Staying Close With Your Big After Graduation

Going through recruitment as a potential new member, you meet a lot of girls. In my case, there was one girl who I effortlessly clicked with. She was the very first girl I met going through recruitment and is one of the biggest reasons that I accepted my bid. Being that I am a legacy, for as long as I can remember I had wanted to go Greek and get a Big. I spent a lot of time my freshman year of college going back and forth between wanting to transfer to a university with more Greek options and wanting to bite the bullet to go Greek. I went to a few recruitment events for my legacy sorority, but never seriously committed to anything. During the second semester of my sophomore year, I made the choice to go Greek and thus began my journey of a lifetime. 

As I mentioned, my Big, was the first girl I met at Kappa Tau Epsilon’s recruitment event. I was low-key obsessed with this girl and, to this day, I could not explain it to you. During the course of the week I met a ton of girls, but my mind always drifted back to Kappa Tau Epsilon and the women I met at their events. After being extended a bid from KTE I immediately accepted it. On the day of our Big/Little reveal, my Big knew I was her Little but I had absolutely no idea yet and I remember her asking me, “So, who do you think your big is? I wish I could have taken a little this semester it would have been so much fun!” I had a hard time telling if she was kidding or if she was being serious. During our reveal, my heart was racing in anticipation because we clicked so well that I just could not fathom having another person as my Big. When I opened my eyes to see who my Big was, I was overwhelmed with joy and it was honestly one of the happiest moments of my life. My Big and I were inseparable from the beginning. 

My first semester as a sister and the start of my junior year was the start of her senior year. Lucky for me, it took her an extra semester to graduate. We did everything together. We even won “best big/little” duo! Life was a field of sunshine and daisies until the day came when I got a phone call from Rebecca telling me she was on track for graduation and would be graduating the following semester. Summer came and went faster than a tornado in the mid-west and the fall semester did the same. My big is a huge part of my life and it was extremely difficult for me to cope with her graduating. A lot happened to me emotionally during her last semester making it even harder to deal with her leaving me. 

I was dealing with a whirlwind of emotions ranging from proud to sad to excited for her future and it was hard to find a common ground to stand on. Our relationship evolved from being together all the time no questions asked to having to make time to see each other. It was a change that neither of us prepared for. To say that our relationship is not different now would be a lie but the key is finding ways to make sure the relationship never fades away. I can’t tell you we haven’t hit a rough patch or two and I can’t say it was easy, but nothing that’s worth it is ever easy. It’s especially difficult because we both lead very busy lives, but I’m lucky enough that my Big relocated about an hour away from where I live and not half way across the country. 

The most important thing to remember is that life will go on and your relationship with your Big will change, but change isn't always a bad thing. Instead of being down the hall, in the same house, or in the same city you'll be a phone call, a car ride, or a flight away. She will always be your number one fan and your biggest supporter and you'll always be her Little. You'll probably even end up color coordinating on accident, just like old times. 

Here are my tips for staying connected with your big after graduation.

1. Make date plans:  Go out just you and your Big - have a drink, grab lunch, go shopping; things all girls love to do. Yes, this is a lot different than just barging into her room and eating macaroni and cheese in bed with her while watching Netflix, but so is the dynamic of your relationship.

2. Plan a vacation together: Go see your Grandbig, go to a lake house, or get a hotel in a hot spot city and just explore some place new together.

3. FaceTime or Skype: Take 20 minutes out of your day once or twice a week to catch up, sometimes it really helps just seeing the other person.

4. Invite her to sorority events: As an alumni of your organization she still cares about what’s going on and would love to be invited to events that alumni are able to go to.

5. Send her small gifts: Little things make a big difference – sometimes you both just    need a reminder that you’re inseparable even though there’s distance between you.

“Together forever never apart, maybe in distance but never in heart.”  

Fostering Animals

One of my mom's fosters; Atticus

Animals are one of the world's greatest treasures. They're cuddly, fun, loving and have a way of brightening your day in an instant. Most of us college students have a dog, cat, or other pet we left at home when we moved and we miss them dearly. If you're anything like me, you frequent stores like PetSmart on adoption weekends, stop on the sidewalk to pet every dog you pass, or feed the stray cats in your neighborhood all while wishing you could adopt each of them. Despite the best intentions, as a college student, owning a pet can be difficult. Many of us don't have the money, a living arrangement that allows animals, or the funds to take care of pet.

Fostering an animal can be a great alternative to ownership and summer is the perfect time to test it out! Most people have extra time during the summer months so they can be more committed. Fostering works differently for different shelters or cities, but the bottom line is usually the same: you sign up with the organization (which usually includes paper work and/or a background check) and when an animal comes available for foster that meets your criteria, you'll be contacted and asked if you're up for it. Length of time varies based on each animal, but you can take them back anytime if something comes up, it's too much work, or things just don't work out. Even one day helps because each day an animal is with you is a day they're not in a cage without companionship. Most shelters give you everything you need to care for the animal and you don't have to pay for anything.

My foster kittens; Beyonce and Jay-Z

My mom's foster fail; Gus

This summer, my mother and I coincidentally fostered for the first time and both became hooked. We have always been animal lovers and had some extra time. I realized that fostering involves a lot more than just playing with and cuddling kittens. I had to share my bathroom, clean up after them daily and get up at 7 a.m. when they decided to meow for attention at the top of their lungs. Every minute of sleep lost was worth it! It was fun and rewarding for me and it made a great difference in the lives of the cats. Even the best shelters only have so much room and they can save many more lives with the help of those who foster. It also helps the animals to be better socialized so their chances of finding a forever home are better. You may even end up like my mother and have what they call a 'foster fail' where you end up falling in love with your foster pet and adopting them yourself.  If you're looking for some company or a new adventure this summer, give fostering a try! If you have any experience fostering or adopting, leave a comment and tell me about it! If you have any questions please email me at melissa.litprobs@gmail.com.

xoxo Melissa

My Big Little Story - KateLynn

I went into my freshman year of college absolutely dying to join a sorority. I didn't know which one, but I was going to get in one way or another. I go to a small school with less than 8,000 people that has a small greek community. I already knew one of the Greeks, Sammie Jo, and she was an Omega Chi (greek counselor). I loved her to death and felt a special connection to her that I didn't with the others. Prior to our freshman orientation, Sammie Jo talked to one of her sorority sisters (my Big, Lauren) about me a lot. I met my Big to-be at an orientation function, and as it turns out, she was one of the leaders in my group!

First pic as temp Big/Temp Little

When we met we hit it off immediately. We both loved music and band, the color purple, and just talking in general. On the last day of orientation I found out that she was a founding member of the Alpha Omicron Pi chapter on campus. I didn't let that sway me on choosing the sorority I wanted, but it made me all the more excited to go though recruitment!

Snow-pacalypse 2013 

On bid day, I found out that Sammie Jo was an AOΠ and that I had gotten a Bid from them! I was so excited I cried my eyes out. Then, something even more exciting happened: Lauren became my Rose Bud! Rose Bud is a term we use for a temporary Big or special sister. She had me convinced that she didn't get me as a Little and made me cry for an hour previous to the reveal. Of course she was tricking me and we became Big and Little! I can't explain all the emotions I was going through that night. The rest, as they say, is history.

First post-initiation picture

When we won best Big/Little pair at formal

All in all, my Big is my best friend. We've been attached at the hip since we met. She's been with me through my extreme downs and my extreme ups, boy troubles, school trouble and just plain trouble. I wouldn't trade her for the world. I love you Biggie, with all my panda heart. 

Stay Beautiful, xoxo 

-KateLynn 

What's Hot in TV

               Summer is known for reruns, but these TV shows are my top 10 of the summer! There is a bit of mystery, some reality TV, comedy, and throwback 90's...kind of. Let us know what you think! These are in no order:

1. The Bachelorette               

  ABC

 Mondays 8-10 pm

 2. Mistresses                   

 ABC

Mondays 10-11 pm

3. Pretty Little Liars

 ABC Family 

Tuesdays 8-9 pm

 4. Chasing Life

ABC Family

 Tuesdays 9-10 pm

5. Catfish

 MTV

Wednesdays 10-11 pm

6. Impractical Jokers 

truTV

Thursdays 9:30-10 pm

7. Carbonaro Effect

truTV

Thursdays 10-10:30 pm

8. Girl Meets World

 Disney Channel

 Fridays 8-8:30 pm

9. Orange is the New Black

Netflix: HBO 

Anytime you want to watch

 10. Game of Thrones      

HBO

Season finished; HBO GO

These shows should leave you with plenty of episodes to fill in those lazy summer days! Be sure to comment and tell us what your favorite shows are!

- Brooke

Crafty Corner

What do sorority girls love more than just about anything else? That's right...crafting! As an art minor, I spend countless hours finding new things to craft and I've compiled a few projects I have been working on lately.

Gripper Socks:

            What you'll need:

                     -Socks (whatever kind your precious heart desires)

                     -Puffy Paint

Step 1:

Lay out the sock bottom up. Think about the designs you want to do. I was thinking school and sorority spirit!



Step 2:

Get creative! The main thing to remember is just to have fun; that's what crafting is all about.

Step 3: 

Let them dry and then put them through a wash and dry, then they are ready to wear!



 Make-Up Brush Holder:

                 What You'll Need:

                          - Aquarium rocks/beads/sand

                                   - Spray Paint (I used gold and gold glitter)

                                   - Glass bowl or container 

       

Step 1:

 Empty the aquarium rocks into a box. I slipped a shopping bag over my box so that when I spray painted the rocks they wouldn't stick to the box.

 

Step 2:

Spray paint rocks and let them dry. Then shake and repeat until rocks are covered with desired color.

Step 3:

Once they dry, they may stick together. If this happens, just put your hand between the bag and the box and crumple until they are loose again.

Step 4:

Pour the rocks into a glass container of your choice. I got one at Walmart that is deep and has a square top. It goes with the theme of my other bathroom things.

When you're done, stick your make-up brushes in and place on the counter! This is a super cute way to keep your brushes separate so you don't have to constantly dig for them, and it doubles as a cute decoration.



These are simple but fun crafts to do this summer and the best part is, the materials used are usually bought in multiples giving you more reason to craft for your Bigs or Littles!

Hope you enjoy!

XOXO

-Ashely W.











Summer Fashion

Summer. Shorts. Tanks. Sandals. Swimsuits. That's the typical summer wardrobe, unless you're like me and resort to Norts and baggy Comfort Color tees every other day. I'm here to tell you that there is more to fashion life than shorts and crop tops this summer!

Kimonos

My favorite trend this summer has to be these fabulous outer wear pieces. They can be sheer, printed, or even fringe and they go with everything. I think I have an addiction because I wear one to work almost everyday. I have absolutely fallen in love and you will too!

Only a few of my collection

As you can see, they come in so many different shapes and sizes. They go with anything and can be pared with a maxi dress, V-neck tee and capris, or even as a swim suit cover up.

I have come across most of mine at boutiques, but they're also sold places like T.J. Maxx, Dillard's, and even Walmart.

Shoes

As if this even needs to be said, gladiator sandals and wedges are the shoes of the season. This year, I am typically finding gold, nude, black, and strappy shoes.

Some of my finds so far this summer

Again, T.J. Maxx is legendary, but don't forget to keep an eye out everywhere you go. The black wedges are from Charlotte Rouse and the tribal print are from Target.

Printed/Lace Shorts:

Self explanatory. These are EVERYWHERE this year and they can be dressed up or down to go with anything!

Typically, the more wild the pants/shorts, the calmer and simpler the shirt, or vice versa.

These are just a few of my favorite looks for summer. I hope you've enjoyed them! Be sure to comment and tell me some of your favorite looks or pieces.

XOXO

-Ashely Wewers

Summer Playlist

Now that we've given you plenty of options for fun summer activities (and you probably have a few of your own in mind), all you're missing is the music to go along with it. The soundtrack can make or break those long road trips or lazy days laying out by the beach, lake, or pool. I've put together a little playlist of some great 'all-purpose' tunes. It's made up of a range of different genres and there's no real rhyme or reason, just some favorites that I've personally had on repeat for the last few days.

1. Fancy - Iggy Azalea
2. Am I Wrong - Nico & Vinz
3. Wiggle - Jason Derulo
4. She Looks So Perfect - 5 Seconds of Summer
5. Island Song - Zac Brown Band
6. Summer - Calvin Harris
7. Falling - HAIM
8. XO - Beyonce
9. This Is How We Roll - Florida Georgia Line
10. Love Runs Out - One Republic
11. Chandelier - Sia
12. Chocolate - The 1975
13. Sing - Ed Sheeran
14. Classic - MKTO
15. Come With Me Now - KONGOS
16. American - Lana Del Rey
17. Birthday - Katy Perry
18. On Top of the World - Imagine Dragons
19. Boom Clap - Charli XCX
20. Latch (ft. Sam Smith) - Disclosure
21. Ain't It Fun - Paramore
22. Best Day of My Life - American Authors
23. Girls Chase Boys - Ingrid Michaelson
24. Rude - MAGIC!
25. Happy - Pharrell Williams

There are most playlists on the way, but if your favorites were missing or you'd like a playlist of a certain kind send me an email at melissa.litprobs@gmail.com. I also love discovering new music so comment below or email me some of your favorite music!

xoxo Melissa

Summer Beauty

Summer is all about being carefree and having fun, about trying new things and seeing where life takes you, about experimenting with colors, styles, and products...most importantly, summer is about owning you! This summer, trends are very noticeable, easy to try and easy to make your own. Here's to hoping you find something new in this blog post that's worth a try!

*To the left I am sporting the Pop of Color and to the right mom is sporting the Peek-A-Boo. Also modeled is a version of the beachy waves featured in this article.


Make Up:

Seeing as I work at a makeup store, I am constantly seeing "this season's hottest trends" and learning new color combinations that are always a sure hit. This season's color to try for eyes is blue. My favorite thus far in my search for the perfect blue is Glacier by Merle Norman.

There are always so many different ways to apply eye shadow, especially with such a vibrant color. Here are a few tutorials for you to try:

The All Over Color
          The colors used here are Glacier and Cloud 9 by Merle Norman, but any brand in similar shades can be used. Apply Cloud 9 to the under part of the eye almost as an eyeliner, along the brow bone to highlight, and fading from the inner part of your eye to the middle. Next, apply Glacier by blending through the crease and outer corner of the eye into the middle, opposite of what was done with the Cloud 9. To finish, apply black eyeliner to only the upper lid (another popular trend right now) and two coats of black mascara.

Peek-A-Boo Color
                The colors used are Glacier, Ebony and Ivory, and Oyster. Start by highlighting the brow bone with Oyster. Next, pack on the color by covering 3/4th's of your lid below the crease with Glacier. Blend Ebony and Ivory in your crease, be sure to blend well between the three colors until you reach the desired effect. Complete this look with black eyeliner and two coats of black mascara.

Pop of Color
           This is my personal favorite, and what I wear most of the time. The colors used are Oyster, Glacier, and Ebony and Ivory. Start by highlighting the brow bone with Oyster, then blend Oyster from the inner corner of your eye to the middle. Next, blend Ebony and Ivory into your crease and from the outer corner in toward the middle. Finally, for a pop of color, blend Glacier right above the crease toward the brow bone. I complete this look with Teal Soft Touch eyeliner by Merle Norman, but you can use any color you like. Follow through with two coats of your favorite mascara!

*If blue eye shadow is to far out of your comfort zone, you can always opt for a blue eyeliner or mascara for a more mild and subdued pop of color.

Eye make up is just the tip of the ice burg this season. To continue any of these looks, follow through with bright and colorful lip color. Some of my favorites include A Flare To Remember, Romance, and Bistro Berry by Merle Norman, and Diva by MAC.

Hair:

For summer, I tend to keep my hair light and flowy with beachy waves. The best part about light and loose beachy waves is that they can easily be dressed up with a headband or a little tease at the crown of your head. The best way I have found to obtain these high demand beachy waves are as follows:

1. Wash hair the day or night before you want to style it. If this is not possible, be sure to "dirty" your hair and give it texture with a mouse or dry shampoo.
2. Section hair into three layers.
3. Lightly hairspray each layer.
4. WRAP HAIR AROUND CURLING IRON BARREL. This step is crucial! By wrapping your hair around the curling iron you are getting more of a wave vs. a ringlet.
5. Only hold your hair around the curling iron for 10 seconds as anything longer is just burning your hair.
6. Brush out with finger tips and hairspray all over.
7. Complete the look by adding a head band or any other accessories if your heart desires.

For a different effect (such as what I sported in the picture at the top), make the bottom two layers bigger, and don't curl the top. The key is to just have fun with it and see what works best for you!

Good Luck My Lovelies!
Ashley

Summer 2014... A Summer to Remember!

It is about that time during summer when college students find themselves at a standstill with what to do. Go to the beach? Eh, done it. Swim at the pool? Lame. Shopping? Too bad we're all broke. Even though most everything costs money these days, there are still plenty of FUN things to do to shake up that boring summer routine (and hopefully save you a few bucks, too). I have created the ULTIMATE summer bucket list for you to accomplish with all your friends this year! While some of these things may cost a few dubloons, don't let that stop you for making this summer one to remember.


Attend an outdoor concert. In many cities, there are plenty of little coffee shops and restaurants that have artists playing there for free! While it may cost you a few dollars for coffee or an appetizer, finding opportunities where you can enjoy live, local music is awesome. There are also concerts like Warped Tour that are completely outside, but beware: general admission tickets range from $30-$70 and the concert happens rain or shine.

Bake something. Get your girlfriends together and bake something that you've been dying to try from one of your many Pinterest boards! Have everyone bring one ingredient and all pitch in to bake, but more importantly eat, the yumminess that will ensue. I will definitely be making the delicious Nutella brownies featured below soon (recipe: Chewy Nutella Brownies/).

Go karaoke'ing. Many restaurants and bars have an open karaoke where you don't have to pay anything and get to make a complete fool of yourself for free!

Hit up a local theme park. I know not many people are lucky enough to have a theme park in their backyard, but for those that are, go! I would even buy an annual pass. Theme parks are so much fun with friends, a significant other, families, or whoever! It's a great place to scream your lungs out and just have some good ole American fun. There are also several lesser known theme parks (like Wild Adventures in Valdosta, Georgia or Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California) throughout the country that aren't advertised outside of the local community. Hop on the internet and search around to be sure you're not missing out on one!

Set off fireworks. More good ole American fun! Just remember to be smart and be safe! Plus, there are always random firework shops that have crazy good deals on fireworks in bulk.

Shaving cream Twister. Target and Walmart usually have sales on the game. Then you can go to a dollar store to get the shaving cream. It's such a fun game on a summer day, just be sure to have a water hose nearby! Picture of shaving cream twister featured below.

Volunteer. Summer is one a time when many of us have fewer commitments and lots more free time. Why not use that extra time to go volunteer in a local pet or homeless shelter? Giving to those in need is one of the best feelings in the world and it is an awesome way to meet new people. Though it shouldn't be your only reason for volunteering, those hours also look great on resumes

CRAFT. CRAFT. and craft some more. Whether you craft for your big, little, future little, family, or someone else, crafting is always the answer! I'm actually working on a TON of crafts and DIY things for my future little this summer. You can see some of the ideas I'm getting for my crafts on our Little Problems Tumblr or Little Problems Pinterest. Be sure to submit your works of art to us and you may see them featured

S'mores. Who says you can't cook s'mores in the summer? They're THAT much better on a cool summer evening around a bonfire!

Go to a local carnival, fair, parade, or other event. Most cities have events for holidays or other events (I went to a festival called the Pungo Strawberry Fest a few weeks). Check local calendars for cities surrounding your area and find out what fun events they may be having!

Be sure to check out the next ten ways to make this summer one to remember which will be posted next week. If you have any awesome ideas or pictures of you doing things on your summer list please email any and all to me at kelseyj.litprobs@gmail.com and you just may be featured in the next article! Thanks for reading and HAPPY SUMMER!

WE'RE BAAAAACK!

Hi all!

So we've taken a bit of a hiatus, but we're back in full force! We have some fabulous new bloggers and a jam packed calendar of articles for you. If you didn't already know, Little Problems has undergone a total relaunch in the last couple of weeks. We have new merchandise and a whole new look. We have added stadium cups, sunglasses and a new koozie to our collection. We all need these goodies for our summer fun! For the entire month of June, you will get a FREE gift with every $15 purchase you make, so now is the time to stock up for Big/Little!

Since we have so many fabulous new campus representatives and bloggers, you'll be hearing from a different lady each day for the next few days. She'll share a little bit about herself and have a great new article for you to read! We have representatives from all over the country who are in all sorts of different sororities. We range from girls in their first year of college or Greek life who have their Bigs and are anxiously awaiting their chance to get a Little, to girls who are alum and have GGGLittles. We've formed a sort of family here are Little Problems and we want to share that love and the products that have grown from that with you!

Be sure to check out all of our forms of social media and keep up to date with all things Little Problems!

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xoxo Melissa

Website Spotlight: Fun Express Village

Christmas is just around the corner and, with that, comes Christmas shopping for the Big and Little. And, at this point, many of us think we've probably exhausted our resources, gone through every Pinterest board, browsed through every Etsy shop, even wandered through the online catalogs of Vera Bradley, Tiffany&Co., and any Greek related website we can get our hands on.

But I think I may have found just the thing to save us all from our holiday hysteria.

It's a fun little website called Fun Express Village, founded by two young men named Mark and Colin in 2001. Mark and Colin describe themselves as "online retailers and all around cool dudes since '99," and have built Fun Express Village as a trendy little empire of the latest fashions and accessories. The website itself caries a stock of jewelry, home accessories, handbags, coastal gifts, and sunglasses, but the real treasure would have to be their bracelets.

Fun Express Village carries a variety of different, leather bracelets, that coming in a myriad of styles, colors, and sizes. They are sturdy and made to last, and are extremely comfortable. For Christmas last year, my Twin bought us both matching bracelets, and they look a little something like this:

Look how bright, how pretty, oooo

Some of my sisters have even invested in these great finds. One of my sisters bought a set for her entire line:

Gosh, these are so cute.

The ones shown above are the most varied of the bracelets. They come in extra small, small, medium, and large. Of the three I have already shown you, they are two extra smalls and a small, so they're sized pretty large. There are 13 different combinations of colors available on the site in this specific style. There are three other styles available as well, as shown below:

I suggest that everyone browse the site. They're great quality and last a long time. Just try not to take showers with them, because they eventually fade (but they do turn butter-soft, so it's such a conflicting situation). I've just ordered a set for my Little and I, and I know that they make a great gift and a great surprise for not only the holiday season, but for any special occasion, from birthdays to "just because's."

The boys also come with their own YouTube Channel (that they, admittedly, haven't updated very recently), where they post videos about their projects, fun craft ideas, and other amusing tidbits.

So I hope you guys found this helpful in the rat race of holiday deals and gift-giving. I'll see you all soon!