Tracey LafayetteSeniorDual Degree English and Elementary Education
Q: Describe your sorority a bit.
A: I am a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and the UConn Chapter is the Nu Theta Chapter. There are currently four members in our chapter. Some special things about our chapter is we have been in the Top 5 highest GPAs of the Fraternities and Sororities on campus, We have been Undergraduate Chapter of the Year twice in the Tri-State and we also won the Most Involved Chapter from OFSL last school year. As far as the organization on an international level, we focus on Scholarship, Service, Sisterhood and FIner Womanhood. Finer Womanhood is especially important to us because it is something that helps set us apart since no other sorority has that principle.
Q: How long have you been involved with it?
A: I became a member of my organization in the Fall of 2012.
Q: What are your responsibilities within the sorority?
A: I am the president of my chapter so my responsibilities include staying in communication with the National organization, our region, state and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life in order to make sure we are meeting the expectations of these various entities and informed about any important news. I am also responsible for facilitating chapter meetings and organizing the various things that help us run smoothly. I am also the Sisterly Love and Sunshine Chair for the chapter, this is one of my favorite responsibilities because it allows me to be really creative. I get to send cards to people for their birthdays and other important dates in their lives!
Q: What are some pros and cons of being a part of such a small group?
A: Some of the benefits of being part of such a small group are that we are very close as a group because we get to spend a lot of time together whether for business related purposes or for fun. Also it is sometimes easier to plan things with a small group because we only have to worry about a few peoples schedules. One of the cons would be that we have a lot of responsibilities so sometimes it can be difficult figuring out who will take on what since we are all so busy.
Q: What was the hardest thing you had to pull together for your sorority?
A: One of the hardest things we had to pull together was when we were working on hosting our Domestic Violence Awareness event. This was difficult because it included contacting many different offices throughout the campus and a lot of running around. It also involved being in contact with the speaker consistently to make sure the event was still going as planned. As a USG funded event, we also had to do a lot of work with them that was all new to us because none of the current members had worked with USG funding previously.
Q: How do you balance being in a sorority with being an RA and still have time for work and friends?
A: Over the years, being involved with Zeta and RA I have ended up becoming friends with a lot of people who are a part of greek life and or residential life, for this reason these people are generally more understanding of my busy schedule because their schedules are very similar. I also try to plan things out ahead of time so being a Zeta and being an RA don’t end up conflicting too much. Planning and organization are key! As far as work and friends, being an RA is the only job I have on campus currently so I dont have to worry about balancing that with another job. And I spend time with other friends on the weekends or have meals with them during the week!
Q: Any advice for anyone juggling lots of activities at once?
A: My advice for people juggling many activities is to reflect on the ones that mean the most to you because to keep yourself healthy and doing well in school sometimes it is necessary to step back from a few things. I would also say make sure you leave some “you time” in your schedule so you can relax!