Monday, January 11, 2010

K to the A to the P-P-A

For those of you who have never been in a sorority, recruitment is the few day period in which mostly freshmen girls go through the sorority houses on campus, getting to know the girls if they do not already know, before the mutual process of elimination starts. It can be stressful, but this one is going extremely well and efficient, with the house in relative tandem.

Saturday was the first day of formal rush, which means it is Open House. Yesterday was Skit Day; tonight was Formal Desserts and tomorrow will be the Preference Party, followed by Bid Day. Yep, in less than 24 hours, we will have new members. It's a good thing I like to smile and talk, but it's always an active love for the girls to stand in the cold snow to sing goodbye to the rushees while still smiling (and in heels).

I read a
great article which contained an equally wonderful and encouraging quote by Blessed Mother Teresa: "Smile," she replied, "for the smile is the beginning of love."

Today I registered for classes, finally paid off my library fine (and the rest of my tuition), bought the remainder of my books, and killed off a section of the rain forest with the amount of printing I did for my poli sci class' extra reading posted on BlackBoard (which is slightly ridiculous, since we already had to buy 12 books). I'm not complaining too much though, because it is going to be an amazing class. Lots of Hayek reading! Tres bon.

I have lots of pre-school meetings, too. I forgot how busy I get with meetings alone. One meeting I am quite excited is for The Tower Light, the literary publication on campus. I was asked to be one of the assistant editors for the Spring edition, which is going to be fantastic. My advisor sent me an e-mail, inviting me to attend his honors seminar, which I'm sure sounds like unnecessary extra reading, but I'm excited and it'll be solid.

My last semester's class schedule: Faulkner and 20th century Southern Literature, Western Heritage: Revisited (seminar), The Conservative-Libertarian Debate, The History of Science and Christianity, Thomas More and thesis.

I got edits back from my AQ article tonight and am trying not to be irked over it. I knew going into writing the piece that they wanted something very specific, and since my first final copy was sent to them before I went to Florida, I've since had to partially re-write the article again because the editor said she liked it, but she wanted more information. So I gave it to her. When I got it back tonight, I saw that she pulled a Faulkner and cut my darlings. My roomie says I need to get over it and give them what they want. I had a feeling that was going to happen, but I also feel like the article loses an essence.

Writing reflects on the writer as well, and without certain parts, I feel blah about it. I talked to a few of my sisters about it tonight, and they just teased me, the conversation ending with Betsy telling me I shouldn't be a journalist because I care too much about my words and I replied that is exactly why I should be one, and how that kind of attitude leads towards sloppy writing. Then they laughed at me and I smiled and let it go, sort of.


If there is one thing Kappa teaches you, it is to be a servant leader. Sometimes, even if it's not your job, you just need to step up and take care of it. I read this and though it was beautiful.

"We are unprofitable servants" by Blessed Teresa of Calcutta (from her book 'A Simple Path')

Do not worry about why problems exist in the world – just respond to people's needs. Some say to me that if we give charity to others it'll diminish the responsibility of government towards the needy and the poor. I don't concern myself with this, because governments do not usually offer love. I just do what I can do: the rest is not my business.

God has been so good to us: works of love are always a means of becoming closer to God. Look at what Jesus did in His life on earth! He spent it just doing good (Acts 10,38). I remind the sisters that three years of Jesus's life were spent healing the sick and the lepers, children and other people; and that's exactly what we're doing, preaching the Gospel through our actions.

It is a privilege for us to serve, and it's a real, wholehearted service that we try and give. We feel what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean, but that ocean would be less without that drop.

Off to see friends; even if it is late, and cold, and I'm exhausted, it's always good to see people dear to me.

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