Big-Little Reveal!

New member Emily G. talks about Reveal Week and the excitement surrounding finding out her big!

Reveal week started for me Monday morning, when I got a text from a random number instructing me to be out of my room from 6-7:30 pm. I was jittery for the rest of the day – I kept reading and rereading the text message, hoping some clue would stand out so I could figure out whom my big sister was. At 7:30 I came home to find my bed covered in balloons, candy, and cards welcoming me to the family. The rest of the week went on in the same way; each morning I got a text or an email with instructions for the day (when I should be in or out of my room, where to go and when, etc.), and I was continuously surprised by the presents. My big and grand-big made incredible efforts so that I would feel welcome and loved. As each day got closer and closer to reveal, I couldn’t take it anymore! I needed to figure out who they were!

Shannon L (little), Jenna M(big) and Emily G (little)!

On Friday evening, all the girls of my new member class gathered in one room. Meanwhile, the chapter assembled in the room across the hall. We were so excited and antsy – we were so close to finding out our bigs! When everyone had arrived, we went into the other room. It was full of bags and boxes and had a curtain pulled across the center of the room. Our bigs were lined up behind the curtain, and all we could see were their legs, clad in pajamas. I found the box with my name on it, put on the pajama pants inside, and went to stand next to the matching legs! This was also how I found my twin (I knew I had a twin, I just didn’t know who it was). That was so exciting in itself. After a minute or two, the bigs pulled down the curtain and revealed themselves! There was chaos – everyone was screaming, laughing, and hugging. The new families gathered on blankets, in their matching pajamas, eating s’mores and chatting. I don’t think there is a better way to do reveal; our chapter had just the right amount of suspense and surprise – and a ton of fun!

Already, I’m in love with my Pi Beta Phi family. I see my big almost daily, but when we’re not together we’re texting or talking over Facebook. My twin and I are getting closer and closer, and I can’t forget about my grandbig! Although she’s a senior and super busy, she’s the best. I couldn’t have asked for a more amazing family, and I know they will all be in my life forever.

Pi Phi bring T.A.K.E. to JHU!

VP Philanthrop Marcella talks about T.A.K.E Self-Defense Training

Our chapter had a special opportunity to bring this really excellent self-defense course to campus this semester. TAKE is a program designed to teach women how to protect themselves against potential dangerous situations, especially important in today’s society and for us as college-aged women in the city of Baltimore. In addition to teaching us some really valuable skills we got to spend more time with all of our amazing new members! It was a great bonding experience for our chapter and we were even lucky enough to have some of the Johns Hopkins Faculty and Staff join us. TAKE was also where we held our annual Fraternity Day of Service, raising money for the Pi Beta Phi Friendship Fund and collecting books for a 6th grade classroom at Civitas Middle School. Overall, it was a really fun experience, and I am so happy that our chapter was able to participate in it!

PPL&M Marcella Lunn, VP Philanthropy

Blog-ception

MD Gamma not only has it's own chapter blog, but also a few members who write their own blogs! From perfumes to Scottish adventures, these angels are busy typing away. Check out some of the things our girls write about!

Christina W. (our previous VP Communications and creator of this blog) has "Bad Communication", a blog about television, culture, and her favorite things.
http://temporarylikeachilles.wordpress.com/

Arielle W.  runs a perfume blog, The Scents of Self.
http://thescentsofself.com/

Two of our sisters abroad have blogs.
Pearl A. write about her journeys in Scotland at http://pearlinthelandofthescots.wordpress.com/ and Natasha P. writes about Italy at http://natalia-initalia.tumblr.com/ .

And last but certainly not least, we have our very own anonymous blogger! A member of MD Gammas is creating an online memory book to share with her future little. She writes about Pi Phi's values, sorority stereotypes and shares all the adorable crafts that her lucky future little will get! Can't wait to find out who the girl behind the computer is.
http://pibetaphinestlittle.tumblr.com/

For other blogs by Pi Phis outside of our chapter, check out http://piphiblogs.blogspot.com/, a directory of blogs run by Pi Phis!

Put them all together, you have a Pi Phi miss! Formal Recruitment 2012!

Formal Recruitment has finally ended and MD Gamma is excited to welcome a new group of beautiful angels to our chapter! After a week of long hours of standing in heels, crafting until dawn and a whole lot of singing, we're left with an amazing group of women who are excited to be Pi Phis!

The first party, ice water round, was Saturday, February 4th. This was the first chance for Pi Phi to meet all of the potential new members.

Primping for Ice Water round!

Relaxing between parties.

The second party, theme round, was on the following Monday. Pi Phi's theme was Destination: Pi Phi! We had decorations for popular travel sports such as Egypt, Paris, Hollywood and Fiji.

A few of Pi Phi's adorable red-heads!

Walking like an Egyptian at theme!

Preference round was on Wednesday. This was the final party in recruitment, and the most gorgeous of them all! Everyone looked classy in their black dresses and badges.

Pi Phi love at Preference round.

The executive board!

And finally the big day; Bid Day! After all of our hard work, MD Gamma finally met our new members! Our theme was "A Pi Phi's Life for Me". We decorated treasure chests, sent messages in a bottle, and set up a photo booth with fun pirate-themed props.

So glad to be a Pi Phi!

We can't wait to get to know each and everyone one of them!

Intersession in the Everglades!

While many sisters were stuck up north for January, a few lucky ladies traveled south with the outdoors club to kayak in the Everglades. Check out some photos from their tropical adventure.

 

Maritza and Jenna are ready to go.

Maritza getting some air!

Jenna on her kayak!

 Stay tuned for more Intersession adventures from Maryland Gamma!

Angels Abroad!

MD Gamma has a few sisters abroad this semester! Junior Emily D. is currently attending University College of London and shares her experiences so far.

This semester, I'm taking some time away from Hopkins and my MD Gamma sisters to study abroad at University College London.  I've been across the pond for almost three weeks now and so far it's been a great experience.  Studying abroad is giving me the opportunity to take courses that I wouldn't have had access to at home, such as Art History in London, in which class is held in galleries around the city, and Politics of the European Union. 
    In addition to my academics, I've had ample opportunity to explore the city and soak up the culture and history.  A few new American friends and I have adopted the tradition of Cultural Wednesdays.  Since class schedules tend to be particularly light on Wednesdays, we use the day to pick interesting sites around London to visit.  On the first "Cultural Wednesday" we climbed The Monument to the Great Fire of London, and last week we visited the Tower of London and Tower Bridge!
    Over the next few months I will continue to explore London, and I will also venture out to other places in Europe.  I already have plans in the works for trips to Spain, Scotland (where hopefully I will see MD Gamma members Pearl and Nicole, who are studying abroad at the University of Edinburgh), and Ireland.  I also have a couple of friends from Hopkins and my hometown visiting over their spring breaks, and my parents are visiting in April!  It will be nice to be able to show everyone around my temporary home as I become more and more familiar with the area.
    Thus far, most of the people I've met here are Americans also studying abroad.  Coming in mid-year makes meeting people challenging, but I'm looking forward to meeting more full-time British students as time goes on.  One thing is for sure, I miss my Pi Phi sisters!  I wish MD Gamma all the best during the upcoming Sisterhood Week and Spring Recruitment and I can't wait to meet our fabulous new member class when I return.

Oh the places you'll go!

Our angels at here at Maryland Gamma are well traveled! Check out some photos from the places our sisters visited this past winter break.

Vanessa in Israel

 

Devin, Sarah and Jess in Las Vegas.

Georgia in China!

Georgia talks a bit about her time in China:
Since I was studying abroad in China this fall, I decided to travel around the country during winter break. I spent three weeks traveling through China on planes, 24-hour trains, and overnight buses (on which you get stuck sleeping in a bed with strangers if you don't claim a bed early!). I went to incredibly modern cities whose skyscrapers light up in different colors and designs at night, countryside far enough removed that public long-distance buses are waved down like taxis by farmers, and industrial cities with smoke stacks interspersed between super tall apartment buildings. First, I went south to see the rice terraces in Yunnan Province. I ended up getting lost hiking through the terraces and got a lot of strange looks from local farmers. From there I went to see the unique karst landscape (strangely pointy little mountains) in Yangshuo. I went biking around the countryside and explored a cave. I spent Christmas in Macau, wandering through the colonial Portuguese-style buildings and Christmas lights. I visited a friend in Hong Kong for New Years where I saw the fireworks and ate my weight in dim sum. Next, I went back to Beijing, where I had been studying, and made friends with the owner of the dumpling shack for whom my friend is currently interning. Lastly, I went to Harbin, which is so far north that your camera battery will die from the cold. There I wandered through the ice festival and saw intricate snow sculptures and giant ice buildings with colorful lights in them. Even though I'm still I a little surprised I made it out alive what with the many mistakes I made (you can never get travel plans exactly right in China; it always take a little improv), it was an adventure of a lifetime and I'm really glad I took the initiative and went.