Four ways to bring Mardi Gras to your sorority!
February 4, 2012 by SherelleB
Filed under Ask the Intern, CL Daily, CL ExCLusives!, Louisiana Tech University, Sorority Life, Sorority Saturday
As a college student in Louisiana, I live for Mardi Gras! Mardi Gras is a celebration beginning on or after Epiphany and ends on the day before Ash Wednesday. Fat Tuesday, which is the last day before lent begins, is the final day for Catholics to treat their selves to the coveted object or obsession they are about to give up for lent. Typically, Fat Tuesday is the day everyone associates as Mardi Gras, due to the extensive celebrating that occurs that day. This year Mardi Gras falls on Feb. 21! If you cannot make it to New Orleans to join in the festivities, why not bring Mardi Gras to your sorority? Here are four ways to bring Mardi Gras to your sorority.
Masks- No Mardi Gras celebration is complete without masks. During Mardi Gras an individual’s mask represents their personality. All you and your sisters need is a plain mask, glitter, sequins, and anything else needed to show off everyone’s individualism! To guarantee your sorority has the best masks around, spice it up and have a contest for the best mask!
Beads- Beads are the must-have accessory for Mardi Gras. Throughout Mardi Gras people wear a variety of colorful beads to display their festive side. Traditionally beads are treasured during Mardi Gras, as they are usually the result of winning a contest or souvenirs of the parades they attended. Get your sisters in the spirit of Mardi Gras by having a game night where you give beads as prizes for the winners. Remember the more beads the better!
| King Cake- No celebration would be complete without dessert. King Cake is a cake that is filled with cream cheese, cinnamon, praline, strawberry, blueberry or other common fillings and twisted in the shape of an oval. It is typically topped with icing and sugar in the colors of Mardi Gras (purple, green and gold). When eating this be sure to look out for a tiny plastic baby that has been embedded in the cake. As tradition has it if you find the baby in your slice you must buy the next king cake!
Ingredients
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Directions
Courtesy of allrecipes.com |
Parade- To get the full affect of Mardi Gras, you must have a parade. Mardi Gras parades consist of large and vibrant floats filled with candy and of course lots of beads! Unlike most parades, Mardi Gras parades are often hosted by Krewes, or private clubs, preparing for Mardi Gras season all year. Be sure to give your float a name, theme and dress up in costume!
You and your sisters are destined to enjoy Mardi Gras this February with these simple easy-to-do steps to bringing Mardi Gras to your sorority. So, as we say in Louisiana “laissez les bons temps roule” or “let the good times roll!”
Sherelle Black is a junior at Louisiana Tech University majoring in journalism with a minor in marketing. She is president of her chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and likes to dance and hang with her sorority sisters in her spare time.
CL’s Guide to Getting Involved in Your Sorority
February 2, 2012 by CassidyM
Filed under CL ExCLusives!, Marquette University, Sorority Life
Winter Recruitment season has officially come to a close! Congratulations to all sorority ladies who completed another successful year of recruiting fabulous pledge babies! And to all new members: welcome to Greek life! The next 3-½ years of your life will be the most fabulous yet! If you’re anything like me, recruitment wiped you out. I’ve spent the past week attempting to catch up on sleep and homework. But even though we’re all busy balancing classes, friends, and other activities, we need to remember to be active sorority co-eds! Follow CL’s Guide to Getting Involved in Your Sorority for tips on embracing sorority life!
Take the Time!
The first step to getting involved with your sorority is to make the time to do so! Break out your planners, calendars, and phones to make sure you have a little bit of time each week carved out for sorority events. I personally recommend setting aside the same block of time each week for Greek events to stay consistent!
The fabulous new class of lyre babies in my chapter of Alpha Chi Omega at Marquette University!
Show Initiative!
The months following recruitment are perfect for trying new things in your sorority! For previously active members like me, use these months to get to know your new sisters! Take the initiative to invite a new member out for coffee or even on a sister date to go shopping off campus. New members, be confident! You were given a bid for a reason and your sisters want to know you. Offer to meet them for lunch or dinner and organize an event for your pledge class to get settled in your sorority!
Take the Plunge!
The final step to getting involved with your sorority is to take the plunge and run for executive board or other elected positions! After getting to know your new sisters, the best way to immerse yourself in your sorority is to become a leader in your chapter. By taking on these roles not only will you gain experience but you will also find a new appreciation for your sisterhood!
Cassidy McAloon is pursuing a Bachelor in Arts Degree in Broadcast Journalism at Marquette University. She is a fashion, sorority life, and apartment life writer at College Lifestyles.
How to effectively transition to a new E-Board
January 28, 2012 by SherelleB
Filed under About Sorority Life, Ask the Intern, CL ExCLusives!, Louisiana Tech University, Sorority Life, Sorority Saturday
Transitioning to a new E-Board can be difficult if your sorority’s old officers do not take the necessary steps to prepare the new E-Board for the long, but rewarding, journey of leading your sorority for the upcoming year.
Before the new E-Board takes over, or during the transition, the old E-Board should show the new officers how to hold meetings, organize events, and how to conduct business within the sorority. All E-Board members should be told what to say or do to effectively run a meeting. It’s important to inform the new E-Board of the rules and regulations, so that the meetings will continue to run smoothly.
Organizing service and social events are a huge part of sorority life. Therefore, the new E-Board should be shown where to find forms to rent buildings or props, given a list of contacts, and have a meeting with the old E-Board to discuss what events they were working on or events they wanted to do but didn’t have time to complete.
Besides teaching the new E-Board how to conduct meetings and organize events, the new E-Board should be taught how to conduct business within the sorority. This is a very important step when transitioning to a new E-Board. The new members have to familiarize themselves with all documents and rituals, and be shown how to fulfill their duties. Along with these important steps, make sure your sorority completes this checklist to effectively transition.
Checklist
- Pass down important documents
- Switch names on bank accounts
- Notify nationals and school officials of new officers
- Build a bond with the graduate advisor
- Get to know fellow E-Board members
Sherelle Black is a junior at Louisiana Tech University majoring in journalism with a minor in marketing. She is president of her chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and likes to dance and hang with her sorority sisters in her spare time.
Lilly Pulitzer’s 2012 Sorority Print CLass Revealed!
January 25, 2012 by Ariana Romero
Filed under About Sorority Life, CL Daily, CL ExCLusives!, CL on your Campus, Fashion, Fashion, Sorority Life, Sorority Resources, Syracuse
The wait is finally over! Lilly Pulitzer’s 2012 Sorority Print Class has been officially revealed. “Over, around, about” one million votes were cast by excited voters according to Janie Schoenborn, Lilly Pulitzer’s Fashion Director.
While usually three prints win per year, Pulitzer showed fans how much she appreciates them by accepting five new sororities into her sisterhood.
The winning sororities are Alpha Xi Delta, Alpha Omicron Pi, Phi Mu, Sigma Kappa and Pi Beta Phi!
Schoenborn unveiled the winning prints at her alma mater, Rollins College in Florida, with the sisters of Kappa Kappa Gamma. KKG already has a print with Pulitzer.
Winning sororities are encouraged to “stay tuned to Facebook” by Schoenborn. The social networking site will publicize when the brand new prints will be shown.
According to a Lilly Pulizer blog post today, prints should be revealed by the end of February. Pre-ordering should be start in June, while your favorite new wristlet will be in the mail by August.
If your sorority hasn’t won a print yet, don’t worry! Schoenborn promises a new class of prints next year.
We're so excited to see the five new additions!
Ariana Romero is a senior entertainment and fashion writing intern for College Lifestyles! She is looking forward to Alpha Gamma Delta winning a print next year!
The Dos and Don’ts of Facebook
January 23, 2012 by JessicaF
Filed under Central Michigan University, CL ExCLusives!, CL on your Campus, College Tips, Etiquette, Lifestyle, Professionalism, Sorority Life, The Dish
Facebook: the place to chat, creep, post and potentially make or break many relationships. We all have our pet peeves of what is and isn’t acceptable on the social network, but what crosses the line of being just plain wrong? As one of the largest networking sites, it’s important to stay classy when presenting yourself to the public, or in this case, the world. For those who need a crash course in internet etiquette, abide by the following list of dos and don’ts for avoiding sticky situations on the web.
DO
Post something that is actually meaningful
No one really cares what you ate for breakfast, that you absolutely love your boyfriend or an inside joke no one would understand but your best friend. Posting inspirational quotes and photos, news articles or life changing events has more meaning on a network where everyone can see what you’re saying.
Professional networking
Obviously, Facebook is used to be social with friends, but try using it to get ahead in your field. Become “friends” with company sites of places you’re interested in or form meeting groups to discuss trends and share documents with university club members.
Censor your material
This may be an obvious one at this point, but some people still overlook it. Check off the option of having to approve what someone tags you in before it ends up on your page. And keep your page private if you think what you’re posting might be inappropriate for some viewers.
Message private matters
Phone numbers, addresses and specific plans should always be sent via message. Also, personal matters are best kept where only you and the receiver can see them.
DON’T
Announce your location
Sure, it may feel cool to be the mayor of the gym on campus, but not when a super stalker can know your every move. Play it safe and turn the location option off on your phone. Also, don’t tell the world when you’re leaving for vacation. This is prime confirmation for people to break into your house while you’re out.
Use offensive language
Even if you’re joking, offensive language is always going to be offensive to at least one person. This also gives off the wrong impression to people who don’t know your sense of humor.
Start fights
Commenting wars are probably the worst “news” to pop up while scrolling down the feed. If social networking is the only way you can fight freely with someone, try texting.
Add everyone you “know”
Here's what not to tag!
Users who have more than 1,000 friends seem to just add people for the record they want to overcome in their head. Adding someone you met one time while waiting in line for the bathroom at a party is not a friend. Do not add them.
Tag your friends in unflattering pictures
You make look gorgeous but if the person next to you has three chins from laughing, they will probably want to unfriend you if tag them. Be the bigger person and crop!
Complain about work or school
It’s called a social network for a reason. Although you may not be friends with your boss, a friend of a friend may see what you said about her and clue her in. Gossip on social networking can spread faster than your boss saying “you’re fired.”
When it comes down to the basics of networking, just remember to be socially conscious. Don’t share anything you wouldn’t share with a stranger and be sure to keep it classy!
To get more scoop from the CL etiquette team, check out the dos and don’ts of traveling!
The Relationship Between Big and Little Sis
January 20, 2012 by MorganD
Filed under About Sorority Life, Ask the Intern, Ask the Intern, CL ExCLusives!, CL on your Campus, Drake University, Sorority Life, Sorority Resources
My Big & Me @ Reveal!
Out of all the hundreds of sisters you gain when you pledge a sorority, your “Big” becomes your closest friend and mentor. When you first join your sorority, you probably don’t know many people yet, and your Big can help you get to know her friends and other people in your Greek Family. Everyone in your pledge class will be fixed up with a Big Sis. Prior to the reveal of who your Big Sis is or around Initiation, you might receive gifts (handmade gifts, treats, letters) or little notes from your Big- it’s her job to be your support system and go-to girl!
Your Big Sis is someone you can tell anything to and guides you through all of your most important moments, such as I-Week.
Now that everyone is coming back from winter break, it’s important to catch up and spend quality time with your Big!
Activities you can do with your Big/Little Sis:
My Big Sis and Me (I'm on the right!)
Go out to eat
Pedicures
Movie night
Crafting
Work out
Library dates during midterms/finals
Get coffee!
My Kappa Family at Big/Little Reveal!
Make sure you plan some fun “family nights” too! Your Big’s Big is usually pretty similar to her and all of you can end up being great friends. It’s important to get to know more girls than just your pledge class, and this is a fantastic way to start!
Morgan DeBoest is an intern for College Lifestyles (TM), and is a freshman Magazine Journalism major at Drake University. She is a proud sister of Kappa Kappa Gamma and loves her friends, family, a good book, and traveling. Her Big is abroad this semester in Thailand but that won’t stop them from Skyping!
CL’s Guide to Winter Sorority Recruitment: Why Should I Sign Up?
January 19, 2012 by CassidyM
Filed under CL ExCLusives!, Marquette University, Sorority Life, Sorority Recruitment
Here’s to a new semester co-eds! Winter break is officially over and now is the perfect time to change things up! As you’re getting back into your classes and routine, Greek life is just getting started! Winter Sorority Recruitment is right around the corner and for a lot of schools this is the last weekend to register. If you’re on the edge about registering for recruitment or if you aren’t sure Greek life is for you, never fear! Follow CL’s Guide to Winter Sorority Recruitment and find out why you should sign up!
Bid Day 2011 at Marquette University!
Get Involved!
Joining a sorority is a great way to be active on campus. Greek organizations offer a variety of events from socials and mixers to philanthropy fundraisers. Going through recruitment will introduce you to countless opportunities to be a confident leader on your campus.
Discover Sisterhood!
Sisterhood is the reason I signed up for Formal Sorority Recruitment at Marquette University 2 years ago. I’m an only child and always wanted the experience of having a sister. After going through the recruitment process and accepting a bid from Alpha Chi Omega, I’m proud to say I have tons of fabulous sisters and could not be happier! By signing up for recruitment you have the opportunity to find a group of classy ladies on your campus that share your same drive, passion, and interests. Discovering the bond of sisterhood is an amazing consequence of signing up for recruitment.
My AXO family!
Find Your Home!
Signing up for Winter Sorority Recruitment will introduce you to a lot of different groups and girls. While the process can be overwhelming and confusing, if you go through it with an open mind you may find the ladies and house that become your second family and home on campus. AXO is my home away from home on Marquette’s campus. Going through recruitment has the potential to give you a strong support network that will last a lifetime!
Cassidy McAloon is pursuing a Bachelor in Arts Degree in Broadcast Journalism at Marquette University. She is a fashion, sorority life, and apartment life writer at College Lifestyles.
2012 Brings New AND Exciting Changes to College Lifestyles!
January 14, 2012 by Shelly Marie
Filed under Ask CL, CL ExCLusives!, CL on your Campus, College Prep, College Tips, Dating and Relationships, Etiquette, Fashion, Nutrition, Product Reviews, Professionalism, Sorority Life
Happy 2012! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and wish you all the best for 2012. College Lifestyles is excited to announce NEW article content for 2012!
2012 NEW Article Content:
Dating and Relationships. Bringing you dating tips, relationship do’s and don’ts, and dating etiquette.
Dorm/Apartment. Don’t let moving be a drag. We will cover everything from packing list, apartment leases, and roommate etiquette.
DIY. Love crafting? Entertaining? We will bring you the best in DIY crafts, entertaining, and dorm/apartment decor.
Celebs/Entertainment. Missed your favorite TV show? Love the look of Lauren Conrad? This category will feature all in TV, music, and movies, celebrity interviews, celebrity look for less, and TV reviews.
Recipes. You asked for it! Bringing you our favorite recipes as well as recipes related to food allergies.
Study Abroad/Travel. Thinking of studying abroad? Traveling? We cover all from packing, what to wear, and choosing your best location.
College Prep. Are you a junior or senior in high school? We will cover everything from campus tours to your first day on campus.
Professionalism. Are you a graduating senior? We will cover all from job/internship hunting, job fairs, and your first place.
Ask CL. Have a burning question? Be sure to ask us!
Contest. Check this category periodically for our upcoming contest.
Product Review. Want to know if a product is great? Check out this section for our honest review on various products from tech to beauty.
Book Club. Join in on our chats with our favorite authors and review our favorite books.
Stay tuned to more exciting changes to College Lifestyles!
Shelly Marie Redmond, MS, RD, LDN is the Editor in Chief of College Lifestyles. She is excited about 2012 personally and professionally!
Four Unique Ways to Fundraise With Your Sorority Sisters!
January 14, 2012 by SherelleB
Filed under Ask the Intern, CL ExCLusives!, Sorority Life, Sorority Saturday
After spending money on socials and parties for the holidays, donating money to charities and hosting various events on campus and in the community throughout 2011, your sorority may be in need of a fundraiser. If you want to add some extra money to your sorority’s account without doing the typical car wash or bake sale, you should present your sorority with these unique fundraising ideas:
- SWAMPBALL: A fun and exciting way of combining volleyball with mud. All you need is a volleyball net and lots of mud! You and your sorority can host a swampball tournament and have different organizations and individuals sign up to play. You can charge the participants to enter the tournament as well as charge people to watch. Most importantly this is an inexpensive event and a great way to get classy co-eds involved with other organizations on campus.
- Love Grams: Since Valentine’s Day is coming up, your sorority should definitely serve up the campus with some love grams! Love grams can consist of anybody who wants your sorority to deliver a card, candy cane (or other candy), stuffed animal, or even sing to their Valentine! You can raise money by charging to deliver these items. Also, your sorority can make more money by creating the cards and gifts that would be delivered and selling them at a profitable price. This fundraiser is wonderful for helping out college students who have trouble finding that special gift for their Valentine.
- Male Auction: This fundraiser would take a lot of planning, but would bring in tons of money. You can start by sending your sorority sisters on campus and in the community to have them recruit the hottest studs. Once that is done, the hard part begins: publicity! One of the key components of a successful auction is advertising, because the more people that show up the more money you are likely to raise. Make sure to give your sorority enough time to advertise efficiently and plan a possible theme for the auction. Since your sorority is in charge of the auction, they can start and stop the bid at whatever amount they would like. This would be a great fundraiser to have in the spring because it gives you the option of having it outside as well!
- Calendar: One of the more inventive fundraisers that will definitely get your sorority’s creative juices flowing is creating a calendar! Everybody needs a calendar, so why not create one that would illustrate your sorority in a positive light? Although I recommend you use your sorority as a theme for the calendar, you can step out of the box and do themes that you know would bring a lot of attention. Depending on how much money is in your budget, you can get really fancy and creative with the photographs used, artwork, how many months to include and other aspects of the calendar itself. Since the year has already begun I would suggest doing a school year calendar and fill it with all the events of the upcoming 2012-2013 year!
Whether its fall, winter, or spring you can be sure that one of these unique fundraising ideas will boost your budget for the year.
Sherelle Black is a junior at Louisiana Tech University majoring in journalism with a minor in marketing. She is president of her chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and likes to dance and hang with her sorority sisters in her spare time.
Ways to Plan Out Your Day: Clutter Free
January 13, 2012 by CharleneA
Filed under Ask the Intern, Ask the Intern, Ask the Intern, Ask the Intern, Career Tips, Careers, CL Daily, CL ExCLusives!, CL on your Campus, College Prep, College Tips, Internship Tips, Leadership, Lifestyle, Professionalism, Sorority Life, The Intern Dish, University of South Florida
Many of you have headed back to school this week anticipating the long study hours and “sleepless nights”. This spring semester is a new opportunity to stop the bad habit of procrastination. Procrastination comes in many forms with excuses ranging from what others know to be procrastination, to what you have programmed in your mind to think about yourself. The number one cure for procrastination is planning out your time and being organized. Allow me to assist you!
It is not difficult to keep a to-do-list or planner of tasks, responsibilities and personal goals, but it can be difficult if they are not used as should. In order to see the effectiveness of your to-do-list, consider these steps:
The first tip is to keep three planners with attached calendars. Did your eyes stretch wide when you read that last sentence? I had the same response when I realized how three planners helped me to achieve my important goals. As an organized young professional, it is important to know what duties lay ahead and keep to them. A planner should be kept for every huge sector of your life. 
Planner number one should be kept for all school work. For all of your classes this semester, look through the syllabus and transfer all of the information from the syllabus onto the calendar. This should include exam dates, and due homework assignments. Make sure to specify what class the work is for. For example, One of my classes are entitled “China Today”. In my school planner you would find on the date of February 20, 2012 “China Today: Midterm exam 1”. If the class title is too long, make a shorter name. Organizing your school work is giving you a head start on breaking procrastination. With this organized school calendar, you can see the due assignments with a flip of the calendar booklet.
With planner one, school work, do not fail to make a to-do-list. If the calendar organizer you brought has paper for a to-do-list to be attached, this is great! Your to-do-list should be composed of weekly tasks. Keep in mind that this to-do-list is only for school. DO NOT mix in any extra curricular activities. We will get to that later in the article. An example of the to-do-list will be the following:
To-Do-List
Read chapters 1-3 for China Today (2)
Watch Assigned Youtube Videos for International Wealth and Power (3)
Pick group topic for Wednesday’s class- American Foreign Policy (1)
This is just an example. You can also mark, next to the items on your to-do-list, what items you will complete first. I have shown you in the above to-do-list example.
Planner number two should keep all work/intern responsibilities. For this calendar include your work schedule and/ or intern due dates for particular assignments. This keeps me very organized while interning for College Lifestyles! Also include a to-list-do to go with this calendar of work/intern responsibilities. The to-do-list should be the same as the to-do-list used in the school work planner. It should be composed of weekly assignments numbered the way they will be completed. Again, do not mix other information that does not have to do with your work and/or internship into this to-do-list or calendar. If you do not have an internship, please stay tuned for latter articles I post.
Planner number three should be used for clubs and organizations. As a young professional, being involved on campus is the prime way to network and to be noticed by other young professionals. In this calendar include meeting times, locations, and be specific on what organization the meeting is for. Do not fail to include a to-do-list. This is important especially if office positions are held. As an officer of an organization, staying organized is the best thing to do. This planner for organizations can also be mixed with personal tasks. Personal tasks can include going to your sister’s baby shower, getting your nails done, or making a specific date to go grocery shopping. A to-do-list for something like this might include a personal facial time!
Lastly, keep important times entered into your phone to remind you of important events that require time notice. If your sister’s baby shower starts at three in the afternoon, do not plan to meet up with someone at two in the afternoon for something totally different. Although you are learning how to be more organized this semester with separating different sectors of life, it is pivotal to also learn that it is okay to have gaps in your schedule. Use those gaps for study time or my personal favorite, “Me Time”!
This article gives great ways to stay organized. Remaining structured is the key to ending procrastination as a bad habit. Through experience, I have learned that separating sectors of my life is the best way to remain organized and I am sure you will find comfort in this technique. I never try to mix personal with business, and through this I have remained healthy relationships with those who I would have risked it with being too consumed on one sector of my life. Be more organized, and find yourself having more time! <3
Said with love,
Silly faces make the day go by!
Charlene Alexander is a Professional and Relationships Writer, Social Media, and Special Events Intern at College Lifestyles ™. Charlene is a Mass Communications Undergraduate at University of South Florida. Miss Alexander is an analogue girl in a digital world who enjoys writing.
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