Independence Day

I've often wondered, from my freshman year on, what college life is like for people who aren't in fraternities and sororities... the often referred to "GDIs."

For me, my entire college social life has been wrapped up in the Greek system. I have had little brothers, little sisters, bigs, and siblings. I parade around campus every Wednesday in my jersey. I live with sisters and have made some of the best friends I will ever have in Greek organizations. I will spend hours shopping for a themed party or social, or a formal dress (and please don't tell me other girls don't spend hours shopping... let's be realistic), and if I can't find anything or am strapped for cash, hey, I'll just send out a message to all 150 of my sisters to see who can lend me something. No biggie.

But while talking to a friend (aka the little bro), we started wondering how different and similar our college experiences were to theirs.

Sure, I'm sure they go out, drink, study, just the same as we do. But do they attend themed parties on a regular basis? Do they have any formal events... ever? How about the trends? Do they ever "frat it up?" When they see a tan, skinny, blonde-and-straight-haired girl with a Panhellenic Poof in said hair, Sperrys on her feet, and Vera on her back, do they know, as I do, that she must be in a sorority?

I guess the thing that is most difficult to understand for me is where they make their friends? Where do they get their potential dating interests? I know that as a proud sorority girl, I shouldn't be perpetuating the stereotype of Greeks as people who pay for their friends, but in a way, we are. Joining a Greek organization doesn't guarantee that you'll get friends, but it's definitely an effective way to make friends. When you first join, everyone's trying to get to know you and you try to get to know them. They bring you around different fraternities and you make friends there too. They've got a vested interest in you. I've never made a friend in class, nor in any other on campus clubs I'm in. I can't imagine dating someone from a job. Would a GDI think it's weird that I think that?

I don't really know how a different kind of college experience works, but I know that for me, being a Greek was a fit. I have more friends than I know what to do with, and I have something to do most of the time.

Jenuinely yours,
Jen

Edit: Several people have commented basically saying that I'm attacking the GDIs. Independents. Whatever you want to call them. Sorry if that gives off that impression. Please note that this post is all about me wondering. This is what parts of my life are like. It's not an attack on yours, it's wondering how yours works because it's not something I've experienced.

Feeling Jenial (I think this makes 5 name puns now)

I'm totally stealing this idea from another blog:

5 little things that make me happy right now:

1. Cheap, brightly-colored, birthday wrapping paper. It's my best friend's 21st birthday tonight at midnight and I have her present wrapped and sitting in my living room. I got the paper at the Dollar Tree, and it's covered in stars, wavy patterns, the words "Happy Birthday" and bright colors. I can't stop smiling when I look at it

2. Doing well on my diet. Ok, so I know that Weight Watchers' slogan is "Stop Dieting, Start Living," so they'd probably hate that I referred to it as such, but that's basically what I think of it as. I've done it before and gone from a size 7, to a size 3, where I was happiest, but I've slipped back to a 5, which isn't bad, but I'm also not as happy with my body as I was. I'm really proud of how well I'm doing so far.

3. I'm entertained because as I was writing this, a Weight Watchers commercial came on. I love little coincidences like that.

4. My room is slowly getting in order. So far, today I've taken all of the trash out of it, and the recyclables (20 empty water bottles, can you believe that?), washed my sheets, gotten the empty cups into the dishwasher, and sorted my clean clothes into piles depending on which drawer they belong in. Just have to put the rest of the clothes away!

5. Matthew Mcconaughey shirtless. I really don't think this one needs an explanation.

Jenuinely yours,
Jen

Out of the Closet

I don't know if any of you know this about me, but I am a closet organizational freak.

There's just one problem... This is my closet:


And this is my room:

(that's unaltered... except for the fact that I hid a bra or two)

But despite all of that, I love-- no, I passionately adore organizational tools. I'm the proud owner of a Palm Tungsten. I routinely organize the pictures on my computer. My Blackberry is among my most prized possessions.

I don't discriminate, though! I love old-school organization tools just as much. A dry-erase calendar (completely with corkboard strip!) hangs in my kitchen. I swoon over spiral notebooks (especially 5-subject one) and pretty binders. I love pockets in dresses and I love them in bags.

And this is about to enter my life:


I love Vera. And I don't think there's anything that quite compares to the feeling of putting pen to paper when planning your day. I just feel so adult and grown-up. I can't wait until it gets here.

Jenuinely yours,
Jen

MAXImizing My Wardrobe

So, let's talk about Maxi dresses.

I had no idea that that's what they were called until about a half hour ago. Up until then I knew them simply as "those weird long dresses some girls wear." Depised them.

And yesterday, I bought one.
I passed by it when I was scouring the racks at Plato's Closet back home. Saw the color. Saw the belt. Was entranced. Yanked it out and felt my face fall. It was one of those long dresses. I hate those long dresses!

So, I continued on my way searching for a casual strapless dress to wear out to a bar, or random college party. I found a couple, don't get me wrong, but that dress-- that stupid, long dress called to me. The color was perfect. The belt was fabulous. I had to at least try it on.

I tried. It fit. It still had original tags. It was a designer dress by Sky that originally cost $215, that was now $20. And, not to toot my own horn or anything, but it looked fantastic on me. How could I resist?

I was curious as to exactly how these dresses became trendy, and I think Diva Village hit the nail on the head. They're "romantic." They're whimsical. Most of the ones I had seen before had prints, which haven't been my style for a while, but I'm a sucker for a plain casual dress.

However, I think that they also hit the nail on the head when they said that petite girls (definitely me at 5'2"), may want a shorter dress.

So, I'm keeping the dress. I may wear it long once. But after that I'll have it hemmed to about knee-length for me in all of my petite glory.

Jenuinely yours,
Jen