Last Blog Prompt... I think.

Prompt:
Describe your perfect world. What role does (or should) sorority/fraternity life play in achieving your perfect world?

My perfect world is described in two words: World Peace.

My perfect world is rolling green pastures. White daisies peeking out from between the blades of grass. A gentle breeze combing the branches of weeping willows. The sun shining down to warm the earth.

My perfect world is full of people that truly care for the people of today, yesterday, and tomorrow.

I asked my boss what his perfect world encompasses (because I am at work right now) and he said, "Colorado." I asked him why Colorado? He said, "Sunshine, mountains, and no-man's land."
So your perfect world has no people in it?
"Yeah... I guess it does."
So... nature.
It's beautiful. It seems perfect. People come in and ruin it. But in my perfect world, there are still people. And the people don't have to be perfect. They just have to try.

I guess in my perfect world, people help one another because they want to, not because they have to.

• Fraternal life should teach their members to want to give back to their community.
  
  
  

People would never pass someone on the street in need, and ignore them.

• Fraternal life should teach their members to care about all people.
  
  
  

Men would be gentlemen and women would be ladies.

• Fraternal life should teach their members how to respect themselves and others. Men should not be boys, and women should not be girls. We should live up to the standards our forefathers expected from us.
  
  
  

Everyone would be cancer-free, addiction-free, disease-free.

• Fraternal life can help raise awareness and money for causes that aid the research to cure cancer and disease.
  
  
  

Third world countries would be first world countries, but somehow we would find a way to simultaneously maintain and celebrate their culture and lifestyle.

• Fraternal life should teach their members how to appreciate all culture and accept people for the their differences. It should show how each culture is precious, and is never something to be taken for granted.
  
  
  

Racism and stereotypes would be nonexistent.

• Fraternal life should resist stereotypes. We should go against the grain. We should prove that we can be what no one thought we could be. We can prove them wrong, and stereotypes will be no more. If there is a stereotype, it is that fraternity men and sorority women are in charge of their lives, and in control of their future.
  
  
  

Fraternal life should make everyone into the person the person that they have always dreamed the could be. Fraternal life should make normal students into mentors. Fraternal life should create legends out of "ordinary" people.

*coughcoughcough*

I caught death.
I've been sick for a week, but I'm finally feeling better.
I have the flu and a double ear-infection, but I went to the hospital on Sunday and got medicine so now I'm only going to go up from here! I hope.
I don't legitimately have H1N1, but I really liked that sign.
So anyways, three cheers for health!
Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!
I felt like I actually had to cheer, or else I'd jinx myself.

More cute swine flu propaganda.

Class 3rd-to-last, # TBD.

I distinctly remember having two separate occurrences of the the thought, "Ohh, I could blog about that. Good idea, self!" last night in my flu-induced haze of consciousness as I tried to fall asleep. But I unfortunately no longer remember what those were. And tonight I am not going to sleep so no chance of remembering them. I guess my avid fans will have to deal with only my generic class blog entry for this week. Here goes everything.

I don't actually have an electric blanket, unfortunately.

*

Prompt:
I. What are the strengths of your chapter and in what ways does your chapter need to improve?

II. What are the strengths of your council and in what ways does your council need to change?

III. What are the strengths of our community and in what ways does our community need to change?

I.

While I certainly do not believe my chapter is flawless, I believe we have more strengths than weaknesses.

Strength #1 - Our sisterhood is strong (no - we don't all get along 24/7, but at the end of the day we have faith in one another. We spend way too much time together for people who don't live under the same roof, and we're always laughing and enjoying ourselves.
Strength #2 - Also, I think my chapter's size is an asset rather than a hindrance. Most MCGC chapters are small in membership, but I do not believe that is a problem at all. It allows us to bond within our chapters that much more, and forces us to love each other, even if sometimes we want to break each other in half. So even when we're angry, we always know that there is eternal sisterhood at the end of the night, and that is something I know every single member of my sorority values.
Strength #3 - We all take great pride in our pillar - "cultural diversity." Whether it is through the cultural events we host, the cultural events we attend, the organizations we have actively supported since arriving on campus, the classes we take, or the majors we choose, all of our sisters know the importance of cultural diversity in the world's greatest melting pot. Even though all the ingredients are mixing together, you should still be able to taste the individual flavors, and we serve to promote those. That was a weird analogy, but it is 6AM and I'm still fist-fighting with the flu monster, so you're going to have to forgive me today. Please.
I could go on to list more things, but of course the "bad" stuff is more interesting, so I'll move on.

Weakness #1 - I think our chapter definitely has procrastination issues. We have a hard time pulling things together at the beginning of each quarter, and so by the end of the period, we are stumbling across the finish line with our requirements all haphazardly pulled together. Due to this unavoidably true time-management problem, a lot of our sisters experience...
Weakness #2 - Burn Out. Multiple quarters in a row. I think this could be avoided better if we were able to spread out our events and finish a few requirements within the first few weeks, so that by the end of the quarter sisters wouldn't be overwhelmed with events to attend, classes boiling down, exams to study for, and anything else that may have fallen onto our plates. We're bad planners, we know it, and yet we haven't fixed it yet. This is something we can definitely work on.

Gets me every time.

II.

MCGC's council is young. It's learning. It's still in the crawling stage on the time-line of life. Sometimes it has tried to stand up and wobble around, but mostly it has just fallen over again due to a lack of support. That being said, this year, we have a lot going for us.

Strength #1 - E-board this year is great! Huzzah! Okay, granted, I really have little knowledge of the e-boards of yesteryear, but I really think all five of us are determined to achieve this year. We are on the same page, we know what we want, and we have plans on how to get there. Our President is 421413% dedicated to MCGC's cause, and I know that we have the potential to become a council that can truly lead the chapters it manages to success.

I don't want to have a ton of weaknesses while only mentioning one strength, but I feel as though it is inevitable with a council so young. We haven't had time to test out our strengths yet, only time to notice our flaws.

Weakness #1 - Like I said previously, a lack of support. There has been a definite non-interest as far as the council goes within the past few years (I know I have definitely noticed it, and heard it directly from the mouths of some MCGC members, within my one year of membership), and it is dragged MCGC down. How can we function properly if there is no will to do so from those participating? One of our main goals is to reinvest interest in the council. We say it over and over again. It comes out of each of our mouths so often, we're probably sick of saying it, hearing it, thinking it, and knowing it. But it's #1 on our priority list, and we WILL make it happen.
Weakness #2 - Structureless. Right now, we're kind of in a sort of limbo. Our papers are all out of sorts. Nobody really has any idea what's going on outside of E-board members. Communication is sub-par. BUT! We are working on fixing this as we speak and, in my humble opinion, already improving. By the end of this year, hopefully MCGC will have a firm base set up on which we can continue to grow and flourish.

No, not that kind of limbo.

III.

I feel as though we spend a lot of time in class discussing what is fantastic about our community, and what needs to be changed in our community. Maybe more time on the latter, since we obviously want to focus on fixing those areas. But, I will list what I think is most important for each.

Strength #1 - The fraternity and sorority community is old. It's established. It knows what it's doing. We have a GREAT faculty that supports us all the way to home base! I suppose technically that is ..1..2..3..4! strengths, but let's not be picky. There is an expansive past full of trials and errors that we have thus learned from, and because of that campus knows we're out there, they know we can do great things, and they support the large annual events hosted by chapters within our organizations.

I know we have a lot of places to improve. And more strengths than the one (kind of one) I focused on above, but I just want to mention what I think is most important on our to-do list.

Weakness #1 - Knowledge. Do we know one another? Perhaps those of us on e-board now do, but before this class, how much did you really know about the other councils? If you can truly say, "I have only expanded my already-vast and expansive knowledge of each of the four councils here at OSU and am proud to say I am - and always have been - an educated fraternal member!" then I applaud you. I am not in the same boat. I vaguely knew what recruitment was for PHA. I thought IFC did the same exact thing. And NPHC was pretty much a void of n o t h i n g n e s s . It is only because I pestered Rian (sorry) with every question I could think of during our conference (Tyler's fault for placing her so conveniently in my room) that I am semi-proud to say I know a decent amount about NPHC today. I was even able to give a clueless boy that was sitting at my table during our "Affiliation Lunch" (during which I sat with a collaboration of misfits - extremely interesting people to meet, in my opinion!) a crash course on NPHC organizations. All direct quotes from Rian, of course. Yet, I could honestly stand to learn more about PHA (Julie was too busy for me to pester, haha) and IFC. And since I have digressed, let me return to my point: how can we be a strong community, if we don't even know who our community is? We need more knowledge! Put your thinking caps on people, it's time to learn, and more importantly - educate the masses!

A legitimate Thinking Cap. Too literal? Maybe.

Class 5ish.

Prompt:
Oaths.

So, what do I think an oath is? I've been trying to think of something creative or witty to write for this blog prompt for a few days. Still drawing a blank. Frankly, I've never thought much about oaths, even though I've been living by one since kindergarten.

On my honor,
I will try,
To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout law.

I didn't think much of it then. Mainly because I was 5 years old and the word "oath" probably wasn't even in my vocabulary yet. But I really was just there to be with my friends, do arts and crafts, earn badges, play with puppies once a week, and sell as many cookies as possible. I think that's what some people think about greek life. Not the selling cookies part, but maybe the, "I only joined to be with my friends," part. And that is a huge bummer for those of us who take greek life so much farther. Because the oath that we each take isn't just about friendship, arts and crafts, and playing with puppies. It's about leadership, philanthropy, sisterhood, brotherhood, service, academics, cultural diversity... the list goes on.

And our oath is for LIFE. It's forever. It's past college, past marriage, past your first kid. When I'm 52 I'll still be in a sorority, no matter how actively I participate in my specific chapter. And I'll still be proud of the choice that I made to take that oath, and I'll still be upholding the standards expected of me now by myself and my sisters. Some people we met at the conference this weekend were OLD and still actively a part of their organizations. And to me, that is so amazing. What is greater than eternal brotherhood or sisterhood?

I don't know the Girl Scout law anymore. In fact, I'm not sure I ever did. But I still try to help people at all times. I still try to serve God and my country. And that's what an oath is. Beyond the words, beyond the symbols, beyond the people you bonded with, an oath is something that should be so ingrained into your soul that you live by it until the day you die, even after you've forgotten the taking oath completely.

Stereotypes

I don't know exactly what you guys went to during the conference over the weekend, but a topic addressed by a few of the speakers I listened to was, of course, the stereotypes of greek life. Do we live them or do we break them?

It was actually during my first hot topic. Amanda, Qi, Brandon, and myself were all there. Maybe a couple others were hiding in other places. But this is what he did: when he asked for stereotypes about sororities, only guys could answer; when he asked for stereotypes about fraternities, only girls could answer. Let me tell you what a few people said.

Fraternities

• Beer
• Alcoholics
• Sloppy
• Players
• Tools
• Parties

Sororities

• Slutiness
• Ditzy
• Dramatic
• T-Shirts
• Fake
• Conniving
• Drunks (To which he responded, "And whose beer do they drink?" followed by a resounding chorus from the boys, "OURS!")
• Ugg boots and leggings as pants

People laughed when the stereotypes were called out. Was it a, "Haha, soooo true!" or a, "Haha, that's soooo what everyone thinks!"? Either way, isn't it sad? The fact is that we all hate the stereotypes. Maybe it originally steered you away from greek life. I know it did for me. I was NOT planning on joining a sorority, solely because I didn't feel like dealing with the stereotypes it would load upon me. But even though we hate them.... we still acknowledge they're somewhat true.

When you were reading the lists, and you skimmed over the worst ones, did someone specific come to mind? "Alcoholic. That is John to a T." "Drunken slut.... Jane, am I right?!" And yet we still have the audacity to be MAD when the newspapers pigeonhole us. OF COURSE they pigeonhole us. You know why? Because we pigeonhole ourselves. Even if we say that there are those that stand out from the crowd, those that do care about our ritual, we do nothing to change our friends who do embody the stereotype. They party all day, all night, while they sleep, while they eat. Drinking is a part of THEIR ritual. What's the point of wearing clothes when it's so freeing to streak through the streets? Why wear seat belts when they have to yell out windows at all the girls or guys they think are attractive?


The show I was watching not hours ago that inspired this post and reminds us that this really IS what people think about greek life -- While simultaneously being just something fun to watch.

So I ask you a question:

Q: What's the difference between greeks partying and "independents" partying?
A: Everyone KNOWS who we are. Your letters are emblazoned across your chest, even when you don't wear them. So keep that in mind when you're taking your 24th shot. At the end of the night, Ingrid Independent will go back to her dorm and wake up and one more freshman will have had a good time. At the end of our nights, we'll go back to our homes and wake up and everyone will know that AB sorority parties hard. All the time. Even if it's not true.


And here's another question:

Q: What have you done to help others change the stereotype today?
A: TBA.

Hahaha.

Just thought I'd share, in case you're having a bad day.
I found this at the same time I was writing my last post (about 30 minutes ago...), but it didn't really belong with what I was writing about, so I decided to give it its own post. Sooo... if you're an avid Ashley-groupie, you have another post to read below this one!

Enforcing the Rules

So, our chapter uses fines to enforce some of the rules for our chair holders' positions. I'm sure many - if not all - of your chapters do as well. The only reason we have to do that, is because some girls refuse to cooperate. Actually, saying refuse is too harsh. It's more like... they get lazy (or just tired - understandably so!), and stop wanting to show up. But with a small chapter, it's hard to give girls a break when there's so much to do. And it's not fair for only ONE girl to stop participating when other people are trying their best to keep up with everything. And thus... fines are instilled as a way of semi-forcing people to continuing putting forth all their effort.


But is it really their best effort? Once you get tired, and yet you're still dragged out to events, is it even worth it anymore? I don't want to see girls getting sick of participating, but it's also hard for us to slow down the pace when each quarter is packed with events we have to plan and host. I just know that if I were in a position where I had to fine a girl because she was unable to meet status quo, and therefore needed to cough up... I would feel awful. It is unfortunate that we have to go as far as imposing fines, but what else can be done when everyone is feeling too sleepy to keep up their values, but we need them to anyways? Things like going to study hours, attending dance practice (which was a voluntary event to begin with, but once you volunteer, attending practice is mandatory), the like... What else can be done? I realize that "Rules Are Made To Be Broken," but we really just don't have that kind of leeway available.



Not that I hold an E-Board position for KPL (therefore it's not exactly in my power to say, "Stop it! We need a break!" I mean, I suppose I could, but really...), but I was just thinking about it.



What would you do to boost your girls' (or boys') moral when you can tell everyone is burning out?

Class 4

Prompt:
What are your secret thoughts of ritual?

Sorry - I know this is late. I completely spaced out. I don't sleep enough. That's why I win colorful crowns. But here are my original thoughts on ritual, as uninfluenced by today's class as possible, so that you can see what I would have posted before class, had I been in my right mind.


Anyways, my secret thoughts of ritual really aren't that secret. As I said in the beginning of class today, I think people take the meaning of ritual a bit too literally. Normally, I think the word ritual brings to mind something along the lines of hell, fire, and brimstone. Something deep and dark that no one else can know about. Their personal new member process is the first ritual most people learn, and then once they cross over into brotherhood or sisterhood, everything they learn from then on becomes their definition of ritual. All the secrets are just compiled into one big file in their brain, and then they slap a big sticker on it and declare, "This file is full of ritual! Sisters/Brothers only!"



But I define ritual different. Yes, it is partially those "secret" things that make each sorority and fraternity different from one another (or in all actuality, perhaps makes us quite similar), but I believe it is also what we do and how we live out our values. I think a ritual is not something that is done yearly/quarterly/weekly, but is something that is done daily. It should be how we each personally develop the idea of what makes us a valuable member of our chapter. What you do to uphold your values, the standards you hold yourself to, I think those also make up part of the sorority and fraternity ritual. The "secret" processes are teaching you the basic overall ritual that helps develop a more personal ritual within each individual.

And maybe that's the "R" versus "r" topic that I am not quite clear on, but I think ritual is so much more than just things you can't tell other people. It is how your chapter chooses their activities and actions that uphold the values they believe in. Yes, ritual is our initiation, our rites, our secret pledges of faith, but it is how we live out those pledges that truly define what ritual means.

I know this is short, but I feel like I've said all I have to say. Ritual is not a dark cloak, dim lighting, and candles; it is personal choice and sacrifice for the sake up upholding a chapter's values.

Support

Between 23 credit hours of actual class time, school work and studying to do outside of class, stuff for KPL (and more stuff for KPL, and more stuff for KPL, and more stuff for KPL... you get the picture), and work, I feel like I have little time to do much else. When I do have a few seconds to myself, there is always some Asian organization (since that is the community my sorority runs in) that has an event we need to support. On top of that, MCGC organizations want us to show our faces for them, and show that we care. And trust me - we do - but how can we find time for everyone else when we barely have time for ourselves? I go to bed around 4AM or 5AM nearly every night, weekends included, and I don't go out and party. Yeah right, like I have time for fun. I don't even have time to respond to urgent emails, or fill out applications for other things that I would like to do... if only I could find a way to do them.

Okay, being in KPL is fun, but it demands constant attention.



So how do I stop myself from feeling guilty when someone else from our council has an event, yet none of our sisters can show up? Everyone has conflicts/prior obligations/homework to do. How can I squeeze more time out of a schedule that has no time left to give? This isn't about time management anymore. This is about being busy 25/8 on a calendar that only provides 24/7.



Do you guilt trip like I do when you can't show support for good organizations that you are supporting in your head? It's my physical presence that becomes a problem. If only I could be everywhere at once... I hate disappointing people, and I WANT to support them, but how can I do it when I have such a full plate already?

Class 3

Prompt:
What happened today?

In last week's class, we all went on a little adventure. We were released from the classroom to wreck havoc on the world! Kidding. Kind of. I'm sure some people were quite confused as to why we were doing this for a leadership class. Some people seemed a little put out, honestly. They had NO idea what was going on, even after we tried to unsuccessfully explain it to them.

First off, I was really sketchy about this whole project when Tyler started introducing it. "Whaaat? Learning outside the classroom? This is NOT what I'm used to." I guess I should have expected something of this sort sooner or later. We're all about pushing the boundaries of conformity in this class. Who says we need to stay in our seats to learn?

So Daniel, Laura, and I slowly exited the room, doubt in our hearts. Tyler said we could split up but with only three people... it seemed a little ridiculous. I personally had no idea where to start. I didn't even know where the Greek houses were... I think I said something about Iuka, and Daniel gave me a weird look and suggested 15th instead. Obviously I don't get out enough.



Once we were on 15th. We just started blindly walking. None of us have a house for our respective fraternity/sorority, so for me I know it was a bit menacing to have to run around knocking on the giant doors full of people I didn't know. Plus, some houses had already been visited by other councils already, so they were tired of being harassed. At one point, Daniel split off so we could get more accomplished, but his phone was dead, forcing Laura and I to frantically search up and down 15th trying to figure out where he went before we were late getting back to class. "Where did he GO? Agghhh!"




In the end, we got interviews from 3 IFC brothers in the houses, 3 PHA sisters in their houses, and called 3 of our fellow MCGCers. Laura knew 2 girls from NPHC, but only called one because she didn't want to harass her other friend. In the end, we had 10/12 possible interviews. We were pretty proud of that; it's more than I personally expected.

*

So back to the question, but on a more analytical level: What happened today?

Besides wandering around and talking to strangers (okay, Daniel and Laura knew a few people, I was the clueless one of the group), I personally think our council got a chance to really come together and work as a team. Obviously there were bad ideas ("Iuka???") and good ones ("No.... 15th."), but we were able to get the job done. We walked together, chatted together, laughed together, creeped on total strangers together; it was truly a bonding experience.



Moreso than that, I was introduced to the "traditional" side of greek life. Giant homes, lots of people, house Moms. Inside one of the sororities we visited (where we were very graciously allowed inside - thank you!), there seemed to be a constant peal of laughter coming from somewhere. They all looked like they were having a great time. The house Mom - which is something I'd only heard about before - was very nice and politely asked, "What on Earth is going on?!" as she sorted shoes by the door. It seemed like a great experience to be in one of the PHA sororities, surrounded by friendship 24/7. It was my personal first foray into that world, and I can't say I saw any of the perpetuated stereotypes in those girls. They were all sweethearts, and it was nice to experience that side of greek life. One girl even went so far as to suggest some of her friends we could call for more interviews- trying to help out complete strangers!

Ultimately, I think this helped introduce me to the other councils. I didn't get as deep of a look into the IFC council since Daniel got a few of those interviews while he left for his own mini-adventure, and the one person I accosted, we stood outside the house, but I'm sure the experience would have been just as pleasant. It was also hard to find NPHC members to talk to since we didn't know where to find them except by phone. But in the end I think even this little bit helps. If I'm going to work together with all 4 councils for the rest of this year, I want to know more about how they function and what makes them work so well, and it was a good opportunity to start that learning process.

I also noticed something... So many of our sororities and fraternities have such SIMILAR values. It was something I knew in theory before, but had never actually been proven to me. I feel like almost everyone mentioned something about academics, service, and sisterhood or brotherhood. It was great to see our similarities, while knowing we still have our differences.

So, even though I questioned your judgment at first, thanks to Tyler and Maggie. I actually did have a good time learning about other fraternities and sororities from strangers.

Post Secret

I went to the Post Secret event hosted by OUAB at Hitchcock the other day. The author of the books and idea, Frank Warren, came to talk to us about his original inspiration for the idea, and what has become of it in the last 5 years that it has existed.

It originally started out as a small project that he was going to do. Only 400 cards. He walked around the city and passed them out to strangers. It was an art exhibit. Then a website. Then a music video for "Dirty Little Secret." Then books. Today, he has received over 400,000 confessionals.

He says people send in their postcards for a sense of relief, for a way to get something off their shoulders, for an outlet in which they can admit something that they're too afraid to tell other people. PostSecret has become something of a safe haven for people across the country. After receiving emails about how seeing their secret, or the secrets of others that share their secret they were too afraid to send in, changed their lives, Frank realized this project was so much more than a cooperative art exhibit. It was a release. It saved some from suicide, made others realize they weren't alone, helped people through hard times.

Just one little idea, and it has impacted the country in such a great way.

My roommate bought the newest book. I really enjoyed this secret in particular. So I illegally scanned it onto my computer and am posting it for you now.

The writing reads:

"I found this inside a magazine on an airplane. As soon as I arrived home, I took the ring I've had in my pocket for two years out and proposed to my girlfriend in the middle of the airport.
SHE SAID YES."

The slip of paper reads:

"This is your moment.
The right time is NOW!"

And it's so true.
Take action now, because it's now or never. No second chances. No regret.

*

I leave you with a quote. Because I love quotes. And I read them whenever I am thinking about, well, pretty much anything. It's nice to know you aren't alone in your thoughts. My own little haven that encompasses all of histories greatest thinkers, instead of 400,000+ postcards.

“Often the difference between a successful person and a failure is not one has better abilities or ideas, but the courage that one has to bet on one's ideas, to take a calculated risk - and to act.”
- Andre Malraux

Get Inspired

I'm no avid YouTube stalker. Really, though. I'm not. Once in a while I just surf around YouTube and happen across really fantastic videos. I did that a couple months ago, and I want to share them with you. They are so inspiring. They really want to make you change. At least, they did for me. The first one literally almost made me start crying. But you're probably not as emotional as I am. Lucky you... Anyways, here they are. Let me know what you think.

Video 1, completed in 2006.

3:35 - We're All In This Together

The things these people write... these are things we need to think about. We need to change ourselves to be the best we can be before we can even think about changing the rest of the world. We have to inspire ourselves before we can inspire others. It starts inside.

Video 2, completed in 2009.

3:10 - Live to Inspire

The world is something that WE can make a difference in. Something that we can help change. We can inspire others to do good and live up to their full potential. All we have to do is try, right?

If you want to see MadV's YouTube channel, click here. He has a few other interesting videos.

If you could tell the whole world - the ENTIRE world - one thing...
What would you say?

Class 2

Prompt:
"What are your values and how do they define you? Where do they fit in terms of your council’s values? In terms of the community’s values?"

I value friendship.
The people I meet are everything for me. Personally, I think there is no purpose in life if you can't even enjoy the company of friends. I'm a really social and outgoing person, so sometimes even an hour of alone time drives me crazy. My friends keep me centered and healthy. No matter how I met them, where I met them, where they're from, what they value, how few times a year they can see me, my friends are what keep me rooted here at OSU and across state borders. Without them, I don't know where I'd be. Probably in some dark little corner, curled up in a ball, going crazy...

I value God.

I'm not much of a church-going person, honestly. I love going to church when I can, but I often can't get myself out of bed that early in the morning after working until 5AM. But nonetheless, I read the Bible and I hold moral standards for myself that I think fit God's plan for me and my own plans for myself. The parts of God I value are the lessons taught within the stories - acceptance, forgiveness, personal sacrifice. Within that, I am accepting of people of all religious backgrounds. I think He taught us to love people for who they are, not for who we want them to be, and because of that I feel no right to judge someone whose life is different than my own. I try to live with a good image of myself. Holding standards and values make me proud of who I am, and I think I owe a lot of my decisions to the question, "Am I going to be proud of this tomorrow? Would God be proud of me if he were standing next to me right now?"

I value ALL life.
Like I have already partially said, I think each person deserves to be their own being. I feel no right to judge them based on their past actions or current motives. A life is something precious, something to be valued by everyone, not just the being with the life itself. I find it hard to dislike someone when I try to put myself in their shoes. You never know where someone comes from, what their situation is, what actions led up to their life today. Because of my personal value for each and every life, I think I am generally a more accepting person than most. I am not quick to judge; I always try to see the other side, and the other side of the other side before I make a decision; I try to give everyone a second, third, fourth chance. I think everyone deserves as many chances as it takes, because they are a human just as I am, and if I were in their place, I know I would want the opportunity to prove myself.

I value service.
Giving to others in need is an important part of my life. If there is something I can do to help anyone, no matter if they are less or more fortunate than me, I will try to do my best to put myself out there. I would say that sometimes I definitely sacrifice my own temporary happiness to help others, but my long-term happiness is always heightened immensely because of it. It makes me feel like I have fulfilled my purpose to help other people reach their goals. How can I ever ask people for help, if I am not equally willing to give help in return? Service is an important part of my life in daily actions with friends, and in general community service with people I don't know as well or are perhaps perfect strangers.

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For my council, I think my values are aligned when it comes to cooperation with others and understanding. Being a part of MCGC, it is important to appreciate people of different backgrounds and ethnicities, since that is what we stand for. Some people celebrate different holidays, take different morals seriously, live their life in completely different ways than my own. But overall, I think that's what MCGC is here to help teach. Acceptance. Of all people. No matter what. Friendship can be bred from anywhere, anyplace, at any time, and I think the first step is learning about one another and taking the good with the bad. Sometimes people don't even actually fit into their cultural stereotype, and I think that is even more important to note. Breaking the stereotypes and providing acceptance for everyone are important features of what I think MCGC brings to the table. Culture is an important aspect of many people's lives, and even if you personally didn't grow up with a specific celebrated culture (such as myself - a cultureless fiend), it is interesting and important to learn about the cultures of others. It can define a person's whole lifestyle, and MCGC really makes you aware of how necessary it is to take others for what they are, and not what you expect them to be.

*

Within the community, awareness of the differences of others can never be a bad thing. I don't think that the goals we set within our council based on our values should be any different than the goals we set within our community. Everyone needs awareness. Everyone needs acceptance. Everyone needs to know that they can be who they are and that is just fine. Be who you are, not what others expect you to be.

Dreams can become reality.

This is kind of full of broken thoughts. I can't seem to keep my mind focused long enough to stay on one thought before I'm jumping off to the next one. Sorry if this post is a bit scattered and disjointed. If nothing else, listen to the song I posted at the bottom... I like it. ;)

I woke up Monday morning at 7:30am, ready to volunteer in memory of the late, great Martin Luther King, Jr. Unfortunately, my sorority wasn't able to because we got there too late and we were turned away, but I'm glad that the opportunity exists and that enough people are willing to come together to serve there community so that things like this CAN fill up. Isn't it kind of a great feeling to know that so many people are willing to wake up early on a day off in order to help others? Makes you feel a bit warmer on these blustery mornings.

But who is Martin Luther King Jr. anyway?

Everyone knows the famous line, "I have a dream..." and maybe they know a little more, "that one day..." but other than that? A word here, a word there, "that all men are created equal" thrown somewhere in the middle, something to do with freedom and equality... Have you ever heard the entire speech? Or even simply read the words he so powerfully spoke. I'm going to guess that most of us haven't. If you're interested, here is a good link to a page that accurately transcribed the entire speech. I suggest you read it. It gives a little background on his life, as well.

• Did you know that he starts off his speech referring to Abraham Lincoln and even saying, "Five score years ago," an imitation of Lincoln's own speech?
• Did you know that he compares the injustices of the African American community to a bounced check?
• Did you know that he has multiple dreams, not just one for his children?
• Did you know he quotes the psuedo-national anthem, "My County 'Tis of Thee"?

"Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood."

"Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred."

"There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?"... we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream."

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

"And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!""

His speech was given in 1963. 47 years later... has his dream fully come true? Have we have reached our full potential? Imagine that if one man could motivate so many to follow his lead, what a group our size could do if we found a cause to fight for and really put all of our efforts into it. Think of the possibilities... all our dreams could come true. But I don't know if I have something worth fighting for. Maybe I should think of something. Do you have something you think is worth fighting for?

I used to be somewhat obsessed with this song. I don't know why. I'd play it on repeat over and over again... Maybe you've heard it before? Maybe not. You might not like it... but I thought I'd share. It grows on you. And our star performer of the weekend, MLK Jr., makes a special guest appearance.

Class 1

Prompt:
Why did we choose to start a class about Fraternal Change with a service project, and what did you learn about yourself and your peers as a result of our shared experiences today?

Community service brings people together. Something about helping those in need, or just doing something for the community, make people feel good. It gives purpose to our lives in a world when everyone is wondering, "Why am I here?" There is no possible way that helping others can make you feel selfish and useless. And when people are in a giving mood they are friendly, they bond, they Facebook each other later, the buds of friendship sprout. It's usually an all-around good experience. I'm sure it is a pillar of most of our sororities and fraternities, and even if it isn't necessarily a pillar, it is probably something each chapter often practices. Community service is an excellent way to remember why we're here, what we can do, and how every little bit - even just making sandwiches - really does count. We fed people who wouldn't have had food otherwise, and that makes your heart glow a little, doesn't it? You really made a difference in someone's life, even if just for the 2 minutes it took them to consume the PB&J. To start off with a community service project seems appropriate. We are here to create change. That change has to start small, and then grow with time. Last Friday, we changed people's lives by putting food in their stomachs. We know that we are able to help out. This project brought us together and reinforced our states of mind.

What did I learn about my peers? About you guys? I did not hear a single grumble or mumble when we were asked to help make the sandwiches. No one said anything negative about being coerced into food preparation and impromptu presentations. Everyone was willing, able, and joyfully went to work. This shows me how selfless we all truly are. Okay, maybe not no one is COMPLETELY selfless, but we were all more than willing to help out. I want to go as far as to say we were excited to help out. When everyone is willing to come together, work as a group, talk to strangers, and then maybe become friends with those strangers, it really shows something promising to me. We're all here for a reason. Maybe not everyone has the same reason, but in the end, we're all willing. And I think that makes for great group dynamics. In a room full of people that care about doing the right thing, I really think we can accomplish a lot, even if that is just making 300 sandwiches every single week.

Here are some quotes from people that have made an impact on the world. Whether it be in writing or in actions, these are people to whom history's ears have always been open, as should ours be.

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.
-Anne Frank

We can do no great things, only small things with great love.
-Mother Teresa

I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.
-Edward Everett Hale

If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.
-Mother Teresa

The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But... the good Samaritan reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?"
-Martin Luther King, Jr.

Alright, I might have lied a little.

I have had such a busy week with our chapter's rush, vicious computer viruses, my job, insomnia, dying slowly of the swine flu... Okay, that last part is a self-diagnosis, but I feel pretty ill nonetheless. Attempting to stay alive and well. All-in-all, I barely have time to sleep (and when I do I can't), much less think extensively on what to blog about!

But I was sitting in my Linguistics 500 class - Phonetics - yesterday, and I didn't even need to be prompted to think about leadership. The thoughts just leaked into my head. We were talking about some Physics that will unfortunately be necessary for the class. Specifically, we were talking about waves. As she showed us her Mac-style powerpoint clips with videos of molecules jostling one another about, I was reminded of... us. Kind of. These lines of molecules were bumping other lines of molecules, creating a wave. They pushed force out into the space, and it created an effective transfer of energy, that not only continued pushing farther outward, but also bounced back toward the original line.

http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org/labs/waves/wave_basics/wave_motion.htm

If you go there, you can have fun playing with the wave half way down the page. As you see, the farther you drag the little molecules right, the more the rest of the lines are jostled...

If you haven't gotten my drift yet, I was thinking of Pay It Forward. Imagine my surprise when I thought of the movie suddenly while I was supposed to be thinking about sound waves and amplitude.

Though I claimed to be stubbornly negative in my introduction post, I am not close-minded and I do wish I could be more optimistic. I do not know how much difference I can make as one person, but it would certainly be nice if we could work together to create change. In a Utopian world, the amount of work we put in will have just as much output, and it will continue to effect everything in the immediate surrounding, similar to the waves. Just like in Pay It Forward, helping only three people quickly turns into 9 people, 27 people, 81 people, 243, 729, 2187... Our initial wave could help to change first our chapters, which will effect our separate councils, running into greek life as a whole, bumping Ohio State's campus, nudging Columbus, touching shoulders with the rest of Ohio, poking America, claiming the world... We could do a lot. I guess I'm only hoping for a little, and that's good enough for me.

A boring title for a post that is hopefully more entertaining.

Here's just one more blog to add to my very long repertoire of blog making and deleting. I used to make them quite often in middle school and high school, but I left that phase of my life behind long before college started. I am far too busy to keep an up-to-date blog now (though I guess I'll be changing that for this class), and honestly... who actually reads those things besides internet creepers anyway? So... thanks for being my new internet creepers.

My name is Ashley Coolman. I am a second year, Michigan-born (sorry), tentative Linguistics major with a definite Chinese minor, and a sister of Kappa Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. If it makes you feel any better, I was raised in Sylvania, Ohio, so you don't have to boo at me when I walk through the door. I enjoy reading books, texting, the color green, smiley faces (which I will try to avoid using for the sake of your sanity), diet coke, punctuation, penguins, my teddy bear, and keeping the hours of a vampire. I have 4 pets - a dog named Sadie, a brother named Aaron, a fish named Ji (which means "Chicken" in Mandarin Chinese), a rabbit named Pollo ("Chicken" in Spanish), and my family had a 5th pet, a kitten named Poule (you-know-what in French), but we had to give him away.

If I'm going to be honest with you, which I have just now decided I will be, I am in my sorority by complete and total accident and/or happy intervention by the Fates. My friend had originally planned on doing formal rush with the PHA sororities, and then, being Asian herself, decided to go to a few of the informal rush events with the Asian-Interest MCGC sororities. She dragged me to a few rush events with her for Kappa Phi Lambda, and then I really took a liking to the sisters that I met. Long story made very short for the sake of time, we both ended up joining and even though I originally had no intention of going down the Greek path, I really don't regret it a bit. Thanks, friend. Now I am Webmistress for KPL (see what I waste all my time on: http://osu.kappaphilambda.org), and I was formerly MCGC Delegate, but since I have been elected as VP for MCGC, I now only hold one position. I really love everything that I have been able to get involved in since joining, all the people I have met, and all the opportunities I know it will provide me with in the future. It's been a great experience so far, and I know it will continue to be for the next two and a half years.

Since I have finished reading our class Syllabus/Blogbus, I really must admit that I'm not entirely convinced. I think it would be a great thing to be able to change the world and complete our goals in a fulfilling way, but I am a cynical realist and I feel like it is too much to hope for. Youtube doesn't work on my computer right now because I have some sort of vengeful virus that slows everything down, so maybe my lack of visual entertainment is only serving to add to my doubting attitude - but as much as I would love all of our wildest dreams to come true, I can't help but take everything with a grain of salt. I think the class will be fun, the course load doesn't seem too demanding, and it will be great to get to know the other councils since I really know few people outside of MCGC, but changing the world seems to be a far-reaching goal for such a small group. Maybe this class will convince me that anything is possible, but for now, I remain stubbornly negative.

That's not to say I don't think this course will be something I enjoy. I do think it can help us within our own councils at our own school. Perhaps it will teach us to be true leaders and take control of our situations. I know that we DO have the power to change things now, and I look forward to doing so with the help of this class. We can take our potential to greater heights, and maybe this class will enjoy some interesting discussion and conversation between the larger and smaller councils. Surely we can all walk away with something new to think about, as we consider the pros and cons of the other councils and how we can use those realizations to better ourselves and the Greek community as a whole. I look forward to finding out.