Holiday Movie Reviews!

Getting a little stir crazy hanging out at Mom & Dad’s until school starts again? Here’s a solution: go see a movie! There are plenty of great ones out this season, so you could even go for a double feature! Now since I’m a bit of a theatre junkie, here are my humble reviews of this season’s movie offerings*…

*Note: for some reason there are a number of R Rated movies out this year, so be aware before you take your kid siblings along! Most of them are rated R for language rather than gore & illicit behaviors, but you should check the listings just so you aren’t caught by surprise.

The King’s Speech (Rated R)

Starring: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter

Review: Absolutely stellar! The performances by all of the leading actors (and actress!) are positively Oscar-worthy! The story is of Prince William’s Great-Grandfather’s ascent to the throne and his overcoming the obstacles of his childhood and subsequent speech impediment to lead the country through the trying times at the beginning of the Second World War. The cinematography is absolutely beautiful and the dynamics between Geoffrey Rush and Colin Firth’s characters are so well played out that even a cliché montage seems perfect and not at all overplayed. This is a must see!

Little Fockers (Rated PG-13)

Starring: Ben Stiller, Robert DeNiro, Barbra Streisand, Dustin Hoffman, Blythe Danner & Owen Wilson

Review: Cheesy, much in the same vein of the first two and yet still endearing. Wilson is his normal, awkward self, making for some possibly uncomfortable moments. Otherwise, it’s a pretty solid third movie in the series, and worth a watch. Dustin Hoffman & Barbra Streisand really shine in all of their scenes, and it’s worth sitting through everything else just to watch their endearing and funny way of showing how much they care about each other. If you liked the first two, you’ll enjoy this one!

True Grit (Rated PG-13)

Starring: Matt Damon, Jeff Bridges

Review: Now if you’re a lover of Westerns or The Duke, you’re sure to love this one! It’s a remake of a classic John Wayne film and based off of a book. Very gritty and rough, and a perfect date flick, as it’s got a rich enough story to keep you enthralled while the Western/outdoorsy roughness will make your boy happy. The stubborn young woman at the center is also a dynamic & interesting character to draw us girls in. Count on this one to be an Oscar winner in more than one category despite being a remake.

Tron: Legacy 3D (Rated PG)

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Olivia Wilde, & Garrett Hedlund

Review: Hollywood was nice enough to pull out all the stops for he boys’ enjoyment this holiday season with this, The Fighter, and True Grit. It helps if you’ve seen the original before going to see this sequel, as well as being really into sci-fi. I didn’t enjoy it much because it’s not big on plot. But it does have plenty of futuristic fighting and great music courtesy of Daft Punk (who are featured in a scene). You have a chance here to score major brownie points with the bf if you go, and it’s not absolutely terrible (or at all gory if you’re squeamish) although if you want to take him to a “dude movie” I’d suggest True Grit over this dud.

Yogi Bear 3D (Rated PG)

Starring: Justin Timberlake, Dan Akroyd, & Anna Faris

Review: Calling your inner child! For those of us who grew up watching Yogi and his sidekick BooBoo attempt to swipe “pic-a-nik” baskets on Saturday mornings, this is a throwback to a simpler time when all we worried about was making sure that Santa knew exactly which Barbie doll we wanted that year (don’t you miss it?). It’s a well-done mix of animation & live action, which perhaps is the most intriguing part of the movie, as the two mix quite seamlessly. Added bonus? Justin Timberlake voices the lovable BooBoo! He’s such a talent and his character is spot-on. Anna Faris is really great as the nature documentarian and pulls off her usual goofy antics with charm! Perfect to watch while wearing a set of Christmas onesie pajamas!

The Fighter (Rated R)

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, & Amy Adams

Review: This is based on the true story of the great boxer “Irish” Mickey Ward. Based in Boston (much like Be Affleck’s The Town), it reflects the lifestyle of the down & out Irish population in the area. Each of the stars shine in their own right, and you’ll be surprised to see Amy Adams in a role outside her normal Enchanted-esque princesses, but she does a great job portraying a girl who doesn’t take anyone’s flack (and could totally take you in a bar fight). Hopefully you don’t identify with the family dynamics in the film, but you should enjoy the film nonetheless.

Gulliver’s Travels 3D (Rated PG)

Starring: Jack Black, Jason Segel, Emily Blunt

Review: Now the thing about this movie is that book lovers (I’m looking at you, CL Intern Kaitlyn Ann, haha!) can’t go in expecting this movie to hold true to Jules Verne’s classic masterpiece. It is definitely a complete retelling through the eyes of Jack Black. If you loved Black’s other movies, you’ll be much more likely to enjoy this version. Jason Segel makes for a great and very funny sidekick to Black’s Gulliver, but Emily Blunt really takes the cake for her attempt to be funny (even though her character may not realize the humor) as the princess of the Lilliputians. This is definitely a good movie to melt away your cares for a few hours, just don’t expect much in the way of the literary masterpiece on which it’s based!

Black Swan (Rated R)

Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis

Review: If you haven’t already gone, grab your keys and go right this minute! Trust me, not only is this a great flick, but if you don’t see it, you’ll have nothing to talk about with your friends when you all come back from Winter Break (much like Inception, everyone will be talking about it). The ballet is inspiring, but there is so much more. Competition, supernatural elements, and a psychological thriller component all make this an incredible movie!

How Do You Know (Rated PG-13)

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, Paul Rudd & Jack Nicholson

Review: A pretty typical RomCom that focuses more on the characters establishing their own identity than on the romance. Nicholson is really funny, kind of like in Something’s Gotta Give and Owen Wilson is his typical “out-there” self, which can sometimes make things awkward (in my humble opinion). But the success of this movie is its ability to hit the mark on some very real and true moments of struggle in its characters. It’s no Notebook, but it is a fun time and a good girls’ night out movie.

Kathryn Moore is a 5th year from Georgia Tech who loves her Alpha Phi sisters, her Yellow Jackets, and watching movies!

Before You Head Home For The Holidays…

With finals breathing down everyone’s necks, I’m sure you’re all dreaming of the second your last one is done and you can rush home to relax for a few weeks! But before you run home to mom & dad who are ready to welcome you with open arms and laundry rooms, remember these few tips so you don’t wind up coming back to a stinky mess in January.

1. Pack things up!

This is a good thing to do gradually as you take short breaks when studying. You’ll want to first pack up all of your spring clothes since you won’t be needing them for a few months. Then, just before you leave, pack away all of your valuable items so that they’re not in plain sight in case something bad were to happen. I suggest hiding things in drawers, underneath clothes, and under your mattress. Be sure to hide any electronics you’re leaving behind!

2. Clean up!

Even though you’re exhausted from finals, cleaning your dorm room or apartment is super important. You can just quickly vacuum and wipe everything else down with Lysol/Windex, but this helps prevent a bunch of bacteria & mildew from building up while you are gone. It’s also nice to wash your sheets, since nothing feels better than coming back to a clean room and a clean bed after a few weeks away.

3. Throw Things Away!

The most important things to throw out are perishable items like food! Anything that could go bad while you are away should go to the trash! Don’t forget to take things out of the fridge as well, or you’ll walk into a wall of bad smells when you come back. Throw out old papers and anything else so you won’t have to deal with a messy room when you get back. Bonus: it feels super good to throw out all of your notes for classes that you won’t need anymore, just don’t throw away notes from classes that are prerequisites to classes you’ll be taking later

4. Turn Things Off!

This is super important, especially if you have to pay your own utilities! As you leave, turn your heat off, or turn your thermostat down to about 58 degrees, this way you won’t pay for heat that you aren’t using. If you have an automatic ice maker, turn that off too, you won’t want to come back to an explosion of ice all over your floor (I’ve seen it happen). Turn off any electronics, especially alarm clocks (they will drive your neighbors crazy if they continue to go off). Unplug TVs, Computers, etc. so that they won’t be harmed if there happens to be a storm surge or something else crazy.

Once you’ve done all of this, enjoy your break! And you can rest easy knowing that you have taken care of everything!

Kathryn Moore is (gasp!) graduating in just a semester from Georgia Tech. Over the break she is going to miss her Alpha Phi sisters terribly, but will be happy to catch up on some much needed sleep!

Easy & Inexpensive Holiday Gifts!

Need some inexpensive gifts for your friends & family around the holidays? Or maybe you’re going to a bunch of holiday parties and need gifts for all the hosts. I’ve found that one of the easiest gifts to give is food, especially candy! Here are my special recipes for some yummy treats to hand out in bulk or for a few favors for friends:

Peppermint Bark

This is my absolute fav! It’s my very own holiday specialty (my friends specifically ask for it) and the best part is it’s suuuuper easy and inexpensive to make!

What you need:

• 1 bag of white chocolate (12 oz)
• 1 bag of milk chocolate (12oz) *You can use dark chocolate to make it healthier!
• 2-3 Candy Canes
• Spatula
• Wax Paper
• 2 Medium-sized bowls
• Microwave
• Fridge space
• Plate
• Hammer or Food grater

How to Make It:

Place the wax paper on a large flat surface (a baking sheet works perfectly). Then unwrap one of your candy canes. You’ll need to crush it, so if you want to work out some frustration, you can place wax paper over it on the plate and hammer away. Or you can use a food grater to grind it down over the plate. Do this for all 3 of your candy canes. Set this aside. Empty the milk or dark chocolate into one of the bowls. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat this until all the chocolate is melted (should be 3-4 times). Once melted, use the spatula to spread the chocolate out evenly on the wax paper, spreading it as thinly as possible to cover most of the baking sheet. Repeat the melting process for the white chocolate, and then spread it out over the darker chocolate. It’s ok if some of the darker chocolate “bleeds” through. Once you’ve got the chocolate spread out in the desired manner, take the candy canes you’ve set aside and sprinkle them evenly over the top. Press down slightly so that the peppermint will stick, then place the whole thing in the fridge for 2+ hours so it solidifies. Once it’s solidified, you can break it apart with your fingers and put it in a cute baggie (see below).

Peanut Brittle

For the non-chocolate lovers in your life (or the lactose-intolerant), there’s always this recipe:

What You Need:

• 1.5 cups dry roasted peanuts
• 1 cup white sugar
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 TBLSP butter
• 1 TSP vanilla extract
• 1 TSP baking soda
• Large mixing bowl
• Large spoon

How to Make It:

Lay out wax paper (like above). Combine the peanuts, sugar, corn syrup and salt, and microwave them for 6-7 minutes on High. The mixture should be bubbly and peanuts should look brown. Stir in the butter and vanilla, and then cook it 2-3 minutes longer. Quickly stir the baking soda in, and stir just until the mixture is foamy. Pour the mixture immediately onto the wax paper, and spread it out quickly. It only takes about 15 minutes to cool, and then can be broken apart by hand.

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

These are my favorite snacks ever! And you can make them as fancy or simply as you want!

What You Need:

• Pretzels (I recommend the “rods”)
• Chocolate (your choice, or combine chocolates)
• Sprinkles or other decorations
• Fridge
• Medium mixing bowl

How to Make It:

Lay out wax paper on a baking sheet like above. Melt your chocolate just as you did for the Peppermint Bark. Dip pretzels into the chocolate (about half of your pretzel should be dipped in chocolate) and lay them out on the wax paper. Sprinkle on the decorations and press them in gently so they stick. Once finished decorating, stick them in the fridge to harden. If you want to get fancy, you can put the chocolate in a plastic baggie and cut off a small corner of the baggie. You can drip it over the pretzels and make a pretty pattern like in the picture!

Presentation

One of the best ways to present these to people is to put them in little plastic baggies that have holiday prints on them. You can find them at most any Walmart, Party City, or Michaels, and a pack of 20 usually only costs $1-2. Tie the top with any cute ribbon you have laying around, and add a “gift tag” on it so they know who to shower thank-yous on!

And there you have it, easy and affordable holiday gifts!

Kathryn Moore is so close to graduating (eep!) from Georgia Tech with a major in Public Policy. She loves Christmas more than anything and can be found singing carols any time of year!

Fabulous Flats for Every Fall Occasion!

Maybe you’re like me and are recovering from a recent ankle fracture, or maybe you just hate that pinching feeling you get in your toes 4 hours into standing on your knock-off Louboutins (hey, no one ever needs to know that yours are spelled Loo Boot-Ins ).  Either way, those gorgeous heels aren’t always appropriate or wanted. Besides, no classy co-ed wants to spend her day or night walking around like a duck because of sore feet! So here are some fabulous alternatives that look just as beautiful while keeping your feet happy!

Out & About

For every day, casual ballet flats, Sperrys, or a pair of Mary Janes will do the trick! Paired with skinny jeans, these look especially classy and well put-together.  The best way to pair them? If you’re wearing a very colorful or busy top, pair it with simple colors and patterns. If your top is on the plain (or neutral) side, play with colors, jewels, and sparkles on your flats.  You wouldn’t want to overdo it, so choose one or the other! And of course boots will always look great. I really recommend them in neutral colors like the J. Crew ones below to make a statement. Here are a few options to look at!

For a Night on the Town!

At night is the time to be more adventurous, so jewels and brooches on the toes are a go! Especially hot for fall are jewel tones & metallics, and paired with your favorite LBD these trends will have everyone on the dance floor checking you out! For formals you can match a shiny ballet flat to your dress or choose a metallic color that complements it. (This is especially convenient when your date isn’t exactly NBA material!) Check out these options from GAP, Banana Republic & Nine West:

At Your Internship

To look professional without pumps, the best bet is to look for sleek, structured shoes, and a patent shine always helps. I really love J. Crew’s Penny Loafers because they make the masculine look feminine, something that screams professional and is very hot in the magazines this year. Michael Kors’ patent leather flats are also great for the workplace, with their pointed toes and slight lift they’ll make you look polished and ready to work (especially since you’ll be faster & will last longer than the other interns wearing 4-inch pumps).

Alternative

Another great way to save your feet is from Dr. Scholls For Her™. They have come out with “Fast Flats” that are a compact pair of barely there black ballet flats that fit easily into a handbag or clutch (there’s a cute gold one provided with them) and you can whip them out when your heels start to hurt. They’re a much needed relief if you’ve just spent a long time standing on heels, but they only come in 3 sizes (small, medium & large) so they really are meant as only a backup. But they’re certainly a better alternative than walking home barefooted stepping on who-knows-what, and I’d recommend them highly to the die-hard stiletto lovers who want to keep dancing all night long! They’re around $10 and you can find them in the first aid aisle of your local grocery store.

Kathryn Moore is a 5th year senior Public Policy major at Georgia Tech. She loves getting down with her Alpha Phi sisters on the dance floor till the break of day & doesn’t let a cramped pair of heels cramp her style!

TAKE HEART! Why Caring For Your Heart Is Important

As an Alpha Phi, I have learned so much about the importance of women’s cardiac care and feel that it’s important to share this with everyone, especially the wonderful readers of College Lifestyles! Our International Philanthropy is the Alpha Phi Foundation, which aims to raise awareness of the seriousness of heart disease in women, raises money for cardiac research and care and supports women in need of aid, both our sisters and beyond. My chapter is hosting our annual Red Dress Gala this Friday to help raise money for this important cause, and in that spirit I’d like to educate you on the importance of heart health!

Most people think of heart disease mostly affects men, but 1 in 6 women die from heart disease, making it America’s number 1 killer of women. That’s serious. And women are historically bad about putting their own symptoms aside to care for others (ever notice your mom doing that?) but heart disease is too important! This is one time that the classy thing to do is being selfish.

What are the symptoms/risk factors?

You are much more likely to suffer heart disease if you have raised cholesterol levels, high blood pressure (most doctors recommend you aim for a blood pressure of 120/80), you have a family history of heart disease, you smoke (which a classy coed should NEVER do!), you have diabetes, or you aren’t physically active!

How can you protect yourself?

The best way to guard against heart disease is to live by the motto: “everything in moderation.” Eating too much of anything is never good, so try not to eat too much of anything, especially fatty foods.

Adding fish to your diet is one way to keep cholesterol low, and cooking oils like corn oil & sunflower oil are better alternatives to other oils that can raise cholesterol levels.

Eat plenty of fresh fruits & veggies, cut down on fat (from red meat, chicken skins, processed foods, etc), choose lower fat milks and cheeses, and cut down on biscuits and cakes. Reduce your sugar intake – choose Diet Coke instead of regular! Also reduce your salt intake to lower blood pressure.

Maintain a healthy weight for your height. This doesn’t mean that you should do some insane diet, but it means that you should ask your doctor for advice if you feel you are overweight so that you can reduce your risks.

If you’re of age, keep drinking to a minimum. Alcohol isn’t likely to hurt you as long as you use it in moderation (1-2 glasses of wine is considered a moderate amount for women), just like any other food or beverage.

The Upside?

Knowing the symptoms that are likely to lead to heart disease puts you in a position to protect yourself at an early age. Heart disease normally affects women in their 40s or older, but can strike at any age. You can also help protect friends and family with this knowledge, and help prevent the women in your life from becoming a statistic.

Another bonus? There are plenty of heart healthy foods out there. Red wine (for those of legal age) is good for your heart in moderation, fruits rich with antioxidants (like blueberries – yum!), fish, and dark chocolate are all heart healthy foods!

So please stay healthy ladies!

Kathryn Moore is a 5^th year Public Policy Major at Georgia Tech. As an Alpha Phi, she loves working with her sisters to raise money and awareness about women’s cardiac health!

Staying Healthy When the Seasons Change!

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For most of us, the cold weather for the year is starting to set in. And we all know what that means – cold season! I know, you were all counting on something cooler, like snowball fights or pumpkin carvings (read all about that in Stephanie’s article) but since college dorm rooms can be like Petri dishes, it’s important that we classy co-eds arm ourselves against the impending doom of bacteria and viruses that comes with colder weather. Below are a few tips for staying healthy this year so you can go out and do all of the fun things that classy women love to do!

1. Wash Your Hands!

We’ll start out easy! This one is important, and easy. Remember to always wash your hands after using the restroom, sneezing, shaking hands, etc. A lot of colleges have started installing hand-sanitizing pumps around campus, or you can just carry a cute travel sized hand sanitizer like this one from Bath & Body Works:

2. Get your Vitamin C (and D!)

We’ve all heard about the benefits of Vitamin C, and it’s easy to get – a little OJ (not the football player) in the morning, citrus fruits are always yummy (see Emily’s article on fruits here!), and Emergen-C are all great sources of it, and if that fails, go for some Vitamin C tablets from the grocery store. But while you’re making sure to get some C, get some D as well (just not on your transcript, hopefully!). Vitamin D is not only good for you; it helps you absorb the Vitamin C as well! So find it in a daily multivitamin, sunlight, and some fish (like catfish) to up your healthy quotient!

3. Get Some Z’s!

Make sure to get plenty of sleep, especially if you’re feeling under the weather. Your body is incredible and can do so many things on its own if you only give it the time to do them, aka sleep! So use that planner to schedule 8 hours of sleep each night!

4. Have a Few Nights In!

If you start to feel under the weather, don’t force yourself to go out and be sociable; let the party come to you! Have a night in with a few close gal-pals and watch movies or do something else relaxing and fun so you can have a little more time to recover (or not get sick in the first place!)

5. Get a Flu Shot!

Most college health centers offer flu shots for free or for a very low price, and it’s worth it to get one. Each year the CDC creates a new cocktail of flu strains that are most likely to appear throughout the flu season, giving you the best chance of avoiding them! And if your health center doesn’t offer them, there’s sure to be a pharmacy or Walgreen’s nearby that offers them for around $20.

6. Exercise!

Keep up your exercise regimen, since all of those endorphins you get not only make you happy (thanks Elle!) but keep you healthy too! Exercise gives a boost to your whole body, including your immune system, so make sure to take a walk or go to the gym.

7. Dress Appropriately!

With Halloween in less than a week, it may be harder to dress for cooler weather in your adorable costumes, but it’s especially important to dress warmly. Black tights (especially wool ones) can help keep your legs warm, and wearing a jacket over your costume when you’re outdoors helps a lot! And remember to layer clothes for changing weather throughout the day so you’re prepared for anything!

Now here’s to a healthy and happy fall and winter to all of our lovely readers!

Kathryn M. is a 5^th year Public Policy major at Georgia Tech and loves fall weather! She can’t wait to bust out her cute scarves and jackets!

Do Sororities Still Haze?

National Hazing Prevention Week (NPHW) is right around the corner. Many leaders in the greek community, from students to advisors to greek life counselors have weighed in on the subject in blogs, press releases, conventions and many other forums.  We hear all about the problems fraternities face in this arena, with pledges being forced to do housework, be the initiated brothers’ slaves and generally having to do humiliating things just to have the chance at going through the same initiation and being a “real” brother.  We’ve even heard about it in professional sports (because, honestly, I know Tim Tebow isn’t out-of-touch enough to pick out that haircut!). But it’s much more rare to hear about such stories in sororities, so I pose this question: Do sororities still haze?

To answer that question, we have to ask another one: What is hazing? StopHazing.org defines hazing as “any activity expected of someone joining a group (or to maintain full status in a group) that humiliates, degrades, or risks emotional and/or physical harm, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate.” Now that’s a pretty lengthy definition that could encompass any and everything, depending on a potential sister’s embarrassment tolerance. This is why hazing is such a convoluted subject and so hard to completely eliminate. There are some things that are very clearly hazing. Like what these ladies did at Rutgers. Then there are other things that blur the line.

So what’s the deal? I say that sororities don’t haze, but I say it with an asterisk. That asterisk is that sororities don’t intentionally haze. I say this because I think it’s so easy to put pressure on new sisters. Think back to when you were a new sister, or even going through rush. You most likely didn’t know anything about sororities and were so excited and anxious for your sisters to accept you that you would do just about anything they asked of you. Straight out of rush, you had heard all of these great stories about how great being a sister is and how much each woman loves every one of her sisters. You worry that if you aren’t automatically accepted and adored by every sister, you’ll somehow end up shunned and may even become Frannie from GREEK (gasp!).  So a sister asks you to make a paddle for your big even though you have no car, money, or time this week, so what? You don’t need to sleep!  You’re told that you have to go find a guy to bring along on a date night even though you break out in hives when talking to the opposite sex? Well break out the chamomile, baby!

Now I understand, at this point there are a few girls who want to yell at me. Something along the lines of “that’s not hazing, you’re just saying that in a bad way so it sounds bad!” Trust me, I know. I’m on your side. I love these events and I think they are a great way to build sisterhood and new sisters generally don’t feel too pressured when doing these things. But there’s always an exception. It’s hard to understand exactly what events constitute hazing, and I don’t think everyone will ever completely agree on this issue. Here’s an article from a fellow sister of mine about what she thinks is a form of hazing. Now I don’t 100% agree with this, but I recognize her point. Singling new members out, even if in a good way, can make some of them feel uncomfortable. I’m sure some of you have stage fright, and it’s the same for new members. Some people just love to fly under the radar, and that doesn’t mean that they’d be bad sisters, it simply means that those of us that are more outgoing need to step back and be understanding of this fact. But I think that if the sisters organizing events simply put themselves in the shoes of the new members when planning, we’ll all be that much closer to stopping hazing altogether. So if you’re that sister who’s planning fabulous new member education & events, please don’t ever ask the new members to do anything that would make you feel in any remote way uncomfortable or embarrassed, or even annoyed.

NOTE: If you are being or have ever been hazed, please call the Anti-Hazing Hotline at 1-(888)-NOT-HAZE, or 1-888-668-4293.

Kathryn Moore is a 5^th year senior at Georgia Tech majoring in Public Policy. She loves the newest members of her Alpha Phi chapter with all her heart and

Learn More About Leadership & Yourself!

Hello Lovely College Lifestyle Readers!

As one of the newest writers here at CL, I don’t think I’ve properly introduced myself (how rude!). I’m Kathryn, a 5^th year at Georgia Tech, as school that’s ultra-competitive. I’m sure all of you are in similarly competitive institutions of higher learning and want to know how you’re going to stand out in such talented company! It may seem like a daunting task, but I’m here to tell you that it can be done!

Everyone has a niche, you just have to find it. And once you find it, I encourage you to dive in head-first! Find leadership roles so you can show off to the world just how amazing you and your ideas are! And most importantly, learn from your experiences and grow from them so that you can continue to shine like the leading lady you are (Can you tell I watched GLEE tonight? I think Rachel’s rubbed off on me!).

Now, as a bit of encouragement, I’ll tell you that leadership is an ever-evolving process. Even someone like me who’s been involved and led so many organizations & groups still has room to grow & learn. So I propose a challenge: Learn with me!  Here are some of the resources I rely on, so I’d like to share them with you & encourage you to learn as much about leadership and about yourself as you can! Every month, I promise to write a post about leadership and we’ll share each others’ experiences with each other so we can learn from each other. Leave the experiences you want to share below in the comments & I’ll use them as inspiration for what aspects of leadership to write about! Learning from each other is what leadership is all about!

Some links to check out!

Women’s Leadership Exchange: http://www.womensleadershipexchange.com/

Women learning from women. It’s like they used CL as a model!

AFLV (Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values): http://aflv.blogspot.com/

A great blog specifically for fraternity & sorority leaders!

ODK (Omicron Delta Kappa): http://www.odk.org/

If they have a chapter on your campus, this is by far one of the best organizations to get involved in! Otherwise, check their website for useful info!

Fast Company! http://www.fastcompany.com/

This website’s leadership section has some great advice! I’ve got it on my Google Reader!

Noop.nl: http://www.noop.nl/2010/04/top-150-management-leadership-blogs.html

Here’s a catch-all of a list of top leadership blogs, follow as many as you can handle! There’s blogs from Tony Robbins, “THE Donald” Trump, and so many more!

Alright, fabulous ladies! Now you’ve got the information you need, so go forth and lead! (And don’t forget to post your experiences below!)

-Kathryn is a 5^th year Public Policy major at Georgia Tech (Go Jackets!) with a minor in Entrepreneurship. She loves skydiving, her sisters, and her Google Reader account!

How To Make A Career Fair Work For You!

So you’ve finally settled into your classes, and you think you’re all set, right? Wrong! Everyone’s telling you that it’s already time to look ahead to getting that summer internship or full time job after (gasp!) graduation and you’re stressing out! Where do you start? Well after reading Karen’s article about preparing for the job search, look for a career fair in your area. Many schools (like mine) have one a few weeks into the fall semester, and that’s a perfect way to get some networking and get started with your search. Now here are a few tips to make any career fair you attend the most successful it can be:

1. Know What You Want

Are you looking for an internship? Are you just looking for networking and connections? Or are you like me, and slowly accepting that graduation is a mere 8 months away and panicking because you need a job in one of the worst economies ever? Well, first, don’t panic, because it’ll all work out just fine, and second, knowing what you want will make the career fair more successful for you. If you’re looking for an internship, you’ll know beforehand the companies that are looking for interns, and you can target them. Plus, you’ll know better how to tailor your resume to what you want, which leads us to step 2…

2. Print Out Plenty of Copies of Your Resume

This one’s pretty straight-forward. Plan to hand out resumes to about 75% of the companies you visit (others will only want you to submit them online), and have one readily available when you walk up to each booth. You should have your resume as up to date as possible, and you’ll want to know what’s on it since employers will most likely ask you questions about it.  If you have business cards, also be sure to have plenty to go around, these can be great for when you’re looking more for networking than for a job, as it only gives an employer your contact information.

3. Research the Companies Ahead of Time

Companies will be impressed if you already have an idea of what they’re all about.  Recruiters get tired of explaining what their companies do 50 million times in one day, so it’s refreshing when someone comes prepared. It also shows that you are willing to take initiative on the job, and will be more likely to be hired.  And you shouldn’t just quote their website back to them. Trust me, they know it. Instead, think outside the box. Let them know that you’ve seriously considered their company. Tell them your (positive!) impressions: What did you like? What do you most enjoy about their company? What about their company makes you think you’d fit in?  This has the added bonus of showing off your critical thinking skills! You’ll look so smart! And the information doesn’t just have to come from their website, look around! I read an article in Vanity Fair about a company who happened to be at my career fair, and after bringing this up, the recruiter was so impressed. She saw that I was attentive, well-read, and she knew what I valued in her company. And guess what? I was offered an interview!  So use what you know about the companies!

Also, your job at a career fair is to show why a company is woefully lacking without you. Knowing what they do helps you to figure out where you’d fit in there, and why they absolutely must give you an interview!

4. Plan Out Questions (and Answers!)

Once you’ve researched the companies (and taken notes that you can review before hitting each booth), you should formulate some questions. This will facilitate conversation between you and the recruiter and will make you look more prepared than your counterparts. If you’re in a sorority, you’ve been down this road with recruitment, and just like you don’t want to be caught in an awkward silence with a PNM, you don’t want to do that with a recruiter! So plan some questions that will give you a sense of:

• What the company is looking for
• How you would fit into the company
• What their hiring policies are
• Whether or not it’s a place you would want to work

(after all, just like recruitment, finding a job is a process of mutual selection!).

Just like you want to find out about the company, the company’s recruiter wants to find out about you. So plan answers to common interview questions like:

• Where do you want your career to take you in 5/10/20 years?
• What sort of position are you looking for?
• What strengths/weaknesses do you have that would make you a good/bad fit for this company?
• What prior experience do you have?

Once you’ve got these planned out, your conversations will be as smooth as can be!

5. Plan Your Outfit

Plan your outfit based on the job you want. Are you looking for a fashion job, or one in a more relaxed and/or creative atmosphere? Then you can get away with a funkier outfit. If you’re looking for something more traditional, then stick with a simple skirt suit. This doesn’t mean that you can’t still show off your own personal style & personality, just do it in a smaller way with a fun (but not too flashy) necklace or bracelet. Also be sure to wear comfortable shoes since you’ll be standing for a while!

6. Bring Notes, a Pen, Confidence and a Smile!

Put the notes you wrote about the companies, your questions, your answers, and your resumes & business cards all in a portfolio. Be sure to bring extra paper and a pen to write notes about what the recruiters talk to you about. Also be sure to have room for all the papers and business cards you’ll get!

Just before you walk in, do something to boost your confidence. You can call someone (like your mom, big sis, roomie, BFF) for some encouraging words or you can listen to your favorite song, but before you talk to the first recruiter, remind yourself how awesome you are! Recruiters are going to be looking at your personality as much as your resume, so let your confident, classy self shine through! Lastly, bring a smile and a positive attitude!

7. Be Open Minded

Even if you’ve scoped out a few key companies that you really like, go talk to as many companies as possible! So it says they’re only looking for engineers? So what! Surely they need other types of people to help keep the company running. The recruiter might not be able to tell you everything about those types of positions, but they’re most likely able to direct you to someone else in the company you can send your resume to. So don’t make excuses that “no one’s offering jobs in your major.” You can always find someone to send your resume to, and even if that booth turns you down, you got practice talking to recruiters and you can move on to the next one!

Now good luck to all of you in your job searches!

Kathryn Moore is a reluctant senior at Georgia Tech majoring in Public Policy.  Since she has yet to find someone who will pay her to be Peter Pan-like and never get out of college, she’s looking for any opportunity for employment!

Leadership For A New Semester – Putting Plans Into Action

Since everyone’s semester has probably already started, you’re all also probably getting into the swing of your clubs and organizations. If you’re in a leadership role in any of these, be it your sorority or the archery team or anything in between, you’ve most likely spent the summer planning tons of great things for the new semester. Now that it’s here, how do you implement all of these awesome plans?

1. Pump people up about your ideas!

Don’t keep these things a secret! It’s ok to let your chapter or your organization know all of the hard work you & your fellow leaders have put in so that everyone can get the most out of being a member. Don’t complain about all the work you did, but in a positive way, explain that there are plenty of fun things to look forward to this semester, whether it’s an extra special sisterhood event or the creation of a new tradition you think they’ll enjoy, spread the good news! This gets the members excited about these new events and invested in them. They will be more willing to volunteer to help you execute them if they feel that you’re being open and sharing information with them up front.

Can you tell I love SNL yet? But Hans & Franz know how to get people excited!

2. Make a List (or twenty)!

What needs to get done? Just like you (link) make lists in your planner for school, make lists for your organization’s projects.  This way it’ll get done in a timely manner like you envisioned this summer & you won’t wind up pulling an all-nighter to (in the words of Tim Gunn) make it work.

3. Delegate!

Now that you’ve got your members interested in your plans, let them help! I know I’m the worst at this & I’ve had to work really hard to improve over the years. Remember: not everything has to be done your way. It’ll still get done and someone might just have a better way to get it done that you didn’t think of! So use that list of everything that needs to be accomplished, and give someone else part of it!

4. Be Flexible!

Ever heard of Murphy’s Law?  Murphy said that anything that can go wrong will. And I’m sad to be the one to tell you: he’s right. So what is a classy co-ed who’s worked so hard to plan the perfect event to do? Well, sometimes you’ve just got to let things go.  Not everything is going to go your way. This doesn’t mean that your event is going to go haywire, but it does mean that not every detail will happen to the letter as you planned it. So the bus doesn’t leave at 8pm on the dot, so what? A classy co-ed knows the difference between when to laugh off a few things gone awry and when it’s time to go to plan B (or K, whatever’s necessary).

5. Have Fun!

Most importantly, enjoy your time this semester. You should’ve planned well enough in advance for your awesome event that you have time to sit back and enjoy it when it actually does get here. If not everything goes exactly as planned, relax, your sisters or friends will still have an awesome time and will still absolutely love you. So sit back and take it all in since you’ve created something awesome!

6. Take Mental Notes

While you are having all that crazy fun, be sure to take a few notes in the back of your mind. This way you’ll know how to improve for next time! College is all about learning, so take the opportunity to learn from everything you do, including planning events for your sorority or organization. Practice makes perfect!

Do you have any suggestions for being a great leader this semester? Share them below! We’d love to hear your tips!

Kathryn Moore is a College Lifestyles intern from Georgia Tech majoring in Public Policy. You can currently find her cheering on the Yellow Jackets’ Football Team every Saturday this Fall in between all the fun leadership seminars she loves attending on campus!

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