Sister’s Retreat: Corn Mazes and Waffles and Bunnies Oh My!

Photo Courtesy of Alli Grubbs (Alpha Omega)

Written By Brittany Lyons, Alpha Omega Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma (Florida State University)

It’s that time of the semester where everyone is trying to keep afloat in the barrage of class work, recitals, performances, football games, meetings, and so on. I feel like we’re all holding our breath for Thanksgiving break, when we’ll be able to take a day to reflect on what makes us thankful, eat a slice of homemade pie, and then plunge right back in to finish the last stretch of the semester. But Thanksgiving shouldn’t be the only time that we think about all of the amazing people and moments in our lives, and it also shouldn’t be the only break we have either.

Here at Florida State, our chapter’s MEP committee gave us just that last week when we had our Fall 2013 Sister’s Retreat at Aunt Louise’s Farm in Waukeenah, Florida. In case you’re wondering, Aunt Louise’s Farm is this cute little place with a corn maze and lots of animals to feed and pet. We took a day trip over there last Saturday and got to cuddle with baby rabbits, play around in a corn pit, and eat delicious corn waffles (think of a healthier, non-fried version of a funnel cake).

Like many college kids, quite a few sisters are pet-deprived for the time being so the bunnies were perfect stress-busters. The trip there was the perfect way to recharge, and it felt so nice to just relax with sisters and enjoy the day. Our MEP committee did such a fantastic job of planning the whole event, and it made me realize that we need to take those moments to pause and appreciate the sisterhood we have. We found each other because we love music and service, but we could all still do those things on our own. The bond we’ve created, though, is unique and can only be achieved from making memories together.

The day-to-day stresses fade away when you have an opportunity to spend an afternoon with your brothers or sisters, and the experiences that you share reinvigorate you so that you can get back to work. So here’s what the trip helped me realize: I’m thankful for a chance to celebrate the beauty of the world around us—a gorgeous fall sun dipping below tall rows of corn, the soft fluff of a bunny resting in your hands, and your closest friends around you.

By the end of the trip I’m pretty sure some of us wanted to adopt the bunny as our unofficial chapter mascot! All kidding aside, though, it’s so easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of activities, classes, and work that we all do during the fall, and spending a few hours together without working on a project is a fantastic way to remind us all how much we have in common.

There’s so much to be thankful for, including each and every one of my 29 sisters. This month I’m going to try to keep that in mind. No matter how crazy or stressful school gets, we have each other.

Unity Week: Strengthening the Bond

Written By Lilio Camere, Gamma Nu Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi (Florida State University)

Every semester, there’s a very special time that rolls around for ΚΚΨ and ΤΒΣ at The Florida State University: Unity Week. While Gamma Nu and Alpha Omega work together year-round, it’s often difficult to find time to get together as Brothers and Sisters. We try and devote this week to more social events, strengthening our bond outside of serving the bands.

From left: Jennifer Gaudreau, Catherine Hertz, Lilio Camere, and Adam Quintanilla celebrate Unity Week

One of the many highlights of Unity Week is the fact that we host two different Family Nights, one for each organization. Since those in the bond here have both a Big Brother and a Big Sister, these events allow people to spend time with both of their families. Each event is as unique as the family hosting it, but most involve food and conversation, just like any family gathering. This is also one of the first opportunities that Candidates get to see Brothers and Sisters socializing as a family and get to see the individual spark that make each group special. These Family Night events also roll right into Big/Little Day. It’s always nice to be reminded that people care about you and want to see you succeed. Whether it’s giving your Big a gift as thanks for all their support, or bringing your Little a treat as a reward for the work they’ve done, Big/Little Day is all about your personal relationship and how you decide to show your appreciation for each other.

Unity Week wouldn’t be complete without a barbecue of some kind. While in the Spring the Candidates from both organizations help jointly organize an Alumni Picnic, in the Fall the Brothers and Sisters organize an event. This semester a pumpkin carving barbecue was held and allowed us to relax outdoors and work together on something outside the spectrum of band. This barbecue ends up being a lot like our closing event, Sunday’s bonfire, where Brothers, Sisters, and Candidates get to get some fresh air and socialize once more before the week is done.

Finally, there’s Candidate Class Night, a nighttime event where the joint candidate classes from both organizations get to hang out once again and go out for a nice dinner. During your Candidacy semester it’s a great time to get to know your Candidate Brothers and Sisters better, and in the semesters following, it’s a great trip down memory lane with those people who were beside you on your journey. These events help to remind us that we are not only two parallel organizations working towards greater bands, but also people in our right. Unity is not only relating to the opposite organization and working alongside them, unity is when you can relate to others as people in the bond and remember why you first wanted to join these organizations.

-We’d love to hear from the rest of SED–how do you stay united with your brothers and sisters? What kind of events do you create for spending time together?