Be-YOU-tiful {Be Yourself}

Being yourself isn’t something you always think of when you think of about being in sorority. People tend to think girls in a sorority all wear the same things, think the same thoughts and are all just housewives in training. Well I am here to tell you that is not what being in a sorority is like, even though I thought the exact same thing as I went through recruitment. Now looking back on, it I think of how wrong I was. I have learned not only so much about myself but also about my sorority and how we are everything but a stereotype.

We are a group of women who are leaders on and off campus, in our communities, and we are scholars. We encourage each other to go out for all kinds of different things. We study with each other and support our own philanthropy along with other philanthropies. Being in a sorority has given me the confidence to step out of my comfort zone and step up and become a leader within my chapter. When I was a freshman going through recruitment I never thought I would end up holding so many different positions in my organization that all taught me something different about myself.

Being a member of an all female organization you would think we would all just be mean to one another but it really is just the opposite. My sisters encourage me to be the best version of myself and to never let anything or anyone get me down. They have been by my side on my best and worst days and never asked me to be anything but myself. That is what I think be-YOU-tiful means. It means to always be true to yourself, and like I said I have never been asked to change myself, I’ve only been encouraged to be myself.

Having that kind of that encouragement is important to all women, especially in today’s society. Women are so critical on themselves and having that support system of women always telling you to shoot for the stars is so important. I am never afraid to do something because I know even if I fail I have my sisters to pick me up and dust me off and tell me to just try again. I have never felt like I couldn’t do something or that I wasn’t supported in the decisions I was making, because I knew I always had my sisters there to count on.

I am truly blessed to be a part of an organization full of such supportive women, who always make me feel like being myself is okay and that I should never be anything but that.

Post Written by Guest Blogger, Hallie Mitchell; Edited by UNA Panhellenic

                  

Be-YOU-tiful

Everyone has something that they may not be confident about or some fear that keeps us up late at night. We are an imperfect people and there are always going to be things that we are self-conscious about. It could be that stutter that you get when you are nervous, the size of your feet, the inability to get in front of a crowd and speak with purpose. We are all imperfect, but that imperfection is humanizing.

Sometimes, we allow our fears and emotions to prevent us from seizing opportunities because we are lacking in confidence. We may be afraid to stand up and take charge in a situation because we are afraid of being talked about. We become complacent because we lack confidence.

It is important to remember that there are haters everywhere. You are never going to be able to please everyone. You may not have the perfect body, you may not have the perfect voice, you may not have the best athletic ability, but you are YOU and there is nothing that you can do about that.

You must take some stock in who you are. Whether you are quiet, nerdy, loud, funny, sarcastic, introverted, extroverted, or anywhere in between, OWN who you are. Be that person and be that person on a DAILY BASIS.

Recently, I got the opportunity to hear Erin Fischer speak at Panhellenic Academy. She was one of the opening speakers and she spoke on the topic of confidence. She shared with us some of her habits that she developed on her journey to being a more confident person. Here are some tips from the brave Ms. Fisher:

#1- Limit your limiting beliefs- Don’t let the fact that someone has told you that you are not good at something keep you from doing it. If you let go of those limits, you can change your behaviors.

#2-Build your reserve of resiliency-Failure is inevitable. You are going to fail, but the failure is not what it is important. What is important is that you have the strength and the courage to keep going even after you fail. Accept your failure, own in, and learn from it.

#3-Get real- Do not be afraid to ask for help. You are not a perfect person and you are going to need help at some point. Be real with yourself and realize when you need that assistance you can JUST ASK!

#4-Help others on their confidence journey- Sharing your talent not only benefits the person that you are helping, but you are going to find joy in sharing your talents.

#5-Identify your fears so you can increase your self-awareness- By knowing your fears and being aware of then, you can work on getting over those fears and gaining confidence in the face of those fears.

#6- You can learn a lot from the confidence of rock stars- Rock stars DO NOT CARE about the people who did not buy their tickets. They are only worried about the people who are bought their tickets and come to hear them play. Do not worry or lose sleep over the people who do not buy YOUR ticket. There are people who are in your corner. You should appreciate and “play” for the patrons that are behind you.

So, dance like no one is watching, sing your heart out in the shower, tell that corny joke, don’t let them put Baby in a corner! Be who you are and be as genuine as you can be and go into the world and BE CONFIDENT!

Post Written by Guest Blogger, Sarah Ann Keeter; 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....

"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