A LITTLE SORORITY CALLED DZ

This blog is going to be used to inform both potential recruits and initiated women about the Delta Zeta Sorority at Lindenwood University.

Wednesday

Almost there!!!!!

Classes are almost done, and i am so ready to be out of school.

I turned 21 and let me tell you it has been a blast ever since. It is really cool to be able to go out to restaurants and order a drink without feeling like I am going to get in trouble.

It has been a lot of fun. I love the casino, and no its not because I like to gamble it is because their bar stays open until 2:30 am. It really is a good time.

The only bad part about being 21 is that it seems like you are always tired. I go out a lot now and it seems like I can never get enough sleep. Oh well!!!!!

Finals are here and today is my last one. I am so excited. I am ready to move home and be there for the next three weeks. It is going to be a break that not only I, but everyone here needs. I hope that we all have a great Christmas and a safe New Year!!!!!

posted by Allison Q @ 6:36 AM   0 comments

What a Night!

There was a shooting last night either on or around campus. We dont really know the specifics but it was a bad night. They were stopping everyone that came onto campus and you had to have your id with you to be able to get on campus.

Meetings are done with, and I could not be happier.

We have like two days left of class before break, and let me tell you it is a good thing that school is going to be over for the next month and a half. I guess for me its only three weeks because I am taking a J-term class, but even with three weeks it is a break that I thinkt that all of us need.

posted by Allison Q @ 8:05 AM   0 comments

Monday

Slowing things down a little!!!!

Things have really started to calm down for me and the sorority as a whole.

Last night at meeting, we had our elections. It sucked because in order to vote we had to have 2/3 of the members there. We had to call like five or six people just to get that number. In the end, they all showed up and we were able to vote. I think that it went really well. The people that slate picked were the people who got the positions. No one ran off the floor so that made for a really easy process.

I got secretary......Woo Hoo! It is a lesser position than i had last time, but that is what i wanted. With everything that is going on in my life right now i just don't have the time to be able to give 100% to a higher position. I think that the way that things turned out last night is ideal. I think that we are going to have a great semester next time and I can't wait to get it started.

I am really excited because tomorrow is Chevy's night. It is one of our big money makers for the sorority. Not only do we earn a ton of money but it is just one more chance for us all to be together one last time before school is out for Christmas.

Speaking of which, this is our last week of classes. I can not even begin to tell you how excited I am for this. I think it would be a lot easier to go if our parking lots weren't ice skating rinks right now! They suck.

Anyways, I now have 4 days until I am able to drink legally!!!!!!! The world is going to come to end on Friday!!!!!!!!

posted by Allison Q @ 6:47 AM   0 comments

Wednesday

Another Loss

Tonight was a bad night for a lot of people. One of the Pi Kappa Alpha boys died in a fire at the fraternity house.

It has been an incredibly bad semester for our fellow greeks at UMSL.

However, it goes to show that being part of a greek organization is really gaining a huge family. I love greek life, and I know that I would never make any other decision.

posted by Allison Q @ 8:00 AM   0 comments

Monday

A little song to keep you going!

posted by Allison Q @ 8:32 AM   0 comments

A Long Weekend

Today is the first day of classes after a nice long weekend. Thanksgiving was on Thursday, and let me tell you this was a much needed break.

Anyways, i got slated for secretary, and I could not tell you how happy that I am. I think that in this position I could really do a good job and use my abilities to the best that I can. I think that there is one girl that is going to be running off the floor, and I really know that she would do a great job with it, but like anyone would feel, I hope that I get it.

School is almost over, and I am so excited. However, it is getting harder for me to get up and go to classes. I just keep telling myself that I can do it.

My birthday is in 11 days. I am going to be 21 and I am so excited. It is just one more reason for me to keep going these last few weeks of school.

posted by Allison Q @ 8:04 AM   0 comments

A Song To Keep You Goin!!!!!!

posted by Allison Q @ 3:30 PM   0 comments

formal pictures



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Me and Julie
Me and my roommate Mary!!!!

posted by Allison Q @ 6:11 AM   0 comments

Wednesday

The Chapter Consultant


Our Chapter Consultant's name is Megan, and let me tell you how awesome she is. She is 21 and already graduated with a French degree.

She came on Monday and we have had a blast ever since then. She is so insightful. I had my meeting with her yesterday, and she gave me so many good ideas for the next person that is going to be holding my current position. It was really interesting to hear how all of the other chapters ran their new member program.

The only thing that sucks about the meetings is that they always seem to want us to be more involved on campus. We, as a chapter know that we need to be more involved. However, it is hard to be 100% involved on a campus that does not fully support greek life.

Here at Lindenwood, the greek system is not supported at all. We only have one social sorority on campus and two social fraternities on campus. It is even more disheartening when the only fraternities that are supported on this campus are the academic or business ones.

Other larger schools, such as Missouri State University, have a very large greek system, and because of this, they are allowed to do more things on their campus.

I believe that if we were supported, we could do great things on this campus.

posted by Allison Q @ 8:11 AM   0 comments

Monday

Class Caucus


Last night we had our class caucus.

The first thing that we had to do was to select a slate representative for each class level. After we had that picked out, that person was given a piece of paper that had all of the elected offices on it. Then we are broken up into our classes to decide who we would like to see in each of those positions.

We thought that it was going to take forever, but it wasn't really that bad. We had problems with deciding our executive board decisions, but when that was over with we just flew through the rest of the positions.

The only bad thing that comes along with class caucus is that people's feelings are going to get hurt no matter what happens. For example, I wanted VP of Membership and there was one other girl who wanted that position as well. I was nominated by three of the four classes and my suitemate, who is not the girl that wanted it, was nominated by the seniors. That means that the girl that actually wanted it did not get a nomination. It's hard because I know that if I got it or if she got it both of us would do very well in that position.

There is a comittee that is selected to interview and choose the candidate for the positiion. If the chapter does not like their decision, the other girls who wanted positions could run off the floor. Now say that I got the position, but the other girl really wanted it. She is given the chance to run off the floor. That means that the decision is now left up to the vote of the chapter. It can get really ugly.

With me, I know that no matter who gets the job will do great things with it, and I feel that way for all of the positions that are elected. It is a hard process and I am pretty sure that no one ever looks forward to class caucus!!!!!

posted by Allison Q @ 8:18 AM   0 comments

Friday

Is it over yet?


It is always fun moving back into school after summer break, and it is always fun to be in school for the first couple of weeks. However, it soon gets incredibly tiring. We really don't have any breaks at Lindenwood, and that makes it ten times harder to go to class everyday.

Don't get me wrong, I love the month and a half that we have off for Christmas break, but it just doesn't seem like enoug. We are nearing the end of the semester, and I tell you what, it is getting harder and harder every day to go to classes.

Anyways, IT'S FRIDAY!!!!! WOO HOO!!!!! We have a big week next week. First of all, our chapter consultant comes on Sunday. I am really excited to meet her. She is going to have a busy week. Not only does she get to meet with all of the officers, but she gets to be here for our class caucus. She is also going to be going to our formal. I hope that we as a chapter can prove to her that we are a good group of girls!

Class caucus is crazy. We basically are redoing all of the positions, and I tell you what there is a lot of tention that entire week.

posted by Allison Q @ 8:05 AM   0 comments

Tuesday

I Enjoy Smiling



I have not been able to smile in a while. However, when things just seem to fall into place and fix themselves I can't help but smiling.

I have finally come to the realization that there are more important things to do in life than sweat the small stuff. I really need to learn to value friendship. It is one thing to be in a fight with a friend, but when you know that you have lost a friend it becomes a completely different situation.

Friends are one of the best things in the world. For the most part, they are always there for you. Sometimes I just have to understand that it is ok to agree to disagree. That is very hard for me to accept because of the situation that I have with my family. The constant arguing has lead me to believe that arguments are because you hate one another. That is not the case, however. Sometimes people don't always see eye to eye and honestly that is ok. I just have to learn to accept it.

I smiled today for the first time in a long time. I am not talking about a fake, you want to see me smile, smile. I am talking about a smile that really comes from the heart. My roommate and I are finally getting along again and I can not even begin to tell you how amazing that feels. Then today I talked to one of the girls that I considered a good friend. There was a big falling out last week and I thought that the friendship would be over. The talk today went really well. I felt last week that I would never be able to go to her with my problems ever again, but I know now that that's not the case.

What can I say, the bonds of sisterhood are a lot stronger than I thought that they could ever be.

posted by Allison Q @ 11:37 AM   1 comments

Sunday

Initiation Day


Today was great. Although it was very long, it was a really good day.

The executive board members had to be at school at ten so we could go over all of the stuff that we had to cover at meeting. And then we went straight into practice. There are so many lines for initiation that it is almost impossible to be able to remember all of them. It looks really good, however, when you dont have to have a sheet of paper in front of you when you are doing it.

After the practice, I had to go in and explain to the new girls what was going to be happening during the ceremony. They were all so excited; nervous, but really excited. They were all so cute sitting in my room waiting to go into the ceremony.

After everybody was really excited to get started. We called all of the new girls out of my room and we did a candle pass. It wasnt just a normal candle pass though. What we did, was we all stood in a circle and we all said one word that explained what Delta Zeta meant to us. It was great to hear all of the girls say what Delta Zeta meant to them.

When we were done with the candle pass, I took the girls back into the room and then we did the first round of initiation. It went really well. Then we did the second round. After the two rounds, it was time for the Big sisters to give the Little sisters their badges. It was great to see all of the girls finally come together.

After initiation we had our meeting, which took forever because we had to vote on our bi-laws. That went pretty fast. Then we listened to some speaker that was at Dallas with Kelly. It was really interesting because it was about a guy who had everything he could have ever wanted yet he found himself sitting in his bathroom contemplating suicide. Although it was sad, it was good to know that there are people out there that have some of the same problems that other normal people do.

After the meeting, a bunch of us went out to dinner. It was so much fun. We all had a really good time, and I can not wait to see what comes out of our class caucuses.

posted by Allison Q @ 6:20 PM   0 comments

Wednesday

A Change for the Better!!!!!


This semester has been full of drama, and we are doing so many things to try and get our stuff together!

We as a chapter, are really starting to come together now and try to do something to raise the morale of the entire chapter. It feels good to finally be making some steps in the right direction.

I am so ready for the chapter to be back to the way it used to be when I entered.

We have a lot of really good girls, and their potential is limitless. We are going to have an amazing rest of the semester, and I am ready for this change for the better!!!!!

posted by Allison Q @ 8:11 AM   0 comments

The Judicial Process



The judicial process is very intricate and somewhat hard to explain. We never have judicial hearings unless a girl has displayed, on several occasions, that she is not upholding the moral conduct of the Delta Zeta Sorority. If someone so chooses to bring a woman to J-Board, that woman must write a letter that spells out each rule in the Code of Regulations that the woman has been in conflict with.

It's very confidential. The woman that is being brought before J-Board does not and will not know who wrote the letter. It is possible, however, that the woman may be able to find out about the letter by process of elimination, and when that happens no one wants to be around.

Anyways, a woman writes a letter to J-Board, and the comittee convenes as soon as it can. The women who are selected to sit on J-Board, one from each class, are read the letter that was submitted. The four women then decide what the punishment will be for the member in question.

After the punishment is set by the J-Board, they take the ruling to the executive board. From there, the exec board makes a decision on whether or not the punishment that has been decided is fair.

It is a process that no one enjoys going through, however, sometimes it must be done. We, as a chapter, have to work together to maintain and strive for the highest excellence with Delta Zeta, and there are just some girls who are not able to meet that.

posted by Allison Q @ 7:20 AM   0 comments

Monday

Bad Night Last Night!


Last night was Heather's wake, and let me tell you it was a lot harder than I could have ever imagined.

We, as a chater, drove to Mexico Missouri. When we got there, there was a line to even get into her room. We all stood in line for about a half an hour. When we got into the room, there was so much Delta Zeta stuff decorating not only the room, but the casket itself. We all lost it. When we got up to the casket we got the chance to meet her parents. It was so hard. When I hugged her dad he wouldn't let go. I just cried on his shoulder. It was even worse when I got to her mom. She hugged me and lost it on my shoulder. She kept saying how much Heather loved Delta Zeta. It was quite possibly the hardest thing to hear. I let her know that if she ever needed anything that we would all be here for her.

I guess in a way, this shows all of us how important the bond of sisterhood really is. It puts a lot of things into perspective, and I think it made all of us a little bit more thankful for the people that we have in our lives.

WE LOVE YOU HEATHER AND YOU WILL BE MISSED BY ALL......YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WILL ALWAYS BE IN OUR PRAYERS.....DZ LOVE ALWAYS, ALLISON!

posted by Allison Q @ 8:20 AM   0 comments

Saturday

Oh what a day!




Today was quite possibly the longest day that I have had in a long time!

It was our grand opening at our work, and it was so freaking busy I had no time to even go outside and smoke a cigarette.....oh darn...right?

After I got of work, I went with my to this trick or treat thing for little kids. Holy crap, I don't think that I have ever been so bored. I enjoyed the company I was with, but wow was I bored.

The wake is tomorrow, and I honestly don't know how I am going to handle it. I have been to way too many of these things in the last couple of years. It is almost to the point where it doesn't phase me anymore, but I know that if I don't go I will regret it. It is just a terrible feeling to loose someone that young.

I am so tired, and I have an even longer day tomorrow. No meeting, however we are all driving out to Mexico Missouri to pay our respects to Heather. It is going to be sad, but I am looking forward to meeting the people that could call her a daughter, a sister, and a friend.

posted by Allison Q @ 4:23 PM   0 comments

Thursday

The Loss of a Sister!


Today is a bad day! I was walking to my first class, and my CCD Kathy called my phone in tears. I knew that something was wrong. She told me that one of the girls from the Iota Xi chapter passed away last night in a car accident.

Heather Brandow, was a 22 year old senior at UMSL. She was one of the most amazing people that I have ever met. She helped us so much with our recruitment. She was there for us on our preference party, and helped us all remember our lines. She was such an amazing girl.

We have a memorial service for her tonight, and I am pretty sure that the services our going to be this weekend.

It is so sad. I don't know what to say or do!

All of our hearts and prayers are with her family and all of our sisters at the Iota Xi chapter!

WE LOVE YOU HEATHER!!!!!!

****If you click on the title of this entry it will take you to Heather's memorial page********

posted by Allison Q @ 12:38 PM   0 comments

Wednesday

Founders Day!


Yesterday was our founders day. Our sorority was founded on October 24, 1902.

It was really a neat experience to be able to be with all of the collegiate Delta Zetas from this area, and all of the alums. It was special because there was one lady there who recieved the Order of the Pearl last night. That means that she has been in Delta Zeta for 65 years. She was so cute. She got her certificate and just had to give a speech. She was so little and quiet, but she was so funny.

I think the most important thing that she said in her speech was that she had been in the sorority for six and a half decades, and there was not one day in which she regretted joining Delta Zeta.

I don't think that there was a dry eye in the house. It was really neat because we got to sing some of our favorite songs and we lit candles for our six founders. It was really neat.

It was a good night for the most part, however we got back to campus and were called directly into and executive board meeting. It started off really sour. Right now there is a lot of drama that is going on, and there are things that we need to do as an executive board to fix it. The sorority has a great chance to be full of wonderful girls, and nothing but good times. I know that might be a stretch, but it is definitely something worth fighting for!

posted by Allison Q @ 8:02 AM   1 comments

Monday

A Much Needed Break!


We usually have meetings every Sunday night. Mine usually last all night, because I have my New Member meeting, then I go straight to Exec, and then we have our Chapter meeting. Sunday's are always so long.

We didn't have our meetings yesterday, and I can not even begin to explain how amazing it was to have a Sunday to not think about Delta Zeta. I got so much accomplished; it was great.

One thing that I hate about holding a position is reports. Every office has a certain amount of reports that have to be completed by a certain date. It is tough trying to get all them finished. I like to think that my office is pretty easy, however, getting all the information that I need to fill out my reports is like pulling teeth. I have to get information from all of our new girls. I am not going to lie, getting the information is the hardest part because half of these girls won't answer their phones, and they sure as heck don't check their emails......oh well! It's hard work man!

I am just glad that we had a little break. I got all of my homework done, and that means I can go to this special party that we are having tonight. It's a girls night in party, and I am so excited. It is going to be a good time, and a chance for all of the sisters to be together and have a blast while doing it!

posted by Allison Q @ 6:16 AM   0 comments

Saturday

Parent's Day



Today was amazing.

Of course we started out running on Delta Zeta time; so we were running late. We had to bring tables and chairs over to the loft and set it all up. Not to mention all of the decorations. We all came together and worked reallyhard, and we got it set up on time. The room looked great.

The first thing that everyone did was go straight over to the auction tables and place their bids. It was a mad rush. Everyone by that point was starving. We said our grace and the food table was mobbed. After that, we started in on the introductions. Kathy, our CCD, introduced the executive board members. I took all of the pins that we got, and handed them out to our new members; they were so excited.

After all of the talking people swarmed the tables and the gloves came off. People were running around like crazy making sure that they got the items that they really wanted. It was hillarious to see the girls just standing at the tables battling it out over something that they really wanted.

The bidding finally came to a stop, and the sheets were collected. In the end the chapter raised about $1400. It was the best auction we have had in a long time.

Then we awarded people for their best costumes, and collected all of the money for the gifts.

It was a great day. Everyone had a blast and we wade money doing it!

posted by Allison Q @ 12:43 PM   0 comments

Friday

Long Day!



Today was so long. I had class all day, and then I had to go to work.

Everyone is really excited about tomorrow. We have our DZ family day tomorrow. All of our families come together for lunch and games. We also have one of our biggest ways and means of the year. We have a silent auction that usually raises us somewhere around $1,000.

It is so much fun, and I am really looking forward to it. The theme this year is monster mash. We are all supposed to dress up in our Halloween costumes, but I don't have one. Oh well!

It is going to be a good time, but now I have to go to bed!!!!!!!

posted by Allison Q @ 7:35 PM   0 comments

Thursday

Oh Geez!


I just found out that we, as a chapter are going to be having a chapter consultant in November.

The job of a consultant is to come in and review each office with its officer. For example, my office is New Member Education. Basically I will be sitting down with her and going over all of my manuals, and telling her what I plan on doing with my office for the upcoming semester!

It is really a good time to be able to meet someone that has been with Delta Zeta for so long.

The girls that come and do this really know what they are talking about, and they give a lot of really good insight to what we can do to make our chapter better!

posted by Allison Q @ 9:45 AM   1 comments