One Year Down, Three to Go!

So I survived. I survived my first year of college undergrad. This year has been a whirlwind, that's for sure. 

From Saturday nights in Death Valley

 

Thursday Night Exchanges and other sorority functions

 

staying up late, studying hard, meeting a slew of new people, and forgetting to sleep. This past year has been an unforgettable one. I cannot express the love that I have for the sorority I'm in. Going through everything has been so much easier knowing there is always someone to talk to.  There have been good days and bad days,  but we lived through them. 

Honestly, I didn't know how my first year was going to go. I was terrified and above all just so ready to be in the "real world". I didn't do too shabby! I passed all my classes, and actually did well in them. Now time to relax and just embrace summer for everything it's worth.

Picture This....

Warning: Forgive me for this, but you're about to experience a total sorority freak out over here. I promise it doesn't happen tooo often. 

So, picture this. One of your favorite designers tells you you're going to design a special pattern for you and your closest group of friends, but first you have to go through a crazy process with a bunch of different people. Well that's basically what happened to me for the last month. Lilly Pulitzer announced about a month ago that they were going to be creating new sorority fabrics for the top three sororities that gain the most votes. First round cut down more than 20 sororities down to 9 different sororities. Then after that, the next five were announced. Yeah, that's right five. What was originally supposed to be only three was now five. 

As I waited in anticipation for the announcement to be made, I was freaking out. I've never wanted to get something so badly in my life....well this is probably an exaggeration...BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. Theta deserves this SO much. So, two o'clock strikes (when they were going to announce it our time), and they haven't posted. Literally took five minutes, which felt like a life time. I sat and clicked and refreshed and refreshed. Then finally around 3:05-3:10 it was announced. Theta was in the top five. Now I was in class and couldn't really get so excited but I had two of my sisters in front of me and we all looked at each other with beaming faces. Kinda like this: 

It may seem a little shallow, but it was such a proud moment for us. Lilly has already designed four other sorority patterns and this is such a great honor to know that they have chosen Theta as one of the next sororities to get a Lilly pattern. 

Congratulations to all the other sororities who gained a Lilly print today. 

127 Hours: Aron Ralston

Today, the Delta Gamma sorority here on campus sponsered a talk by Aron Ralston. For those who may not know, the movie 127 Hours was based off of Aron's real life experience. The movie, featuring James Franco, is about how he went out on a adventure trip and ended up with his hand stuck between a boulder and the side of a trench. He has written a book about it, called Between a Rock and a Hard Place. One of my friends has read the book; she said that it was amazing. I am so grateful that DG sponsered the event. Hearing Aron talk was so moving, it almost brought me to tears. Although I haven't seen the movie yet I plan on seeing it soon. 

picture 1. picture 2.

School vs. Summer

Me During School: 

            

I have to admit, being a full time student (working toward two, separate majors and two minors) and working full time (which involves up to 25 hours a week) can be a little stressful. It’s times like these that I wish that it were summer again. During the summer, I keep my on campus job. This doesn’t usually entail much during the summer because there are less people on campus. This means I get to get back to photography, reading, editing and blogging much more.

Me During Summer: 

            School time on the other hand, is a lot more complicated. I usually take at least 17 hours of classes, next semester I’m looking at 19, which isn’t too bad. Until you factor in work, and sorority things and time spent doing homework and studying. Don’t get me wrong, if I didn’t take a lot of hours I would be bored a lot of the time and not really push myself. The more hours I take, the harder I work. I am so backwards.

Even in pictures you can tell just how much more relaxed I am. 

            Anyways, point being. I want summer back. Pretty please? 

This is What Stress Looks Like:

Literally all last week and this week has been filled with is homework assignments, tests and quizzes. Now, I realize that I'm in college and that's what it's supposed to be like, but COME ON. Last week: 4 tests, a quiz and about 10 homework/reading assignments. This week: 2 tests, 3 quizzes, and a lot of sorority things to do. 

This is what stress looks like: 

My body is begging me to stop eating bad food. BEGGING me. And it's pleading for sleep. 

So, I shall drink my tea and eat my pineapples. Back to the Minoans and Mycenaeans. Lets cram 1000 years of history into one night! Oh and can't forget Anthropology. 

Thank goodness Mardi Gras is this weekend. 

KAT

KAT. That's what I am. I did it. I went through rush and stuck with it. At first I was still a little weary about it. I mean, really? More girls. More than half the houses I went through I couldn't really feel myself there. A lot of the houses were typical "sorority houses". I was like Oh HELL no. However I went through Kappa Alpha Theta and Zeta Tau Alpha and felt instantly at home in both houses. In the end, my choice was to go with Kappa Alpha Theta and I couldn't be happier. It's not like a typical sorority. It's crazy laid back and just a lot of fun. I love it.

To Rush or Not To Rush

...that is the question that has been looming in my mind for the last few weeks now. I don't remember who, put someone put the idea in my head that it would be a good idea to rush. Now, don't get me wrong, I kinda sorta want to but at the same time, the first year is a lot of money. Let's put it this way the fees all tend to end up being about $2500-2700 for the first year and then $1300-$1500 for future years, both including one chapter meal a week at the house, house usage, activity fees, but not including living in the house.  Now, I'll also be working and a full time student. I wish I knew what to do. I think I'm going to start getting letters of recommendations and then go from there!