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.

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.

A Letter To All New Graduates:

Hello Graduates:

Hello Graduate!! Welcome to the exciting (yet terrifying) world of adulthood. After years of schooling and preparation, you have finally made it and are now officially a college graduate with the whole world in front of you!!!

Now that you are here, please take a moment to think about all you have accomplished. Take the time to reflect on all the memories you created during college, about what you learned in your field and about yourself, consider how much you have grown and how much growing you still have time to do!!

Now that you have took a moment to look back, now use this opportunity to look forward. What is next? Some of you may have figured that out, some of you may not have, and that is okay!  This is the perfect opportunity to think about what is really important to you, what you want in life, and where you want to end up!!!

You can be anything you want to be, you can achieve whatever it is that you want to achieve. You are a college graduate, and there is nothing holding you back. So go out there, leave your mark on this world and make it a better place.

The world is your oyster, so go get them tiger!!

Sincerely,

The Sorority Girl Thought Team

Thank You Letter to My Best Friends

       Thank you so much for making me the person I am now. You were always there to have my back along with supporting me along the way. You were there for the ups and the downs and held me when I had everything to lose. When I am in need you are always one of the first people I turn to! 
       You always keep me on my feet too! When the two of us are together we can always make anything into an adventure. Going to the movies, going on joy rides, or just laying on the couch watching some movie that we quote or guess the whole plot to are just a few of my favorite memories. 
        To say you are my friend is one thing, but to say your my best friend is another. We always have each others backs. We always know what the other one is thinking. We know each others favorites of everything. We can do absolutely nothing and can have a blast. 
       We have both been there for the heart breaks and the honeymoon stages in relationships. Although we may not be with each other for a while because of school, jobs, or studying abroad you are always the person I want to talk to when anything comes up in my life! We started as strangers, we moved to friends, and now you are one of my best! 
      Thanks for the past memories, thanks for the current, and thanks for the many more to come. I am lucky to have someone like you in my life to laugh along with on the roller coaster of a life we both have.

XOXO your best friend!

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 24

Twenty- four. As of January 11^th at 4:11 pm, I officially have entered my 24^th year of life.  I am officially on step away from a quarter of century (scary).

And to be honest, I don’t feel any different. I don’t feel older, or wiser, if anything, I just feel blessed.

I am grateful for all the things I have been able to experienced in my life thus far, from growing up with amazing siblings, to getting to explore three beautiful countries, to falling for the best man I have ever met, to graduating with a master’s degree, my life overall has been great.

If anything, my birthday made me reflect on my life as a whole and appreciate everything I have experienced so far.

So bring it on 24, I am excited to see what this year brings.

Student Teaching

     These past few weeks have flown by. I have a third grade classroom right outside of my town of Kutztown. These kids all have grown to be people I look forward to seeing day after day. Being on Thanksgiving break and not seeing them for five days felt beyond strange. I didn't like it at all. It is nuts to think that a little more than a month ago I did not know any one of these twenty one beautiful kids. 
      Every single one of them has a spark. This spark is for their character, their passion, their drive, and their learning ability. No, we are all not perfect, but it doesn't matter, with these kids they can be. They try so hard and push to make everything they do the best they can do. I loved working with the whole class teaching pronouns, and about holidays or working one on one trying to improve students multiplication. 
      These twenty one students help prove to myself that teaching is the job I was always supposed to do. I came into the classroom with doubts, and being unsure that I had worked three long, hard years studying something that I didn't know was for me. I learned how much of a true teacher I am. I have discipline, I have strength, I have patience, and I have lots and lots of love. I couldn't see another future for the rest of my life other than teaching. It is such a rewarding career and one I know I will look forward to for the rest of my life.

My American Holidays Text Set