HI LOVES!
My very best friend, Laura, is turning 19 years old on Tuesday! For her birthday, I decided to hand paint her a pair of wooden letters I ordered online. I was inspired by he Lilly Pulitzer “First Impressions” print! I absolutely love how they turned out and I cannot wait to make a pair for myself. Let me know what you all think in the comments!
-Ash
Often times I wonder if people realize the significance and importance behind a “Throw What You Know”. A Throw What You Know means much more to me than than the Instagram likes, the followers, or the cool pictures. To me, it represents everything my sorority, Chi Omega, stands for. It represents our values, our mottos, our expectations, and everything we live by. It makes me take significant pride in being a sister.
The meaning is much deeper than it appears, and it is something so great you couldn’t possibly understand unless you were apart of it. A Throw What You Know represents a few of the following things to me:
1. Success. Not only the success of myself, but the success of my sisters within my chapter and nationally who are Chi Omega. The success of our scholarship, community service, sisterhood, philanthropy, and friendship in years past and many more years to come.
2. Pride. I have never contained more pride for an organization EVER in my life than I have with Chi Omega. I have experienced the importance in the value of sisterhood. Simply being a little sister brings me so much pride, as well as being a sister to 100+ women in my chapter.
3. Courage. Be brave, be bold, and don’t be afraid to follow your dreams. Chi Omega’s around the world throw what they know and it is such an inspiration to me. I’m inspired that these woman worldwide travel and chase after their dreams and bring their throw what they know with them. It only pushes me further to follow mine.
Always remember the true meaning behind your letters and it’s importance to you.
-Ash
HI BEAUTIES!
Last October I experienced the rush of emotions brought to me by Big & Little “Clue Week”. For those of you who are not aware, Clue Week is an entire week where you are given a series of gifts that contain clues to try and help you guess who your big sister might be. Some of my clues included several painted canvases, wooden Chi Omega letters, and anything and everything with owls!
HOOTIE HOO!
I mean, who wouldn’t love running around campus collecting clues and given all of the suspense of not knowing who it could be? I mean, I sure did. However, little did I know that becoming a little and gaining a big was much much much more impactful on my life than I could have ever imagine it being.
For starters, my big sister, Hannah, is by far my biggest fan in life. She is ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS encouraging me and motivating me to be the best version of myself. She has become truly, my role model throughout everything. Hannah is perfect. Truly, if you ever met someone who just knew everything and anything on life it would be her. She knows exactly how to approach and handle any given situation that may come across her way.
A big and little relationship is so special. You will never experience anything like it that is comparable. A big sister is there to be a guide. You can believe it that she will be the best tour guide you’ve ever received. She is meant to help you, encourage you, support you, protect you (Hannah is VERY good at this one), and show you the ropes as you begin your sorority experience as a new member.
However, the relationship is definitely a two way street. At least, mine sure is. I’m there for Hannah exactly and equally as much as she is here for me. It is a special two way bond.
You will begin to create COUNTLESS memories with your big. The relationship you create with her is going to be unlike any other relationship you have with any of your other sorority sisters.
-Ash
HI LOOK AT MY PERSON!
Yes, she has ultimately become MY person. After my addiction of watching all 11 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy this summer with her, she is by far my Christina Yang. She’s the person I fall back on when ever I need anything absolutely in the world. I am so blessed I have found her.
Growing up, I never truly had that ONE best friend that you hold on to forever throughout the years. I grew in and out of cliques, different friend groups, and most of all I explored just meeting a bunch of different people to fulfill my social butterfly personality. However, I have finally found my college best friend that I will hold on to for a lifetime.
Life happens unbelievably quick, it really does flash before your eyes. Being able to create unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime with my best friend throughout these next “prime” years of our lives is going to be wonderful.
So, blog. Meet Laura! 🙂
Laura has been one of my biggest supporters and motivators throughout anything in my life that I try to accomplish. She is always cheering me on and encouraging me to fulfill my dreams to the fullest.
To be completely honest though, Laura and I have some significant similarities, in a sense, that makes us almost the same type of person. Starting with the fact that we both are incredibly focused when it comes to our studies, with that being said, we both are always pushing each other to the next best level. Laura is by far one of the most intelligent people I have ever met, I know she is going to have a very bright future and career ahead of her as she continues on her journey to medical school.
She is also one of my pledge sisters in our sorority, Chi Omega. We were able to experience going through Recruitment last year together as we made our journey to find our “home”. We went into Recruitment just as friends since we originally met at our college orientation the month before. Unknowingly, we ended up joining the same sorority and that in itself completely strengthened our friendship and made it grow beautifully.
I’m confident that I will have many more stories to come about Laura and I’s friendship on this blog. Just wanted to introduce one of the most important people to me early on here.
🙂
Can’t wait to be back on campus with my person again!
-Ash
HI YA!
Stereotypes
You can draw a big FAT line through the typical stereotypes you hear about Greek life because it is NOT ANYTHING like you see in the movies. One of my favorite encounters was from one of my neighbors a few weeks back when I came home from college. She greeted me with the “Oh… you’re in a sorority now… you must be awfully busy with partying at school.” Well, actually, with a tremdous amount of pride I whipped right around with my huge smile and said, “My sorority has the HIGHEST GPA on campus out of all of the Panhellenic sororities and I was on Dean’s List for both Fall and Spring Semester.”
You betcha that drew a line right through her stereotype of me.
🙂
This leads into one of the many reasons why I love Chi Omega. And also, let me draw a line through another stereotype for you. We take tremendous pride in our scholarship and the success of our sisters and their studies. Grades has always been a top priority for me and always will be a priority. I am at George Mason University in order to obtain my degree, and being apart of an organization that supports my success, motivates, and encourages me to strive to be even better is truly a blessing. I love being surrounded around a group of intelligent woman who are just as focused as I am. Grades come first in Chi Omega, nothing else.
Which leads into my next point. It is possible to have fun in college. It is almost necessary to have fun. Otherwise, you will drive yourself crazy sitting in the library for extended hours. Go out, meet people, explore, and truly make memories. It’s so important to take time for yourself and truly have a break away. You sit in classes and study for extended periods of time, so reward yourself on the weekends. As I always say, work hard during the week, and reward yourself with the weekend.
Speaking of which, I bought my books for this Fall Semester already.
-Ash
HI WORLD!
Sorry for the dramatic entrance, I just want to make sure you can hear me all the way over this blank white screen that I am about to fill with wonderful stories, experiences, and basically a documentary of my college experience. Did I grab your attention yet? Nah? Okay, well listen anyways.
Hi. My name is Ash.
🙂
Let me tell you a tad bit about myself before we embark on this wonderful journey I call, life. I’m a wee-lad philosophical, and by wee-lad I mean a lot. You will be able to tell that eventually based upon the tone and reality of my existence. Ta-Daaa!
A month from today actually, I will begin my second year of college at George Mason University out here in good old Virginia. I am beyond excited to go back and absolutely love where I am at with my life currently. I am working towards obtaining a degree in Communications with a focus in Public Relations and throwing in a little extra minor in Journalism.
I was born and raised and grew up in Northern Virginia. It has been and will forever be known as home to me. I live a crazy face paced intense lifestyle and I can not stand having days filled with nothing. I absolutely adore staying busy and having my Lilly Planner completely full down to the last minute.
I am one of four children. I have two sweet younger sisters and an older brother. My parents did a fabulous job raising all of us because they are fantastic. S/O to Fam, you rock.
Beyond two younger sisters, I have 100+ sorority sisters. I’m a sorority sister of Chi Omega. Let me tell you in three simple words, I LOVE IT. Chi Omega has become such a huge part of me this past year and I have tons of sorority experiences I can not wait to share with you all.
All in all, I’m a happy content little ray of sunshine. Hope you enjoy.
-Ash
HI MY NAME IS ASH 