Last Minute Summer Bathing Suits To Snag

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Summer may be halfway over, but that doesn't mean you can't stock up on more bathing suits. We have been spotting some bathing suits from ASOS that are now being offered at a reduced price and since bathing suits don't really go out of style, you can save it for next year! Snag these cute bikini tops and bottoms above. If you can't wait to wear them next summer, you can wear them during nice hot tub days with your sisters in the fall/winter or save them for spring break!

Why I Went Greek: Ugochi Nwaneri From Alpha Kappa Alpha

School: Eastern Michigan University
Sorority: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
Year You Pledged: Junior
Year Initiated: Spring 2015

What did you hear about sororities before you went through recruitment? 

I heard both positive and negative things about sororities. Obviously the positives helped me determine whether or not it was the right fit for me. I heard non appealing things such as "you're paying for fake sisters" "sorority girls party and don't get work done." On the other hand, I also heard "you build life long relationships with your sisters" "sororities participate in a lot of community service" "there are endless opportunities to network" "joining a sorority is a great way to help build your community" ... and the list goes on.


How much of it was true?

I have been fortunate to become a member of a phenomenal sorority of which I have had no negative experiences. I am blessed to be surrounded by likeminded women that achieve their academic goals while balancing extracurriculars, family and rendering service to all man kind.


What encouraged you to go through recruitment? 

After learning about all values of my sorority that are so dear to me, I stayed motivated and encouraged to get through the process. In addition, my play grandmother has been a member of my sorority since 1971. All of her involvement within the sorority as I've seen since the time I've met her not only sparked an interest but was a reminder of the greatness that was yet to come.


Favorite sorority moment?

My favorite sorority moment was the day of my probate. I was so ecstatic for the world to see that my sisters and I are now women of Alpha Kappa Sorority, Incorporated. After we finished exams, our day was spent getting "fleeky" for our show. Sorority sisters that pledged before us traveled to see us. We were surrounded with loving women that helped pave the way for us and who are the epitome of true sisters. I will never forget the day of my probate- singing and marching through campus with our gorgeous green skirts and pretty pink heels.

Any advice for anyone going through recruitment?

My advice for prospective members is to go to events pertaining to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and of course, get to know the members. I would also familiarize yourself with the criteria of becoming a member.

Do you have questions for Ugochi? Leave them in the comments below!

Why Sorority Girls Love Periscope

So, we just caught wind of Periscope and can't believe we hadn't heard of it before. For those of you who are not familiar, Periscope is an app that allows you to actually hear the views and thoughts of your favorite profiles live. So think video like YouTube, but LIVE! It's the perfect avenue for us sorority girls and other women and men for that matter to speak our minds freely and actually get live feedback. If you like what someone is speaking about, you can give them a heart. The more hearts you get, the higher they flutter on the screen...we love! Periscope is literally the newest app craze and if you want to be Periscope famous then you should probably jump on the bandwagon. Lucky for you it's available on both iTunes Apple Store and through Google Play for you Android users!

Are you already on Periscope? Send us your username in the comment's section below!

Logo Lettering We Love

[1. Coffee For President pouch][2. ESCAPE Tote][3. Kate Spade "Hello Stranger" iPhone 6 case]["I'm Outta Here" luggage tag]

Who doesn't love statement pieces that tag our favorite phrases? We are loving all of the fun logo lettering phrases we have been seeing in fashion lately. Walking around campus or the gym, mall, and work is so much better making a statement through your apparel. We compiled some of our favorite statement logo lettering phrase pieces above that we think you would like too. Fin our favorites above! We are OBSESSED with this super cute 'ESCAPE' tote found at Urban Outfitters. It's the best little tote to travel with and obviously easy to spot a mile away.

Why I Went Greek: Rhea Sommer From Kappa Delta

School: Arizona State University
Sorority: Kappa Delta
Year You Pledged: Freshman year (however, I attended informal recruitment as a COB; continuous open bid)
Year Initiated: 2005

What did you hear about sororities before you went through recruitment? 

There are obviously all of those "typical" stereotypes of sororities that you hear in passing, see in the movies/on tv, etc., about the hazing, drama, mean girls, and paying for your friends. And to be quite honest I sort of believed all of that to be true. However, I had heard some positive things regarding joining a sorority before attending college from girls who had graduated before me from high school, who encouraged me to go through recruitment when I got to ASU, because they loved the camaraderie, the immediate friendships in a new setting, and the endless closets to be shared.

How much of it was true? 

Anytime you put 100+ girls in 1 room, there are going to be disagreements and personality clashes, but when it really came down to it, all of those positive things that I had heard were proven to be true. There was always someone there to lend an ear, or a shoulder to cry on, or someone to cheer you on or celebrate with you. And always, always, always clothing to be borrowed!

What encouraged you to go through recruitment? 

I actually was out of town for formal recruitment weekend, so I attended informal recruitment a week or so after formal recruitment had ended. However, a friend of mine since childhood had joined a sorority and encouraged me to attend the informal recruitment events because within only a week, she had made friends, found girls in her same classes, had immediate lunch buddies, and a tote bag full of fun goodies. My best friend had also missed formal recruitment so we decided to go through informal recruitment together.

Do you remember what you wore on Day 1 of recruitment? 

Please see above regarding informal recruitment, but I have absolutely no clue what I wore. But I wish that I remembered!

Who was the first person you fell in love with in your house? 

When I attended the 1st informal recruitment event at the Kappa Delta house, there was this beautiful senior named Jenie who just lit up the room when she walked in. She was so friendly and made the awkward forced hangout seem natural and she kept the conversation flowing. She ended up becoming my grand big in the house and I recently watched her get married last summer. It's true when they say that these are the girls who will be at your wedding!

Favorite sorority moment? 

It is so hard to pick only one favorite, but I would have to say my first night after moving into the sorority house my sophomore year. Me and my 3 best friends moved into a suite, which shared a bathroom and we stayed up all night dancing and singing at the top of our lungs in our pajamas, just bouncing back and forth between the 2 rooms. I remember the feeling of pure happiness and in that moment I knew I had made the right choice in Kappa Delta.

If you could go back in time, what would you want to relive in your sorority?

I always infamously say that I would never go back to college because there is no way I could ever do it any better than I did the first time. But if I could go back, I would probably choose to go back to our senior year spring break trip. 10 of my sisters and I booked a cruise and spent 4 days at sea celebrating one of our last times all together before graduation approached. The trip may have only lasted a long weekend, but the memories will last a lifetime.

Any advice for anyone going through recruitment? 

After spending 3 collegiate years going through recruitment and another 2 years as an alumni behind the scenes of recruitment, I think that the best piece of advice is to treat recruitment like a job interview, and find the best fit for you. A lot of girls go through hoping that they will join the same house with all of their friends from home or from high school, but each house has it's own fit for each girl, and joining for any reason other than for yourself, may not result in the best possible fit for you. Just let loose and have fun with it. It's tiring and overwhelming, but every single girl there is tired and overwhelmed, on both sides. But if you trust the process and ask questions you will find the best fit and have the best years of your life!

Thank you for sharing, Rhea! Be sure to also check out Rhea's awesome food blog called "Hot Dog It's a Food Blog"!

Why I Went Greek: Candy Kim From Kappa Alpha Theta

This month is known as the month of sorority recruitment for tons of colleges and universities nationwide. Therefore, throughout the next few weeks, we would like to spotlight alumnae sorority women who went Greek and are thankful for going that route. These women will be from our Alma Mater, Arizona State University spotlighting various sororities from Kappa Alpha Theta to Delta Sigma Theta. We want to hear your stories and why being in a sorority has impacted your life in a positive way. Send your submissions and high resolution pictures of yourself and your chapter to secret@thesororitysecrets.com.

First up this week: Candace (Candy) Kim

School: Arizona State University

Sorority: Kappa Alpha Theta - Delta Epsilon Chapter

Year You Pledged: Freshman

Year Initiated: Fall 2007

What did you hear about sororities before you went through recruitment?
Prior to going through recruitment, I was kind of a mixed bag in regards to my opinions about sororities. I had a friend with two older sisters who were both in sororities, and they always made it sound like so much fun. Then I read the book Pledged--it kind of freaked me out, but because I had heard so many of the upsides from close friends, I was able to step back and realize that a lot of what the media portrayed when it came to sorority life is a really an extreme example of what actually goes on.

How much of it was true?

From the book? Not much. I think ASU is a school that does a great job when it comes to having a responsible Greek Life system and providing the fraternities and sororities with the support they need. You hear about these horrible things happening at other schools, but I can say with total confidence that I never encountered anything close to that during my time in a sorority!

What encouraged you to go through recruitment? 

I went out-of-state for school and only had one friend I knew at ASU. I had plans to go out-of-state all through high school, and going through recruitment to meet new people was just another part of the plan!

Do you remember what you wore on Day 1 of recruitment? 

Ha, totally! I have a weirdly sharp memory. I wore a lime green tank top, tan shorts and gold Steve Madden sandals. Chic.

Who was the first person you fell in love with in your house? 

Probably my Rho Chi! I did some snooping and figured out she was a Theta (I know, you’re totally not supposed to do that), and from that moment I knew I wanted to be a Theta as well.

Favorite sorority moment? 

When I was a sophomore and living in the house. One night we were all majorly bored, just sitting around the chapter room when someone came up with the genius idea of heading over to the fraternity houses to steal composites. It was really late, and we were able to sneak into about 4 different houses and raid their composite walls. When we got them back to Theta, we didn’t even have anywhere to put them, there were that many.

If you could go back in time, what would you want to relive in your sorority? 

Probably that night. I did it with my very closest friends in the house and we’re all still in touch. Either that or Barn Dance. Barn Dance was always so fun.

Any advice for anyone going through recruitment?

Don’t take it too seriously! You want to find a house full of girls who like you for you, not for who they think you are.

We wish you all the best of luck as you embark on recruitment. Check back for more interviews on fellow sorority alumnae!

8 Fabulous Back-To-School Outfits

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It doesn't matter how old you are, getting ready for the first day of school is so much fun. For us sorority girls, it's all about looking cute as we 'Campus Catwalk' our way from class to class. On the days that we are not wearing our custom made sorority shirts (because let's be honest, that's 90% of our wardrobe after workout gear and formal dresses) we appreciate a trendy piece to flaunt around school every now and again. We shopped the closets of some of our favorite designers to get you some outfit pieces to turn heads for those first few days of school. Shop them all above! One of our favorites is this super adorable camel colored felt floppy hat from TOPSHOP. Let us know what you like from our list by sharing with us below!

The 'Way of Life' App

We are all about breaking habits and setting goals! With school fast approaching for many of you or the dreaded realization that NYE is around the corner and you haven't made due with your resolutions, we have found an app that we think would be beneficial for you. This amazing app is called the 'Way of Life' app and its goal is to help break habits and commit to goals by literally tracking your progress. You can view your tracked goals in a weekly and monthly manner with the pro version. On your phone you can set reminders and receive notifications daily associated with your goals. It is a great app if you have an extra couple of dollars to aid in keeping you on track for your personal and professional goals. If you want to attend more sisterhoods with your sorority sisters, exercise more, read more insightful books and the list goes on, we recommend this app to keep yourself more accountable!

iPhone 6 Cases That We Love

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Your phone case is like the face of you. Okay, we are exaggerating a little, but we can all pretty much agree that we love our phone cases as much as we love our pets. With that being said, if you haven't gotten your hands on some of the newest, cutest phone cases, it's time for you to shop our favorites above. We are Arizona sorority girls so naturally we have fallen in love with Sonix's Cactus phone case.

6 Reasons Why You Should Attend the Taylor Swift Concert

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As if it requires much convincing, we really think it would be in your best interest to attend the Taylor Swift concert if you have the chance. Co Founder, Karen, recently went to her show in Seattle and was blown away by her performance. Rumor has it many of the tickets are sold out for her remaining shows, but there is nothing a ticket scalper can't fix! Below are 6 (hmm we really should have came up with '22'...) reasons why you should attend the Taylor Swift concert:

1. Vance Joy is her opening act--his voice is phenom!
2. It's an instant therapy sesh because she gives a lot of motivational speeches throughout the show.
3. You can dress up super cute and no one will stare because they will be dressed up super cute too in honor of Tay Tay.
4. She shows off her cats...like, a lot.
5. She surprises you with celebrities left and right. Example: Fetty Wap , Seahawks' quarterback, Russell Wilson and R&B songstress Ciara!
6. She pulls people up on stage....it could be YOU!

Click here for a link to the rest of her 1989 Tour Dates. We hope you can make it to a show!
#1989WorldTour

Kicks For A Cause: Why We Love Inkkas!

Have you heard of Inkkas? Co Founder, Karen, has been rocking these unique looking shoes and we are kind of obsessed with them. The patterns are eccentric and the shoes are really, really comfortable. The background story on Inkkas is surrounded around conscious commerce. When Inkkas was founded, the company set out to be an organization that was about more than simply making a profit. The company established itself on the principles of fair trade, authenticity and social consciousness. Due to the growing danger of deforestation, the Inkkas company decided to make a difference in the world by creating the OneShoeOneTree ™ project. They plant a tree for every product they sell. Pretty amazing!

Country Music Festival Outfits We Love

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Whether its Country Thunder, Watershed, Stage Coach, or even CMA Music Festival, you name it, country music is in the summer air! It doesn’t matter if you live and breathe country or Luke Bryan’s “Sorority Girl” is the only song on your country playlist, we all have a little room for some country. Former TSS Intern, Audree is not the author of her own blog Simply Audree Kate and she is the expert when it comes to country music festival outfits. Therefore, we asked her to give us a breakdown on the perfect pieces to snag for your next concert. Check out her suggestions below!

Outfit 1: American cowgirl outfit

Trade in your middle school jean skirt for a high-waisted acid-wash chambray skater skirt and pair it with a lace bustier or crop top. Accessorize with cute boots, a statement necklace, shades and headband.


Outfit 2: Rocker cowgirl outfit

Edgier modern outfits are a common theme in country music right now and are a great alternative for a casual look! Pair cut offs with a loose tank, cowboy hat, boots and chunky jewelry such as a cuff or a ring.


Outfit 3: Floral cowgirl outfit

My favorite country combination is a floral sundress, leather belt, and boots. Turquoise pairs nicely with every color so don’t be afraid to color block and mix prints!

For my hometown’s summer rodeo I made my outfit! I copied the skirt outline from one of my skirts, sewed the ends and added an elastic band and had a simple skater skirt in a few minutes. Next, I took 1 ½ yards or floral red fabric from a local fabric store and tied a giant bow as a bandeau on my chest. I tucked in the edges in the band and had a super cheap and cute bow bandeau!

Lace, floral and fringe are hot season trends and work perfectly for a country inspired outfit.

The Best Back-to-School Laptop Cases

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For a lot of you, school is starting this month! That means some heavy back-to-school shopping. When we were in college, an important product on our shopping list was getting a really nice laptop case. If you're anything like us, then you're obsessed with your laptop and want to keep it in tip top shape. Forego the boring basic black laptop case and opt for a cute trendy laptop case like the ones you see above. We recently got wind of the designer Vera Bradley and her laptop cases are really focused on intricate prints and bold color patterns. Of course, you can't go wrong snagging a Kate Spade laptop case; all the heads will be spinning asking you where you got your laptop case since they make the cutest everything! Shop the links above to ensure you have the perfect laptop case before school starts!

Best Sorority Instagram Contest

It's time for some friendly competition! Instagram has really taken flight over the past few years and now so many people are Instafamous (we can't believe that that is even a word!). We have been loving seeing what all of our sorority readers have been up to all summer via their shared Instagram photos that we want to give you and your house more of a spotlight. From now until August 7th, we want you to prove that your sorority's Instagram page is the best by showing us through pictures how it fits with all six of our site categories: Campus Catwalk (clothes, fashion accessories), Dolled Up (makeup), Big Sis Tips (sisters helping sisters, activities, philanthropy, sisterhood events) Kitchen (cook-offs, exercising, health & wellness), Secret Steals (awesome deals), and Chapter Room (house decor). DM your pictures to us via our Instagram: @thesororitysecrets and the sorority to display the most pictures in all six categories will get a feature on our site. 

Ready...


Set....

 
GO!

Recruitment Makeup Tips

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We can't hardly wait for you to participate in recruitment! Just like a job interview, you want to look your best for recruitment. Display your beauty inside and out. The best way that you can exude your outer beauty, is through getting your face dolled up for each day of recruitment. However, it's crucial not to overdue it; your makeup shouldn't hide your natural beauty. Our favorite products to use for a natural look are anything from Smashbox concealer and powder or Anastasia Beverly Hills blushes and dip brows. Simple and pretty is your best go-to no matter what brand you use! Here is a link to some awesome makeup tutorials perfect for recruitment shared by Kappa Alpha Theta, Mackenzie Brown (@kenziemacbrown)

Why We Love Hello Fresh

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Um, school is like a month away, but heck, who cares if school is a month away because this particular company is super useful even now when you probably have more time to spare and it's called Hello Fresh. Hello Fresh provides you with the ingredients to make a delicious meal. Delivered fresh and straight to your doorstep (or dorm room!). If you're too busy studying or working your job or internship to go grocery shopping, this is the answer for you!

Sorority Girly Exercises

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With summer halfway over, anyone else not as motivated to work out? When going to the gym or personal trainer starts to lose its luster, we are a huge fan of at home workouts. Of course, we are no expert in the best exercises to do at home, so when we stumbled across Girly Exercises (@girlyexercises) on Instagram we were more than obsessed. The workouts they showcase can be done right at home or at your office! It's amazing how many workouts you can get in with a simple chair and mat! Follow them on Instagram for free and simple workouts!

Sorority Recruitment Q&A

Wow, we seriously cannot believe that recruitment is around the corner for so many of you! We have received a lot of personal messages from women eager to learn more about joining a sorority so we decided to provide you all who are interested in going through recruitment with a little Q&A. Find the questions and answers below. If your question wasn't answered, then please leave your question(s) in the comment's section below!

Q: When is sorority recruitment?
A: It all depends on what school you're attending! Typically, recruitment is hosted in the summer time at the beginning of school (few sororities also do it in the spring). Be sure to check your college or university's main website and locate where the sororities are categorized to identify when recruitment is. You can also try to find the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) or National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) sites to get that information.

Q: What is the difference between National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and National Panhellenic Conference (NPC)
A: The National Pan-Hellenic Council is comprised of nine of the historically African American, international Greek-lettered fraternities and sororities. These frats and sororities are also collaboratively referred to as the "Divine 9".

The National Panhellenic Conference encompasses 26 (inter)national women's sororities.

Q: What does "pledge" mean?
A: Pledging a sorority means committing to getting to know a particular sorority. Being initiated would make you an official sister/member of that sorority.

Q: How does recruitment work?
A: Depending on what type of sorority you choose to pledge (an NPHC sorority or an NPC sorority) most of the sororities host a formal 3-4 day recruitment process where you get to visit each sorority, talk to the girls, and rank which sororities you would like to learn more about and revisit. Eventually, you narrow it down to 2-3 sororities and you attend an exclusive night with each potential sorority before you make your final decision. The following day, typically called Bid Day, you find out which house wanted you (and you wanted them) It's the best feeling ever.

Q: Should I go through recruitment my Freshman year or my Sophomore year?
A: We can only speak from our experience and say that going through recruitment our Freshman years was the greatest decision we could have ever made. It simplified the struggle to find friends in such a big college world because we already had so many friends to choose from making the memories of our first year in college nothing short of amazing. On the other hand, we know several women who opted to do it their second year in college and they too had a blast gaining new lifelong friends. Ultimately, it's up to you!

Q: Is joining a sorority super expensive?
A: Joining a sorority will certainly cost money to maintain, no different than the monthly payments you make for the other bagillion things you love. There is no amount of money that could pay for the amount of friendships and memories that you will develop during and after your time as a soror. In any case, properly budgeting will make it possible for you to actively participate. Many sororities can also offer you payment plan options so don't let money get in your way of making lifelong friendships.

What other questions and comments do you have about recruitment? Leave your questions in the comments below!

The 'Totes Adorable' Totes!

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It's not often that you find a fashionable and affordable laptop bag designed for us women! We love supporting small businesses too and were happy to discover Graceship. Graceship offers vegan, super cute tote bags perfect for school, work, internships and the like! It's so inconvenient to carry a mediocre laptop bag and then a separate purse for your personal needs. With the Graceship totes, you have so much space and compartments to fit everything in it. Laptop, notebook, wallet, makeup, you name it, it fits!

Check out their tote selections and let us know which one is your favorite!

The Lemon Water Secret

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Our tummies have been at rest ever since we adopted this amazing morning regime: drinking hot lemon water. No lie, our stomachs digest food so much nicer ever since we started our day doing this. We learned from FoodMatters.TV that warm lemon water serves as the perfect ‘good morning drink’, as it aids the digestive system and makes the process of eliminating the waste products from the body easier. It prevents the problem of constipation and diarrhea, by ensuring smooth bowel functions (sorry, TMI!). Try it for yourself and let us know what you think!