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November 11th every year I try to remember to wear brown, mode (light brown) and pink, the Gamma Phi Beta colors for Founders Day. I'll never forget those two years of my life that I was a member of the Zeta Pi Chapter of Gamma Phi Beta. What initially drew me to it was the idea of doing community service with girlfriends, having more than just classwork to focus on and the fact that my only friend that terrifying first week of college was dead-set on joining. I would never say that I loved it 100% of the time though, but I did care about it a great deal and had more fun than I can even describe.
As I get older the mottos and old fashioned sayings and what it stood for begins to mean more and more to me than they did then though. In college I think I wasn't mature enough to really digest it all. Now, removed from the drama and stress of constantly being around 30-something girls (very few of of whom I had much in common with) and the added pressure of classwork, I think they are closer to my heart. One of which is the "mission" of the sorority, "To promote the highest type of womanhood." At 18, I was barely a woman. At 24, when I take these words to heart they are truly inspiring.
It would be a lie if I said at the time we weren't all more concerned with what everyone thought of us, parties, boys and having a good time. Of course we cared about community service and the organization, but not in the way I think the founders meant it to. Now when I look back on it, what the organization stands for means more to me because it has more relevance to my life. And those sisters that I do make an effort to keep in touch with (probably 2 or 3) mean so much more to me.
So, Happy Founders Day ΓΦΒ in IIKE

H&M Sweater, American Apparel skirt, Wooden Ships scarf, Envy via Modcloth shoes, Gamma Phi Beta pins

At a football game with the Gamma girls in fall 2005