Happy Monday! Today’s post is a little different than my usual, but in honor of it being International Badge Day for sorority women, I wanted to talk about why I’m actively involved with my sorority, Sigma Kappa, as an alumna & how grateful I am for the opportunity to impact young women. Bonus: I’m showing off an outfit that’s appropriate badge attire too {for my non Greek friends, that just means its business meeting appropriate!}
How to Impact Young Women: Being Active as a Sorority Alumna Click To Tweet{This post may contain affiliate and/or referral links. I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through a link in this post. Thank you for your support of What Nicole Wore.}
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How to Impact Young Women: Being Active as an Alumna | The Outfit
Mustard yellow looks good on me so I’m pretty excited that it’s going to be one of the big spring colors this year. When I added this bold blouse to my online cart, I really wasn’t sure what to make of it, but the color is so flattering and pairs well with so many of my closet staples. I especially love it because it’s been brightening up all of the gray, rainy days we’ve been having in Kentucky lately.
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How to Impact Young Women: Being Active as an Alumna | Urban Decay First Impressions
Speaking of life recently, I’ve been playing around with my makeup a bit and tried out this purple and brown smoky eye using the ColourPop Element of Surprise eyeshadow palette. While it’s not something I’d put on for running to the grocery store, I really like the way it turned out and definitely will be recreating this beauty look for my next girls’ night out or date night.
Sharing the @ColourPopCo palette that's one of my favorite for creating day and night looks! Click To TweetRELATED: Affordable Lipstick? My Favorite ColourPop Shades
While a bold lip is pretty much my signature, I decided to try out one of the nude lipsticks that Urban Decay sent me in a Valentine’s Day PR package and I’m shocked to report that I –love- it. The Vice Lipsticks are pretty popular and I can see why; the Comfort Matte formula doesn’t feel drying and still delivers pigmented color. I’m also wearing the new Disco Stick Highlighter that I was super surprised to like. {Who knew a lavender highlighter would be something I’d love?}
Finally found a nude lipstick that works on my skin tone. Thank you @UrbanDecay! Click To TweetRELATED: First Date Behavior + Go to Date Night Look
How to Impact Young Women: Being Active as an Alumna | What I Was Like as a College Aged Woman
I think the first thing to acknowledge is that most of us are confused, hot messes during the 18-22 year span. No different here. I went through sorority recruitment before the start of my first semester at the University of Kentucky; a lot of people have exquisite reasons for going Greek – I was intimidated by the large campus and wanted that smaller sense of community.
If you weren't a confused, hot mess during college -- I'm jealous. Click To TweetRELATED: Kentucky Gameday Outfit
Joining Sigma Kappa helped me with that. I met women I otherwise wouldn’t have, had people looking out for me on campus, making sure I didn’t make too many bad decisions, and sorority life gave me a lot of structure in a transition that was tough for me. There’s a quote that stands out to me when I think about why I advise today, “be who you needed when you were younger.” I can’t really tell you what I would’ve been like without the safety net that Sigma Kappa gave me while I was on campus in Lexington, but I can tell you that being in a sorority got me out of my shell in so many ways.
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How to Impact Young Women: Being Active as an Alumna | How I Advise
Fast forward seven years & I’m standing in a room full of Sigma Kappas and it feels like as intimidating as Bid Day all over again. After spending two years on a housing board for one local chapter, I made the jump and became a full on advisor. I can’t tell you exactly what pulled me to do it. At this point, I’d been running What Nicole Wore for a year and realized the impact that social media had.
An open letter to the organization that's helped me get out of my comfort zone since I was 18, @SigmaKappa. Click To TweetRELATED: 7 Must-Have Apps for Powerful Social Media
Taking on 50 women that thought I was a new member during my first meeting as an advisor {#Team Baby Face Forever}, definitely had it’s challenges. Don’t get me wrong, I knew there would be times when I’d be the “bad guy.” There were a lot of whys, times when I got pushback, many times when I felt old, a couple times that my feelings got hurt and I cried – it’s a full blown journey. And somehow, it’s been one of the more fulfilling things that I’ve done.
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How to Impact Young Women: Being Active as an Alumna | Why I Continue to Volunteer for My Sorority
Things no one tells you: advising isn’t for the faint hearted. Other things they don’t warn you about: you will grow to love the women you advise. Whether they tell you directly or not, they’re looking to you as an example. You will grow to genuinely want to be a good role model and example to them. It will make you live out your values years after you’ve left college. The bond between sisters will be different than the one you had with the women you shared a house or new member class with, but will still be there.
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While the volunteer work I do can be time consuming, I get to serve alongside a group of dedicated alumnae women that also encourage me to be the best version of myself. Getting to witness moments when things click, when our women learn to set boundaries, recognize their worth, and embody our values fills me with such a high level of pride.
How to Impact Young Women: Being Active as a Sorority Alumna | Pin This Post!
Now it’s your turn: were you in a sorority in college? What type of volunteering opportunities help you to feel fulfilled? And in the spirit of today being about Panhellenic spirit for sorority women, be sure to check out Annaliese’s post on her sorority experience as a member of Alpha Delta Pi. We first connected on Twitter & she’s become a close blogging friend over the past year!
Be sure to follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.
SHOP THE POST | How to Impact Young Women: Being Active as a Sorority Alumna:
I love this! I’m hoping to be a Chi Omega advisor in the future. I’m currently involved in my local alumnae chapter. My sorority gave me so much, and I want to pay it forward and help a new generation of young women grow as well.
Lexi
lifeloveandmedicine.com
This would perfect to share with sisters just starting who need so cuuuute ideas on what to wear with their badge!! What a fun and helpful idea! Plus I love that yellow so much!
I love this post! I was involved with my sorority for a few years after graduation and need to get back to it. My advisors had a big impact on me during my college years!
My school, Bellarmine University, never had a huge sorority community. I believe there was only one sorority and not many people joined. I do, however, want my girls to join a sorority when they attend college. I think it builds great friendships and teaches so much about community involvement/outreach!
I loved reading this post. It made me wish I’d had the opportunity to join a sorority when I was in college!
You look awesome in that blouse! I like that the neckline is quite casual, so it could really do double duty with a pair of jeans. Mustard yellow is one of my all-time favourite colours. Glad to see it’s popular again this year 🙂
I love that you do this! My sorority just colonized at UK and I keep saying I need to volunteer 😬
First off this outfit is GORGEOUS!!! One of my favorites of yours! (And we have the same necklace!!) I love this post and your sweet words about Sigma Kappa!
xoxo A
http://www.southernbelleintraining.com
I love your outfit! Amazing work with your sorority!
i never joined a sorority but i think your tips are applicable for many mentoring relationships. thanks for sharing.
http://ahhhsoneo.com
I’ve been MIA with my fraternity since graduation but reading this makes me want to get involved. Not just to reconnect, but to continue developing as man. Thanks for sharing! Love that skirt by the way.
I got my degree through The Open University, so it was a solitary experience. I think English universities are taking on sororities these days tho. I love your blouse and skirt, they perfectly balance each other! x
I was only in a sorority for a few semesters because we had to recolonize due to numbers. It was a cool experience. In the end, I had both friends who were greek and friends who were not. I’m sure being an advisor is a whole different thing. That’s too funny that they thought you were a new member at the first meeting.
I’m the worst alum! This is so true! Love that you’re so active! I’m an ADPI alum!
xx.
Lacey
I am the president of my local alum chapter and it is so rewarding and frustrating all at the same time. I forgot to wear my badge yesterday 🙁 I saw you in Southern Living, congrats!
That yellow blouse is gorgeous! I love the patterned skirt you chose to style it with!
http://www.mylittlenest.org
I wasn’t sure how I would connect with this post since I was not in a sorority, but it’s actually something that kind of surprises me about myself. I can’t help be ask myself why I never got involved. Of course, I stayed busy with all my other extracurriculars. What a great way to give back and you’re so right! I have a kid sister who is 15 years younger than me and being a role model does have a way of making you want to be a better person! Those girls are lucky to have you and that beautiful mustard top in their lives!
This look is gorgeous! I love the bright yellow and mix of prints!
annessa
http://www.seekingsunshine.com