It’s that time of year again: Big Little week, AKA the best week of the year. Thinking back to my time as a new member, I remember being super excited to get home and see the goodies from my big and feeling the anticipation that comes with big little reveal. I never realized how much time and effort goes into this week, that is until I got a little of my own. Here are the nine stages every sorority big sis experiences as big little week goes on.
Stage 1: Excitement
There is nothing more exciting than seeing that sponsor chair email telling you about your little. Not only are you super excited for the newest addition to your sorority fam, but you love seeing all the things you have in common. This is usually intensified if you already know (and love) the girl you’ve been matched with.
Stage 2: Planning
This follows immediately after stage 1 as you start to plan every possible gift for the entire week to come. You also begin to strategically plan your drop off schedule to make sure your precious little doesn’t discover you’re her big before reveal.
Stage 3: Stress
As you begin to think of all the crafts you will be making, the sense of panic begins to set in. Realizing you will be missing so much sleep between crafting and keeping up with your class and work schedule (shout out to my fellow girls taking 18 units). Plus, the idea of all the money you’ll be spending causes you a bit of physical pain.
Stage 4: Acceptance
You come to terms with all of the issues that caused stage 3, realizing that your little’s happiness is worth the $200 trip to Michael’s and getting only 3 hours of sleep. You will survive because you’ve got your life together…you think.
Stage 5: Normalcy
As the crafting begins, you feel calm, relaxed almost, and you find a balance between everything in your life. Things can only get better from here right?
Stage 6: Sleep deprivation
You start to get too into crafting, sometimes staying up until 3am to finish everything, and you forget you have to be up for that 8am lecture the next day. When that alarm goes off in the morning, you drag yourself to class, coffee in hand, feeling as tired as you did during finals week.
Stage 7: Minor Insanity
This is mainly from sleep deprivation, but suddenly you find yourself saying everything is okay as you sit in the middle of the floor covered in a layer of paint, mod-podge, and glitter while staring at the canvases in front of you at 2am. Your coffee induced crafting is slowly breaking you.
Stage 8: Pulling it together
It’s the day before reveal. You have crafted your last canvas and put together the last gift basket for the week. You may have had a meltdown at this point, but you realize the end is near and you have made it this far. Tomorrow it will all be worth it.
Stage 9: Excitement (again) and Relief
Reveal happens and you could not be happier to finally have your little! You also feel relief wash over you as you bury your crafting supplies and take your little to enjoy a welcoming family dinner.
Enjoy your new littles my fellow Greek collegiettes!