Advice for a College Freshman

This past Sunday, my baby sister, moved in for her first year of college.  Before she left, I reminded her of previous stories I told her about my college experience and informed her that it truthfully was one of the greatest experienced of my life. It is my sincere hope that everyone can look back and say that.

Now, across the globe, colleges are welcoming incoming freshman.  As a freshman, or even a transfer student, it is important to make college a great experience, so here is my advice to my sister and to you.

“ These next four years will past by in a flash, before you know it, you will be like me, out for two years, looking back and remembering how great it was. That being said, the most important advice I can give you is just that, at the end of the day, only you can make college GREAT.  So go and make the next four years something worth looking back on and smiling.  Try new things, make new friends, go to class, travel abroad, learn new things and be OPENMINDED. In the wise words of Matt Nathanson “ Everyday is the start of something beautiful”, consider everyday at college as another chance to make it a great experience.  At the end of the day, look at college as a safe place for students to grow into the people they want to be. This is your chance. College is a brand new slate. You have the world open to you and there is NOTHING you cannot accomplish if you truly want it.  So go find yourself, find your passion; discover who you are and where you want to be, and have the time of your life doing it. “

It is crazy to think I graduated with my MA two years ago, but my experiences during college made it all worth it. Now, I can look back on those memories and smile, knowing that college made me a better person.  I am honored to have experienced the things I have, I only hope that you can do the same

What Your Mother Doesn't Tell You About: Balancing Life In College

So, here we are again, the first week of the semester or close to it (commonly known as syllabus week). Everything seems to be just fine. You're sitting in class listening to your professor talk while thinking "oh, this is going to be a piece of cake I can totally procrastinate as much as possible in this class and not study much or at all for these exams." Or, maybe, if you have really hard classes like Nuclear Engineering you're thinking "Shoot. Shoot. I am so done for. Bye social life. Bye friends. Bye to myself. RIP to my soul!" What your mother doesn't tell you about balancing life in college is that it's actually really difficult at times.The bottom line is it's all about balance. 

Cougar Fam dinner - note how my big and I accidentally match

If you're Greek or if you're not Greek, being successful is still all about balancing your social life, your academic life, and your personal life. You can, in fact, have a pleasant mix of all three. I have held a full time or close to full time position throughout my long, extended stay in college while being an active member of my sorority and trying my best to get good grades. It's not easy by any means but it's worth it. I struggled very hard my freshman year finding my balance between working arguably a lot for an 18 year old and attending college full time. My grades suffered, I was really unhappy, and I was unsure of how to make a positive change. For me, that positive change was finally going Greek. Because of the requirements of the sorority I joined, I was responsible for maintaining a specific GPA and completing study hours on a weekly basis with my sisters. I learned how to manage my time wisely and become a better, more rounded version of myself. I became a successful college student because I was serious about remaining an active member of my sorority. To be honest, college is rough when you can't find a way to balance everything you're juggling.

I've made a list of my tips for balancing your college life, specifically when you're part of a Greek organization:

1. Take time for yourself.
Take a minute to breath. It's okay if you take a 30 minute nap or turn your phone off for an hour to unwind. You are the most important part of your life and you need to treat yourself as such. Trying to do a million things at once breaks a person down from the inside out and when you're trying to be successful that's not a good formula.

2. Set aside time to study.
Studying is not fun I'll be the first to admit that. It's like flossing your teeth (I actually like that but I guess many people do not...) you have to do it or your dentist will remind you that your teeth are not receiving the proper care. You'll ultimately feel guilty because you know it only takes a few seconds every day. Of course, studying takes more than a few seconds which is unfortunate but setting aside a minimum of 30 minutes every day at least four days a week to review class material will really help you when it comes time to cram for exams.

3. Exercise.
Exercising is so helpful for your body and mind. I don't care if you run eight miles a day, take your dog for a walk, take a Zumba class once a week with your sisters, or if you do a workout routine at home - get moving. When you feel better about yourself you have the ability to excel. You'll be more confident, your endorphin levels will go through the roof, and you'll be an all around happier person. Plus, if you focus on at least 30 minutes of exercise a couple of times a week, you'll help combat the drunken late night Taco Bell quesadilla that you'll probably eat during the weekend.

4. Do your homework.
Like Nike said, Just Do It! It sounds silly to say this, I know, but even if your assignment is the dumbest thing you've ever had to do in your life, just do it. You'll probably get points for it and those points might come back to save you if you don't do so well on an exam.

5. Pick one night per weekend to go out.
I know it's hard. Sigma Pi is having a themed party Friday night, Alpha Xi Delta is having a philanthropy event Friday afternoon, Sigma Kappa is having a pancake breakfast fundraiser Saturday morning, Alpha Tau Omega has a slide 'n slide at their house to raise money for a local charity Saturday afternoon, etc etc etc... You. Are. Busy. Greek Life is busy. You unfortunately have to pick and choose what events you're going to go to. It's not easy because of course you want to support your fellow Greeks in whatever it is that they're doing but you cannot be in multiple places at once (it's 2015, why not?). To be successful, pick one night per weekend to go out and if you get your homework/projects/papers taken care of in a timely manner then by all means, enjoy yourself.

Tailgate on Saturday, Study on Sunday

6. Find a job with flexibility.
I have been so fortunate throughout my college career because I work at an office that's open 9-5 Monday-Friday and I have the ability to come and go as I please as long as I get my work done. Other than that, I work for companies remotely aka online from where ever I am. This makes scheduling classes so much easier if a class I need is not offered at night. Not everyone has that luxury though and some have to work all weekend long in order to make ends meet so that they're able to take their required classes. If you can, find a job that makes you happy but also one that is flexible. Having a boss that understands college is actually really hard to do if you have to work your way through it takes a huge weight off your shoulders.

7. Buy a planner.
This works for most everyone in college. Between socials, mixers, events, homework, projects, exams, work, birthdays, etc... you need something to keep yourself on track. If you like to have a physical planner in hand to write in I recommend buying one with enough space to write your list of duties for each day out. If you're not a fan of having to carry around a planner, head over to the app store and download a day planner. This will save your life more than once. I promise.

Erin or Lilly? The eternal question.

8. Get involved.
But, Kaitlyn, wait a minute - how can I get more involved if I have a ton of things to do already? How does that benefit me? It helps you more than you know. You'll meet people in organizations outside of Greek Life aka more people that can help you in your classes and people you can form study groups with. Plus, who doesn't like getting to know more people? It's a great feeling to walk anywhere on your campus and be greeted with a warm wave or a "hey how's it goin'!?"

9. Take advantage of your chapter's scholarship requirements.
If you're like me, you have to complete a certain amount of study hours per semester. Like, you physically have to go to the library and do your work. Some people might think this sounds strange or a bit juvenile but when you really think about it, what are we all in college for? To do well in our classes and get the heck out of there with a degree in hand. If you're given a required amount of hours to complete per semester, you're going to do them. You're going to be in the library with your sisters or friends or by yourself if that's your thing and you're going to be studying/doing homework. Sit back and watch your GPA sky rocket.

10. Ask for help.
If you can't do everything all on your own, ask for help. It's okay to ask for assistance when you need it. Hello, we're only human. We have bad days where our hair looks like a rat's nest, our favorite Lilly Pulitzer tumbler falls on the ground and breaks, and our allotted print balance for the semester reads $0.00 meaning we have to pay per sheet to print. If you need help, never be afraid to ask. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness and that is the key point to remember.

Enjoy your first few weeks of class and remember these helpful tips for a balanced life.

School supplies to show off your sorority pride

So you just got your bid and are super excited to start showing off your love for your sorority or maybe you're a big who wants to make a back to school bundle for your little. Greek life is known for it's partying, big houses, and going a little wild but academics are also really important in these historical organizations. Members are normally subject to being at a certain GPA and attending a certain amount of study hours. Here's a couple things you can use to make those study sessions and finals cry sessions a little less boring. 

1. A personalized clipboard

Clipboard

2. The best backpack around

Backpack

3. The perfect place to store all your essentials (Keys, ID, some cash) 

Keys

4. For when you have no time to grab lunch in between classes

Lunch

5. For all the textbooks you have to tote around

Tote

6. For the laptop you'll be writing all your essays on

Etsy

7. For showing off your mascot

Mascot

8. For taking notes during chapter meetings

Chapter

9. For when you need your coffee

Coffee

10. The quintessential planner

Planner

11. Labels for your planner

Labels

12. For climbing into bed after a long day of classes

Onesie

13. For when you know your phone will die by lunch time

Phone

14. For when you want somewhere nice to rest your computer mouse

Computer

15. For when your phone is always by your side

Case

Happy back to school shopping! 

Being Healthy in College

"Heathy" is probably one of the last words I would use to describe myself. I can count the number of times I've been to a gym on one hand and I've been known to eat entire boxes of Ritz crackers in one sitting. I'm lucky - I was blessed with a fast metabolism and have always eaten what I wanted to without worrying about gaining weight. Sure, I have problem areas (looking at you birthing hips), but fixing that was never on my top to-do list.

Fast forward to the beginning of this summer. I noticed I had gained about ten pounds over the course of the year. I didn't think I looked different, so I didn't think much of it. Then, by accident, I came across fitness accounts on Instagram and various fitness subreddits on Reddit. It was incredible; hearing people's fitness journeys and both their struggles and successes proved to me that if they can do it, I can get off my butt and do it too. I downloaded a fitness tracker app for my phone, calculated my daily calorie goal, and started caring about serving sizes and getting my macros (protein, carbs, and fat). I'm a little over a month in of tracking my food and I feel incredible. I have more energy, I'm sleeping better, and I don't get that heavy feeling at the end of the day anymore. My next two goals: getting over my fear of the gym and keeping this up in college.

I have a few strategies I'm hoping will help keep me on track once school starts.

1. Meal Planning: This is super new for me, so it's going to be a lot of trial and error. I'm going to be living in an apartment for the first time next year, which means cooking and grocery shopping. I'm hoping to keep on track with my diet by planning out meals for the week keeping in mind my macro goals. I want to sit down on Saturday and plan out my weekly meals and then go shopping on Sunday. If I don't have unhealthy food in the kitchen, I won't eat unhealthy food. 
2. Packing Lunch Instead of Buying It: I think this is going to be a big one for me. Since I'm no longer on a meal plan, either through the university or through my sorority, I'm going to be responsible for every meal. I have a tendency to be lazy, and because of that, I usually find myself in the student center getting something less than healthy for lunch or dinner. Armed with my new monogrammed lunch box, I'm hoping to integrate meal planning into my busy schedule and make sure I have healthy snacks and meals with me even if I can't make it home in time for a meal. 
3. Having a Gym Buddy: The gym is a really scary place. I never go and when I do it's for a spin class once a year. As intimidating as it is, the way to tone and build muscle is through lifting weights and similar exercises. I have found a gym buddy who lives close by and has promised to keep me accountable by forcing me to go to the gym with him. He also offered to teach me proper form and technique so I can hopefully build confidence through knowledge. If you can't find a gym buddy, I would suggest looking to see if your campus gym or a nearby one offers personal trainers or beginner sessions that focus on teaching technique. 
4. Committing to a Schedule: Being a full-time student usually means I convince myself I don't have time to go to the gym because I need to be studying or working on a project instead. Since I have my class schedule, I sat down with the previously mentioned gym buddy and figured out a time three times a week to go to the gym together. My school gym also offers classes and has that schedule up already, so I've also made sure to mark when spin class with my favorite instructor is offered so I can do cardio once a week. As a girl who loves schedules, I'm hoping that by committing to a routine it will make going to the gym less of a chore. 
5. Holding Myself Accountable: I'm lazy and I'm the first to admit that. I'm writing this post mainly as an attempt to hold myself accountable - if I commit to sharing my journey, I'll feel obligated to actually follow through with what I'm saying here. This is also why I have a gym buddy - someone who will remind me why I'm doing this and that I can actually do it. I think that once I start building confidence it will get easier, but until then I still view myself as the girl who never goes to the gym.

This is the first article in what I'm hoping to be a monthly series. I want to be able to share my successes and my failures and really explain my journey in hopes of helping someone else start their own. I'm back down to the same weight as last summer and I'm ready to take the next steps to reaching my goals.

Reflecting About College While Living in the Present

It is that time of year again. There is a slight chill in the air, some leaves may have started to change their color, the sun is setting earlier each day. Change is in the air, and as the clock ticks down to September, you find yourself dreading the thought of "back to school” not because of the assignments, or the classes, or even ALL those meetings, but because you have already graduated.

For many alumni, and I would say especially those whom are Greek, this time of year always makes us reflect on our time at college, and in many ways, makes us yearn for that same carefree life style.

We look back and remember so many wonderful things about college and a part of us wants to go back to that.

To this day, and mind you it has been just about 2 years, I still get a certain feeling of.... well, something I can't exactly put into words, as I watch from the "social media sidelines" as my friends, little, sorority sisters, even my biological sister start a new year in college.

Here is the thing to remember (especially if you just graduated and your exceptionally emotional about not going back), while your will always carry your college years in your heart, you have to believe that college has prepared you for something even better, something real, raw, and personal, something designed just for you, and that is your life.

So as you watch from Facebook as everyone heads back to the safe walls of their universities, remember that your college years were amazing, they already changed you, so now it's time for them to change others, as you go out and change the world!

SGT Founder Brooke posted this the other day, It goes perfectly with this blog.

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!

Countdown of the Top 5 Best Things About Living in a Sorority House

Love your sisters, but not sure if you could commit to living in a house with them? Moving into a sorority house is a big step, but there are many perks to having your own spot in the sorority's dorm floor, suite, or house. Here are top five reasons counting down why you should (or why you probably did) live in a sorority house:

5. You are most likely near everything. And by everything I mean fraternity houses. Often sorority houses are on "Sorority Row" or some kind of location where most of the Greek houses are. This means you are close to the parties, a lot of your friends, and maybe potential future boyfriend? OK, that last one may be a little bit of a stretch.

4. The house is probably spotless. (Or, at least is meant to be clean). Typically sorority houses have a cleaning staff, whether they are hired through the university or the sorority's housing corporation. That means you get treated like the princess you deserve to be! No worries about taking out the trash on time or buying toilet paper every other week. (Warning: Don't let these privileges let you become a slob.) Some houses even incorporate a meal plan that chefs prepare. You can wake up, walk to the kitchen, and eat your brunch in PJs without feeling guilty. This is another way to get closer to sisters. Can you say Taco Tuesday?

3. Every girl's dream: endless closets! I went to almost 20 dances, and probably paid for dresses for three of them. The coolest thing about living in a big sorority house is getting to try on and borrow each others' clothes. This comes in handy for everything from themed mixers to job interviews.

2. Running late to chapter? NOT ANYMORE! Your house most likely is where 90% of your meetings will take place. Formal chapter is probably in your living room, so just throw on a pair of dress pants and run downstairs and you're all set for the meeting. No more scampering through the snow or rain in your heels to chapter.

1. The cliche, cheesy, but TRUE reason: You live with your best friends and basically have a slumber party every night! Between TV show screening parties and late night snacks after a night out, you will always have sisters to bond with you. Plus, you are now guaranteed to have someone to get food with you or to drive you when you are running late to class. Living with your sisters means the ones who make you laugh, wipe your tears, know all your embarrassing stories, and root for you are never too far.

Living in can really make the whole sorority experience. While not all sorority houses are three-story mansions, they all bring sisters together to one home. If you are still unsure about the move, talk to your sisters about their experiences and check if your chapter has any policies about living in the house.

I have enjoyed living in beautiful chapter houses at two universities, including the Phi Sigma Sigma Manor at Widener University seen below. If your chapter has a house, I recommend signing up for room picks ASAP!

Five Things To Do Your Last Days as a Senior in College

Being a senior in college is a pretty amazing thing.  After four grueling long years of late night study sessions, last minute papers, group projects, and let’s face it TONS of coffee, you now can see something beyond the ivory walls of your university, you can see your goals for the future.

This ability to now see what is you want in life, or at least a general idea of what you want, can also be extremely terrifying. While you know where you want to be, you are also realizing that you are about to jump head first into a deep, dark, foggy abyss of doubt and uncertainty where no real idea of where you will end up along the way to your dreams.

That being said your last few days as a senior in college are the most terrifying and the most comforting.

So here are five things you should do on your final days before you leave your university to enter the real world, do these things and more as a reminder that while change is inevitable, being happy no matter where life leads is the most important thing.

11)   Spend time with your friends: Spend your final days at college with the people who made your college experience more than just academics. Go to a movie, take a few days and drive to the beach, go to the bar one (or two) last times, spend these final fleeting movements of, dare I say, childhood, with the people who you can’t imagine your life without.

22)   Reflect on your time in college: Whether you take one final stroll around campus or make a scrapbook, take the time to think about your time in college: what you did right or wrong, experiences you are glad you had and ones you wish you didn’t, opportunities you are glad you took and those you wish you did. Take this time to look back not only to see what has changed in just four short years but what hasn’t changed very much at all.

33)   Write down your dreams: Take a moment and write down your dreams, the things you want in life. Think about why you want them and how you plan on getting there. Keep that piece of paper in your wallet. Whenever you feel lost or uncertain, pull that piece of paper out as a reminder of what you are working towards.

44)   Thank your professors, your mentors, your parents: There are certain “teachers “in life that you can look back on and say “that person left an impact on me”, take this time to thank them for that.  You wouldn’t be whom you are with out them.

55)   Just breathe: Take a page out of Michelle Branch’s songbook (yes, I went there) and just relax and breathe. This period of life is about to end, take the time to watch gracefully as it comes to a close.