Who we are vs. who we want to be

Introducing: Alpha Psi Lambda, Inc. - Alpha Chapter
Other than ritual stuff, I haven't spent much time thinking about my chapter. We talk about the big picture often that I kinda put my chapter on the back burner. But I do think we have a lot of strengths. The one thing that I love about my chapter is our unity. We are so extremely close to each other but it helps that we're not that big. Currently we have eight active members. What is also great is that depsite our size, we work our hardest to continue providing the same programs we've been putting on for years. I like to think of ourselves as the Little Giants (partly because I watched the movie all the time growing up). We can't compete size-wise with other chapters but we put on 3 big programs a year. I consider that a huge feat. We are all focused and know what needs to be done.

Despite our strenghths, there is always room for improvement. I think that sometimes people are so quick to jump on the bandwagon without really considering all the options befor making a decision. I get so frustrated when people just sit back and let everyone choose for them. Sometimes we get so proud that we forget that we're a part of a council, a part of a community. We stay in our own little bubble. I think we have a lot to work on in terms of branching out, and not just with regards to collaborations. A lot of the members just aren't interested in meeting new people, but I think we can learn a lot from others. We get so set on "Oh well we do things differently" but we don't bother to even consider other options. How can we grow if we just stick to the same old routine?

Featuring: Multicultural Greek Council:

Ohhhh MCGC. Our eboard meeting this week was intense. But I think we are all dedicated and passionate about our council to trudge through the tough work and take mcgc to the next level. So in a way, here are our strenghts: Theresa, Ashley, Lin, Qi, and Laura. Our dedication, our determination, and all our personal strengths combined make up mcgc's strengths. It is often said that you are only as strong as your weakest link, and after our meeting this week, I'm having a hard time finding our weak link. What I liked best was that we weren't afraid to disagree with each other. I admire how Ashley stood her ground despite the fact that she didn't feel well.

After last meeting, we realized many ways in which our council needs to change. I personally discovered that the rules hadn't been followed in a long time. And it's embarassing to admit it. I feel a lot like the incoming president of the US. They inherit everything that came from the former administration and it's up to them to deal with it the best way they can. But a huge weakness is apathy and downright lack of interest in the council across all chapters. It is incredibly frustrating when we have so many ideas but are unsure of them because we might not have support for them. I think for mcgc to reach the next level, we have got to earn the trust and support of the chapters.

Bringing up the rear: Our community:

I am so proud to be a part of the fraternity/sorority life here at Ohio State. Even though I wasn't able to attend the conference, I am not surprised at how well it went. The people I've gotten to meet are a dynamic group of people willing to go the extra mile. And outside of this class, the other people I've met are great leaders as well. So I think one of our strengths is how many leaders that are getting involved. Last year at BGLI I was fortunate enough to meet a lot of different people and I learned so much about what it means to be a leader. I think another strength is our ability to admit when something needs to be changed. It was awesome hearing about how NPHC has really come together as a council after realizing that it hadn't always been that way in the past. We're not stagnat... we're fluid and able to make changes.

But there is still work to be done. Our community is somewhat fragmented, split into 4, unequal parts. Yeah, this class in one step in the right direction, but it's up to us to maintain our relationships next quarter and beyond. We're not going to have Tyler and Maggie getting us together once a week to talk about our issues. We'll be flying the coop, taking our first baby steps. But I believe we'll continue to fly high. We also need to continue to show the rest of the campus that we havent' forgotten our values, our oaths, our Ritual. Tyler made a point about stereotypes: they exist because that's what someone saw. Our actions speak louder than our words and I think that's something we should be aware about. It doesn't matter if they're stereotypes or not, the reality is that I've heard numerous people say we only care about alcohol, drugs, and sex. It hurt more coming from my sister at home. It's like the saying, "If it walks like a ___ and acts like a ____, then it must be a ____". (I don't remember the specifics). But I think we're heading in the right direction.

"Ask me about the new Ohio Union"

I remembered to wear my shirt today, which is surprising because I've been a bit frazzled lately. Anyway, I was studying for my midterm this morning and I was asked about the new Union. Here were the top questions of the day:

1. Can I buy alcohol?
2. Can I use swipes for alcohol?
3. Why am I paying extra for this?
4. How much did the new union cost to build?
5. What can the place do for me?

People were kinda bummed when they found out that swipes weren't for alcoholic beverages (which I'm about 95% sure they aren't). But what got me thinking was how not everyone is looking at the new space as a once-in-a-lifetime event. Students are more concerned about the cost. And I guess I'm not surprised seeing as money/economy is on everyone's minds these days. I tried my best to convince my roommates that this was an awesome thing, but they weren't impressed.

Now, question 5 was the toughest one for me to answer. It should really be, "what can't the new union do for me?" Other than explaining all the offices/centers that will be housed there, I mentioned the new merchandise store (one kid was pretty excited to hear about that) and the restaurants. I talked about all the lounge space and all the different rooms people can use. And I mentioned the gigantic ball room. It's pretty big. But I realized that people aren't interested in anything unless they get something out of it. They're not willing to support this new union since they don't see what's in it for them. To be honest, I'm not sure how to respond to that. Got any advice?

I can relate this back to Greek life as a whole. If students don't see the benefits they get out of joining a fraternal organization, then they won't be as willing to find out more. And as ambassador, I've been thinking hard about how to spark that interest and market all the great benefits we provide. Once students see what we can offer them, maybe then they'll show more interest. But it needs to be a team effort, a community-wide effort. The next big thing I know that's coming up is Greek Week. I think that's a great time to show the OSU community all the benefits of going Greek such as brotherhood/sisterhood, community, and unity.

By the way, I feel kind of important wearing this shirt. Kinda weird, I know.

ready....set.....Stroll!

So clearly I was a bit excited to stroll as a group today at the end of class. At a meeting Tuesday, Evelyn and and Sam were talking about how much fun it would be to do one as a class. So while we're on the topic, I thought I'd share videos of Alpha Psi Lambda stepping/strolling in last year's program, Stepping with Knowledge. It was hosted by the women of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. The gist of the program was for other orgs from the other 3 councils to pair up with an org from NPHC. They were taught a step and performed it at the program. I was paired up with the lovely ladies of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and they helped us out a lot in teaching us a fun step. So below is our step from the program in 2 parts, and at the end we stroll out, to give you guys an idea of what a stroll is going to look like. Warning: lower the volume on the computer because the cheers/screams get loud.

Enjoy!!

Part 1:


Part 2:


ps- you all better not judge me because I look like a crazy person. Don't worry, I've learned to step better.

Oath?

I was blow-drying my hair, thinking about what oath means to me, and I realized that there is more than one type of oath. Depending on the situation, you can make an oath to yourself, to your parents, to your friends, to your husband, to your children, etc. but people usually don't make oaths to a student organization. That's where Greek life comes in. We take an oath to uphold values, secrets, and brotherhood/sisterhood. We've acknowledged the fact that we're different from other student orgs because of our lifetime commitment, so we get it and I won't rehash it here. What we haven't really talked about is how we can apply that oath to our post-grad lives. As someone who has spent time with alumni, I can see that Alpha Psi Lambda is a part of them that they can't deny. So many members have done big things with their lives and really gave back to the community. They have been staying true to their oath for years. I really want to be able to say 15 years from now that I'll have done the same thing.

An oath can be a tricky thing to deal with as well. We're human and no where close to being perfect. That being said, we're going to fall and make mistakes every now and then. But the beauty of it is that your oath that you took will still be there. It's like your mother, who was there after you wiped out on your rollerblades to clean off your scraped knee and put a band-aid on it. She will remind you to be more careful, to be more aware of the consequences of your actions. But no matter what you do, she will still love you. Your oath that you took upon becoming a member of your organization reminds you that you have responsibilities and that your actions always come with consequences, good or bad. But breaking an oath doesn't condemn you as a failure; the oath just gives you the guidelines on how to live your life just as your mother teaches you how to live your life. In my head, it kinda works as an "I told you so." As much as we hate to hear it, there's usually a good reason for it. You break your oath, things happen, and you get an "I told you so."

Maybe organizations should start hosting a re-commitment ceremony, a renewal of the oath, so to speak. Couples often have a renewal of vows ceremony x amount of years later. And since marriages are similar to fraternities, why not have a fraternal renewal of vows/oath? Instead of just witnessing new members take an oath, have current members take it as well. It might help new member development, seeing the commitment in those older than them.

I totally believe that my oath transcends my undergraduate life. It has taught me to hold myself accountable for my actions. I do not only represent myself, but also my organization. An oath should never be forgotten.

Marriage/Fraternity Values

I came across this article about SC-governor Mark Sanford's wife and her tell-all book about her husband's affair. This story came out last year, so I'm not sure how many of you have heard about it. Here's the cliff notes version:

Governor starts affair with woman from South America. Letters and emails exchanged. Wife of governor finds said letters and emails. Husband provides excuses. Wife files for divorce. Wife writes book.

Sadly, we've heard this story before. What got my attention were quotes from the wife, Jenny Sanford.

"It was her husband Gov. Mark Sanford's loss of values that she blames on his much-publicized affair"
"It was awful," she said. "I literally was in shock. My stomach felt gut-punched."
"I felt in some respects that we had lost something that we would never get back," even as she initially considered staying with him, she said.

That's exactly how I felt when certain facts were made known to me a little bit ago. Oaths were broken and values tossed to the side. I love my letters and to have someone disrespect them broke my heart. In class we mentioned holding members accountable... and it's something that we should all take seriously. I was not the only person affected, my chapter felt stabbed in the back.

If you guys read this, please please please do not be afraid to stand up and speak out if you feel someone has lost their values. Our organizations can only be as important and strong as we make them to be. It is not an easy task, but we have brothers and sisters there for support.

Here is the article if you would like to read it.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/02/08/south.carolina.jenny.sanford/index.html?eref=rss_politics&iref=polticker

Thoughts on Ritual

I have thought about this all week, hence why I'm writing this with a little over an hour until class.

I really enjoyed our class discussion on the Ritual, and even though I've read King's article three times, it still moves me. Ritual is one of the most important things to me and to my chapter. We try our best to live it everyday. But despite the fact that no one else knows them, in a sense we all know each others Ritual. They all serve the same overall purpose. Each time a member experiences Ritual, something happens. Brotherhood and sisterhood bonds strengthen. Each member re-evaluates the reasons why he or she joined in the first place. We are reminded of our purpose and our values that we pledge to uphold.

Now for me, there is one ritual that gives me goosebumps every time it happens. I don't what it is, but something magical happens. I am in awe at how the Founders created our Ritual and impressed at how they are still relevant 25 years later. Did the Founders have this in mind back when they were a group of undergrads? I don't know, but I am quite fortunate to be able to ask them myself. Since my organization is only 25 years old, my Founders are on facebook!

What is sad is how so many people come to think of their ritual as a chore. It should be a beautiful thing. My Ritual gives meaning to the stuff my chapter does. It gives meaning to our existence. Without it, what would be? If there was no deep, historical connection transcending generations, where would the modern-day Greek organization be?



This video is pretty cool, and the speaker makes some good points. She suggests talking about your ritual symbols laid out in front of you, but in your own words. Make the ritual your own.

I think that the Ritual is one of the most powerful aspects of Greek Life. But like anything powerful, in the wrong hands it can be dangerous. Just as my chapter president challenged us to live our Ritual, we should all challenge our chapters to live the Ritual.

The Last Lecture

While on the note of inspiration, I would like to share a video that I enjoyed watching. It's called, "The Last Lecture" by Carnegie Mellon professor Randy Pausch. He wrote this after his diagnosis of cancer. Unfortunately, he passed away but he did leave a wonderful message behind that everyone should hear.



Now, I realize that this video is over an hour long, but please take the time to listen to parts of it. I couldn't find excerpts of it so the entire lecture will have to do. He's a dynamic speaker and I never got bored watching this. He reminds me that if I want something, all I have to do is just go for it. Nothing is stopping me but myself.

I hope this serves to inspire you all as it has done for me.

Post-dinner thoughts.

Despite the fact that I got zero work done tonight, I did head over to the RPAC for some delicious pasta served by my peers. I met a friend of mine for dinner and really enjoyed the meal. But although I was helping out the cause by donating some money, I felt somewhat guilty by eating a great meal when so many in Haiti don't have anything to eat. At dinner, I heard people talk about how they aren't letting people fly in. It makes me worry that survivors and relief workers won't have the resources necessary to do help. It all makes me so incredibly grateful for the life I am able to live.

Circumstances such as these cause me to reflect on just how short life is. And yes, it's an overused cliche. But really, I wonder what would happen if we stopped getting caught up in the little things and looked at the bigger picture once in a while. Maybe we should take the time to readjust our bearings and refocus on our goals. Just like any instrument used in a lab, we as humans and as Greeks could undergo a recalibration every so often. That way we can continue working at our highest potential, doing the best that we can for ourselves and for our community.

But on a lighter note, I was super impressed with the way things turned out tonight. Everyone who helped out did an awesome job. It is great to see a large university such as ours coming together and working as one to really make a difference in the lives of others. I am so proud to be a Buckeye!