ZTA Semi-Formal At Speakeasy

With the end of every semester comes “formal season” and it certainly came quicker than I could have ever imagined. Before I knew it, Zeta Semi-Formal was around the corner and I could hardly contain my excitement. The anticipation built higher and higher the few weeks leading up to the night as we all began asking our dates and looking all over for the perfect dress. All of the plans started to come together and all of a sudden Semi-Formal was here!

The day of Semi-Formal was incredibly cold and rainy, but we were all determined to not let the weather ruin our night! In our coats and gloves, a group of my friends gathered in the beautiful lobby of my dorm, SRD, to take pictures with each other and our dates before we headed off to dinner. Fortunately the SRD Christmas tree had just been put up in the lobby, so we were provided with the perfect backdrop for our pictures. The scene was definitely perfect for the cold and wintery weather. Once we had taken all of the pictures our face muscles would allow, we ran through the cold to our cars to head off to dinner. My group decided that, for Semi-Formal, we wanted to go somewhere special for dinner, so we chose The Oasis on Lake Travis. As soon as we got there and saw the view, we knew that the drive was worth it. I had never seen a sight so beautiful! The dinner provided lots of laughs and delicious food. It was one of my favorite parts of the evening. The Oasis had a beautiful fireplace set up, so after dinner we were able to drink some coffee and hang out with our group for a little longer before it was time to make our way to Speakeasy!

Once we arrived at Speakeasy, the party was in full swing! It was great to see everyone dressed up and looking their best. Everyone looked so beautiful! In true Zeta fashion, there was a photo booth, face painters, and lots of dancing. As the night progressed, it was exciting to see how the crowd was transformed into different animals, fairies, and superheroes by the talented face painters. It was such a blast to get dressed up in boas and hats for the photo booth and get our goofy pictures taken. Afterwards, it was so fun to get to look at the hilarious and candid pictures. There was a live band at Speakeasy who played mostly covers from the 90s, which are, in my opinion, some of the best songs to jam out to. It was great to sing at the top of my lungs and dance like a fool with all of my sisters and best friends!

Overall, it was a great night full of laughter, silly dancing, and memories I will cherish forever. Semi-Formal was the perfect way to finish out the semester with my best friends in Zeta and celebrate an outstanding first semester at UT before the start of exams in December. I’m already so excited for next year!

ZL,

Avery Staples PC ‘13

Throwback Thursday to Austin City Limits!

Thinking back to October fourth through sixth, I start to smile.  Austin City Limits was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. The sheer fact that about 75,000 people attend each day was crazy to me having come from a small town.  However, with bands like Muse, Depeche Mode, The Cure, Kings of Leon, Kendrick Lamar, Phoenix, Artic Monkeys, Lionel Richie, and many more, who can blame the crowd? 

            The first band of the festival I saw was Jimmy Eat World. From “The Middle” and “Sweetness” to their newer songs like “I Will Steal You Back”, I was thoroughly impressed with Jimmy Eat World.  They had a great upbeat vibe and the crowd loved it judging from all the heads bobbing and the hippie mannequin someone held on a stick, dancing around to the songs.

            One band I just have to mention was Muse. Now I’ve always heard they put on a great show, but I certainly underestimated these claims.  After about a thirty-minute technically difficulty with a generator, Muse was up and at it. The light show was incredible, especially to the song “Madness” where Matthew Bellamy had sunglasses on that typed the lyrics to the song as he sang them! I was extremely elated when they played many songs from the album Absolution including “Time is Running Out” and “Falling Away With You”.  I don’t think I could pick a favorite song they preformed but,  “Follow Me” was very well done by Muse. Overall, Muse created a hauntingly perfect rock ambiance that I enjoyed greatly from the fifth row, and it definitely made up for the thirty-minute delay.

            Kodaline, a small band from Dublin, Ireland that I have admired for a few years now, came to ACL on the third day. I woke up early Sunday morning to be in the front row of their show and it definitely paid off! With their Irish wit, nice looks, and great musical talent, I loved every minute of it. I did not want it to end, but another great band was up next. MS MR was unquestionably not what I expected.  As Lizzy Plapinger, lead vocalist, strutted out on stage with her—I kid you not—lime green hair, I thought, “This is going to be a great show.”  I was right.  The energy of the performers and the crowd was so in sync. It was basically like a big party. It felt like more than the band was performing to perform, it band was performing for fun, because they liked doing it.  That is what I love seeing, so MS MR was definitely one of my favorite shows of the festival.  The all-girl, indie pop band Haim, which I adore, was so entertaining.  Even with a few guitar mishaps these sisters didn’t let anything get in their way. You could tell they were having fun too; Este talked about how she just wanted to dance and Alana beat on her drums like it was a game.  I loved the free spirit these girls gave off and it made for a great rest of the festival.

            There are so many other bands I could go on and on about! ACL was truly amazing and I am so happy I attended this year. I loved seeing all my Zeta sisters throughout the festival and hanging out! I cannot wait to go back with them next year. I encourage everyone that goes to ACL to check out the smaller bands earlier in the day because they have some great talent and potential to be huge in the near future!

ZLAM,

Riley Anderson PC ‘13 

Think Pink Week 2013

Monday's Think Pink Chapter Dinner!

The week before the Susan G. Komen’s Race for the Cure is always Think Pink Week at the Zeta house! This years Think Pink Week consisted of a lot of activities and events centered around raising awareness about breast cancer.  

The week started off with an all pink dinner before our chapter meeting on Monday night provided by our great chef, Chef Holly. The Pink fun continued on Tuesday where Zetas wore pink shirts and passed out think pink ribbons on campus. Some of us even went to a Think Pink Cycling class benefitting Susan G. Komen at PureRyde Austin!

On Wednesday we all gathered in the Gregory Gym to watch a presentation on Breast Cancer Education and Awareness. We heard stories from a survivor and great advice on how to stop the onsets of breast cancer from local Ausitn doctors. Thursday Zetas gathered at the Zeta house to make posters for breast cancer survivors that we paraded with in the Race for the Cure on that Sunday.

The last Think Pink Week event Zeta took apart in was running or walking the Race for the Cure, which was conviniently on our Parent's Weekend! It was so much fun sharing our philanthropy with our parents. The race was followed by an amazing Sunday brunch at the Zeta house, featuring delicious pink pancakes, pink deviled eggs, and pink bagels!  This week was not only filled with a lot of fun, but it also raised a lot of awareness for a cause that is near and dear to all of our Zeta hearts.

ZLAM, 

Annie Hukill PC '13

PC '12 Lauren Sanders and her mother Racing for The Cure!

ZTA Think Pink Pure Ryde

Zetas after class with our instructor!

            I couldn’t wait to sign up for the Think Pink cycling class when I heard the Zetas were going to be doing a charity ride. What’s better than getting a good workout while helping out such a great cause like Breast Cancer Education and Awareness!? The cycling class was held at Pure Ryde in Austin and they put on a great class for us. The lights were dimmed, the music was loud, and the energy was high.  

           All the Zetas sported their Think Pink shirts and were all energized and pumped for this awesome workout. We were constantly motivated by our instructor to keep pushing for all the fighters and survivors out there! We would cheer one another on, rooting for our sisters when it was their time to pedal the fastest. This was such an awesome experience for my sisters and I, we all loved being able to stay fit and help out a cause that we hold so close to our hearts. A big thanks to Pure Ryde for holding this cycling class for us! I am sure a lot of Zetas will be back soon!

ZLAM,

Caleigh Campbell PC '13

Kickback with KD

PC '12 Brittany Smith and Kat Jessen
sandwiched between their two KD friends!

Last Saturday was the first afternoon football game of the season. After watching the Texas Longhorns cream the Kansas Jayhawks, my roommate and Zeta sister Brittany Smith and I headed to Kickback with KD. The sorority’s philanthropy event was held in the parking lot of the Kappa Delta house and benefitted Prevent Child Abuse America. 
For five dollars, people could hang out and enjoy some yummy food, Smoothie King and a live band. Brittany and I hit up the food first, of course. Three different local restaurants participated in a competition where people could sample great barbeque and vote on their favorite. All-you-can-eat hotdogs were also served with all the yummy fixings. Smoothing King had a booth with small blueberry and strawberry smoothies as well as delicious lemonade. The band played upbeat country music that went great with the football win, a sunny day, and laidback bash!
The best part was getting to hang out with all of our friends in Kappa Delta. We have several really good friends in the sorority from living at Scottish Rite Dormitory last year. To get the opportunity to hangout while contributing to Prevent Child Abuse America was awesome! It was so great to support another sorority in the panhellenic community, all while having a great time with friends and doing something great for a cause.
ZLAM,
Kat Jessen PC '12

Another TriDelt & Zeta Halloween!

On Thursday October 24th, Zeta Tau Alpha and Tri Delta hosted the annual Halloween date event at Recess downtown. Recess was a great spot for this event because it had 2 floors. It is a very open and unique venue with a great atmosphere, and I could not have thought of a better place for our event. 

PC '13 Zeta sisters getting ready before the event!

 Each girl asked a date to this social, and each couple dressed according to a matching theme. The themes ranged from superman hero costumes such as Batman with Cat Woman to Superman and Wonder Woman. Couples also dressed as Tinkerbelle and Peter Pan, animals and hunters, Kate Middleton and Prince Harry, Barbie and Ken, and much more. Many people purchased or rented costumes from Lucy in Disguise or Buffalo Exchange. Lucy in Disguise is a quirky and fun costume shop on South Congress known for their eloquent costumes. What made the event so great is that everyone went all out in dressing up! We had to get there right when the doors were opening to beat the huge line. The night was a huge success, and everyone had a blast! 

My date was Nick Lednicky, a freshman pledge for Sig Ep. After long planned and thought out discussion, including a trip to Lucy in Disguise of course, we decided that I would be a fairy, and he would be Peter Pan. We really enjoyed going together and planning it out. It was so fun to talk about costumes, especially when meeting up and seeing what everyone wore later that night. Before the date event was a great opportunity for all of the guys and girls to get to know eachother. My friends and I got ready together in our dorms then met out dates at my friend Dana’s apartment before heading downtown. There were about 25 of us. This smaller group setting before the event was really nice because it allowed us to meet and get to know new boys as well as have some fun in a smaller setting! Although our dates were from all different fraternities, many girls brought dates from the same fraternity intentionally so they had some friends there too! After Dana’s apartment, we all took taxis together to Recess. Nick and I had so much fun and could not have asked for a better night! 

ZLAM,

Nicole Carrabba PC '13 

PC '13 Nicole Carraba with her date, and Lindsey Schiff with hers! (From left to right)

How Zeta Gave Me Strength

            Majority of sorority girls, when asked, will be glad to tell you why their sorority has had an impact on their lives. Most will respond with a tale of sisterhood, love, and care. Sororities are organizations that foster connections, and close friendships. But for me, Zeta Tau Alpha has proved itself to be much more than just a network, but a family that stood by me in my time of need.
            It was a Thursday night in early September. I was in the middle of getting ready to go out with my sisters, and was in a heated debate on the pros and cons of my new LBD when I got a call from my mom. I knew something was off in that moment- my mom never called late on Thursdays, especially when she knew I was going to be out with my friends. And she wasn’t ever a big caller- she was a texter that loved her emojis. Needless to say, I was uneasy as I answered the phone.
            “Don’t say anything to your sister,” Were her first words. “But, Ashley has leukemia. No one knows yet, but I thought you should know.”

PC '13 Alaina Smith (right) with her
cousin Ashley Wiltsey (left)

            Ashley Wiltsey. My favorite cousin, and childhood best friend- as soon as I moved to Texas, we were inseparable. She was a 21 year old senior at Stephen F. Austin, studying biology. She was absolutely hysterical, beautiful, and had the sweetest soul I had ever met. There was no way she had cancer- I had just spent time with her, laughing about guys, and comparing running techniques.
            The next few hours were a blur- there were many tears, unanswered questions, and no sleep to be found. Once the sky had turned reasonably bright, I sent out a text to the one person I felt I could count on in that chaotic moment- my New Member Chair, Ashley Allison.
            She responded immediately, and met with me at the Zeta house. It was a conversation that gave me peace and hope. I immediately felt the comfort and love of my sisters; the next chapter meeting, the news of my cousin’s diagnosis was announced, and the flood of love and support that followed was astounding. The reminder of my sisters’ prayers helped me deal with the craziness of my mom staying in Dallas for Ashley’s treatment, while my dad and sister and I stayed in Austin, my brother living far away in New York... But, it wasn’t until 12 days later when I realized how much I emotionally needed my family- including my sorority sisters.
            On Tuesday, September 24^th my sweet cousin Ashley Wiltsey went back to God only 12 days after her diagnosis of Leukemia. It was due to a cerebral hemorrhage caused from the complications of the cancer, and her chemotherapy drugs. I can’t come to sort out or describe the feelings that followed in the week after- the absolute despair I wallowed in, the panic I felt walking into the funeral of the cousin I didn’t truly believe was gone, the hopelessness of seeing my aunt and uncle sob uncontrollably.  After the funeral, the time I spent with my family was bittersweet- we had some closure, but we couldn’t shake the feeling of loss and grief, even as we showered each other with love. We were apprehensive about leaving each other- leaving the only support system we had that understood all of the shock and sadness.
            But, as soon as I walked into the Zeta house that Monday, I knew. I knew I hadn’t left my sole support system behind- it was right there in front of me. 250 plus girls, all willing to give me the understanding and sympathy only a true sister could give. From ice cream dates to cry-fests, my sisters helped me to start healing. And I think that circumstances like this are the ones that are meant to be- I was given so many awesome sisters to deal with the loss of one amazing cousin. My cousin never did join a sorority, but she was so proud of me that I did.
            It’s the little moments in the day that I live for- the moments where I’m laughing with my sisters, cracking jokes in the chapter room, or going to mixers during the week. I can always picture her right next to me, laughing her infectious laugh, making fun of the frat guys, or rolling her eyes at my dumb jokes.
            Everyday has been a journey since Ashley left me, but everyday it gets a little easier. I can honestly say that without Texas Zeta, I would be still dwelling in the first steps of grief, but because of the amazing women I am surrounded by, I know that I can get through this period of mourning. Because of the amazing women I am around, I know that there is a light at the end of this tunnel. Ashley might be gone, but I know now that I am living for both of us- and I can’t imagine a better way to honor her than to live my life to the fullest, surrounded by the love I have for my sisters.
            To my sisters, I want to say thank you. Thank you for everything you’ve given me. You are all amazing people, with strong spirits and warm hearts. I couldn’t imagine my life without every single one of you. Whether it’s the happiest of days, or the saddest, I will always be proud to be one of you. ZLAM.
            There is a Native American proverb that goes, “They are not dead who live in the hearts they leave behind.” I absolutely agree- and even though my heart might hurt, I know that her memory lives on inside of it. It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later. Rest in Peace, Ash. I love you. 11.30.91-9.24.2013

ZLAM,
Alaina Smith PC '13

R.I.P. Ashley Wiltsey

Zetas Take On Pure Pilates Austin!

PC '13 Cicely Quade, Alaina Smith, Dana Carstens
and PC '12 Brittany Smith (from left to right) 

            Recently, my sisters and I had the opportunity to attend a Pilates session at Pure Pilates, a brand new studio in West Campus. As we entered the studio, my sisters and I were super excited to get started with our workout! Since we were all new to Pilates, we were eager to see what it would be like, and how in the world we would be using the eight crazy looking machines sitting in front of us! Most of us had seen these machines or heard of them being used by celebrities, like Kim Kardashian, so we were ready to find out what it was all about.

             After a few minutes of learning how to use the Pilates machines, it was time to work out! We immediately jumped into total ab burning exercises and were instantly sweating! There were two types of exercises, the isolated movements which targeted certain body parts and the total body movements that really pushed you to your limit! By far, my favorite was the isolated movements. During the entire workout, we could definitely feel “the burn” with these strange, yet really fun exercises.Our instructor explained that there are hundreds of variations that can be done on the machines, so that no two classes at Pure will ever be the same.

            This was an awesome experience and I was surprised at how upbeat the class was! Throughout the workout we listened to fun pop music that definitely kept you motivated. Our instructor, Allison, was really encouraging and kept pushing us through these exercises. Luckily, we also had the motivation of our sisters to get us through! By the time our 45 minute class was over, we were all super exhausted and really sore, but excited to try out another class!

            To finish up, we ended with some much needed stretching that felt great on our already sore bodies! Overall, the Pilates experience was great! It was so much fun trying a new workout while getting to spend some time with my sisters! I think it is safe to say, we will definitely be signing up for another class and we are ready to conquer another workout on the Pilates machines!

ZLAM,

Brittany Smith PC '12