Color me pleasantly surprised!

Hello ladies! So a lot of times, my blog subjects are about me being disappointed in a group of ladies for a multitude of reasons...behavior, fashion, fitness, etc. However, in a surprise departure, I am going to tell you about being pleasantly surprised this past weekend. As most of you know, I am a volunteer leader for my sorority, so that means that I work with many of today's college women. Fairly regularly, I get disappointed in our college women because they don't show the proper respect for themselves and others. They have a tendancy to have a sense of entitlement and in certain cases be downright rude. BUT this past weekend, I changed my opinion.

Another volunteer leader and myself, a gorgeous blonde from the "sticks" as she likes to say, went to a university in the state of Illinois. Our first meeting was at 10:30 AM on Saturday. I told the blonde that they probably would be in PJ's and barely awake. We arrived at the chapter house, all the women were on time, waiting for us and dressed nicely for a Saturday morning. All of these women were polite and gracious. Throughout the day, we were constantly asked if we needed any drinks or snacks. They provided lunch at the chapter house and took us to dinner. All officers were on time for each of their meetings, they were engaged and polite at each one of them. That evening, the chapter members rented a movie projector and had movie night in their living room. We were invited to watch the movie with them (we did remind them that we are OLD and it was too late for us), however, it was very sweet and they even rented a popcorn machine. When we arrived at our hotel that night, they had left gift baskets for us in our hotel room and spelled out our sorority name in Hershey kisses on the beds (so cute)! We had asked them to meet us the next morning for a closing meeting. NOW, we asked for an 8:30 AM meeting on a Sunday. Never once, did they complain that is too early, each officer was there and ready to participate on Sunday morning. WOW! I was thoroughly impressed. THANK YOU LADIES...you know who you are.

A few years ago, I was asked to facilitate an officer retreat for another chapter at a university in Iowa. It was quite a different story at that event. And as I drove home after that retreat, I said to myself, if that is the future of our organization, I am highly concerned. After this trip, I am so encouraged by these women. Someone taught them correctly! Now, honestly, I know I should be this surprised in college women, but it was just a nice surprise, I had to share with you.

This upcoming weekend I will be participating in an interview process with senior college women who are members of our sorority. They are interviewing to work for our sorority. I so look forward to meeting wonderful, dynamic college women. I look to be surprised even more about how wonderful they are. In reading many of their applications, I cannot help but be amazed at what these women accomplish these days in college. SO OFF to the Big D for interviews.

To college women everywhere, take a lesson from our friends at the school in Illinois. It doesn't take much to make an impression. Be polite, be gracious, be classy! Cheers and CIAO BELLAS.