Being involved is all fun and games until it’s not
When I got the phone call that my peers had elected me Vice President of my sorority, I felt nothing but pure joy and accomplishment. There’s a certain satisfaction in being chosen. When others believe in you, it’s that much easier to believe in yourself.
The amount of work that comes along with an executive committee position is comparable to a job. I personally am in charge of our entire programming committee. This means that it’s my responsibility to manage a group of 35 women and make sure that all the programming for our chapter is completed. We have national requirements and other programming to complete each semester, and it’s my responsibility to make sure it all gets done. From rituals to sisterhoods, it all falls on my shoulders. I also have to write a report detailing all of these events, so nationals know what’s going on in our chapter.
Since I’m on exec, I’m required to attend all events, often as a function monitor to make sure everything runs smoothly. I also have the privilege of meeting with national council members. In January, I’m expected to go to Texas for a leadership conference, which will be a cool experience that I get to do with some of my best friends.
I dedicate around 30 hours a week to my Zeta obligations, in addition to juggling school, a job, a club, and a social life. Don’t get me wrong, I love it. But it has caused me to sacrifice other things that I’m passionate about. For example, I had a position on the Her Campus exec board and was unable to follow through on those obligations because I had so much Zeta going on. It came down to what was best for me and my mental health. I needed to focus on what could get me scholarships in the future and a job after college, which, unfortunately, wasn’t Her Campus.
I want to convey that it’s so important to prioritize your mental health in these situations because college is already extremely stressful. You don’t need to have a position in everything you’re involved in. It’s okay to take time and realize what you do and don’t need to do.