National Rituals Week 2019

This year for National Rituals Celebration Week, we have decided to highlight five of Zeta's nine Key Values through a "A Value A Day" social media series. Our Nine Key Values include Service & Philanthropy, Love, Lifelong Learning, Loyalty, Being Rather than Seeming, Humility, Responsibility, Seeking Understanding, and Leadership. These values are meant to guide Zetas in our everyday lives to be the best women and sisters we can be. Today, we begin with Leadership! In Zeta Tau Alpha, we define a leader as someone who is true to herself, seeks for opportunities to build others up, thinks critically to find the root causes of an issue and works diligently to enact effective solutions. We will hear from both our current President, PC ‘16 Rebecca Petty as well as PC ‘17 Molly Barth on how their membership in Zeta has helped cultivate them into the leaders and women they are today. Follow along this week with both the blog and our Instagram to hear how some of the Zeta Key Values are being lived out everyday within our sisterhood! Happy Monday! :)

-Hartley Reese, Rituals Chairman PC ‘17

Monday: Leadership

A few words from our President, Rebecca Petty PC ‘16:

Leadership is a term that Zeta has helped me define. It has turned me into a better women and helped me channel my ambition. Leadership is not telling someone what to do, but rather helping others fulfill their true potential by guiding a team of people in whatever it is we are pursuing. I saw this value in action first hand while serving on the executive council last year, and that encouraged me along with support from my sisters to take the opportunity to apply to be president this year. I wanted to be able to be a leader and pour into other women who were going to be new on executive council and allow them to see their true potential as I did my first year.  Leading is not easy, it is a skill that has to be built upon and molded to those you are leading. I have learned this lesson throughout my life, but I have not learned more about myself as a leader and what leadership truly means than being apart of this fraternity. It has instilled this value within me and I am forever grateful.

Molly Barth PC ‘17:

Being a part of a sorority that has such genuinely kind, smart, and driven girls is one of the greatest things! In Zeta, you’re surrounded by girls who are motivated to help and do their best. There are so many ways for everybody to get involved. Anybody who wants to, is able to. Some choose to be a leader in the chapter through executive council, programs council, or a variety of committees. Leadership is such a vital part of Zeta, that it is one of our nine key values!

I am currently Director of Membership Enrichment, which basically means I help with things like Value Based Programming as well as maintaining Health and Wellness in the chapter. My favorite part of my position is running Caring Committee, which is basically a way for sisters to look out for each other and make sure girls struggling in anyway have someone there to help them! Everybody goes through things beyond their control and having sisters and friends there to help you is so powerful. The entire chapter works together to ensure that every girl is the best they can be. You’re never alone in ZTA!

Zetas not only rise to the occasion to help lead our chapter, but also bring their leadership across campus and out into the world! For me, the positions I’ve held helped me find a job in a field I have always been interested in, Government!

When I interviewed for my current job working with the legislators and lobbyists at the Capitol in Austin, my now boss, was so amazed by all of the Zeta leadership opportunities on my resume. We talked for almost the entire interview about committees that I was on for our philanthropy, and exactly what I did in them! I have learned so much about being a leader and working with others in my positions in Zeta, and without them I probably wouldn’t have been prepared for my interview or the responsibilities my job now requires.

I love helping to get things done in Zeta, because everyone has the potential and drive to be a leader here. Whether you’re outgoing or shy or have a little bit or a lot of time to give, it takes a variety of leaders to make this chapter successful! I’m so thankful that leadership is a key value in Zeta, and that we all work every single day to truly embrace it.

Dad's Weekend

One of the best things about college is the newfound independence that comes with it—living on your own, managing your own time, and spending time with your friends all day every day. But, every once in a while, it’s nice to have a little slice of home. That’s what Dad’s Weekend was for me.

I loved introducing my dad to all of my friends so he could put names to the faces of my amazing sisters I’ve been spending my freshman year with—my big sister, my future roommates, and girls I’ve grown to be best friends with. He kept telling me after dad’s weekend ended, “Your friends are all awesome. They’re all just really cool, genuine people. They seem like a solid group.” That made me so happy to hear, and made me even more thankful that Zeta brought me such incredible friendships!

My first Zeta dad’s weekend was a welcome change of pace from the go-go-go attitude of college life, with no shortage of fun! On Saturday morning, dozens of Zetas packed into the stands with their dads, all decked out in burnt orange and ready to cheer on the horns. More so than watching the game itself, you could tell that all the dad’s just loved being back in the electric, energetic college environment. The spirit and culture at UT are something special, and I loved seeing the smiles it brought to all their faces knowing that their daughters are in such a special place.

Saturday night brought our event at Recess, and my dad thought it was just the coolest thing in the world! Free arcade games, endless boxes of pizza, and early 90’s hip hop blasting through the speakers? It was like watching a kid in a candy store! Dads were breaking it down on the dance floor to “Mo Bamba,” even though they had never heard it before. My dad even went up to the DJ stand about 4 times to request “Ice Ice Baby,” and danced harder than I’ve ever seen when they finally played it! I was cracking up!

I personally found it so interesting and funny matching people with their parents; some of them are exactly like their daughters, and some not at all! My dad made good friends with some other PC ’18 dads, and they’re keeping in touch. How sweet is that?

I also enjoyed getting to relax and enjoy Austin with my dad one-on-one; we went hiking at Mount Bonnell, enjoyed dessert at The Baked Bear and brunch at True Food Kitchen, golfed at TopGolf with fellow Zeta dads, and I even made him take a Corepower Yoga class with me. Introducing him to my little world here in Austin made me proud to be a Longhorn all over again, and reminded me how much I love it here!

Sometimes, getting back to your roots and spending quality time with family can be just the breath of fresh air you need. We love you Zeta dads!

ZLAM, Katie Berger PC ’18

New Years in NOLA

On New Year’s Eve, my Zeta sisters and I loaded into two cars and drove to New Orleans to support the Longhorn Football Team in the Sugar Bowl. Spending time with my best friends, exploring the French Quarter, eating delicious food, and watching Texas beat Georgia made for an amazing trip!! 

After we arrived in New Orleans, we unpacked our bags and began walking around the city. Sarah, Kelly, Jenson, Tatum, and I indulged in some Cajun food for dinner, and rung in the new year with lots of laughter and fun. Beads were flying from balconies as Texas and Georgia fans filled the streets. We also ran into some of our older Zeta sisters and alumnae! 

On New Year’s Day, we walked around the French Quarter. There was lots of live jazz music, palm readers, street performers, shops, and restaurants. We stopped at a seafood restaurant for lunch, and then began to get ready for the Sugar Bowl. 

At the game, it was amazing to see so much burnt orange fill the stadium. I find it remarkable how so many fans traveled to support the Longhorns. My Zeta sisters and I spent much of the game screaming and jumping up and down. The excitement of the game was absolutely crazy! Bevo couldn’t quite contain his excitement either, and he busted out of his enclosed area. After beating Georgia, Sam Ehlinger exclaimed, “We’re baaaaack!” and the stadium went absolutely wild. 

I had an incredible time exploring New Orleans and supporting the longhorns with my Zeta sisters. I am excited to spend spring break and many more trips with my best friends and sisters!

Zlam,
Anna Carter
PC '17

Freshman Year Update!!

One of the best pieces of advice I was given during recruitment week was to look around at the other girls going through recruitment during the last few days and see if you could envision them as your potential sisters. When I went to Zeta on pref night, this could not have been more true. The first girl I met on pref night now happens to be one of my best friends, roommate for next year, and future bridesmaid. When I saw her on bid day, I immediately knew I made the right choice. The rest of bid day was a little overwhelming. I was surrounded by so many amazing women, my new sisters! After soaking in the excitement from bid day, my pledge class headed to a new member retreat, and I’ve never felt so much love from a group of people in my life. We all went around sharing embarrassing stories from the past week, and I instantly saw the humour and friendship that I would soon be apart of. From bid day on, I knew I would find my place on such a big campus through all of the zeta love!

Now here comes the sappiness: I knew this was my home away from home. From going to football games with my sisters, or studying all night at the PCL, the strong bonds I have made with my zeta sisters is what’s gotten me through my first semester at UT. For those days where everything in my world seemed to be going wrong, being with my best friends is something I can always look forward to. I’ve come to realize that the small moments really do matter and enjoying genuine company from my friends in zeta is everything to me.  

Flash forward to initiation. My pledge class and I got together to talk about how zeta has impacted our lives. It was then I felt the impact of how important zeta is to each of us. Zeta is so much more than just a group of girls to take pictures with or something to put on your resume. Zeta is an organization that brings you close to empowering women to do life with; girls to laugh with, cry with, and take on anything that comes our way. I am so thankful to be apart of something so much greater than myself.

Zlam <3 3="" span="">

Sophie Luce

PC '18

Texas OU Weekend!

If you're a student at UT, you were inevitably counting down the days until TX OU weekend. This weekend is unparalleled to any other weekend out of the year when it comes to anticipation, excitement, and of course, rivalry. I was so ready for the weekend to begin, not only for the game, but also for a quick trip back to my hometown, Dallas, TX! I had been to previous Red River Showdowns growing up, but I was finally ready to take on my first OU game as a student. On Friday, a big group of my closest friends loaded a charter bus and headed to Dallas. I was more than ready to make unforgettable memories with some of my Zeta sisters, and hopefully come back to Austin victorious.

Normally one wouldn’t love the idea of waking up as early as 8:00 am on a Saturday, but my sisters and I woke up full of energy and excitement for a day like no other. From taking game day photos with my sisters and loading the bus once again to head to the state fair, I was prepared to see what this weekend was all about. As we entered the State Fair, almost every person was wearing burnt orange (hook em!) or red. The crowds were a bit overwhelming, but it was an adrenaline rush to say the least. The excitement was contagious as students were chanting the fight song in our stadium seats, throwing up the horns, and smiling all around. I felt pride walking into the stadium as a longhorn and I was ready to cheer on our team in the student section.

As soon as we entered the stadium I ran into several of my new Zeta friends. I loved seeing my sisters throughout the game in the stands, and especially those on the field dancing and cheering! This game was especially exciting and special for me because Lil’Jordan Humphrey, UT’s junior wide receiver, happened to attend my high school when I was on the drill team. The fact that we were once again pulling for the same team was an awesome experience.  The Red River showdown might have been the best performance I’ve seen from our football team, and Lil’Jordan. He had 133 receiving yards on nine catches this game, and made the first passing touchdown of the game! The fourth quarter was the most exciting and nerve wracking part of my entire weekend as Texas and OU were tied. As soon as Texas made the winning field goal, the stadium erupted with excited longhorn fans. WE WON! I was sitting next to my Zeta sister, Caroline Cantrell, who was just as nervous as I was, and this was definitely a relieving moment. Everyone was yelling, hugging one another, and filled with pride to be a longhorn.

As if the day wasn’t enough, Saturday night consisted of dressing up for a formal and celebrating the huge win with some of my best friends in Dallas. I had such an incredible time during TX OU weekend as a freshman, and it will be a weekend I will never forget. I am counting down the days until next year!

XOXO, 

Brooke Devoe, PC ‘18

What to Expect for Recruitment

Recruitment is right around the corner! Some people may feel excited for the next chapter of their lives, while others might be feeling nervous or a bit overwhelmed. There is absolutely no reason to be nervous (I felt the same way before recruitment). The women in each house are ecstatic for you to be coming and are just looking to get to know you! Be yourself and focus on meeting new people, especially those who are in your recruitment group. Prepare to get lots of love and smiles. You will meet some amazing women and establish friendships that will last a lifetime. The first stop on the recruitment week journey is convocation, which you went through tonight. Next up is the first official round of recruitment: open house.

OPEN HOUSE:

                                 

This round takes place the first two days of the week. You will visit all 14 sorority houses over the course of the first two days. Panhellenic requires that you go to every house, so don’t skip any houses! You will be with your recruitment group for the entirety of the two days. You’ll walk from house-to-house together, and then lineup alphabetically when you arrive at each house waiting for the party to start. When the recruitment guide (also called a Rho Gam) knocks on the door three times, you will be completely silent. Then, the house will explode with cheering and banging as the doors swing open. The president of the sorority, the recruitment captain, and another member of the recruitment team will step onto the porch and welcome you to their house. The house will erupt with chanting! As you walk through the door,  you will be greeted and picked up by the girl you will be talking to that day. Every house does it differently, but at the ZTA House--get ready for lots of hugs.

Tips: Be sure to hydrate! There is water provided outside of every house, DRINK IT! It is hot and you do not want to get sick or feel lightheaded because it is a Texas summer -- SIZZLING. Also, it’s helpful to jot down some notes on your phone after each house to remember who and what you talked about.

Once you complete the second day of open house, you’ll go to the UTC (University Teaching Center) and rank the 10 houses you felt the most connected to and enjoyed the most!

PHILANTHROPY:

Philanthropy is another two-day round. These are the days that you will be learning about each sorority’s philanthropy. ZTA’s philanthropy is breast cancer education and awareness. Our philanthropy is extremely important to us because men and women all over the world, including many of our sisters have been impacted by breast cancer in some way, and we strive to help in any way that we can to fight for a cure. Each house will have a small craft or activity that is centered around their philanthropy. Many houses also prepare a short presentation or some sort of entertainment to illustrate their efforts in raising awareness for their philanthropy. At the beginning of this round, you will go to the meeting place that your recruitment guide designates and get there early that morning to receive your schedule (you can attend a maximum of 10 parties). Your schedule won’t be the same as everyone in your recruitment group, so you’ll be going to each house on your own. If you have time, try mapping out your route from house-to-house ahead of time--especially if you have to catch the bus. There will also be recruitment counselors at every house to help you if you have questions.

This is also the first round that the houses are allowed to offer refreshments other than water. You will typically receive a refreshing, fruity drink (buckets of fancy lemonades and Shirley temples). Make sure to keep drinking the water stationed outside each house. These two days are hectic, but don’t worry because you’re halfway through and the best is yet to come!    

Tips: Try your hardest not to miss the bus that goes from DG to Kappa/Alpha Phi. Trust me, it’s a long run in the summer heat. These two days are important because you can really get a feel of the houses’ personalities.

Once you complete the second day of philanthropy, you’ll go to the UTC and list the 6 houses you liked the best.

SISTERHOOD:

Sisterhood day is when you really start to get an idea of which houses you think you will fit into best. The process is the same as philanthropy. You will go to your meeting spot and get your schedule for the day from your recruitment counselors. Each sorority’s true colors come out this day. The conversations will be deeper than the other two rounds because it is the day before preference night. You become closer to the women and get to know more and more of them. At the ZTA House, we always play a fun game to get to know you better! This day is very important because you will start narrowing down to the two houses whose sisterhoods you can picture yourself joining. This round is where you get an insight into the bond of the women in the houses.

Tips: At this point, it is integral to look around and try to get to know some of the women who are going to the same houses as you because you are getting closer to potentially becoming sisters for life! It is also equally important to be open in your conversations and let your beautiful personality shine through! Also, this is the day where you cut the most houses (4) so pay attention and note the houses that speak to your heart.  

Once you reach the end of sisterhood day, you’ll go to the UTC and rank the top 2 houses you feel the most connected to and could picture yourself in.    

PREFERENCE NIGHT:

Preference Night or “Pref” is the very last night of recruitment and can sometimes be a bit stressful because you may have some difficult decisions to make. This is the night everyone is waiting for. You will go to a maximum of two houses this day. Each house will be decorated elegantly, and everyone will be dressed in more formal attire than the previous days. The houses will present some form of program with testimonials on how their sisterhood transformed their lives. This was my absolute favorite day of recruitment. Today is when lots of women--both PNM’s and actives--will cry, so I would recommend waterproof mascara! I turned on some serious waterworks when I was going through recruitment, that’s for sure. For me, preference night was my favorite night of all recruitment. Both houses that you go to are houses that you have clicked with the best. I remember walking into Zeta and feeling a wave of comfort and belonging. I looked at the women that were sitting at the tables and saw my potential sisters. Also, I saw all the actives hugging and swaying to the music that was playing. I could see the love that they all had for each other which really spoke to me. All of a sudden, the tears started rolling as I felt an overwhelming sense of belonging. I looked to my roommate, Taylor Thorpe, at the table next to me, and I could see that she was feeling the same thing I was. Before we knew it, we were not only roommates, but we were sisters. The best advice I ever received for preference night was to look around at the other PNMs and talk to them while you’re waiting to go inside. Do you get along well with them? Are these the kind of women you would want to be your potential sisters the very next day? Waiting outside of Zeta for me was when I knew that this was my home. The women I talked to outside ended up being my sisters, and I am still so grateful for all of them (shoutout to Kalina, Macey and Taylor).

Tip: It is very important to completely open up during your conversations because it is the last night. Tell the girl(s) you are talking to what you are feeling!

Once you finish pref night, you will immediately go to the UTC and list the sorority where you could see yourself finding your sisters for life as number one.

BID DAY:

    

The happiest and most joyous of days! You arrive at Hogg Auditorium and sit where you find your name tag. The card containing the sorority that gave you a bid is placed on your chair, and you have to sit on it until the presentation is over --the suspense is insane! Once the panhellenic president says to open your envelope, you open it and meet your new sisters in front of the building and all run together to the house! There are loads of hugs and smiles all the way there. You are then greeted by all the actives as they really have been waiting for you all summer and are so excited for you to start your journey!

Tips: Do not bring a lot with you for this day because you won't want to carry all your stuff. A small purse or a simple crossbody with keys and phone is all you'll need!

A Few More Helpful Tips:

Try to accept, pre-recruitment, that your hair won’t stay in place and you’ll sweat all of your makeup off probably before the first house. For anyone worried about that, the first day of recruitment I forgot my makeup touch-ups at home and before the first house, I had managed to sweat off most of my makeup, but I still made it through and had a great time! We are looking for PERSONALITY, not perfect hair or perfect makeup/attire. Be yourself and don’t focus on making yourself look flawless because it’s about what is on the inside that really matters!

You’ll hear these questions every day, whether it be Open House or Bid Day:

• “Where are you from?”
• “What is your major?”
• “What are your hobbies?”
• “What did you do this summer?”

Really try and have fun with it! If you have something fun or crazy to talk about, throw it out there. You never know what you might have in common with someone, and it could be a really memorable story.

Prepare yourself for long days/nights, lots of running, and small talk. Recruitment is a long week, but the sisterhood and support that comes as a result will last forever. We’ve been waiting for you all summer! GO ZETA!

XOXO,

Faith Osterberg PC ‘17

Recruitment Team 2018