Crush Party: Talladelta Nights

Because of all the chaos that comes along with fall semester, it's hard to believe our first function of the semester was already two weeks ago.  On Sept. 11, our sisters dressed up and celebrated their first NASCAR-themed function, cleverly named "Talladelta Nights" (shout out to you, Alex Hall) and danced the night away at Social in the Vista.  Here's a recap of the craziest night of the year!

Big/Little Revelation

Last week, Tri Delta hosted its Big/Little Revelation, where the new members were finally paired with older members as their "bigs."  After a week of anonymous goodies and treats, the new members were told to dress up as something specific and search through the Tri Delta house for their "match!"  

To me, the big/little relationship is something that is often underestimated.  As a senior, I've been the little, the big, the grandbig and now the great-grandbig (holy crap, I'm old), and I can honestly say these relationships are some of the strongest I've found in Tri Delt.  I'll never forget meeting my littles during recruitment and instantly telling all my friends, "She has to go Tri Delt and she has to be my little."  Lucky for me, they both did and I can't imagine it any other way.

A big is someone who can answer all the daunting questions of freshman year for you.  She's always there to greet you with a smile and a hug when you walk into the house of 300 girls you still don't know that well, and she always knows exactly what you should wear to the function.  Still, it's much more than that.  If you're lucky like I was, your littles will end up becoming your best friends.  Sometimes, it's hard to tell who's the "big" and who's the "little," since I swear they've got it more together than me.

The point is that having a big is one of those special things that is unique to sorority life and shouldn't be taken for granted.  Take it from one of our own members who became a big last week.  Here's part of the letter she wrote to her littles that I believe is pretty indicative of how great it really is! 

"My sweet little,

Finally! I have been waiting since the day I met you for you to become my little. It's been the hardest thing not to call you the last few days and ask to hang out. All of the older girls always talk about how perfect their little is and how much they love them. I always thought they were crazy... until I met you. You are BEAUTIFUL, funny, smart, crazy outgoing, and I could not be more excited that you chose to become a Tri Delta. You have such a bright future here in this house and at this university... and I cannot wait to be a part of it and watch you excel and grow.  I have met some of the most ridiculous, hilarious, and inspiring friends in this place. I have been challenged and pushed way out of my comfort zone. But most importantly, I have learned to have an overwhelming amount of respect and love for these crazy girls that come in all shapes, sizes, backgrounds, and beliefs. Please give these girls a chance to love you and be your sisters and change your life. This first year at college is going to be absolutely insane. You will learn and grow and change even more. I promise that you will make some stupid decisions but you'll make infinitely more brilliant ones. I also promise that I will be there to giggle and love you through each and every one of them. You were picked from the bunch to be a Tri Delta for a reason and there is no doubt in my mind that you have a place in this house and that you will excel. I cannot wait to see all of the amazing things that you will do!

Here's to the world's best little, your next four years, and a lifetime of sisterhood and friendship. 

I love you to the crescent moon and back a thousand times.

DL, your big"

I'd also like to give a HUGE thank you to Colby Carter and Mary Kate Korpita for all of their hard work with the new member and sponsorship process.  You two are absolutely unsung heroes of the chapter and deserve to know how wonderful you both are!

Spring 4.0s!

Shout out to some of our amazing members who earned 4.0s last semester!  A huge thanks to Kendall Boothe, our Academic Chair, on all her hard work to ensure our members' academic success.

Congratulations, ladies!

Jordan Batson

Peyton Billow

Kelsey Bilthouse

Rachel Bolan

Kendall Boothe

Meredith Borkowski

Courtney Brown

Sarah Casasnovas

Kenzie Cass

Carrie Coffee

Morgan Colley

Tabor Copeland

Ellie Eckert

Hailey Fiztwater

Hayley Geis

Logan Graves

Kaitlyn Gronauer

Nina Johnnie

Katie Kennedy

Kiley King

Kaylen Loflin

Emily Marcum

Catherine McElveen

Isabella McElveen

Kellie McKinney

Katherine Melink

Julia Morgan

Jacqueline Morrill

Courtney Mras

Emily Nelson

Lexie Norfleet

Mary Rentschler

Emily Rowell

Hayley Saint

Caitlin Scurria

Madison Seiter

Anna Kate Smith

Meaghan Smith

Caroline Spelman

Ryann Spurrier

Caroline Trojan

Anne Tulisiak

Sara Velordi

Margaret Williams

We are so proud of you!

BodyImage3D: Andriana Nazarian

Today's post takes an inside look at one of Tri Delta's largest initiatives--the BodyImage3D program--from the perspective of one of our chapter's very own members!  Andriana Nazarian was selected from applicants across the country to be a Body Image Ambassador and represent Tri Delta on a national level.  We are so thankful for her spending her summer to improve our chapter both locally and nationally!

I’ve always wanted to have a leadership position in Tri Delta. When I joined this amazing sisterhood my sophomore year, I made it my goal to leave a positive impact by the time I graduated.

Last semester, my roommate, sister and best friend, Caroline Stanley frantically forwarded me an email from Delta Delta Delta’s national headquarters about a position they were seeking members for. Caroline, being my biggest fan and motivator said, “YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION IT WOULD BE PERFECT FOR YOU.” So I read the email and quickly realized that the Body Image Ambassador position embodied all things I am passionate about: a healthy mind, body and spirit.

I am an advertising major and sociology minor and I was lucky that I picked two studies that go perfectly hand in hand. After taking my more specialized classes, I came to the conclusion that I was sickened by the way men and women were portrayed in the media. I told myself that if I ever worked for a creative agency I couldn’t just run an advertisement that I thought was unethical. I couldn’t be the person responsible for the dissemination of a socially constructed portrayal of men and women that essentially has led to multiple physical and mental health issues such as, eating disorders, anxiety, suicide, etc. If I was going to continue my studies in advertising I knew I wanted to make a lasting difference and applying for this position was my first step.

The process required a 3 minute video entry explaining why I would be a good fit and a few essay questions. I NEVER thought in a million years that I would receive the position and at first I was very reluctant, but at that point I thought what did I have to lose?

About a month later, I received an email from Tri Delta telling me that I received the Body Image Ambassador position and in July 2014 I would be flown in to the headquarter office in Arlington, Texas. I was nothing short of ecstatic. In Arlington, I was able to meet 9 other amazing sisters and who also received the position from chapters across the country. I honestly can’t put into words how refreshing and eye-opening this experience was for me. The women I met are some of the most strong, courageous and incredible people I’ve ever met. I can’t wait to see what this year brings and to start implementing the BodyImage3D’s program and values into our own chapter.

Thank you to my very best friends for motivating me and pushing me to embody the values of Tri Delta every day. I honestly wouldn’t have had confidence and courage to apply and seek this future endeavor without you.

Delta love <3
Andriana Nazarian

Sister Spotlight: Kaylen Loflin

Today's post is a continuation of our sister spotlights on girls and the incredible ways they spent their summers!  This one is about Kaylen Loflin and her experience interning on Capitol Hill.  Congratulations on the huge accomplishment, Kaylen, and we are so happy to have you back!

Team Duncan

"This summer I received a chance of a lifetime: a chance to move to Washington, DC and work on Capitol Hill. For most of you, the thought of interning for a Congressman sounds daunting and perhaps dull, but for someone who aspires to have a career in politics it’s a dream come true. I spent my summer interning for Congressman Jeff Duncan (representative of the 3rd district of South Carolina). It is with great pleasure that I can say that Congressman Duncan is one of the most amazing men I have ever had the honor of not only working for, but to meet and spend time with as well.

As a true southern gentleman, the 3rd district chose well when they picked him to be their representative. This man devotes his life to representing the 3rd district to the best of his ability, while holding the federal government accountable to the Constitution. Not only have I found a mentor in Congressman Duncan, but his staff as well. It’s truly a blessing to find such a kind and welcoming group to work with so far away from home. I realize how fortunate I am to be able to have such an amazing group of people to learn from this summer.

It may seem like everything went perfectly with a smooth transition, but in the beginning I had no idea what I was walking into. It took over a year of planning to work out all of the details for this internship, which means I had a year to think about every possible thing that could wrong. I could get lost on the metro; I could get mugged; I could get lost in the Capitol; Possible even worse, I could spill coffee on the Congressman! I could say the wrong thing to a constituent, and ect.... Any possible thing that could go wrong, I thought about it and worried. Even with a year to think about not only all the things that could send me into a embarrassed coma but all of the wonderful opportunities as well, I still honestly had no idea what I was walking into on my first day of work. (Luckily my uncle lives in DC so I didn't have to face the big city all by myself, but he couldn't come to work with me every day!)

 I don't think I have ever been more nervous than the first morning of my internship. I took the red line train from DuPont Circle to Metro Center where I changed to the Orange/Blue Line train to go to Capitol South, which is right outside Cannon House Office building – my home for the summer. (I may have fooled you that I was a pro at navigating the metro, but the day before I made my uncle take me on a trial run to test the waters). I went through security and found my office, only to realize the door is locked. I was early so I decided to walk around the building and of course I allowed my head to fill with all sorts of bad thoughts like; what if they forgot about me? What if they changed their minds about me but didn't tell me? What if I came on the wrong day? Right when I was about to have a break down and call my dad, I saw someone unlock our door and enter the office.

I quickly followed behind them and introduced myself. It was our Legislative Director, Joshua, who told me to have a seat at the front desk and that when Lauren arrived, she would explain everything that I needed to know. That's about all I remember from the first day. Everything else was a blur from learning how to answer the phones, who handles which policy issues, how to greet people, how to navigate the underground tunnels, and the biggest of them all: giving tours of the Capitol.

Kaylen with Senator Tim Scott

I started on a recess week, which means members of Congress are working in their districts (you probably have heard it referred to as summer vacation for Congress, but that's not an accurate description). Since we were in recess, everyone in the office had a little more time to explain things to me in addition to helping me learn the ropes. I went home exhausted every night, in amazement with how much went on every day. Little to my knowledge, it would get about a million times busier when we were in session.

Capitol Hill is not the place for people who want a relaxed, low-key job. It’s long hours and something always needs to be done. My main job was to be the receptionist for our office. This included greeting meetings or whomever walked in the door (because it is a public office meaning anyone can walk right in), and answering phone calls to direct people to the appropriate legislative assistant or taking comments/questions for the Congressman. (I would like to add that I now have the upmost respect for receptionists). The other biggest part of being an intern on Capitol Hill is doubling as a tour guide. Almost every day, constituents who are visiting Washington come in to get a tour of the Capitol. I take them underground from our office to the Capitol then walk them through the Crypt, the Rotunda, the Old Supreme Court, the Old Senate Chamber, and the Old House Chamber all while telling them the history of the rooms, paintings, and statues. My absolute favorite spot in the Capitol is the Speakers balcony. When we are not in session interns and staffers are allowed to take tours out to the balcony where you get the best view of DC. I will miss walking out on that balcony on beautiful DC days and looking out over the National Mall.

Kaylen with Jenna Bush

Every once in a while, when we aren't in session, a staffer will walk you on to the House floor. One of my highlights of the summer was getting to go on the House floor for the first time and sit in the seats that members of Congress sit in. Along with being the receptionist and a tour guide, I helped anyone in the office with projects they were working on. This included research for different issues, monitoring social media for the Congressman and helping compile monthly reports of the findings, and any other little projects staffers needed assistance with.

My summer wasn't all work though. At the end of July I got the opportunity to go to ScholarCon, which is hosted by NSCS. (The organization that most of you have as your other campus organization) The conference was held in Orlando and hosted speakers like Eric Kuhn, Jullien Gordon, Jenna Bush Hager, Lauren Berger, Jerry Greenfield and many others who have made a huge impact in this world and want to inspire others to do the same. The conference help lectures on interviews, internships careers, graduate testing, and tons of other really helpful seminars. The most notable speaker/performer was John Legend. He spoke about his passions and his dedication to excelling in his career. He has such an inspiring story, but it didn't hurt that he performed a few songs too. I would really encourage all of you to check out these people and also get involved with our chapter of NSCS.

Kaylen with John Legend

As exhausting as the work is, I would not trade my experience this summer for the world. Having the opportunity to get to know Congressman Duncan and his staff is something that has truly inspired me and solidified that I am making the right decision to pursue a career in government.

DL,

Kaylen"

If I Paid For My Friends, I Didn't Pay Nearly Enough.

With recruitment just around the corner (where does the time go?), it's that time of year for the skeptics to come around, tongues blazing, to make sure everyone knows that joining a sorority is absolutely the worst thing you could ever do.  This is for a few reasons, the most popular of which is:

You're paying for your friends.

So, today, being a week away from reuniting with some the best young women I've ever met, I feel inclined to clarify a few things.

1. Dues cover the cost of functions, meal plans, housing and other resources meant to help YOU.

Sure, functions aren't "necessary," but what's wrong with wanting to get dressed up with your best friends and have a night of fun?  That's not something that's unique to Greek life.  Meal plans and having a place to live, study or just hang out isn't unique to Greeks either.  As far as resources, many Greek organizations employ people from the University to support their members academically.  And guess what?  The all-Greek GPA is consistently higher than the non-Greek GPA!

2. You don't need to join a sorority to make friends.

This is 100% true, and that's why you don't join a sorority just to make friends.  However, at a school of about 30,000 people, it's nice to have an outlet to meet new people.  Sororities make a big school feel much smaller, and they give individuals a platform to shine in ways that wouldn't necessarily be possible on a larger scale (like the entire University).  That being said, sororities DO seek people out based on their values.  So although you can find friends anywhere, in a sorority you are given an opportunity to form deeper friendships based on values.

3. Sororities DO make a positive impact on the entire community.
(This is my favorite one).

Like I said, this is my favorite one, and that's because the idea that all we care about is ourselves is just blatantly wrong.  At least here at the Alpha Lambda chapter it is.  Although it doesn't all come down to philanthropy, it's the most important thing to us, so it's all I'll mention here.  I'm by no means saying that non-Greeks aren't philanthropic or don't care about helping others.  There's tons of people who are philanthropic on their own.  And that rocks.  Seriously.

But for us, our sorority gives us an outlet to support causes we truly believe in.  Here at Tri Delta, it's St. Jude.  On our own, we couldn't pull off events that bring hundreds of people together to support St. Jude or do a letter-writing campaign that raised almost $100,000.

Every year since I've joined this incredible organization, our chapter has raised over $100,000 for the kids.  Many of us have even spent weekends driving the 10+ hour drive to Memphis, TN, to see our hard work firsthand on the walls of the hospital and in the eyes of the patients we serve.  And don't just take it from me--just last week, Tri Delta was named the St. Jude Partner of the Year for our newest commitment to fund an entire housing facility of the patients and their families.  Out of all the hundreds of organizations that help St. Jude, they thought it best to recognize us.  That is truly something special.

So, all in all, I just want to say that joining Tri Delta has been one of the best decisions I've ever made.  It's given me friendships and opportunities I couldn't have imagined as a wide-eyed high school senior without a clue.

Now, as a rising college senior graduating in December and freaking out about living in the "real world" miles away from the girls who have made me a stronger, more competent and complex woman than I used to be, I can confidently tell you one thing:

If I paid for these friends, I didn't pay nearly enough.

These girls became my second family after the summer my real family fell apart.  Two in particular went from complete strangers to my best friends all in one night when I broke down around a campfire.  I don't think I've ever told them quite how much that meant to me.  So, to them: thank you. I love you.

If Greek life still isn't for you, that's fine--this post isn't meant for you.  This post is meant for those of us who were told, wrongly, what it meant to be a "sorority girl."  I was one rash decision away from never even giving sorority life a chance, all because of what I'd "heard."

I write this for you today to personally urge you not to let anyone make your decisions for you.  Plus, proving people wrong is kind of fun, isn't it? :)

Delta love and all of mine,

Kellie

Summer Series: Delaney Horel in Uganda

During the summertime (or any other time, really), there is absolutely no shame in taking time for ourselves.  To relax on the beach.  To kickstart our career path.  To enjoy time with old friends.  Still, some people constantly seek to serve others regardless of the time of year.  Delaney Horel is one of those people (YGG).  Delaney is a rising senior math major pursuing a career as a teacher.  She spent her summer serving at a school in Uganda, a dream that anyone who knows her heard her talk endlessly about (and when you read this post, you'll understand why).  Yet as she recounts this life-changing trip, she considers herself more of a learner than a teacher.  For those of us who know Delaney, we know that she probably had a much greater impact on the children than she will ever admit.  Her outlook on this trip and on life is uncommon and refreshing.  We can't wait to have you back, Delaney!

"About a 2-hour boat ride from the mainland of Uganda there is an island known as Lingira.  It is approximately five miles in circumference and home to about 3,000 people—nearly all of who live crowded villages composed of small, grass-thatched, mud huts. The economy of Lingira is built on the fishing industry and the average working man makes about $2 per day. Furthermore, there is no electricity, running water, or sanitation systems on the island.  This place was my home for the summer.

A typical day on the island went something like this: I woke up around 7:30 a.m., ate breakfast, "took tea" (a Ugandan habit and phrase I picked up), and went about doing my daily chore of sweeping. Eventually, I walked to Lingira Living Hope Secondary School. (Yes, amazingly enough there is a secondary school on the island. There is a primary school as well.)  Here, I observed class and worked with the math teacher to develop his methods.  When exams came around, I worked with students on review and preparation. Wednesday evenings, I attended fellowship in Katonga village. Saturdays, I attended the female students' Bible study at school. Sundays, I attended service at Kyoya Deliverance church.  During my free time I read and explored. Some days, I set up my hammock in a tree and rested while I listened to the sound of Lake Victoria in the background.  Other days, I walked over to the school to watch football (soccer) and hang out with students. Island life was simple. And I loved that about it.

Living in a new place meant experiencing new things. And in Uganda, I welcomed every opportunity to do something for the first time. Like eat the eye of a fish (a beloved Ugandan delicacy). Or bathe from a basin (no running water remember?). Or ride on a boda boda (the fastest, most fun, and possibly most unsafe, way to move around mainland). Or attend a Ugandan wedding (during which not just one, but four couples were united) whilst wearing a traditional gomesi (a gown which is made of many yards of fabric and somehow not so comfortable).  To these experiences and many others like them, I owe my appreciation: they enabled me to immerse myself in the Ugandan culture and become as Ugandan as I possibly could. Sometimes (most times) they also put me outside of my comfort zone, forcing me to evaluate my limits and challenging me to change them.

Indeed, I have many stories to tell about my summer on Lingira. Yet the memories that I made are not as important to me as the lessons that I learned.

All the while I went to Uganda to serve and instead I was served.  You see, Ugandan culture is centered around community and making people feel "most welcome" (another native phrase I picked up).  Hence, apart from my own initial hesitations, getting to know everyone around me was not very difficult and I am incredibly thankful for the ways they built me up while doing so: the students of the school spoiled me with their endearing kindness and appreciation, the people of the island blessed me with their genuine optimism and joy. Despite their deprived living conditions, their spirit is thriving. The islanders have a hope that gives them life and there is nothing of this world that could ignite the light that radiates from them all.

So, even though…
I did not take a hot shower.
I did not have air conditioning.
I did not wear anything that hit above my knee.
I did not wear make-up.
I did not style my hair.
I did not drive a car.
I did not have constant Internet access.
I did not send a single text message.
And I did not eat Chipotle or Chick-Fil-A.
…All summer long, I was completely content. Because what I did instead was far more satisfying.  Living on Lingira taught me that true fulfillment is not found in material possessions and comforts, it is found in relationships—in spending time with people who love you and encourage you with authenticity and compassion.

And I am eternally grateful for the gift of a sisterhood that does so. Steadfastly.

DL,
Delaney"