that. Sometimes you're difficult or moody and sometimes your college bff is too. Friends come and go for one reason or another. Fights happen. Distance happens especially with this thing called "growing up and moving away". But really though, was there a class on that topic because I sure wasn't prepared for it to start happening. Thank your college best friend for always, no matter what, being there for you to give you a laugh, a hug, a snap back to reality (oh, there goes gravity), or whatever you need to get you through the day. At this point in life, real friends are so precious and hard to come by.

My big and I color coordinating per usual.

If your college best friends have all gone their separate ways or if you're still making enough memories to last you a life time, don't forget to take a moment to thank them for all they've done for you. 

What is your favorite memory with your college best friend? Let us know in the comments below!

Having More Than One Little

With the fall semester quickly approaching, it's that time of year again. Yes, school is starting and that's just dreadful exciting but that also means recruitment is right around the corner. With recruitment comes PNMs and with PNMs comes the potential for new littles. Perhaps this is your time to shine and take one of these new girls under your wing to become their big sister or maybe you've been an active member of your organization for a while and have had the opportunity to take more than one little. Whatever the case may be, sharing the experience of your sorority (or fraternity) with your little is so special and it is a relationship that should not be taken lightly. I have one actual little sister, Little J, who is an initiated member of my sorority and I cherish our relationship to no end. 

Little J and I at her initiation (as seen on TSM).

I also have five other individuals who are very much like littles to me, I call them my "unofficial littles". They're equally as important and I try my best to make sure I'm always there to support them. Each one of them incorporates a unique piece to my puzzle that I call life. To put it in simple terms that might help you understand, they're like my adopted children and their Greek affiliation (or lack of Greek affiliation) does not matter to me because I'll be there for them for life. Maybe you've been in a similar circumstance or maybe you share your big with another person and are having a difficult time adjusting. So, without further ado, here are a few key points I've put together of what you should and should not do if you have a little, multiple littles, or if you're considering taking a little in the future.

You Should: Have group dates. Make your littles hang out with each other because, let's face it, you'll probably graduate before any of them and be off into the real world before they know it. Having those family bonds solidified before you graduate makes the transition much easier for everyone involved. Plus, it's always nice to have someone in your corner if your big is not around. 

You Should: Treat them equally. No one likes to feel left out so even if your connection with one little is stronger than it is with your other little(s), always make an effort to show them you care.

Different Day. Different Little. Different Leggings. Same Pose.

You Should: Celebrate their accomplishments! Little one got a new car, little two got a new puppy, little three killed their internship interview. No matter how big or small these events are, they're important to your little. Let them know that you're thinking about them! 

You Should: Make a fun family name or give each little a nickname. Like I mentioned, I have acquired a small family of littles. We are the Nugget Family, not like chicken nuggets, but somehow that's the association that's transpired. So, as a result, they're my little pack of nugs. We even have our own secret Facebook group for easy communication but we'll pretend like I didn't just spill the beans with that one. 

Some of the Nugget Family at a tailgate event.

You Should: Take note of how each little reacts in a troubling situation or when dealing with stress and anxiety. Some people love to be hugged and soothed during times like these when others just need a pat on the back and an ice cream cone. Know how to help your little through these tough times. 

You Should Not: Favor one little over another. Yes, of course, sometimes you can't control the connection you have with someone but don't let it show. Always, always, always try to remain neutral. 

You Should Not: Forget the important dates in your littles' lives. Birthdays, anniversaries, milestones - write them down for yourself so you can always send some love their way on these special days.

You Should Not: Let too much time pass in between hanging out or catching up. Obviously, it's hard to coordinate with multiple schedules especially when you have a busy schedule of your own. However, you're never too busy to shoot your littles individual texts or messages to let them know you're thinking about them. 

You Should Not: Disown your little. Every so often, people who share a very close bond get annoyed with each other and feel that it's necessary to push back. Try not to do this, especially with your little. It's okay to have disagreements but mend those ties as soon as possible. Even if your little irritates you and you find yourself filled with negative emotions, always make an effort to mend the relationship. Your little is like your child and you have assumed the role of a parent - remember that always. Your little is yours for life not just for four years. 

Twinning with Little J.

If you have one little or twenty littles, your little looks up to you probably more than you realize. In many cases, you're the one that drives their passion for your organization or Greek Life and you give them the tools necessary for being an incredible big one day too. Aside from that, they learn from you. You indirectly teach them, hopefully, the right ways to navigate college and they usually keep you on your toes. The best way to summarize this would be to say, treat your little(s) how you would want to be treated. Best of luck this Fall if you're searching for your first, second, or even your third little. Whatever number you're on, having a little is always an awesome experience. 

What's your favorite memory with your big or little? Comment below and let us know! 

What Your Mother Doesn't Tell You About: Going Greek

What Your Mother Doesn't Tell You About: Going Greek

You've seen it on TV. You've read about it in magazines. You've probably even seen these people on your college campus. You guessed it, I'm talking about the men and women of Greek Life. The leaders, scholars, philanthropists, and friends who make your college experience one worth living. Let me take you back to the first week of your freshman year in college, that was five years ago for me. You probably lived on campus, went to freshman orientation, and met some pretty cool people called your roommates. You might have even lived with your bestie from high school. My first week of freshman year was literally the worst week of my life. I go to a university that is less than 30 minutes away from my hometown. So, naturally, I thought commuting from home would be way better than living on campus because there would be so much more room for activities at my house (step brothers? get it? anyone?). Anyway, I began my first day of class with no new, cool, awesome friends that lived in my dorm hall. There were freshman orientations for students who lived on campus the weekend before classes started and commuters could attend those events too but I refused to attend those fun, inviting, probably really great events that I should have. So, back to that first semester. I knew I wanted to go Greek. I wanted to join a sorority, particularly one of the sororities on my campus that I am legacy to. I met a few cool people the first couple of weeks of school but we were just "in class" friends and nothing more. I had been dying for the day to come when I could receive a bid from my legacy sorority, run home to them, and live happily ever after. Fall 2010 recruitment came and I'm not really sure if I was shy or if I just expected to be handed this set of beautifully crafted letters but I did not put forth the effort that recruitment period. I probably wasn't ready to join a sorority even though I thought I 100% was. I came back out during Winter 2011 for recruitment. This time, it was better for me but I still had the same, common misconception that letters would just appear in front of me and life would be sunshine and daisies. While I did receive a bid to my legacy sorority I did not choose to become a PNM (potential new member) of their organization. Why? Why was this not what I thought it would be? Why did I walk away from something I had wanted so badly for so many years? What your mother doesn't tell you about going Greek is that you have to FIND your HOME. You can't base your decision off of what sorority your grandma, your mom, or your sister were in because everyone is different, weird right? I spent the rest of my freshman year and most of my summer trying to transfer to my university's rival school. When that wasn't in the cards for me, I found myself starting my second year at the same university I hated, still with no new friends. I had missed out on a lot by this point in my college career. Sure, I had been to a few parties freshman year but I was missing out on the experience of having real, true friends. So, I spent a lot of time my first semester of my second year in college visiting my friends from high school who went to other universities. Why? Because oddly enough, most of them were Greek. They were having the time of their lives with their sisters if they were in a sorority or their brothers if they were in a fraternity. They had found their homes which was something I thought I had no chance of finding at my university. Now, when I say "home" I don't mean a literal house in which you live - I mean an extension of yourself, a family, a group of people to support you no matter what. I sound like this was all about making friends but really it was about finding my place and making myself happy. Okay so, back on track, first semester of my second year. I met a girl in my 300 level creative writing class, we'll call her Marissa. Marissa was part of this local sorority I had never heard of on my campus, Kappa Tau Epsilon. Marissa was their recruitment chair and encouraged that I check KTE out the following semester. I was blind to the local sorority world because I grew up in a family of NPC (national panhellenic conference) sorority women. Before talking with Marissa, I thought local sororities were made up and not real things, like, they didn't really exist. I was completely and entirely wrong. Winter 2012, I gave it a shot and I checked it out. I went to all of the recruitment events of this local sorority. The very first girl I met when I walked into KTE's recruitment was a girl who would later become my big but we'll talk about her in a different post.

My big and I (after I already knew she was my big but we can pretend I didn't know).

 I instantly had a connection with her, a connection I cannot put in to words. After walking into the room and meeting many of the other girls that first day, I knew I had found exactly where I belonged. And so, I began my local sorority (which really isn't too different than a national sorority) journey with Kappa Tau Epsilon. Flash forward to present day - I am starting my sixth year in college and my fourth year as a sister of Kappa Tau Epsilon. I am currently KTE's recruitment chair and this is my second time serving on our executive board. I could not be happier to be such a big part of the potential new members' recruitment process. I am very excited to meet the girls coming through recruitment this fall and I'm delighted I get to experience my last Fall recruitment as recruitment chair.

KTE taking a break to be silly while preparing for Fall 2015 recruitment.

What your mother doesn't tell you about going Greek is that it is not an instant process. Sometimes it takes time and effort. You might have to try and try again before you find your home or you might click with girls of a specific chapter immediately and never look back. The point is, take a risk. Experience what is out there. Have an open mind. Take a chance. Going Greek is by far the best thing I've ever done in my life and I bet it will be the best thing you do in yours too. 

Traveling with You Sisters- A Life Changing Experience

For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to travel. I know a lot of people say this, but in all honesty, in the deepest part of my soul, all I want is this world is to be able to see the world through my lens, capture it, and inspire others to do the same (if I got paid to do this that would be a great bonus).

Growing up, my father was never too keen on me being anywhere away from his abusive household. As I grew, my walls became covered with pictures and collages of the many places I wanted to visit. He would always tell me that I would never be able to go anywhere with out him, and I am sure, long before I realized how crazy he was, that every day I felt more and more trapped and thus longed to pick up and go anywhere my heart desired.

Sometime after my father was out of the picture, I was able to take my first adventure. In November of 2011, I registered for a travel course to spend 11 days exploring Greece at the end of May 2012. This was a dream come true for me, especially since years before I became “Greek” myself, I have always wanted to visit and learn about, in my mind, the most beautiful culture in the world.

The best part about this upcoming trip was knowing that I wasn’t going alone. Not only would I be traveling  to the most beautiful country in the world with a class, and a professor I already knew but I would be traveling to Greece with 5 others of my sorority sisters.

Traveling along Greece with my sisters brought us all closer. We learned a lot about the country, each other, and even ourselves. it was an experience that I wouldn’t want to share with anyone else and to this day, I encourage my fellow sisters to take the opportunity to take travel with each other.

And now I am telling you, take the opportunity while you young to travel with your sorority sisters because there are very few experiences in this world that would ever compare!

For me, this made my first traveling experience that much better. I was able to witness the true beauty of the country that is very much a part of me and my fellow Greeks, I was able to see the letters and recognize them, see the agriculture, and art, and country side and felt oddly connect to the place. It was comforting to know that I was not alone, that 7 other individuals (five  in my chapter, two in other sororities) felt that same connection. To this day, I long for the feelings that trip gave me, I long to be back, and I always look back and remember how we felt on that trip together, because all of were better people because of it.

How Greeks Celebrate Pi Day

In case you avoid math or don't eat dessert or never learned the Greek alphabet, this past Saturday was National Pi Day.

And it was not just any Pi Day.

The first five digits of pi are 3.1415, and the date this year was 3/14/15.

We can take this a step further. And we can extend the digits of pi further. Pi continues on to be 3.141592653

If you happened to have looked at a clock on 3/14/15 at 9:26:53 AM/PM, then you saw some unmatched coincidental history!

Pi Day was created to celebrate the birth of Albert Einstein, but it is often used now as an excuse to eat pie and create great puns within the Greek community.

Fraternities and sororities have often had "Pi(e) a Phi" or similarly titled events to raise funds for philanthropies or dues. This money maker is as simple as buying cans of whipped cream and plates and charging people a small donation to pie a member in the face. I took part in this celebration this year to help a math fraternity, because I can't help but support a good cause!

How did you choose to celebrate this special day? Did you get a chance to pie anyone? Or at least eat some pie? Or... do math homework?

Love Being in a Sorority? There's a Way You Can Do It Professionally!

Sisterhood events, semi-formals, recruitment, philanthropy work. Sororities really offer some of the best experiences in college. But why let the fun end there? There are many ways to keep the exciting memories coming after the first four years. You can join the local alumnae chapter or volunteer as a chapter advisor or chaperone your chapter's dances. These opportunities can be very rewarding, but there is a way to have all of this AND get paid!

Have you ever had a consultant visit your chapter? Those positions are typically contracted full time jobs for recent graduates. I graduated this past May, and received a job right out of college as a Leadership Development Consultant for Phi Sigma Sigma. As I was spending my last semester going to my internship in New York City, attending all of my classes, participating in sorority events, and doing my homework full of reading, writing papers, and preparing for exams, I frantically searched for full time jobs. I started hearing about an opportunity to be a traveling consultant for Phi Sigma Sigma after I had already applied to countless jobs. Even though working for my sorority was not my plan for after graduation, I decided to apply and see what could happen. So far, being a consultant has been a unique and exhilarating experience!

For Phi Sigma Sigma and many other Greek organizations, qualifications include being a graduate in good standing with the fraternity, having strong written and oral communication skills, and having the ability to foster and demonstrate teamwork and cooperation. Being a consultant means motivating and inspiring others to make the most of their collegiate experience while fostering leadership and positive growth. 

In return for the hard work advising and educating members on chapter operations and recruitment, this position sharpens many professional skills such as project and budget management, conflict resolution, event planning, and public speaking. This temporary position is a great stepping stone into any field because of these invaluable skills. 

OK, now for the real perks of the job. Like the title states, this is an opportunity to be a professional sorority woman! Even though I am a representative from Headquarters, I get all the perks of sorority life. I attend fun events for various chapters like a Zumba class with froyo for a health and wellness event, and Make a Wish parties for philanthropy work, and even recruitment video shoots. Not to mention all of the great conferences and training sessions with the headquarters staff! Plus, I am always getting countless free Phi Sig swag. Most of all, I get to see the positive change I make on these chapters. I develop a bond with the sisters who look up to me.

If you are looking for an exciting adventure like this, now is the time to apply for next year. Ask your advisor or headquarters staff about work opportunities, and see what you can do to continue your sorority experience!

What's Beyond the Cup?

I was scrolling through my news feed the other day and I came across a picture that really caught my attention. 

Now to some, this may seem like just a huge jumble of craziness that doesn't make sense, but to the Greek community, it means a lot. 

There are a lot of stereotypes that surround Greeks. We pay for our friends, we drink to much, we haze, we treat others poorly, we come from wealthy families....this list can go on. But in reality, these are mostly the epitome of a "stereotype" and they aren't true. 

There's always going to be some that ruin it for everyone. So there may be a chapter that gets caught hazing, but others shouldn't be condemned for those bad choices. And to say we pay for our friends is always a laugh considering most of our dues go to having fun bonding activities like movie and bowling nights, keeping up with home repairs of the house we all use and meet in, and hosting philanthropy events....which is just the use of any other club dues that don't have a greek affiliation. Are they paying for their friends too? 

Putting those stereotypes aside, the much bigger ones that bother me are that Greek members are as I once read on the lovely Yik Yak  "immature alcoholics who barely participate in school and wouldn't survive without daddy's money" 

Well first, I'll stop you right there because many girls in my chapter, myself included, work to pay our dues ourselves. So the last point is irrelevant. 

And if we want to get into the scholastic and immature part, let's go ahead and break some numbers out. 

1. 20% more Greeks graduate from

College than non-Greeks. 

2. The Greek system is the largest network of volunteers in the United States. 

3. The overall Greek GPA is higher then the normal collegiate GPA. 

4. Of the 50 largest companies, 43 are lead by Greeks. 

5. Both women that have been elected to the Supreme Court were sorority women. 

6. 76% of the U.S. senators are Greek. 

7. All but 2 presidents since 1825, have been fraternity members. 

8. 85% of Fortune 500 company executives are Greek members. 

9. Greek donate over 7 million dollars to charity every single year. 

10. And to end, here are some sorority and fraternity members you may just recognize. 

     Brad Pitt

     Condelecza Rice 

     Alicia Keys 

     Babe Ruth 

     Every member of Apollo 11 

     Sophia Bush

     Steven Spielberg

     Rosa Parks

     Elvis Presley 

     Georgia O'Keefe

     Pope John Paul II 

     Frank Sinatra 

     Katie Couric 

     Michael Jordan 

     John Wayne 

     Chuck Norris

     Kate Spade 

 and.....

     Martin Luther King Jr.

Just to list a few. 

I'm not going to lie. Being in a Greek organization does have a big "party" aspect, but at the end of the day, Greek affiliates have a lot more to offer then we really are given credit for. 

So I think it really is time, to look past the cup. 

     

A letter to my Big

Dear Big,

      It’s almost Big/Little week and I am about to take a little of my own. A year ago I would have honestly never had thought that I could make a good big sister and be a good mentor, but you changed all of that. You are the best big I could ever ask for. I’ve always been able to come to you, and I’ve always been able to count on you. I remember jumping in your box at reveal so overcome with pure joy that I finally got you as a big that I just didn’t care. That feeling still continues, I am still so proud to have you as my big because you are one of the best people I know. You always think of others and often show kindness to people even if they don’t deserve it. I have never once seen you be disrespectful to someone and you treat everyone well. I know you have had to deal with a lot having me as your little from picking me up at parties, to listening to me rant, to intervening when a boy upset me. You weren’t always happy with me or my decisions but you were always there to help get me back on track.

         I look around at other big/little pairs and I know that we have one of the best bonds out there. The mutual admiration we have for each other is one of the best parts of our relationship; we accept our differences and make each other better. If I could do it again, I would do it the same. No matter what has happened there is no one else that I would want to be my mentor and my most trusted friend. You have given me so much and I hope that I am able to be half of the big that you are to me to my new little. I love you to the crescent moon and back Kesha.

                                      Love,

                                    Your Little