A Change, A Challenge

Now that we're back with our regular postings, I'm so glad to welcome back 'Sorority Sunday's' to the blog. This week will be more of an informational post more than a fun one, sorry guys.

As you may have seen from my Thanksgiving post, I talked about my heartbreak with not getting slated as Chapter President for this upcoming exec. While it was a shock and it took me a very long time to get over, I was still offered a position on exec. I was offered the position of Vice President of Member Development (VPMD for short). VPMD isn't exactly what VPM was, but in terms of the ability to be creative with the position they are very similar.

VPMD is essentially the first 'Vice President' to the chapter. If the Chapter President is ever absent for any reason, the VPMD steps in to fill her place. She deals mostly with the chapters grades, making sure they chapter is doing their weekly study hours, and is concerned with the overall wellness of the chapter. This includes mental, physical, and emotional health. VPMD is the person that makes sure everyone is doing alright, keeping up with their school work but not getting too stressed out during the process.

While this will be a big change from VPM I am excited to take on the challenge. We officially get sworn in tomorrow at chapter and I am anxious but excited to see how this year is about to unfold. Our executive team is very different than it was last year and I am interested to see how we all work together. While I will miss everyone, I am excited to work with the new girls and excited to see, first hand, our chapter flourish and grow.

PPL&M

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Giving Thanks

In my opinion, Thanksgiving is one of the most important holidays of the year. Not only is it a time to reconnect with family and friends that you may not have seen in a while, eat delicious food, and watch countless hours of dog shows and football games. Thanksgiving is a day centered around giving thanks for the things that you have in your life.

I would definitely classify my family as 'well off'. No, we aren't super rich, but we do live a very comfortable life style. Throughout the year I come across many different classes of people in my every day life. Thanksgiving is the one day of the year that I am forced to collect my memories from the past year and reflect on how good I really have it.

Sure there are times in your life where everything does not go according to your plan, but ultimately, and I believe this with all my heart, everything happens for a reason. All of your experiences shape you into the person you are meant to become.

So here goes, what I am the most thankful for this year...

1. My sorority - While there were ups and downs this year I am extremely thankful for the sorority I have become apart of. First off, I am thankful that my parents are able to afford such an organization. That in itself is not a cheap 'hobby'. I am also thankful that his year I was able to serve on my chapters executive board as the Vice President of Membership. Through the experiences that this position has presented to me has really made me grow as a person and helped guide me in the direction I want to take my life. I have learned that I love people, sure they get on your nerves sometimes, but overall I love the company people give. I never want a job that requires me to work alone, I love interacting with people and getting their ideas on things. I think everyone on this planet is special and has something unique to bring to the table. I have found through VPM that I want to work with people, whether that is being a full time mother or working in a business that allows me to be in contact with people on a daily basis. And also, the most important part of my sorority experience, I am most thankful for the friendships I have gained. If I had not joined this organization my life would be completely different than it is now. I would be friends with completely different people, and not saying that it would be a bad thing, but I am so thankful for the women I do have in my life. It's cliche to say that you join a sorority to find your bridesmaids, but that's exactly what I've found. A bridesmaid, to me, is a person who is one of your closest friends. Someone who has been with you through the ups and downs of life and always supports you no matter what. This is what I have found in this group of women, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
   
2. Volleyball - This sport has always been my biggest passion. I started playing at a young age and I never imagined the opportunities it would present me with. It was something that allowed me to meet my best friend. It gave me a constant, fun, work out routine throughout the past few years. And it now has given me my current job. I was the head coach for a local middle school this past season and I am now assistant coaching for a local club team this season. I am so thankful for this coaching opportunity, it has given me a job that I look forward to going to every day. Because as a wise man once said, "Do something you love and you'll never work a day in your life."
   I also am thankful for all of my players. They may not know this, but they have helped me grow more than they could ever imagine. Coaching is such a different experience than playing, and it has actually made me a better player. It has also allowed me to sharpen my leadership skills and has taught me a whole bunch of patience. Those are things that are irreplaceable.
   
3. Heartbreaks - This one may seem odd at the start but bare with me. I am thankful for the biggest heartbreaks I have ever gone through. The first one this year was when my boyfriend and I broke up over the summer. While it was extremely hard, and it still is to this day, I am thankful for the experience. It has made me grow as a person, reflecting on that relationship and seeing how I can be a better girlfriend in the future. You learn something from every experience you go through and without that experience I would have most likely done the same thing with the next guy I dated. But I reflected, saw what needed work, and vowed to myself that I will be different the next go-around. I am also thankful for heartbreak because it means I found love. Not everyone can say they have experienced that and for me to have found it at such a young age, well I consider myself very lucky. Love opens your eyes in a very different way, something that is very hard to explain, but once you've felt it you know what I mean. 
   The second heart break I experienced this year was the loss of my dog, Rosey. She was the greatest dog in the world and losing her opened my eyes to how precious life is. We got her when I was in second grade and for me to be able to see her life progress from a puppy to an elderly dog and then transitioning to death is something not everyone gets to experience. 
   The last heartbreak I wish to share from this year is when I did not get my dream position of Chapter President. This is something new that I have not shared on this blog before. I have had my heart set on the position of Chapter President for a while now and when slating season came around for the new executive council, I was not slated. While this is extremely hard to get over and come to terms with, in fact I still am not completely over it, it has made me realize that I have a lot more growing to do. If I was ready, I would have gotten slated, but the fact that I wasn't proved to me that I have a lot more to work on. So, again everything is a learning experience, I will reflect on the reasons I did not get it and use that to better myself for future endeavors. The fact that I was even in the running to be considered for the position speaks volumes in itself and for that opportunity I am still very grateful.
   
4. My loved ones - I know everyone uses this one and it may seem super cliche, but I am so thankful for the people I have in my life. It is so hard to find true friends and I am so thankful that I have. They have been with me through the ups and the downs and I wouldn't trade them for the world. I honestly wouldn't be alive today without them. This may seem a little extreme but it's true. The same goes for my family. I have the most loving family I could have ever asked for. I have a mother and father would I could go to for anything and love me unconditionally. I have a great relationship with both of my brothers, something that not a lot of people can say they have. So thank you friends and family, for making my life even more worth while.

I could go on and on at all of the things in my life I am thankful for, but that would just be a nightmare to read. So for now those are my Top 4. I am truly blessed and wouldn't change anything in my life. I know not a lot of people can't say that and actually mean it.

Last, and most certainly not least, I am thankful for you! If you have gotten through this entire post I am so thankful :) It was a long one and I really appreciate you taking time out of your busy day to read what I have to say.

So, enough about me, what are you thankful for?

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Sisterly Love

Sister (noun): A girl or woman who shares a common ancestry, allegiance, character, or purpose with another or others, specifically

You can never underestimate the power of a sister. They are someone who will always be there for you. When you need to laugh, cry, or just someone to talk to - they're always there for you.

I have made some incredible friends this past year since joining Pi Phi and I can proudly call these women my sisters. While in the traditional sense we may not be blood related but we share a common allegiance, character, purpose, and believe it or not ancestry. Now ancestry may not be your common mom or dad but we do have founders and these founders have since caused this ripple affect in allowing me to call all of these women around the world sisters.

I never realized where I would find them either. My grandma is my sister. One that I will always cherish forever. I learned soon after my initiation that my aunt is a Pi Phi. It really is funny how many people I learn are Pi Phi's.

It was funny because we were in Panera Bread the other day discussing recruitment and this women comes up to our table and asks if we were Pi Phis (she must have seen the sticker on my laptop). Well she immediately reaches for my hand to give me a handshake, I was later embarrassed to find out she was giving me the secret handshake and I didn't even realize it...either way it was so cool to run into someone out and about who shared a similar past as me.

We may not be blood related but the knowledge that only us as sisters possess is incredible. It's amazing how much we share, our common interests, beliefs, it's hard to find that any place else.

Even though I did not grow up with any blood sisters, I am lucky because I get to call thousands of women across the world my sisters and I wouldn't have it any other way. So thank you Pi Phi, for filling my life with beautiful, successful women whom I look up to on a daily basis. I couldn't have asked for a better ancestry.

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Arrow Minded

Since we like to make cheesy alliterations on this blog, let's go ahead and start another one!

"Sorority Sundays"

*Gags*

So as you may or may not know I am in Pi Beta Phi sorority at my university. I posted a couple of days ago about crafting for my little and the Big/Little process but what I failed to talk about was my sorority in general!

I absolutely love Pi Phi (shortened name), ever since bid day I have fallen head over heels in love with everyone in this organization and everything about it. I am so blessed with the opportunities that it has given me thus far.

Let's start from the beginning, we were founded on April 28, 1867 as the first national secret society for women. We were originally named I.C. Sorosis but then later changed our name to Pi Beta Phi. Our colors are Wine and Silver Blue. Our symbol is the Arrow and our mascot is the angel.

Now you may understand why this blog is called "Bows and Arrows". Bows - just for the girly side of it all and Arrows - for my sorority.

"But how did you choose to become part of this organization?" - Good question! ;)

I decided to participate in rush last fall at my school. We have 9 Panhellenic sororities on campus that I 'rushed' (I can go through the whole recruitment process at a later time). Each day of rush you go to less and less houses until you are down to two houses at Pref Night. After going to both houses on Pref Night I knew which one I belonged to. There were pros and cons to each but the biggest reason that I chose Pi Phi was because I was a legacy.

A legacy is defined as someone who's mother, grandmother, or sister is affiliated with that organization. My grandmother is a Pi Phi, which I didn't learn until the summer before I decided to rush! Having her to talk with about everything related to Pi Phi has really made the experience that much more special to me and has brought us closer than we have ever been. I am so glad I get the opportunity to share this experience with her.

Now onto present times. It has been a whole school year since I rushed, so where am I now?

In January I was slated to be the Vice President of Membership for my chapter. I was beyond shocked that they slated me for this position because it is not normally a position you give to a new girl. The VPM (for short) is in charge of the biggest event for any sorority - Recruitment. That's right. I'm in charge of it all. I just went through it last year and now I am leading it. It was extremely overwhelming at first, but I have some great people on Exec who I can turn to for help. They have really been my life savers and I cannot thank them enough for all they have done.

So this summer will be filled with planning for recruitment. However, I do get the opportunity to go to San Diego for the 69th Biennial Convention where I get to meet Pi Phi's from all across the country. I was chosen as the alternate delegate and our President is our chapter delegate. I am so excited to travel to San Diego with her and I will absolutely keep this blog updated with everything from that trip!

I hope you enjoyed the first edition of 'Sorority Sunday'! Keep checking back during the week for more posts and maybe even more themed days?

Until next time,

Casey Rose