Have a Selfish Heart

Obviously the current state of our society is centered around change and opinions. It seems everyone has an opinion and everyone wants to share it (check out Facebook). Again with the obvious, this blog is supposed to be about you and about recruitment. However, how can we even address the obvious without also referencing what is actually going on, what is filling up your news feed, as an incoming freshman. Regardless of what you agree/disagree with, the fact is that you are about to go to college and that means change. This place is full of young, eager, and passionate minds. This is going to include some that you agree with, disagree with, and some people that say things that you have never even thought about in your life. Immersing yourself in this collegiate culture is amazingly invigorating for your mind and soul. Exploring yourself, others, and your environment are a part of being a twenty-something. All of this contact with other people your age can really shape you as a person. This can be a great thing. However, in some instances, it is simply a hindrance to your growth.

For example, again with the obvious: recruitment. This is one of the very few times in our lives as successful women that we are allowed to be completely and utterly selfish. Some of you, most like me, before this point you have never made a selfish decision in your heart. Maybe you chose UNA because that’s where your parents wanted you to go, or maybe you are even going through recruitment because your friends want you to. Well, now is the time to drop your selfless demeanor for a while. This decision to even go through, as well as the final decision as to which sorority you want, is yours and yours ONLY. Therefore, referencing my earlier mentions, in this particular instance, it is important to NOT be a sponge during this time. It is crucial to not let the opinions, thoughts, and feelings of others around you influence your decision.

During recruitment, many of our “rules” center on this concept. We do not want you to talk with other women before, between parties, after, etc. about your experiences and thoughts. That is why you have us- your Gamma Chis. We are your guides through this. We have been trained to be objective and to truly enhance your experience during recruitment. We also advise that once you are home and out of our sight, that you also not talk to others about your thoughts, and especially not ask for advice. This includes your mom, your boyfriend, your roommate, and basically any other humans you might come in contact with. Again, this is not the time to absorb others opinions around you. Go ahead and discuss classes, how much fun you’re having at welcome week events, etc.- just not recruitment. I promise this is for your gain, because it will help you obtain that selfish thought process, just for the time being, in order to find a home with sisters that will last a lifetime. At the end of the day we just want you to have the best recruitment experience you can possibly have, and that can only happen if you do not talk to others because you do not want to be torn because of someone else's opinion. 

So, I wish you all the best during these college years of yours. I hope you can assume a selfish role during recruitment (I know that will be hard). I also hope that, except during recruitment, that you absorb every living thing around you. I hope you attain bravery from the lions, hope from the flowers, tolerance and acceptance from those different than you, and love from the new friends you are going to make. Good luck little sponges- I wish you all the best of luck with your future endeavors.

Written By: Anonymous Panhellenic Representative; Edited by UNA Panhellenic

Sorority Girl Life Lessons

Becoming a Greek woman isn’t about the title, the recognition, or the gifts you receive. It’s about being a part of something that is much bigger than yourself. It’s about working every day to be the woman you are meant to be and living with a purpose to be better than you were the day before. As a senior, I’ve seen the good, the bad, & the ugly, the ups and downs, the rewards and consequences, and the accomplishments and downfalls. Some times are harder than other times but I know of 115 women who will answer their phone at 3 am if a sister needed her. We have each other and at times, that’s all we need. We have a bond that cannot be broken through the art of sisterhood.

Many things come to mind when the word {sisterhood} is brought up. From girls’ night out to the chapter meetings to the pictures you took at date party with your pledge class. You just can’t help but smile looking back on those sweet memories. On the other hand, something I think about when {sisterhood} comes to mind is the life lessons I’ve learned from being involved in Greek life within Panhellenic.

It teaches you to be selfless. Becoming a selfless woman will open your eyes to all of the things you’ve shut out along the way. We put in hard work for our chapters that sometimes can seemingly go unnoticed but it makes a huge impact in your heart and your purpose of being there. A selfless woman will do whatever she needs to do for the betterment of her sorority and for her sisters. When sisters call her they know she always responds in a compassionate manner. The most important thing to her is her sisters and the memories she will make with them. 

It teaches you how to ball on a budget. Being a college girl, money goes faster than water in the desert. You will be broke and calling your parents for help before you know it. Being in a sorority girl can get expensive (especially if you rock every t-shirt they order), but there are ways to keep your cool and not have to count your change at the gas pump. If you can grab a part time job, stay on top of your payments, and balance out your budget for the necessities, you’re on the right track to a great year with your friends and keeping some money handy! Don’t get discouraged! Lots of sorority girls pay all of their bills independently and still have a social life. You can do it. J

It teaches you time management. Coming in as a freshman at UNA, I was an athlete, a student, and joined a sorority in recruitment. With that being said, my priorities lined up very quickly. Although I constantly stayed busy, it was worth every minute. I loved jumping in head first and getting involved with different organizations all at once. You can set up study dates with your friends, build your resume, plan the times when you can finally eat, and make memories all in one. It could be more difficult to add in another activity once you settle into a regular schedule so don’t wait on that. Jump right in, you won’t regret it!

It teaches you to be a team player. We love to feel like we are a part of something. Like all of the hard work we put into something really paid off and it was well worth it. We all work together for a common goal that makes our bond that much stronger. We are all pieces to the puzzle and we need every piece to make the picture perfect .

It teaches you how about networking. Not only throughout Panhellenic but in the community as well. Knowing the right kind of people can get you so far along in life. Networking is the root of the business world and it can definitely help you land your dream job. Joining a sorority opens a door for you to meet so many incredible people and each and every one has something different to bring to the table. The connections you make will be with you for the rest of your life.

GO GREEK!! It’s the best way to learn your life lessons in college.

Written by Cortney Wray; Edited by UNA Panhellenic

They're All the Same {MythBusters}

​I am certain that if you heard Lily Pulitzer, chubbies, Yeti coolers, XL t-shirts, “norts”, and monogramming all in one sentence your first assumption would be that we are speaking of Greeks. Well these are just a few of the stereotypical fads that are paired with members of a Greek organization. A common myth you’ve probably heard about Greeks is that “They are all the same”. I am here to prove this stereotype wrong for all of you who believe it to be accurate. I myself am Greek and if you would have known me before college you would have never guessed I would have been the type of girl to find a home in a sorority. I actually recall telling my friends in high school that I was going Greek and they all genuinely thought I was joking. That could be because in high school you would have seen me walking the halls in a pair of converse and a t-shirt with a punk band on it (yes I went through that awkward punk stage). Anyways I had never heard of Lily Pulitzer and I had never owned anything with my initials monogrammed into it…well unless you count my purple L.L. Bean backpack that I used to carry down the halls of my junior high school (but I mean who didn’t have one of those). I played soccer and basketball and never cheered a day in my life. I guess you could say I was a tomboy. Scratch that…I was definitely a tomboy. Basically what I am getting at is that I wasn’t the type of girl that you may think would belong to a sorority in college because I obviously didn’t fit the “standards”, right? Wrong!

(My standard was I didn't fit the "standard")

​To my surprise, and my friends' surprise, I very skeptically decided I was going to go through recruitment. I told myself that if I didn’t fit in I would just find something else to be a part of on campus. The more I heard about sorority life from a couple rumors and the more I saw from the movies (The House Bunny) the more I started convincing myself that I wasn’t going to fit in and that terrified me. However, upon my skepticism I took a risk that I will never regret.  

​Today I have been a member of my sorority for 3 years and I can honestly say that I haven’t had to change anything about myself to “fit in”. I wear my same old converse, rips and all, almost every day. I can see how Greeks may be perceived as being very similar to one another. Yes! Most of us in a sorority might wear big t-shirts and running shorts…but I mean WOW if you tried this outfit just once you’d probably never want to wear anything different because of the comfort. However, behind the outfits and brands we are all so very different. In fact, diversity is a word that you will hear often within the Greek community and for good reason. Each brother and sister that makes up Greek life comes from a different background and lifestyle. What you rarely see as an outsider is how we come together as an organization to learn from one another’s differences and grow individually from them. Honestly one of the greatest things I have learned from being Greek is that "being you" is a beautiful quality to possess and my sisters accept me for the person I am. It is heartwarming to see girls feel so comfortable and encouraged around each other to not be afraid to be who they are.

     I think this is one of those myths that can only be proven wrong from the inside and that is why I sit here typing this as a genuine inside source of the Greek community to tell you that the men and women that make up Greek life are all very unique in their own way. That unique quality lies within every brother and sister of the Greek community whether it be behind the large t-shirt and “norts”, or in my case, the flannels and converse, and I encourage everyone that believes this myth to be true to take some time to truthfully get to know a brother or sister of a Greek community. I promise this myth will be busted.

      Written by Paige Droulliard; Edited by UNA Panhellenic 

Sorority Is...A Legacy

Leaving a place better than you found it is the opportunity of a lifetime, and being in a sorority has given me that amazing opportunity.

Like many others, I was hesitant about joining a sorority. I signed up for formal recruitment unsure of  what I was getting myself into. But, I soon came to find out that going through formal recruitment would be one of the best learning experiences I had ever had. I got to meet a diverse group of women in every chapter. I was able to learn what values they live by. They told me how much they loved their sisterhood, what their organization's national philanthropy was, and how much they loved being involved. It was breathtaking, because I would soon start my legacy in one of these wonderful chapters. Each one supported a great philanthropy and each one had a sisterhood that was complex and incredible. Finally, when it was time to run to my new home on bid day, I was scared. It was overwhelming that I would soon be meeting the women who would become my best friends.

My sorority has opened so many doors for me; it has given me opportunities I never thought I would have. As a freshman and a new member, I looked up to the women who were officers in the chapter and hoped to one day follow in their footsteps. Now, as a junior, being an officer has made a difference not only in my life, but also in the lives of 90 other women. I've had a myriad of opportunities to go to conventions and conferences to better myself as an officer, as a leader, and as a woman. I found that by being involved in my chapter I have already gotten so much out of it. Someone once told me, "you get out of it what you put into it." I carry that advice with me no matter what I am doing. To get the most out of your college experience, it's important to try and make a difference. 

People ask, "Why join a sorority?" I say, because these women are my shoulder to cry on. These women are my support system when things go wrong. These women are my future bridesmaids. They're my 3 A.M. laughs, and they're my best friends. These women are my source of truth. My sisters are the people I go to when anything of consequence happens in my life. My sisters are the people I'm making memories with - memories that will last a lifetime, and that is where my legacy begins.

Post Written by Guest Blogger, Samantha Kolesar; Edited by UNA Panhellenic

Sorority Is...Accountability

On September 1st, 2014 my life changed for the better.

That was my Bid Day and that was when I gained 115 friends, sisters, and allies that would become my rock during the rough sea that we call “college." Going into recruitment, I knew that the sorority women called each other “sisters,” and I will admit that I was skeptical. I remember thinking, "Surely these women cannot all be best friends!" But, now I know just how wrong I was. I ran into the arms of my best friends and yes, my sisters.

I quickly became aware of the tight bond that my chapter has, and I, the friendly neighborhood introvert, was blessed enough to be able to tap into it. As a part of the new member program, the first wave of accountability came into light: study hours. At first I will admit I was annoyed. I am an honors student that cherishes her grades a little too much. So, why did I have to document that yes, I do study? The answer is simple: accountability. Now, I love that I have people watching out for me in this aspect of college life.

I also gained sisters in Christ.

I am religious. I love Jesus with all of my heart, soul, and might. It means everything to me that I can go to church services and always have someone that wants to go with me. I have women that will pray for me. I have sisters that know my battles as a woman and they fight those battles alongside me. That, to me, is huge. It is refreshing to have the kind of spiritual accountability that only my sisters can give me.

While joining a sorority was one of the scariest plunges that I have ever taken, I am forever thankful for these friendships, forged in love and accountability, forever.

Post Written by Guest Blogger, Hannah Schrieber; Edited by UNA Panhellenic

Sorority Is...Authentic

I walked through freshman orientation with a leather jacket and a head full of music sung by bands I was sure no one knew. I was on my way to joining the creative community, and I was not about to let a sorority stop me. I imagined that the people wanting to go Greek had never experienced the importance of authenticity. I was sure that every single pledge was insecure and would eventually resent their organization for frivolous things.

 As my freshman year progressed and I got more involved I began admiring some of the hardest working people on campus. Only after I made role models of these people did I realize they wore letters. This sparked my interest in Greek Life, quietly at first. I began doing silly things like taking a Buzzfeed quiz to see which sorority I belonged in, going to parties hosted by fraternities and sororities (trying to not look too curiously at the letters), and constantly asking my boyfriend (who was in a fraternity) about the sorority’s reputations on campus.

Long story short, I went through fall recruitment (which is its own odyssey). On one hand I felt like I’d betrayed a part of myself, but on the other I felt like I was finally allowing myself to be someone I always discredited.  See, a lot of people picture sorority girls as bullies, drinking buddies, or as the unintelligent populous of campus.  As if being in a sorority means selling your soul for a bid. I would have to say that since being in a sorority I’ve gotten to know myself better. The ladies I’m surrounded by encourage authenticity much more than a lot of people in my life. They expect me to be me, and they encourage all of the weird that make up who I am. No one forces attendance anywhere because I’m genuinely excited to be with my sisters.

What I’ve experienced since joining a sorority is absolute love. Everyone has been supportive of me when I have to miss events and cared about me when I’ve been rather atrocious. They’ve helped me shake off the idea that persona is better than character and helped me value who I am and who I want to be. They’ve challenged my understanding of what it means to care for someone, and taught me how lovely it is to be a part of something bigger than yourself.

So though I still have a leather jacket and playlists full of indie credit, I feel no shame about singing Hannah Montana  at formal. Where Instagram makes Greek life look like the movies, there are un-noted hours of sincerity. Being in a sorority allows you to challenge yourself and learn what large scale love is.  

Post Written by Guest Blogger, Mollie Schaefer; Edited by UNA Panhellenic

Sorority Is...Not Perfect

I think part of our disappointment in Greek life stems from a lack of satisfaction which in turn leads to a lack of retention. I realize how pessimistic this comes across, but let me get a little wordy for a moment.

Satisfaction—or rather, dissatisfaction, is the result of a lack of performance in relation to the height of expectation. In other words, when we sell the sorority package and advertise "no more bad hair days, dates galore, perfect friends forever, and the secret to suddenly becoming morning people," we are setting ourselves up to disappoint a woman or two! Amirite??

My point to all this is that being an involved sorority woman has given me so much—but it's required of me equally, if not more. The package I bought when I joined my three-lettered organization with colors, philanthropy, and sentimental creed relating back to all the core values I've ever hoped to embody in this life was NOT a cookie cutter, pre-made, no-assembly-required type of buy-in. But rather, this organization required me as a member to deeply invest my time, energy, talent, and love into a collection of amazingly flawed, beautiful people. 

The nights I struggled most with my organized assembly of souls were the nights I was dissatisfied with the imperfection that comes with the humanity of our organizations.

When I sat in recruitment 4 years ago, all I could think about were all the perfect people surrounding me. I saw all the beautiful girls with their hair, every strand in place, every move in sync, every word said with poise and grace. I was consumed with this idea of perfectionism. I remember running through my resume before attending the various nights, making sure to note at some point in the conversation some of my proudest activities and honors and making sure I had only the best profile pictures on social media in the event they saw me. If I was going to join perfect, I in turn had to become perfect. 

As bid day came and went, I was so excited to be a part of such a wonderfully perfect group. I wanted all the shirts with letters, pinned all the perfectly "sorority quotes" on Pinterest, and quickly made sure my car and every social profile I had displayed my letters across them. What I didn’t understand at that time but quickly realized was that the recruitment room filled with perfect girls was in all reality a room filled with passionately flawed, imperfect women.


I joined a group of outstanding people, don’t get me wrong. But the more time I invested in their hearts, the more I began to see all of our many flaws. Some of us come from messes that would only sound real in movies. Others struggle with body image or grades. All of us have had absurdly embarrassing moments, and we have all spent a night discussing the petrifying realities of the future and how we have no idea what we’re going to be doing in the next five years. We’ve wasted lots of mascara crying over things that don’t matter, and we’ve obsessed over the opinions of those who don’t deserve the attention. These are the people who surround me. Not perfect people but rather people with pasts and messes and bright bold futures. They’re forces to be reckoned with, souls on fire, with all the life, gifts, and talents ready to share with the world.

These women are strong. They know strength because they’ve struggled and because they’ve had someone to bare their burdens with. 

I am strong because I have a back bone made of a hundred sisters in Christ who pray for me and with me when I need it most and help me buck up when they know I can achieve greater. 

These women who surround me, they are not perfect by any means. They are hard-working, money managing, time crunched, stressed out, wonderful messes who are great with a curling iron and lip stick. And they are my family. They help me figure it out every day. I thank God that he did not bless me with perfect friends but perfectly imperfect sisters who love me and all my imperfections too.

So when examining "what sorority is:", I suggest not starting with what it is but with what it is not. 

•It is not perfect—and that is ok! Who can handle perfection? Who can keep up with that mentality? How do we forgive and be forgiven in a realm that scorns imperfection?

•It is not an excuse to be exclusive—the misconception that we can only foster friendships within our own organizations is the exact opposite of what our founders had envisioned. I can only think that I was given the opportunity to grow and cope with life with a group of like-minded individuals so that I might be a better communicator with the world around me and be able to initiate new ties and friendships because of the confidence I found in having my own support system.

•It is not the ultimate goal—the beauty of having an established community is that these organizations are meant to help you discover yourself and support you in pursuit of all your aspirations. We are not here to say, "you're in XYZ, congratulations, you've made it!".   Instead, we've taken a pledge that says, "you've joined XYZ, now I pledge to help you realize your dreams, support you when it gets tough, and just love you anyway."

In summation, sorority is not just Greek letters, t-shirts, socials, and car decals. It's so, so much more. I would proudly say that I am a part of a phenomenal chapter, but if you're looking for perfection, we're just not your girls.



Post Written by Guest Blogger, Lauren Copeland; Edited by UNA Panhellenic

Sorority Is....

"From the outside looking in, you can't understand it, and from the inside looking out, you can't explain it." 

That quote is quite possibly the most cliche quote about sorority and fraternity life in existence. But, at the same time, it's pretty true.

If you were to ask most sorority women what their view of sorority life was before becoming an initiated member of their organization they'd probably give you a list of things that everyone in the universe associates with sorority life: t-shirts, mixers, date parties, rush, dues...basically the TV show Greek or sort of like Legally Blonde?  For most young collegiate women, going through formal sorority recruitment was something that they did because their mom did it, or because their roommate was planning on doing it, or simply because they were curious about this mysterious thing called "recruitment." It's a whirlwind of cocktail dresses and polite conversation that eventually grows into meaningful conversation that eventually becomes the ominous thing referred to as "bid day" (squeals!!!!).

Fast forward. Now, ask a sorority woman what her view of sorority life is since she's been an initiated member of her organization. She'll probably give you a long list of words like: life-long, preparation, sisterhood, philanthropy, academics.... Where did that change come from? How did that confused freshmen become a leader on her campus and in her organization? How has it become more than something that her mom did before her? How, exactly, did being in a sorority help her decide what she wants to do with her life?

Let's finally break down that cliche phrase. Lack of transparency with non-Greek people about Greek Life is one of the reasons that there is so much confusion surrounding it. Lack of continuous education about sorority, as a whole, is the reason retention is never at 100%.

Let's start being really open about what sorority is.

Sorority is so much more than t-shirts and mixers. Sorority is so much more, even, than philanthropic endeavors. So, what is sorority?

Sorority is learning to work with a team. Sorority is having a support system. Sorority is learning to be a functional member of society. Sorority is an emphasis on furthered education. Sorority is figuring out who you are as a woman. Sorority is all of this, and so much more, and it means something different to every woman involved.

In the following weeks, UNA Panhellenic will be asking guest writers from each chapter what sorority means to them. We encourage you to follow us as we step into the meaning of sorority life as told by sorority women. We can't wait to start this journey with you!

If you're interested in writing about what sorority life means to you, email your post to panhellenic@una.edu