Why Go Greek?

This week is recruitment week at The University of Maine! As a senior in my chapter, this week is bittersweet! I am beyond excited to welcome new girls into our sisterhood, but I am sad that this will be my last time participating in the process of recruiting the future of Alpha Phi. Recruitment is a long and tiring process for both the sisters and the potential new members, but it is so rewarding and I can't emphasize that enough!

If you are reading this and thinking about going Greek, I urge you to take the plunge and at least give recruitment a try! I believe that there is something in sorority life for everyone. Whether you like volunteering or want to find your college best friends, sorority life cultivates leadership opportunities and campus involvement.

If you are a girl already signed up and ready to rush, I wish you the best of luck in finding your home! My advice to you is to stay positive, be confident and always be yourself. Trust the process!

I'll never forget the day I "met" Alpha Phi! I immediately felt at home and knew my heart was in the right place. Ever since that day, I still keep falling in love with our sisterhood. Alpha Phi pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me thrive. After joining, I no longer sat alone in my dorm room for hours on end. I gained the confidence to join several clubs on campus and I gained a massive support system.

My sisters see potential in me that I had never noticed before. One of them saw my passion for marketing and blogging and because of her I've grown my blog, pursed a marketing minor in addition to my speech pathology major and I became the Vice President of Marketing for Alpha Phi.

What you put into your sorority is what you get out of it. When you go to more sisterhood events you'll see the relationships with your sisters getting stronger. My sisters have been there for me at literally my lowest points in life so far.

My sisters are the best coffee dates and study buddies. They let me crash on their couch or vent to them about my stress or struggles. Some of my favorite sisterhood events have been yoga classes and craft nights. I love when we order OHOP together and when we all watch the Bachelor! Having 60+ sisters gives me the security that someone will ALWAYS be there for you no matter what.

Alpha Phi has 6 values that we as sisters stand for and strive for everyday. These include: Sisterhood, Scholarship, Service, Leadership, Loyalty and Character Development. Each of these values are ones that I had been taught all through my childhood. Seeing that Alpha Phis embodied these morals and ideals, made me so happy to join. When we work towards each of our values, we become better individuals as well as better members of society.

1) Sisterhood-

Some of my favorite memories in Alpha Phi have been at our sisterhood events! These are always fun breaks away from studying or work to spend quality time together. Some events that we've done in the past are sisterhood Zumba classes, pumpkin carving, apple picking and sleepovers! My bonds with sisters are always growing! You start to become close to sisters you have several classes with or share the same major with. I also love my "phamily" and spending time with my twin and little and grand little! Getting a family in Alpha helps you start as a new member and creates bonds right from the beginning. I loved getting my Little, Leah and showing her all that Alpha Phi had to offer!

2) Scholarship-

Because of Alpha Phi I have learned to really manage my time. While balancing classes, homework, studying, work, a social life and my executive position in Alpha Phi, I saw the importance of prioritizing and maximizing my free time. Alpha Phi has each sister log our study hours to make sure we are putting school first. There are always sisters in the library or in the union to work with! During finals week Alpha Phi reserves a room on campus for us all to study together and we order pizza and coffee for all the sisters! There are very few "mandatory" events for Alpha Phi sisters throughout the semester so that makes time management super manageable! The majority of our sisters are involved in difficult majors, sports teams, other campus clubs and part-time jobs. When an event is considered mandatory, it doesn't feel like a chore because you want to spend time together!

3) Service-

Philanthropy is a huge part of our sisterhood. As a chapter we host four philanthropy events throughout the academic year. These include: Alpha Phi (a soccer tournament) Red Dress Gala (a silent dinner/auction) Mac and Phi's (a mac and cheese all you can eat buffet) and Move Your Phi't (a 5k). All of the proceeds from these events go towards the Alpha Phi Foundation! The Alpha Phi Foundation raises money for women's heart health as well as gives back to our sisters in the form of scholarships and grants. As a chapter we also do community service. My favorite service events have been clothing drives, bingo at the nursing home and serving food at the soup kitchen!

4) Leadership-

Leadership has always been an important aspect in my life but I didn't fully flourish as one until I took the role of Vice President of Marketing for Alpha Phi! As VPM, I run all of our social media accounts including Instagram and Facebook. I also created a brand new website for our chapter (www.umainealphaphi.org). I discovered my passion for marketing after creating Livvpreppy my sophomore year of college. Being VPM has been so fun and I love helping cultivate a "brand/image" for our chapter. I enjoy advertising for our philanthropy events and I help oversee all of our merchandise that we wear. As a member of the Alpha Phi Executive Board, I had the opportunity to go to the annual conference in New Jersey last year! I had the privilege of meeting Alpha Phis from all over the country and attended seminars on how to execute my role as VPM in the best way possible. The road trip to NJ and the hotel nights were some of the best Exec bonding I could have ever asked for!

5) Loyalty-

Loyalty, to me, goes hand in hand with sisterhood. A strong sisterhood is not possible without us being loyal to one another. We all practice loyalty by respecting one another and showing up for each other. I can always count on my sisters to brighten my day or help me when I need a favor.

6) Character Development-

Character Development, to me, means always striving to be better than you were yesterday. Our sisters hold us accountable but also celebrate our growth. Having good character will get you far in life. As a sorority women it is important to always practice honesty, courage, responsibility, fairness and trustworthiness.

One of the best pieces of advice that I've ever received told me that, "you are who you surround yourself with" When I am with Alpha Phi there is no one else I could picture myself with! My sisters inspire me to be a better woman each day and their support gives me the confidence I need to do so. Without Alpha Phi, I confidently say that I would not be the person I am today!

Going Greek was the best decision that I ever made in my four years at UMaine. Going Greek got me involved on campus and in the community as a leader. It gave me some of my absolute best friends in the world and it showed me the values I want to carry on for the rest of my life.

If you are interested in Greek life or have any questions please feel free to message me or reach out to The Panhellenic Community at The University of Maine!

Xoxo, Liv