Making Self Care Part of a Sisterhood
Author: Anna C. Editor: Grace C.
Chapter meetings are by far one of the most famous aspects of sorority life in the Panhellenic community. They are a time to gather as a whole sisterhood, to stay involved within the chapter and community, and to deepen members’ connection to the chapter. Different chapters have different ways of organizing their chapter meetings, but all chapters use them as opportunities to gather their sisters in a way that doesn’t often happen outside of these meetings. For the women of Alpha Omicron Pi, occasionally there will be a special type of chapter known as a Sisterhood Chapter.
“These differ from a normal chapter because their main focus is to strengthen the relationships among sisters,” says (recruitment counselor), AOII’s Vice President of Chapter Development. These Sisterhood Chapters typically involve a special activity intended to be a bonding exercise for sisters, or to help them focus on their wellbeing. The intent behind Sisterhood Chapters is to remind sisters of why they joined AOII, and why they continue to be involved in their chapter. (This recruitment counselor) says her biggest goal in her position is to foster that sense of sisterhood and belonging in AOII, and what better way to do so than by hosting a relaxing yoga event for the entire chapter?
During the busy midterm season, it can be all too easy for college students to overlook their physical and mental health in favor of long nights in Strozier, stressing out over exams, and not taking time for adequate self care. To help alleviate this, (recruitment counselor) and the AOII chapter President, Madi H., decided that this was the perfect time to host a sisterhood yoga class.
“We thought that the chapter could use some self-care time,” (recruitment counselor) explains. “Most people forget to take time for themselves and with midterms right around the corner it seemed like the perfect idea for an event.”
(This recruitment counselor) hopes that her sisters find the event relaxing and that they are reminded that it is okay and necessary to take time to look after themselves, even when life gets busy. One of her favorite aspects of the event was that yoga is both a relaxation technique as well as a form of gentle exercise.
“After a long day of studying, yoga is a good way to stretch and rejuvenate your body,” she says. When asked about the importance of hosting self care and wellness events as a chapter, she says “Sometimes it just feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day for everything that needs to be done. That’s why Sisterhood Chapters are great. Chapter members already have time set aside in their schedule for chapter. So, instead of discussing normal chapter topics, members can take time to relax and have fun.”
Another benefit to hosting a yoga class during a Sisterhood Chapter is that it provides the opportunity for sisters to interact with one another. (This recruitment counselor) feels that an event like yoga, which is active and pushes sisters to get out of their comfort zone, feels more natural than many typical bonding exercises.
“Planning events like yoga allows our members to come together and try something new or something that they enjoy, and they will want to attend more. This involvement translates to the success and growth of the chapter,” she explains.
Events like a yoga class during chapter are a reminder for the Panhellenic community to slow down and take care of ourselves. As college students and chapter women, we tend to lead busy lives and too many of us don’t take time out of our days for self care. With Sisterhood Chapters, AOII combines the need to focus on individual well-being and the desire to come together to create a special time for their sisters to not only bond but to take care of themselves.