Everyday Pearls: April So Far

April has been absolutely crazy. First there was Easter, then a weekend in Des Moines for a Public Relations Student Society of American Regional Conference, and this past weekend was spent with my sisters, other members of Greek life and my second family. Here are some of my favorite pics from the past three weeks!

Easter service with the LJs. 

My siblings can be pretty great. 

We got to hear from somebody from Disney! 

Here is the panel from Wells Fargo, they may or may not have been added to my list of dream companies. 

Tulips in Des Moines!

My fav PR girls!

This guy was hilarious. He works for HBO and had GREAT insights!

Friday night we had a Greek outing to the Timber Rattlers game, which is the team for the Milwaukee Brewers!

Lots of new greek friends

Awkward throw what you know. 

CW! She's the cutest (and like half a foot shorter than me as well)

It was a beautiful night! These converse are on repeat this spring. One of my best purchases so far!

These two are so fun! 

Making balloons at Walk for MS! It's one of my favorite events to volunteer at and my best friend JP is on the planning committee. 

Love this girl JP! She's one of the hardest working people I know, and always gives her entire heart. 

This next weekend I have formal and senior tea! I can't wait! How has your April been? I only have 3 weeks of school left.  Cue the panic. 

xoxo

How to Handle Having a Younger Sister & a Sorority Little

I'm the first one in my family to go greek, and it definitely hasn't been that easy. Especially trying to explain my sorority little to my younger sister. We have a rocky relationship, which is to be expected due to our age and personality differences. Here are my best tips on how to deal make the most of both relationships.

Make time for each sister// Make a point of spending time with each sorority family member. Get pedicures, go shopping, see a movie or even just watch Netflix together. Make time for your littles and daughter, making sure to have traditions so that you can bond as well! It's all about making each person feel important and letting them know how much you care!

Take time to explain the differences// Explain to your younger sister the differences between your sorority family and your real one. It may take a couple of times to completely explain the roles especially if greek life is new for your family.

Highlight the positives of each relationship// With your younger sister you have years of family memories, and an understanding of familial relationships. You have someone who you spend holidays with and familial traditions. With your sorority family you have precious college memories, similar values and a peer who understands what you are experiencing. You have someone who understands how truly special your sorority is, and can share in your frustrations, accomplishments and events!


It can be a little bit tricky, but with a little bit of effort you will hopefully have even better relationships with everyone involved!

xoxo

Why Join a Sorority?

Sorority recruitment is happening right now at all of the large universities, however I'm here to persuade you to rush at your smaller liberal arts school.

1. Confidence: You will gain confidence by rushing, and when/if you get a bid the confidence that a group of talented young ladies chose you to be one of their sisters. You will also gain confidence as your sisters figure out your talents and become your advocate. They will also be there to tell you that you're worthy enough for the internship, and that the dress you bought for formal would rock any man's world. Your sisters will give you confidence and you'll return it.

2. Philanthropy: As a sister you will help raise money for worthy causes, and volunteer with you sisters. Greeks give the most money and time to worthy organizations. This is one of the best ways to get involved in your community.

3. Skills: A sorority is run almost like a small corporation, and you will gain plenty of new skills as your help your chapter prepare for recruitment, philanthropy events and social events. You can also build your portfolio by helping your chapter with tasks that are similar to your future career.

4. Leadership: This one is a common reasons, but many women find that their sisters nominate them for positions that they didn't think they could do. However their sisters know better and they gain confidence in their leadership abilities.

5. Life-long friendships: You will probably not talk to all of your sisters for the rest of your life, but you will find a few or more sisters who will become life-long friends. They will be your bridesmaids, your children's godmothers and the friends you can pick up where ever you left off.

6. Experience: Your sisters will come from different backgrounds, and push you out of your comfort zone. They will teach you about diversity and trying new things. They will be there after your first over-indulgence and when the love interest in your life just isn't getting anything right.

Are you planning on going through sorority recruitment? What sorority are you apart of?

xoxo

Sorority Women

I am a proud sorority woman. Without my sorority I truly believe that I would less of a leader on campus and I might have even transferred. 

There will always be a negative connotation associated with Greek Life. Are there stereotypical sororities and fraternities? Sure. I am not at every single university and I do not know every single university's Greek life. 

Lately there seems to be a war on Greek life. The Atlantic even has a series about it.  

For those who have never experienced Greek life to start passing judgement is sad. Not everyone may have a positive experience as a Greek, but there are hundreds of those who have had positive experiences. 

While I could list off all of these statistics about how we have higher GPA's, or how 71% of Greeks graduate while only 50% of non-Greeks graduate. (So I did, but there are many more) Instead I am going to tell you my personal story about how Greek life has helped influence the woman I have become. 

As a freshman I was shy, scared and unsure of myself. I had a close-knit group of friends in high school, and was getting over a two and a half year relationship. I had decided to try Greek life in high school because of how outside of my comfort zone I thought it would. Also my grandmother was in a sorority in college and she loved it. She is still in contact with some of her sisters and I wanted that so badly. 

I found out about Zeta Omega Tau through my freshmen class's Facebook group. Rush week came around and I was nervous. My ex and I were talking again I was thinking that I was never going to find my place at UW-Green Bay. 

The women I met during Rush week were confident, involved and ambitious. They supported each other and you could feel the love radiating off of each of them. I wanted so badly to be apart of it. 

The night I got my bid my ex and I completely cut ties. I was crying my eyes out and a knock came on my door. There were six of my future sisters smiling and screeching my name. I opened my bid envelope and out came what seemed like a pound of glitter. I felt like I was home. The drama and emotional strain that the past couple months had brought melted away. 

While I had a large pledge class, and sometimes felt like an outsider, I found current sisters whom loved me. As I started to feel more comfortable in the sorority and with the sisters I began to flourish. My grades improved and I stopped talking to my high school friends as much. The confidence I gained that semester allowed me to feel ready to enter into another relationship with almost no qualms when I thought I would never be able to. 

My second semester in the sorority I began to research other sororities and what they do. I started to think of different PR things to do. After discussing these ideas with sisters who encouraged me I began to become more confident. I had lost some confidence after leaving for college, but started to gain it back when I felt that I had good ideas. 

This confidence lead me to join a student org. That student org is now an official chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America. I was confident enough to start a chapter of a prestigious organization on this campus as a freshman, as well as do a lot of the charter paperwork. 

Now I am the secretary of the sorority, and if I wasn't studying abroad I would run for a larger position. My sisters have been there for me at my weakest moments, and at my strongest. I've embarrassed myself too many times to count in front of them and I've stopped being actually embarrassed. I know that they will be there for me for anything, and I would be there for them. 

Do I get frustrated with my sisters sometimes? Is there drama? Yes, but I love each and everyone of these women unconditionally. I have relationships with women I wouldn't have even met if it wasn't for the sorority.  These women have recognized my talents and encouraged me to use them. They appreciate me and at the end of somedays that is all I really need to hear. The path that I have chosen for myself is not easy, and sometimes I feel alone. But than a sister texts me, or sees me and their smile makes my day.

One day if I am blessed with a daughter I want her to have the opportunity to be uplifted by a group of young women like my sisters. 

Before you decide to judge all Greek life based on a few large schools and their reputations think of all of the chapters and local sororities who have done nothing but enhance their members lives. At the bottom of it all, Greek life in the US is positive.

Before you judge Greeks based on the media, get to a know a couple of brothers or sisters. I am hoping that they will change your opinion. All of us are just trying to find a place to belong, and if that place is Greek life than good for us. 

Are you involved in Greek life? What do you think about it? I would love to hear your stories!

xoxo

Guest Post: Emma Tilton

Ah! I am leaving the West Coast today for my sweet Midwest, and I have to admit my style is definitely more suited for the classy down South. 

One of my friends from Her Campus is going to be finishing this week of guest posting off for me with a cute outfit post! I love Emma's blog, and y'all should really check out her blog!

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Collegiate Chic: A Guest Post by itsemmaelise

While my personal style doesn’t always reflect the preppy, Southern atmosphere that I grew up around, I believe there is still something to be said for wearing plaid or pearls, and channeling your inner Blair Waldorf every so often. With that in mind, I took to my most recent addiction…Polyvore.

Scholars Summit by itsemmaelise

I found this cotton dress on ModCloth, and it just screams “collegiate chic” in my opinion. A meeting of the minds with other intellectuals is always a bit more exciting when you’re wearing some cute, scholarly hues! This plaid number combines navy dignity with golden confidence, from its black-piped upper all the way down to its pleated skirt. For a cute twist, I styled this dress with some suede pumps and a thick, gold-chain necklace!

What are your favorite preppy chic looks? Let me know on Twitter! And don’t forget to check out my own blog, itsemmaelise!
<3 Em
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She's amazing! I love this outfit, perfect for an internship or a formal lunch!
Even for a sorority tea or the weekly meetings!

Stay tuned for a recap of my trip this week!

xoxo

AV

All about Zeta Omega Tau

I have had a lot of questions about Zeta Omega Tau, and how it differs from national sororities. Here is a little synopsis of our wonderful sisterhood!

Zeta Omega Tau wasfounded in 1988, and we have been the only successful sorority on campus sincewe were founded. We were founded to serve our campus and community byvolunteering and fundraising. We have won the most improved campus organizationmultiple years, and our wonderful adviser also won adviser of the year!  We currently have 36 active sisters. We areself-funded through fees and fund raising. While we don't have a house,  we have plenty of socials, and see each otherall the time throughout the day.

 As the only sorority on campus, our Rush weekswork a bit differently, with an event Monday through Wednesday, and interviewson Thursday.  Bid day is Friday, and wetry to get all the sisters and pledges together for a fun night.

Every fall we put ona personality contest called Mr. and Ms. Phoenix (our mascot), which raisesmoney for the Breast Cancer Research foundation and Paul's Food Pantry. It'svery popular and this year we had 11 contestants in all. Our winners representour school at various events throughout the school year. Also in the fall, wehave a formal where we get to dance the night away and enjoy each other and ourdates.

In the spring, we domultiple walks, such as Relay for Life, March of dimes and a walk for MS. Wefund raise with bake sales and pasta sales. Every April we have spring formal, which is a nice sit-down dinner withour sisters and our dates! We also have a sister-bonding day where we get awayfrom it all and grow closer as a sorority.

In many national sororities each sister gets a big and a little! In Zeta Omega Tau, each sister gets a mother, a daughter, a big and a little!  By the time you graduate you have your own little family inside of our sisterhood.

As a local sororitywe have made a positive name for ourselves in the community. I can't wait tospend the rest of my college career with these wonderful ladies, and I can'twait to see what we can do!