Citizenship

Citizenship carries both rights and responsibilities. It is important to realize that by being a citizen of any community does not just mean you have the rights of that community, but that you then have a responsibility to make that community better. Having good citizenship does not just mean membership, it mean being active and engaged in that community. By being a citizen of the greek community, I am not asked, but REQUIRED to be active and better my community. It REQUIRES me to make decisions that will constantly better my community and make it a better place for the rest of the members of the group. This is just another way of saying the same thing we have been saying all quarter: live by your values. I joined the greek community because I saw that it's values were the same as the one's I live (or at least the one's I want to be) my life by. When I don't follow my values and don't live up to the responsibility that I have by being a citizen of the greek community, I am bringing down my community.

I think it is important to be a good citizen of both your own chapter and the greek community as a whole. I picture each individual chapter as members of the greek community. It is important for my chapter as a whole to be a good "citizen" of the community. It is a responsibility of my chapter to make sure that the decisions we make not only better us as a community, but also better the greek community as a whole. This is something I don't think tridelt or a lot of other chapters think about. We are so worried about the way we will be perceived or the way it will effect us individually, we need to think about the community as a whole. We need to think about bettering our own community as a chapter and bettering our greek community in general.

This video is kind of stupid, but it really does have a good message about being citizens of our world. It is not specific to the greek community but I really think the seven things should be done by all of us!

Thanksgiving

sooo this was supposed to post last week but apparently it only saved in drafts. a little late, but being thankful is still important!!

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it is hard to not look at my life and be so thankful for everything I have. A quick list:

-amazing friends
-a supportive and wonderful family
-a great education
-almost a hundred sisters backing me up


This doesn't include the basics of a house, food on the table and all the extras I am blessed with. These are things I don't think I realize I should be thankful for because I take them for granted every single day. When I complain about having to walk to class when its cold I should be thankful I am even able to walk to class. When I complain I don't have what I want to eat, I should be thankful that I have food at all to eat.

To conclude: stop taking for granted for the little things, but keep being thankful for the big things too!

Happy thanksgiving everyone!!

P.S-Its 10:22 and Michigan still sucks!!

Panel Discussion

I really liked the discussion in class last week. You could tell everyone who talked was very invested in the community and really wanted to do there best to make a difference. They really were a great example of elevating our greek community.

There were two different things that Jordan said that really stuck out to me. Her story of being thrown into being recruitment chair was incredible. I can see the large amount of stress that is put on our recruitment chair every quarter trying to better our chapter. The fact that she went for and jumped in and did it shows how much she really loves her chapter. Those are the kinds of actions that are going to make her chapter and the greek community in general stronger and better. The second thing she said was that if there isn't any disagreement, then there is a problem. Sometimes when heated discussions and intense subjects have to be discussed at chapter, you find yourself wondering what went wrong. But she is right. If we aren't challenging each other as a chapter and as a community, we are never going to become better. We should never be satisfied with the way we are now. We should continue to push ourselves father and father every day.

The best quote from the final thoughts that I heard was find yourself by loosing yourself in the service of others. This statement means so much more to me after this past year than it ever would have before. Everything I get to do for St. Jude through tridelt has changed by life. I am so lucky to be able to associate myself and participate in all the good deeds that tridelt does for this hospital. I know that the service, time and money I put into the organization is truly making a difference in people's lives. Loosing myself in the service of these kids has made me find myself and realize how extremely lucky I am. I know how lucky I am and have to take the good fortune I have been given and make a difference in someone else's life because of it.

This link shows our goal of 10 in 10, the goal to raise $10 million in 10 years. This goal was easily done in 4 years instead of 10 and we now have a new goal of raising an additional $15 million in the next 15 years.

Oath.

An oath is defined as either a statement of fact or a promise calling upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually God, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact. 

This is what the dictionary tells us an oath is. Oath is such a small, simple word that for some (including us) hold such a huge importance in how we live our lives every day. 

On March 5, I stood in my chapter room for the first time and took a lifetime oath to Delta Delta Delta and all that she stands for. By taking this oath, I promised to live by the rituals, traditions and purposes of my sorority. I promised that every decision and choice I made in my life would reflect the person that I promised that I would be. 

I know that the founders of tridelt did not expect me to be able to live by the sorority’s values every second of every day and I can probably tell you at least a few things that I do every single day that turn me away from these values. When I think of my oath and my rituals, I think to a few years ago, 1888 to be exact, and my founders who wrote those words down with excitement, ready to lead a group of women who “will think more of a women’s inner self and character than her personal appearance” (Sara Ida Shaw, founder). These words from our founder about our rituals is so special to me. It makes me proud to be able to live my ritual and oath. 

Incongruences

So I guess I just got too excited last time about how great my motto was and how much I loved the purpose of tridelt that I may have forgot to say why our chapter and OSU greek life in general doesn't always  follow everything we say we will.

I know everyone in the greek system gets really frustrated when we are looked down upon. I was talking at chapter last night with some girls about how people immediately judge us when they find out we are in a sorority. One girl had a professor tell her she might as well drop his class because sorority girls never pass (she got an A in the class btw). But even if these judgements annoy us, they have to come from somewhere. They had to be started by something and they have to continue going on because of the things we do.

Its hard when people only think of greek life as parties and drinking when we all know that we do so much more. Or so we claim. How many of your mandatory events to people get so annoyed of having to go to? I remember so many people from my chapter (me included) being rather less than enthused about waking up early to go to rock the block last year. But where had we been the  night before? Out at a TG. I think it is so easy to go to chapter every week, talk about your values and everything you want your chapter to be. It is another thing to go out every other day and live those values.

When I joined tridelt, I received a letter from the girl who heavily recruited me and it said that you will always be known as a tridelt now. It doesn't matter if you are wearing your letters, not wearing your letters, sitting in class or out on the weekends. You should live every day of your life to represent the organization that you have pledged your life to. This is not always an easy task and too many times, it is aspects of greek life in general that make us stray away from our values.

I am from a small town about 15 minutes away from Miami University where in the past few years, sooo many sororities have been but on social probation for getting to out of control at there formal events. I know the same thing has also happened to at least one house at OU also. I hope this is something that NEVER happens to us here at OSU. I love to tell people that OSU greek life isn't like at other schools and I hope that I never turn the news on and see any of our chapters doing something like these girls did.

Recruitment is a part of the greek system that I find to be incongruent with the values and mission of tridelt and many other sororities. I honestly cannot think of a way to make it different though. It is a harsh process that is always going to end up leaving girls upset and not happy with the results. All of us in this class probably don't always think about the people who weren't picked to be where they wanted to be or the people who didn't get the houses that they wanted.

The Purpose of Delta Delta Delta

"The purpose of Delta Delta Delta shall be to establish a perpetual bond of friendship among its members, to develop a stronger and more womanly character, to broaden the moral and intellectual life and to assist its members in every possible way."

I think there are several key parts to our purpose that I view especially important and meaningful when we read it during chapter.

A perpetual bond of friendship is the reason that I joined a tridelt to begin with. The main answer I give and I hear when asking why girl's rush is that they are looking for sisterhood. That is exactly what I set out to find and exactly what I got. The friendships you make in college are said to be the ones that will last a lifetime. I know both of my parents still talk to people that they knew in high school. I know that year from now, I will be able to tell my kids about the wonderful sisters I made while in tridelta and know that my kids will probably meet my sisters because we will still be friends years from now.

Developing a stronger and more womanly character. Developing a stronger woman is not exactly a simple or an easy task. How does being part of tridelt make me a stronger person? I think I am pushed by my sisters, the purpose and the rituals to be the best I can. I am pushed to think and act outside my comfort zone and to push myself beyond what I ever thought I could be.

The last couple words mean the most to me. In every possible way. To me, this means that as members of Tridelta, we will not follow to purpose when it is convenient for us or easy, we will follow our mission at every opportunity that is given to us. I think this is not only the most important part of our purpose, but also the hardest to follow. It isn't always easy to live up to the words of the founders. By joining tridelta, I made a commitment that all the decisions I made would no longer just reflect back on me, they would now reflect on every one of my sisters and our chapter and sorority as a whole.

How Firm Thy Friendship O-H-I-O

When thinking of a large organization the first thing I think of is Ohio State. I tried to shake this from thoughts and my thoughts kept going back to it. But really, what organization’s values do I agree with more than my own schools? I don’t think there is one. 

Yes, I know this could not get more cliche, but I fully believe in the values that OSU has. I think the biggest value of the university and all students who go here is camaraderie. I may have 6,000 classmates, but I feel a connection to everyone who goes here. I know this could be said about almost any school, but the companionship we have here is different and everyone notices. You know everyone else notices because so many other people hate us for it :) 

My favorite Ohio State memory is rushing the field after winning the Iowa game. I was standing on the field with one arm around my best friend and the other arm around a complete stranger, all singing Carmen Ohio. I don’t think I have ever sang that song without getting chills up and down my spin. Even thinking back to that moment puts a smile on my face knowing how much pride I felt for my school.

Tradition is another value that I love about Ohio State. OSU is built upon the traditions of excellence and achievement. I love knowing that all of things that make Ohio State Ohio State for me have been around for decades. My aunt went to school here 30 years ago, but we have had so many of the same experiences.

First football game this year! 

As important as traditions are, I love the strive for excellence that OSU also has. I love all of the changes and building that has been going on here. Ohio State is always trying to build up and offer it students the most and best opportunities it can. There are so many opportunities and chances to get more than just an education during your four (or maybe five or six) years here. 

Here is a link to an Ohio State commercial that I think pretty much sums it all up for me. I truly believe this is where amazing happens. 

(I missed the class we put video directly on the blog and couldn't figure it out so you will have to click on the link above to get to the video!!) 

What Are My Values

My family and I at the beach last summer.

FAMILY. My family is the single most important thing in my life. They have always loved me know matter what I have done. My parents are the reason that I have accomplished everything that I have. They push me and challenge me but also love and support me no matter what. Life can through anything at me, but I know my parents and my sister and my little brothers will always be behind me.

My Tridelta family after I was initiated in March 

Last winter after I joined tridelt, I learned what it meant to have a second family. My sisters really have become such an important part of my life. They are always there to love  and care for me. The push me to be a better person and challenge me to be the person I can be. The values of tridelt have become values in my own life. As a sorority, we value each other, ourselves, our traditions and our rituals. These values have seeped into me and will be part of my value system for my whole life.

My roommates and I. 

SUPPORT. Love and support are something I think any person can give to someone else no matter what. Above anything else, you can always have an ear to listen and a shoulder to cry on. Actions speak louder than words. Someone may not always remember the advice you gave them, but they will always remember you being there for them.

My best friends from high school. 

HONESTY. From a very young age, my mom always instilled in me to tell the truth. No matter what else I say or do, I was always taught that I should tell the truth. It may not always be the easiest thing to do, but its something you always can do. Trust and honesty is something that should be the foundation for all relationships you have in your life.

Who I Am

My name is Jaclyn Kirsch and I am sophomore from Tridelt. I always find describing myself to be a difficult task. It can be taken on so many levels. I can tell you that I have an older sister and two younger brothers. I can tell you I come from a normal family who lives in a small town outside Cincinnati, OH. Or I could tell you I bruise almost just by touching my arm. I could tell you I can function in the morning until I have my cup of coffee. Or maybe describing myself means letting you know I am freakishly tall, have blonde hair and brown eyes. Up until a year ago the first thing I probably would have said was that I played volleyball and was a state runner up for my high school team my senior year. I can be generic and tell you I have the best friends in the entire world and would do anything for them. Or I can be out of the ordinary and tell you I hate mustard and cats more than anything. So i guess this pretty much sums me up, oh and I plan on changing the world.

I think that every person has the ability to make a difference in their world every day of their lives. You don't have to stop global warming, but you can recycle your water bottle instead of throwing it in the trash. You don't have to save every child dying from AIDS in Africa, but you can donate $5 to the cause. You don't have to feed the entire city of Columbus to cure homelessness, but you can work at a soup kitchen one night a month. I think to change the world, you have to take advantage of all the small opportunities you have and they will add up to something big. Doing good is contagious, seeing someone else make even a small difference makes you want to make the same small difference. If everyone does something small, it will build up to something huge.