It's that time of week again...

Guess what? Last week in ZTA we figured out who our little sis's were! Every year older members are paired with new members as "big sisters" and "little sisters." Essentially, this relationship is designed to integrate younger members into the chapter as well as establish bonds between the older and younger classes. It's one of the biggest commitments older members agree to throughout the year because they must be willing to provide a generous amount of time and effort to foster a meaningful relationship. A bad relationship has the potential to ruin a younger members perception of the chapter - so it is essential that all "big sis" and "lil sis" relationships are nurtured and ardently cared for (kind of sounds like gardening, right?).

Although I already have a "lil sis" from last year, I received the unique opportunity to take another one this year. My (older) "lil sis" is Alexandra, she is a Pre Med major at Drury and my new "lil sis" is Jessica, also a Pre Med major. Both are outstanding young women who will grow to be excellent leaders in the chapter :). 

Not only am I interested in building a relationship with her, but I am also excited to get to know her entire new member class. Already, I have befriended several girls - and I love them all! The more I learn about them, the more I am impressed with their strength and dedication. They are already taking active roles by volunteering for leadership positions and by participating in every event - in a way, they are influencing me and causing me to think twice about my behavior as a chapter member. 

It's easy to get burnt out once you reach junior/senior year - the girls you once looked up to have left the chapter and often you are too busy to attend events outside of meeting. It's easy to remain in the background and fall back on excuses... but as must as I want to do this, I can't. The truth is (despite all the busy-ness and occasional drama) I am proud to remain an active member. After all, who will be the role models for the younger girls? Even though several of mine have graduated, that doesn't mean there isn't opportunity for more to take leadership! I love every sister and love the sisterhood we share. 

Sisterhood is something that cannot be explained. The bonds I have and will create with these women will last me a lifetime (cheesy!). Two weeks ago, the church I attend finished a sermon series titled "life is meant to be shared." The core message was:

"We are to embrace community with others. God never intended for us to live life alone. If we don't have others in our lives, it's actually impossible to live out many commandments from Scripture." 

We may not base all of our sisterhood on scripture or the commandments, but we need each other just as the Christian community needs its members. We need each other to get through life - and that starts with individual relationships - such as one with

 my "lil sis." 

"Help[ing] one another, is part of the the religion of sisterhood" 

-Louisa May 

Alcott

my family :) 

Rumors and Such

Yesterday I found out what "juicycampus.com" was. Out of curiosity, I caved and decided to check it out... and was unpleasantly surprised. "Juicycampus.com" is a gossip site for any college campus - it's designed to create controversy and spread rumors. Anyone can post at any time, without the fear of having their identity revealed. If you've seen the movie Mean Girls, this site might be slightly reminiscent of the "Burn Book" (in which a few girls write down rumors about everyone at their high school in a journal). Besides the usual bashing of sorority/fraternity guys and girls, the site also serves to ridicule anyone else who is particularly disliked within the college campus. Apparently the site has become increasingly popular, as the number of views and posts have increased in the past week. One of my friends has become so concerned about other's perception of him, that he checks the site every day to make sure he is not the topic of discussion. 

I am in shock! I can't believe there is a site (specifically for Drury's campus) that calls individuals out by name and encourages others to judge them anonymously. I've heard our college called "Drury High" before, but this is more like "Drury Middle School" behavior.

This discovery leads me to discuss how it relates to my blog. I find it disheartening that my friend feels the need to check the website daily to make sure his name is free from any negative associations. Although I would be worried if my name were the topic of some ridiculous rumor, I cannot justify his behavior. What does that say about your character, if you allow a silly website to dominate your life and perception of yourself? To me, it reveals that you don't have enough self-confidence. People like my friend are people in need of a boost (a really big confidence boost!). I want them to see themselves as good enough - without having to rely on others to tell them through an anonymous website. As part of my initiative to become a woman of influence, this week I am going to try my best to bring out the good in everyone and encourage others to do the same. 

Part of becoming a role model involves building people up, not tearing people down. If I ever hope to influence girls...

I have to stop talking about people in a negative way. 

Although I don't participate in gossip often, I have recently found myself contributing to rumors/negative conversation. I am just as guilty as those who posted online. No matter if it is said out loud, or posted on "juicycampus.com," gossip is gossip. Words are permanent and can be misconstrued. This website has shown me how harsh students can be, and how our campus is in need of strong leaders to put a stop to rumors and discourage the creation of them. 

"A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader, a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves."