Little Problems Giveaway

Hey ladies, exciting news! Today marks the start of our LP giveaway, which comes at a perfect time for big little reveal or if you want to get a head start on some Christmas presents for your big or little! Whats even better is that we are not only giving away 1 package full of Little Problems gear but 2, which means 2 of you lucky ladies will be winners!  All you have to do is enter the giveaway below and then browse through and enjoy the LP blog!

XOXO- The LP Ladies

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Quote of the Week: October 24, 2013

"Whether it's the best of times or the worst of times, it's the only time we've got" 

-Art Buchwald

This quote just makes me remember each day is precious.  College is short and time flies.  You may not realize that your freshman, or even your sophomore year, but by senior year you will understand.  Even in the most stressful moments just remember to relax, take it all in and enjoy the ride.  If you like country music you will recognize this reference but its like the Trace Adkins song "You're Gonna Miss This".  So don't take life for granted, enjoy every second of college while you're there and don't regret anything, even if you mess up it usually at least makes for a good story!

XOXO- Taylor S

Instant S'mores

It's about that time again. And no, I don't mean nap time, or even that awesome time where Amanda comes out with a new How-To for all of you to try (hint hint, it actually is). It's actually almost time for Halloween! And that means cute, holiday themed snacks and Christmas music on the radio. Today, we're taking a campfire classic and giving it a creepy twist. That's right, s'mores.

Now s'mores may seem like a relatively easy thing to do and you're right, but what if you're mighty pressed for time? What if you have a Halloween social or a Halloween event desperately in need to warm, gooey treats to bring some love to the night? That's what this recipe is for. You see, these s'mores that I'm about to tell you about are special: they don't need a campfire at all!

Some of you may think that, without a campfire, a s'more is not really a s'more, and you may have a point. With the weather getting colder (at least here, up north), there are less and less opportunities to start a bonfire in the fire pits without freezing your limbs off. So, for those of you without the fire power, here's a sweet and fun alternative!

Instant S'mores: The s'more you know, the better it works! (buh dum tss)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 seconds

Ingredients Include:*
Graham cracker squares
Chocolate hazelnut spread
Marshmallow fluff

*Note: How much of each ingredient you need depends solely upon how many people you're making for. The original recipe is for four people and called for 8 cracker squares and 2-3 tablespoons of each spread, but the amount of each ingredient is relative to who's making it.

Directions:
1. Place cracker squares on clean, dry work surface
2. Spread half of the squares with chocolate hazelnut spread
3. Spread the second half of thee squares with marshmallow fluff
4. Smoosh your little beauties together
5. Place on microwave safe plate
6. Microwave on high for 30 seconds
7. Make 'em creepy!*
8. Serve immediately!

*Depending on what you plan to use to decorate them, you might want to do this step before you microwave them, as they harden up pretty quickly, and you'll have to warm them up again.

Now that you're got your cute little squares of deliciousness, it's time to creep them up! My sisters and I have found that simply using orange, black, yellow and purple sprinkles are a great way to give them color and make them pop out. You could also use spider shaped sprinkles or even black sugar to coat the warm edges of the s'more. After decorating them, your treats should look a little like this:

I can't even look at them, they're so tasty.

Another way to make your s'mores stand out is to substitute different ingredients. Local supermarkets also sell chocolate graham crackers for you to use. Similarly, you can substitute the chocolate hazelnut spread with peanut butter, to give some variety to your treats.

Presentation is always the answer to a simple snack. Buy Halloween themed plates and napkins, drink some fruit punch and pretend it's blood, show up in costume and pretend to suck the blood of your sisters. Though there are endless possibilities, there is always a way to spice up an event and a treat. All you need is a little imagination! These instant s'mores are a great thing to plan for sisterhood events and Halloween socials. They're fun and easy, and there's no need to buy charcoal or skewers.

(They also happen to be the only thing I've eaten since I discovered microwavable s'mores, but who's keeping score? Really?)

Have a happy and safe Halloween! Now, you can have all the comforts of a bonfire right in your dorm! (Without the severe fire hazard, of course.)

How to Survive Midterms

It happens to everyone at some point.  You're going through school pretty smoothly when you realize that you have all of your midterms back to back.  I don't know about you, but that kind of situation really stresses me out.  I thought I would offer some tips about how to get through your midterms without stressing out too hard.

1. Take care of yourself.  Exercise, eat healthy, and get plenty of sleep.  If you don't take care of yourself, you won't perform as well as you potentially could.

2. Set goals.  Maybe spend a couple of hours a day on each subject if you have multiple exams coming up.  If you have time, you could dedicate a day to each chapter that will be on an exam.  Just do something that works best for you!

3. Take breaks.  It's important that you don't wear yourself out.  Meet a friend for coffee for an hour, take the time to paint your nails, or spoil yourself with an episode of Gossip Girl.  Just make sure you don't end up procrastinating!

How do y'all survive midterms?

Optimize Your Chapter's Social Media

I know that many people, including me, have wondered what they could do to use their chapter’s social media more. EVENTS! Every chapter has events: socials, formal/informal recruitment events, philanthropies, etc. Everybody, you have to admit it, wants the world to know what their chapter is doing, and how awesome it really is! Social media is the easiest and CHEAP way to do it! 

Using social media is simple! I have been saying this all along. If you are the planner or programmer of the event, if you have the time and knowledge of social media then do it! If you don't have the time or the knowledge find someone who does. If you have never learned the term delegate - social media is the best place to do it. 

Me personally, I don't use every social media platform, but there is someone in my chapter who does. I have delegated it to them to work on those platforms. If there is something that I want blasted across all medias I will just send an email with the photo or information to post! Super easy right?!? This is the quickest and best way to promote your chapter all year long, especially when an event isn't happening. 

You're probably thinking about how you can use Social Media to promote your event, well let me help! Break it down: Pre-Event, during the event, Post-Event. 

Pre-Event

Get the word out there. Make sure that you aren't solely relying on social media though. You will potentially miss an older audience and your school's community and the town surrounding. Make sure that you table, visit businesses, hang banners and flyers, and what ever else you do, but just add in the social media component. 

When you are spreading the word about the event make sure it is factual, has all of the information needed that a participant might need. Also, share your flyer in posts so that way viewers can share it as well. 

Another thing to consider is doing a mock video to get others noticing your event. Once chapter on our campus did a Harlem Shake (when it was cool) to advertise their poker tournament. Other chapters at a near by school have done a video to show the different way people run in a 5k for their event. My chapter is adopting that this year and making a video of the different kind of bowlers out there. In case you didn't catch that, we do a bowling tournament for our bigger philanthropy. 

Incorporate #TBT to your event from the past year, talk about how successful it was and how you want to make it even better this year! 

During the Event

Post pictures! Pictures of your members working the event, participating, etc. This works really well if it is a come and go event! In the spring we had our Pancake Feed, Flapjacks and Snapbacks. All throughout the event we were posting pictures of girls making and serving the pancakes, the guests at our event and women in their snapbacks. This lets those who haven't come yet or are questioning if they want to buy a ticket at the door to get over to your event as soon as they can because they don't want to miss out. Also, just reminding the community that the event is going on helps! Some people may not have looked at their ticket or have gotten swept up in the way of life and forgotten what day it actually was. 

Chapter Members at Flapjacks and Snapbacks. This photo was actually used in a "during the event" post.

Post Event

Let the community, family, friends, those who came, and those who donated how successful your event was. As soon as you know a total amount raised, share it! This will reassure that what the community and those who came to the event gave was well worth it and that it is going to a great cause! 

If you haven't been promoting a philanthropy, make sure that you let everyone know how much fun was had, if it was recruitment related: the number of women you got, or how that specific day went. A sisterhood retreat: show the craft you made or share the most memorable moment of the day! Get others interested and coming back to hear more information! 

Don't Forget!

Make sure when you are using social media that you take the time to explain what your philanthropy/event is for. 

Give a shout out to those who have donated money (if it applies). This will most likely want to get competitors to donate as well!

I hope that this will help you make your event even better! Rock that social media and get your chapter some time in the lime light. 

Until next time! 

Quote of the Week: October 17, 2013

"I'm not telling your it's going to be easy, I'm telling you it's going to be worth it."

I think I'm taking this weeks quote in a new direction considering I think it was originally referring to relationships, but I connected it to something a little different.  If you read my post last week you would know I was on the struggle bus for a week straight while I was studying for all my exams.  This week I am riding a high as I found out that all of my hard work paid off.  I made A's on all 4 of my exams and even managed to set the curve and score a 100% on one of my hardest tests of the week.  It's amazing how great it feels to know that all my hard work and all-nighters actually paid off.  

(I made all these notecard throughout the week)

What was even better was that as I was walking to my last exam I was greeted with texts from some my sisters wishing me good luck.  They knew how hard I had been working all week long and how ready I was for the week to just be over, so the fact that they were thinking of me just helped me calm my nerves and finish my last exam strong.  

College in general is not an easy time, you are faced with adversity, stress and a whole lot of schoolwork, but just knowing that your sisters are there for you to lean on helps relieve some of that stress.  College isn't going to be easy, but the education you gain and the friendships you form are definitely worth it.

XOXO- Taylor S

Big/Little Reveal

It's that time of the year!  Recruitment is finally over, and you've spent the past couple of weeks getting know the new members in your chapter.  You've selected your favorite new member as your little, and now it's time for reveal!  Seriously, this is my favorite part of the year.  I have a few great ideas for reveal that I hope you'll love!

At the Epsilon Gamma chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma, we do reveal by leaving hints for our new members.  They follow the trail of hints to a certain room, where all of their Kappa family is happily waiting!  My family's theme is the yacht club, so we do nautical themed hints!  When our newest additions arrive, they will see nautical themed decor and attire in the room.

Some sororities do reveal by leaving costumes for their littles, and then changing into matching costumes.  The bigs will wait in one area, while the littles change.  Once they are in their costumes, they run to where their bigs are to see who they match with.  My roommates' sorority does this, and it sounds like a lot of fun!  If you don't want to do costumes,you can also do matching shirts!

Another cute reveal idea I've seen is wrapping the bigs up like presents and letting the littles unwrap them.  It's like Christmas in October.  Plus, it's quick and easy!

What does your sorority do for reveal?

Quote of the Week: October 10, 2013

It is currently 6:31a.m. here in Lexington and the only reason I am awake is because I actually went to sleep last night.  Now if this doesn't make sense let me clarify.  I'm not sure why, but 4 out of the 6 of my professors decided that they should schedule exams at the same time, and the other 2 scheduled them last week, so needless to say I have been pulling all nighters like it was my job to get all my studying in.  Last night I actually decided sleep was more important, but now I am regretting it, as I wake up at 6a.m. to start studying again.  I know many of you are in the same boat with midterms coming up, so this weeks quote is a little motivation to just keep going.

Though these meme's will always be there for you, don't forget during tough times like struggles with school, family, or anything else, your sisters are the ones you can really lean on.  Honestly they may just be the ones sending you meme's like this.  So if they're having a tough time help a sista out, you'd want them to do the same for you.

XOXO- Taylor S

Big/Little for CHEAP

When you were getting your presents from your big, did you walk by all of the big baskets of canvases,  candies, wine glasses, and so one and think "Holy Cow! How am I going to be able to afford this stuff for me little???" I did! I had no idea how I was going to be able to give my little so much stuff just like my big did for me!

Well, ladies, I figured it out. As with everything you do, start early!!! Be on the lookout for things you may need like paints, brushes, glitter, and little things. Over the summer, Michael's had a sale going that was 3 acrylic paints for $1. Usually those are about $1 a piece. Needless to say, I bought a ton!

Get on Hobby Lobby and Michael's email lists. They send out great coupons every week! Start stocking up if you haven't already. I can promise you, you will need so much more than you think you do. Hobby Lobby has a web address just for their weekly coupons. Michael's has one too!! Download their apps as well. You can show the coupon straight from there without the worry of printing a coupon out. 

Don't be afraid to check out the $1 aisle at Target, Walmart, or anywhere else. They have all sorts of stuff to give your little that they will love! I found owl Post Its, which were perfect seeing as it is one of Kappa's symbols. I loved when my big gave me glow sticks and bubbles. If you're lucky like I was, Big/Little week was around Halloween. Can we say Halloween candy???? Baked good go a long way too, and that is not expensive at all!

The first day of gifts for my amazing little. Shout Out to Lindsey Hopewell for at least pretending to like everything I gave you. ;)

Fright Night - Socials for the Holiday

With recruitment winding down (for most of us anyway), it is time to get our new members introduced to the Greek Community. What better way than through mixers, socials and functions. Every campus does it differently but no one can ever have too many ideas of ways to interact with those fraternity men. I have some Halloween themed ideas that can be transformed for any social, mixer, themed dance you name it.

Fright Night

This is the "cooler" way to name a Halloween themed event, that is simple and everyone can have their own creativity. At a Fright Night event the attendees wear any Halloween costume that they desire, but paired costumes are always preferred. 

Thriller

Everyone knows Michael Jackson's "Thriller". Come to your event dressed like those in the video. Here are some examples: 

Ghouls & Goblins

Take this social back to the day when you were a kid, growing up with Hocus Pocus, Halloween Town, Gremlins, and all the other classics that make you think of Halloween. Dress for this themed social as one of those things that make you scream when you hear something go bump in the night. Or even something simple and classic, like a witch, a ghost made from a sheet, a jack-o-lantern. Use your creativity on this one and bring your DIY skills! 

Other Ideas

We all know that probably our favorite types of socials are our themed dances, but the holidays can go much farther. Do a mixer (what my school calls a social without a third-party vendor for alcohol) where everyone can crave or paint a pumpkin, your chapter supplies the tools and the paint, while everyone is BYOP, bring your own pumpkin! 

Have everyone bob for their own apple then decorate it with carmel, chocolate, crushed candy, sprinkles you name it. It is a blast watching everyone try to grab their apple but then that satisfaction when you get to eat that decadent treat. 

When you are planning a themed social, especially for the holidays make sure to keep it simple and classy. Think about the little things that will make your event a success, turn your punch orange, bring a spooky trail mix, hang cobwebs from the ceiling. You make think that the small touches go unnoticed, but they are what truly makes your event fit for the holidays!

Hope these ideas help you make the most out of your holiday themed socials! 

Quote of the Week: October 3, 2013

"You can take the sisters out of the Sorority, but you can't take the Sisterhood out of the Sisters."

I have been reminded of the truth in those quote many times throughout this year.  My chapter is the second newest on campus and our first pledge class of founders just graduated this past year.  These girls joined a sorority when there was no sorority.  They created it, they grew it, and now we are one of the top chapters on campus after just four short years.  These founding members put everything they had into the chapter.  They had faith when others did not, they had dedication to make the chapter succeed, and they gave love to not only the sorority, but every member that joined their sisterhood from that point forward.  Now that the founding class has graduated its amazing to see that their faith, dedication, and love for our chapter had never wavered.  We had sisters join us and celebrate on bid day and others just congratulating us from afar on welcoming 86 new members into our sisterhood.  We are happy to have many alumni attending our annual philanthropy event this coming weekend, and we even had a founder come back on big/little reveal to see how her family has grown.  These girls show the true meaning of sisterhood, and that though you can take the sisters out of the sorority, you can't take the sisterhood out of the sisters.

XOXO- Taylor S

Switching to Fall Formal Recruitment

This year my school decided to change our recruitment up a little bit. In previous years we had spring formal recruitment or deferred recruitment. This meant that students with less than 12 hours could not go through any form of recruitment formal or informal until their second semester of college. This gave students a chance to get themselves situated on campus for an entire semester and make friends outside and inside of Greek life before they decided to join.

Don't you love fall? Photo found here.

The decision to switch to a different time of recruitment was based on a lot of factors. Numbers played a role because ultimately people were very excited to join in the fall and so it's important to catch those people before they decided not to join. By switching to fall formal recruitment we gained about 100+ potential new members at the start of formal recruitment from the numbers we had the previous spring. This made all the classes of new members much larger than they would have been if we had done spring formal recruitment.

It wasn't an easy switch though. There were many questions that came along with it such as grade point averages, the size of the classes, and the switch in general. It wasn't easy financially because of the fact that we had to prepare for back to back formal recruitments. It wasn't easy mentally because that is a lot to go through for a class that has just been initiated a few months back, or for the classes that had to go through two formal recruitments on the sorority side in a row.

Ultimately it was well worth it in the end. Was it difficult/nerve-wracking/hard to deal with? Yes. Was it amazing/lovely/earth-shakingly great? Yes. As organizations we have to be willing to move and shake with the times. It was definitely a hard thing to deal with, but in the end I wouldn't trade the experience for anything in the world.

Photo credit to my lovely sister, Christina H.

Finally, my advice to you if your school is planning to switch to formal recruitment in the fall: go for it. It can seem daunting or nerve-wracking but it is honestly such a great experience. The transition is going to be an icky time period but the ends will justify the means in this situation!