Spring Recruitment Fashion 101 for Rushees

One of my biggest concerns when going through recruitment was... well... everything. It is a very stressful time for almost every girl trying to find her perfect fit. One of the most stressful aspects of rushing is making a great first impression. For some girls, this is a piece of cake and for others it is panic city. Worry not, you wonderful young women, every sorority woman can relate. Personally, I went through Fall Recruitment during my freshman year and I started planning for Rush Week the day I graduated high school. I was flipping through magazines, internet cruising, and window (and splurge) shopping for the perfect Rush apparel. After all of this preparing, I had collected so much clothing I had no idea what to wear when it came down to the fateful week of Recruitment. It was so hard to distinguish what would look good with what and what was appropriate or not. I am lucky enough to go to a school that only has a 5-6 day Rush Week and I learned so much through that whole week. One thing that I want to teach you hopeful young women is how to look and feel confident, beautiful, and classy. So I composed a little list of some rules, ideas, and tips for a successful and fashionable Rush Week.

That's me, the overly excited blonde girl in black that finally got her bid.

How To: Rush Week Fashion

• First things first, buy clothes that fit you just right. Clothes that are too tight or too loose don't look right and are not too flattering. Before you commit to buying anything, TRY IT ON. I cannot stress that enough! If you are buying dresses or really anything online, read the reviews on that item because past buyers will be darn well ready to tell you if the manufacturer was a little off on the sizing. Girls will rant for hours when it comes to false sizing. Something else to do is measure yourself and compare it to a sizing chart. Just make sure you feel like it looks good on you before committing to the item. Think of it as a long-term relationship.
• Communicate with the other girls rushing. Get their numbers and communicate about what they are wearing and exchange outfit ideas. One of my good friends, now my sister, and I would get ready together every single day during Rush and we always looked and felt good. 
• One of the best investments I have ever made was in my nude heels. I absolutely cherish those heels and they were my go-to shoes throughout Rush Week. Honestly, I just wear them now because they are so classy and sophisticated looking and I feel like a million bucks when I wear them. They literally go with everything and even if they don't, I wear them anyway because they are perfect!

My prized nude high heels. They're totally
perfect, am I right?

• Get dresses or outfits that set you apart and really express who YOU are. If you are really energetic and love patterns of the brightest colors, wear that. The houses want to get to know you and you want to show them who you are. Being 100% yourself during Rush Week is the key to success. 
• There is nothing wrong with pants during Rush Week, but I would advise you to stay away from old, ratty, and cheap looking jeans...really, jeans all together. Unless they are dark wash skinny jeans that are very simple but can be complimented with a fun statement necklace and adorable shirt with heels (maybe nude heels... or that could just be me).

  
  

  My best friend from high school
  on the right and I am on the left
  in my favorite shoes... I think that
  I may be obsessed. But, we are both look
  sophisticated and ready to rush!

• The first thing a house sees is you flaunting your fabulous self up to introduce yourself. Hence why I say the first impression is so extremely important.
• Now to something kind of tricky for most girls: cleavage. Unless you are me and you don't really have anything to flaunt, please keep it classy. A little bit is okay, but too much is wayyy too much. If you are worried about this, ask your Recruitment Leader (or Pi Chi, Rho Chi, etc.) what is appropriate. Think to yourself, 'would I wear this to church or to see my grandparents?'. If you have to think about it extensively, then it's probably too much boobage.
  
  

  

  Riding boots are always a good idea... Rush
  Week or not. But during Rush Week I lived
  by the "Modest is Hottest" idea.

• Wear dresses that you can run in and walk in... just trust me. 
• If you are ever in need of some good online stores that have ADORABLE dresses, some of my personal favorites are Francesca's, Modcloth, and Apricot Lane.
• Bubble Necklaces and Statement Necklaces are absolutely precious and extremely common among sorority women. 

This was not during Rush Week but notice how the girl
in the middle, Rachel, is wearing a necklace that ties the
whole outfit together. I am wearing a Bubble Necklace
that contrasts with my dress.

• One of the MOST IMPORTANT things to wear during Rush Week is a smile. It is one of the most exciting and fun weeks that you will have in your life and it is a memorable experience. Let the houses know that you are happy to be there by wearing a true smile. That is a fashion statement that will never go out of style!

I wish you all a wonderful and blessed Rush Week. Remember to follow your heart and find your perfect fit! Good Luck, ladies! 

Love and @LittleProblems,

Heather G.

Greek Unity

Theta Phi Alpha, Phi Sigma Sigma, and Zeta Tau Alpha

Everyone is unique and different in their own way. That is what makes you...well, you. In the same way, every sorority is different. They have their own rituals, traditions, and beliefs, but does that mean you should be hating on them?
No, it is completely and totally wrong. If you think you are high and mighty and above everyone else, then you have got to be kidding me. Being Greek is all about sisterly love, friendship, leadership roles, learning rituals, and the biggest of all, philanthropy!
You can't completely hate a sorority because, for example, you just don't like one girl in it. Isn't that wrong? I mean pick out all the ones you like and be friends with them. I'm sure when you're going into job interviews a few years down the line you are going to meet someone in Greek life. Are you going to say, "Ouch, that sorority you were in really sucked and I didn't like anyone in it"? No, you want to say "I have friends in that sorority and they really enjoyed being apart of such a great legacy."
Greek Unity could bring so many more girls through rush or recruitment because they see that it isn't as catty as they thought it would be. It could be such a great marketing tool to get different girls of various backgrounds and upbringings to Greek life.
At my school, I put together a petition against Greek rank to show our campus, and everyone that, as Greeks, we stick together. I have had numerous people sign it and comment on how great it is, but overall, it is all about what your school makes of Greek unity. Don't get me wrong, if you go on Greek Rank now, you will still see current people posting, but to see that many people in Greek life have signed a petition against it warms my heart.

Phi Sigma Sigma and Sigma Alpha Epsilon
for our annual Thanksgiving Dinner

A Greek organization can do amazing things separately, but when they come together, so much more could happen. You get to meet so many people you never thought you would get the chance to know so well. I am so lucky and fortunate to say I have so many best friends within the Greek community with our sororities, fraternities, and our multicultural Greek life. I consider myself blessed everyday for getting to know these people and being apart of something so great at our school.

Beauty Tips

Hey! I know most of you love beauty products and I’m sure most of you (if not ALL of you) love, love, love to learn about beauty secrets! I’m going to share some with you today! You may have heard of some of these, but if you haven’t you should definitely give them a try! • Does your hair get oily every now and then and nothing will help? Go to your kitchen and get some kitchen soap! Wash your hair with kitchen soap, then wash with regular shampoo. WA-LAAAA! You have oil-free hair! • Do you have eyelashes that need a little curl but a lash curler just isn’t cutting it? Try using a hair dryer to warm up your lash curler for approximately 5-10 seconds and try again. • Do you ever get pimples that just won’t go away? Try applying a small amount of toothpaste on the pimple before you go to bed and wash it off in the morning. • Do you ever want to curl your hair but don’t have a curling iron near by? Try using your hair straightener and curl your hair with that! If you’re unsure how to do that; there is a tutorial below:

• Does your mascara begin to dry out only a few weeks after you purchase it? Grab some saline solution and add a few drops into your mascara. TAAA-DAAAAA! Your mascara is like brand new!
• Do you frequently have oily roots? Try a dry shampoo (Best brands to try: Not Your Mother’s, Pssssst, Tigi) or baby powder if you’re really desperate. Dry shampoo works for a longer amount of time, but baby powder is sure to do the trick for a few hours. • Does your eyeliner frequently crumble while you’re applying it? Try putting it in the freezer overnight and applying it promptly after taking it out. There are a few quick and easy beauty secrets for you, ladies! I hope you can put some of these secrets into action soon! Good luck! XO, Campus Rep Lyndsey

Good Mood Playlist

Most of us are feeling pretty optimistic right about now. It's a new year, a new semester, and there are endless possibilities. If you weren't so successful in your classes last year, you now have a fresh start at that 4.0 GPA. Did you go through a bad breakup? Now you have a brand new year to meet new people. Take up a new hobby, learn a skill, or just keep on working towards something you're already involved in. I've put together a fun playlist to accompany you in whatever you set out to accomplish this year. Enjoy!

1. All Night - Icona Pop
2. Happy - Pharrell Williams
3. Pompeii - Bastille
4. You Make Me - Avicii
5. Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men
6. Butterfly - Little Mix
7. Alone Together - Fall Out Boy
8. Burn - Ellie Goulding
9. Dark Horse - Katy Perry
10. Best Day of My Life - American Authors
11. XO - Beyonce
12. Hey Brother - Avicii
13. Chocolate - The 1975
14. Sweater Weather - The Neighborhood
15. Anna Sun - Walk the Moon

Weekly Obsession

Each week, I'll add a little blurb on my current "weekly obsession". This week, it's a mashup by Robin Skouteris. There are many cool mashups out there and the end of a year is a prime time for lots of them to pop up. This is by far the best one I've ever heard. It acts as a sort of best of for pop music throughout 2013. It features 56 songs from all sorts of genres and artists ranging from Justin Bieber to Avicii to Iggy Azalea. The transitions are absolutely flawless and the videos even fit together well, too.  Check it out below. It's ten minutes long, but well worth every second!

xoxo Melissa

Getting Involved on Campus

On campus there are a ton of clubs ranging from renaissance to campus events. Which one do you want to be apart of? As a new student, especially to a small campus like Kutztown's, I knew I needed to get involved if I wanted to truly enjoy everything on my campus and I definitely think it's safe to say I did. Since starting at Kutztown University in Fall 2011, I have held numerous leadership roles within Association of Campus Events, my sorority, United Greek Council, College Panhellenic Council and our Student Union Advisory Board. I also work at the Information Desk for my school.

By being involved in so many different clubs, I have learned so many leadership skills. I know how much work load I can handle, especially with my school work. I know how to make time to work on the many different activities I do and how to use my Lilly Pulitzer planner to the best of my ability. Finally, what I think is more important than all of them, is that I have such a wide variety of friends from so many different groups. 

This is a huge networking opportunity and many people don't realize this when they go to college. Everyone thinks "I need to go to school, study, work hard, make friends, and sometimes... party harder." Throughout my college experience, my favorite thing has been getting involved and some people might say I am overly involved, but hey, I am never bored and when I am, I have no idea what to do with myself.

Word of advice: get involved as much as you can or as much as your schedule allows you to. There is nothing like the feeling of knowing that you helped people create a huge campus event that was successful, or creating a club that you got five people to join! Those are five people who you may have never met if it wasn't for something you all shared in common and came together for! Everyone needs to look on the brighter side of things and realize that these could be resume builders and really affect you later and life in positive ways. You never know, you could really enjoy it. 

Workout Playlist

With the new year, many people have a list of resolutions they're setting out to accomplish. A popular one is getting fit, or at least getting into better shape. This is one of the hardest resolutions to tackle. In our busy lives, there are always other things we should be doing. More often than not, however, we have plenty of time to get in a good workout, but it is just so much easier to lounge around watching Netflix (have you checked out Orange is the New Black??). We have to recommit to our goals every morning when we wake up and make them a priority throughout our day. There is no right or wrong way to achieve your goals, as long as you are remaining safe. Setbacks happen and we can't let them discourage us. Whether you are one who is taking on the "new year, new me" mantra when it comes to fitness, you are already a marathon runner, or you are somewhere in between, I've put together a playlist of upbeat, fun workout songs to give you motivation.

1. Can't Hold Us - Macklemore

2. My Songs now What you Did in the Dark- Fall Out Boy

3. Gonna make you swea

4. Yonce/Partition - Beyonce

5. Talk Dirty- Jason Derulo Ft. 2 Chainz

6. Imma Be- Black Eyed Peas

7. Play Hard- David Guetta Ft. Neyo & Akon

8. Danza Kuduro - Don Omar Ft. Lucenzo

9. Break Your Heart - Taio Cruz

10. Fitness - Bei Maejor

11. Eye of the Tiger - Survivor

12. Let the Groove In - Justin Timberlake

13. Beyonce - Bow Down

14. Grown Woman - Beyonce

15. Pop That - French Montana ft. Rick Ross, Drake & Lil Wayne

16. A Little Party Never Killed Nobody - Fergie

17. Get Lucky - Daft Punk

18. Radioactive - Imagine Dragons

19. Black Skinhead - Kanye West

20. Raise Your Glass - P!nk

21. 1983 - Neon Trees

22. Beat It  - Michael Jackson

23. Stronger - Kanye West

24. Tonight I'm Getting Over You - Carly Rae Jepsen

25. I Love It - Icona Pop

26. Since You Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson

27. Sandcastle Disco - Solange Knowles

28. We Found Love - Rihanna

29. My Body - Young the Giant

30. Best Song Ever - One Direction

xoxo Melissa