"Big Sister"

[amanda6035]

I get to be a "Big Sister" again.... :D I just found out that an AI I'm sponsoring has been approved!

Anybody have any advice on mentoring an AI? I'm trying to get information from all the alum associations in the area to take her out to meet the other alumnae women....

[navane]

Congratulations!

I know that, when I was first initiated, I sometimes felt a bit like the odd one out. I didn't know a lot of the traditions, procedures, songs, etc. It may help your "little sis" if you guided her along as she learns Alpha Xi Delta's customs. For example, explain to her what to expect during formal meetings, how the Founders Day lunch normally goes, help her with the songs and so on.

Definitely make sure she gets plugged in to a nearby alumnae association so that she can start building friendships and enjoynig the sisterhood.

Congrats again!

.....Kelly :)

[amanda6035]

Atlanta actually has 4 alumnae associations, and I'm taking her to one of their fall kick off events this Saturday. I'm getting the NMOC from my chapter to give me an extra new member binder to go over with her - I was NMOC my senior year (last year) so I dont think I'll have a problem showing her the ropes. I'm so excited to be able to do this again!

[AlphaFrog]

I really think your goal when sponsoring an AI should be to make it so that when they're talking with other sisters right after initiation, they aren't any different, sorority knowledge/history wise, than someone who was just initiated as an undergrad.

[amanda6035]

Absolutely! One of the things I learned during the course of being an undergrad and seeing new sisters come into the chapter, is sometimes, somethign would come up that I knew, and assumed it was common knowledge, and of course, one of the newer sisters wasn't aware of that particular thing. So last year, when I was NMOC, I tried to be as thorough as possible during NM meetings without making them seem like boring history lessons, so that way, i tried to do my part to teach them as much as possible. We did Alpha Xi jeopardy at chapter retreat, and it was after big/lil revealing, so the big sisters had to help out the littles with the answers. Of course, that wont work for my AI little, so I've got to come up with a creative way to teach her the facts and fun stuff....

I'm planning on meeting with her as often as I can, and having "mini" new member meetings where we can discuss stuff. But I want to make it fun for her too.

To the AI's out there - how did your mentor help you along the way? What ways did she teach you, what kind of outings did y'all do and how did she enrich your experience?

[adpiucf]

I think it is really nice you are doing that. I don't think most sponsors would take their role to heart quite that way. I think teaching her songs and traditions are huge. History can be learned from all of the written materials out there.

I think it would be really, really nice if she could participate with a local collegiate chapter to attend a philanthropy event with them and to attend a recruitment workshop just to learn how collegiate chapters do recruitment. It would be great to connect her with a local collegiate chapter either way so she can participate in some short or long term alumnae support, sit in on workshops, assist at recruitment and get a feel for what collegiate life is all about, as well as being active as an alum association member.

Maybe you two can plan an alum-collegiate mixer together.

And make her some silly sorority stuff-- decorate a candy tin or paint a pin box. She may be too old for such things, but it is part of being a sorority girl! :)

[amanda6035]

And make her some silly sorority stuff-- decorate a candy tin or paint a pin box. She may be too old for such things, but it is part of being a sorority girl! :)

I asked her daughter (who is a collegiate right now) what kind of stuff she thought her mom would like, and she said her mom loved the cutesy stuff anyway... So, I'm having big/lil t-shirts made with the mod floral blue vera bradley pattern, since her mom is a huge VB fan, and for initiation I'm giving her a Build-A-Bear, a plaque (my chapter doesnt do paddles...) and a disk with the crest on it. The chapter gave her a Bid Day bag when we got word that she had been approved, so she got a bag with letters, and some stationary kinda stuff, stickers, etc. She's got such enthusiasm about it all. I'm so excited for her. Just a few more weeks until the big day!

[AU_ZTA86]

Let me toot my Panhellenic horn - invite her to the Atlanta Alumnae Panhellenic Org events! Give her a chance to see our awesome Panhellenic community!! http://www.atlantapanhellenic.org/

[amanda6035]

Now how in the world is 11:45am on a Tuesday a good meeting time? Don't most people work?? (I do...) I'm looking at the calendar, but those are the only panhellenic events I see...well, Childkind 11/28. I'd like to come....but, um....11:45 in the morning isn't good for me. Is there anything else available? :(

[AU_ZTA86]

The Fall Open House 11/11, the Shop for A Cause 12/2, the Recruitment Roundtable for HS Seniors 3/30, and the Spring Scholarship Luncheon 5/03 are all open events!

[trojangal]

Congrats on being a "Big" again! As someone who was "adopted", the relationship that I have with mine is wonderful as she is someone who I go to when I have KD questions. Any time that you are able to spend with her will certainly mean a lot to her!

[GeekyPenguin]

One thing my chapter always did after initiation was hold a "new initiate" class where the girls would get a chance to review the ritual and things of that nature so they'd know what protocols to follow the rest of the time. We always invited AIs to that as well. If the chapter initiating your AI does that you might want to ask if she could go along. :)