Advice for PNMs

At my high school it seemed like everyone who graduated ended up going Greek. They attended Mizzou, Missouri State or other large state schools and (honestly) I spent the summer of my junior and senior years watching the girls at Mizzou go through over a week-long recruitment process.

Despite me being nervous to go through recruitment, I knew I wanted to do it. Both my parents were in Greek life and talked about how much they loved it, it got them involved in their school and helped them establish connections on campus. So when I walked into the Greek Dinner before my Freshmen First Day I was equal parts terrified and ready for a new start.

I can't tell you how your recruitment experience will go, it really is so up in the air. I want to share what I experienced and what I wish I would have known

1. Write it all down. I mean this one is fairly obvious coming from someone who writes and shares her life online. Drury only has 4 sororities but we still only had a few minutes between rounds with each chapter. I found it helpful to jot down notes in the recruitment booklet because by the end of the day/night I was so tired and it all blended together. 

2. Don't let what others girls think of chapters define what you think. You may love a chapter that another girl in your recruitment group didn't connect with, that doesn't mean you should change your mind. The recruitment process exists to help you find the best match. Go where you are happy and as stereotypical as it is "trust the process". You can still be friends with girls who aren't in your chapter-- something so great about joining a sorority is having a sorority family and a Panhellenic family. 

3. It's okay to be emotional (well I'm always emotional). Drury's recruitment process is so quick, it begins on the first Friday night of the school year with sisterhood round, takes up a majority of Saturday with philanthropy round and Sunday is split between preference round in the morning and bid day in the evening. You're going to be getting to know so many women and it can be an emotional process. I was crying in a bathroom and a random girl (at the time) came up to me and helped me pull myself together (Angel is now my sorority sister and I'm so glad I met her, even if I was sobbing in a bathroom). Also, Rachel talked with me during preference round and I cried through the entire thing. I'm forever grateful she was there when I needed her the most!
Bid Day 2016
4. The recruitment team is there to support you. Again, it really depends on your school size, but I clicked with the Panhellenic VP-Recruitment more than my Rho Chi so I talked with her and got advice from her. She reassured me and told me what I needed to hear (She was disaffiliated at the time and although we aren't in the same chapter we're still friends-- refer back to point #2).

5. Embrace recruitment. I can't believe I was a PNM 2 years ago, it feels like I went through recruitment last week. Coming back from bid day my freshmen year I was exhausted but so, so excited for the new adventure I was starting. As an active member I felt the same way after bid day except now I am able to see how the legacy of KD will continue past when I graduate and that's so neat. No matter what chapter you end up joining know that the Panhellenic community is so excited to welcome you in.
Bid Day 2018
I've become so much more confident through Kappa Delta. If you are interested in going Greek I'd highly recommend it. 

Until next time,
Taylor xx
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19 Things I Learned at 19

I guess another reason I could be called the baby perks is because I'm so young, I'm going to be a junior in college but just now turning 20 *sighs*. Nonetheless, I've grown a lot over the past year and I wanted to share 19 things I've learned at 19.

1. Believe in yourself. I was so nervous to apply and interview for the VP-PR position in my sorority but I convinced myself that it doesn't hurt to try. I am so glad I did because I love the role I have and I'm proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and doing it.

2. Sometimes you have to stop doing things you once loved. Life is too short to be unhappy, don't feel bad about clearing your plate and prioritizing the things that make you happy now versus things you enjoyed in the past.

3. The free weight section really isn’t that scary. I was so terrified of all the huge guys lifting that I limited myself to dumbbells and a yoga mat for a long time. I found that you just have to start and eventually the fear wears off because honestly no one really cares. You may think people are watching, but at least you're doing it. I've learned that you just have to not worry "if" people are watching you and just own your workout.
4. You can’t make everyone happy all the time.

5. I’m not going to dislike someone just because you do. It doesn't make sense to be rude to someone just because someone else you know doesn't like them (obviously this isn't the case in all situations like if a person is abusive). The world needs more friendly people.

 6. Budget better so you aren’t scraping together loose change together so you can afford gas and a small coffee at the gas station when going home for Christmas break

7. Fun on the Lane is honestly the best way to kick off the school year. As a freshman I remember sitting on Drury Lane hoping that a year from then I'd be happy. This past year I sat on Drury Lane surrounded by my sorority sisters and friends that have truly made Drury home. I'm so excited for Fun on the Lane this year.


8. Giving and receiving handwritten letters is still one of the best things.


9. Send people random text messages to remind them you're there and care about them.

 10. The best weekends are spent with friends and just hanging out.


11. Find a fitness routine you enjoy. It's so much harder to make it a lifestyle if you dread what you're doing. You can weight lift, you can do yoga, HIIT, cardio, etc. I find a mix of weight lifting and steady-state cardio works best for me. I'm terrible at HIIT, although I know I should probably incorporate it into my routine.


 12. The running/multisport community is still one of the friendliest groups I’ve been a part of. Seriously, no matter who you are or your past experience, they will all cheer you on.


13. Always make time to call home because talking to your mom makes everything better. I call my mom almost every single week. I love school, but I always look forward to coming home for breaks.


14. You'll most likely change so much from freshman to sophomore year. It's not bad to expand your friend group or meet new people. Find "your people" and enjoy every moment with them while you can because then they'll graduate and you'll be sad.

 15. Having a boyfriend is great. I remember being so nervous before we started dating but I can’t imagine my life without David even though he says “k” and I think he’s mad but he never is.


16. Do your best to go to your friends events or project presentations. Something so cool about college is learning about other people's passions. It means the world to them when you support and encourage them.


17. I wish I could live at Mudhouse.


18. Don’t be afraid to say yes, but it’s okay to say no. Sometimes you need to say yes to more things, but don't forget that if you say no a few times people won't hate you.


19. The song "Life Changes" by Thomas Rhett has a lyric that goes “you make your plans and you hear God laughing.” As much as you want to be in control, you have no idea where life is going to take you. Embrace it and live it to the fullest.

 Until next time,
Taylor xx
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Healing My Skin

My previous skin post was a look at my skin at its worst and if I'm honest I had little hope that it would get better. I've had a roller coaster relationship with my skin since around seventh grade and an equally frustrating relationship with past dermatologists.

My skin is extremely dry and in the past dermatologists have said "[insert product name here] will dry your skin out even more but it'll fix the problem" and I can 100% say that it never worked. So when I went to a new dermatologist at the end of May I was nervous the same thing would happen. I was surprised-- this dermatologist actually listened! Wow! It's so nice when medical professionals listen to your symptoms. 
She said our first step would definitely be to calm the amount of inflammation in my body. To do this I took an antibiotic for 30 days and was prescribed Soolantra for rosacea on my face. She also said that I should switch to simple facial cleanser, body wash and laundry detergent. 

The antibiotic worked and the inflammation is gone. I was afraid that after the 30 days of antibiotic it would all come back, but luckily my skin has remained clear. While some of my acne has returned, it's so much better than it was in the past. Soolantra has helped manage the redness in my face, too. 

So what else have I done to heal my skin?
1) Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
It doesn't strip my skin but still leaves it feeling clean. I used a small amount in the morning when I wake up to wash my face and I use it at night in the shower after I work out.

 2) CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion
I thought it had a funky smell when I first started using it but now I don't even notice. I apply this on my face and neck every morning and night. I also use it on my arms and legs.

My dermatologist had also prescribed a strong hydrocortisone cream for the inflammation on my neck but she said that once it cleared up to not use it every day so now I only use it around once a week and then the rest of the time I use CeraVe.

 3) Dove Bar Soap
I haven't ever used bar soap before but I love this one. Just like my face wash I don't feel like it strips my dry skin, but it still leaves it clean and fresh.

4) Significantly Less Stress
I seriously believe that chronic stress played a role in my inflammation this past semester. I'm nervous about going back to school, especially because the first 3 weeks are insanely busy. This summer I've worked really hard to practice meditation/mindfulness and journaling. While I've always journaled, I'm hoping to continue to give myself time to unwind and decompress while at school.

 5) Better Diet
I was extremely broke the last two months of school and I had a good amount of my school meal plan left. What does that mean? I ate a lot of french fries and ice cream at the Commons (Drury's cafeteria). When I wasn't eating there I ended up eating a lot of pizza or going to Sonic. Obviously this isn't good for anyone, especially someone like me who is used to eating healthy.

I bring my lunch to work every day, 80-90% of what I eat every day is whole foods during the week. On the weekend I'm a bit more relaxed but I still try to eat whole foods a majority of the time.

David's mom got me a Crockpot and a recipe book this summer so I've been highlighting recipes that are easy to make on a tight budget. I'm hoping meal prepping will help me maintain the balanced diet I've had over summer.

6) Vitamins
Recently I've been getting a lot more headaches than I'm used to.  I drink ~100+ ounces of water a day so I know it isn't dehydration, so I blame the Missouri heat and humidity. I began taking magnesium supplements at night and a women's multivitamin in the morning. I haven't done this long enough to notice any long term effects but I'm hoping that over time I will.


I go back to the dermatologist in August and in the meantime I hope my skin maintains how it is or continues to improve. At this upcoming appointment she will look at the acne I do have and create a plan on how to treat it without irritating my skin. Overall I'm pretty satisfied but I'm excited to see my skin improve even more over time.

Until next time,
Taylor xx
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Balancing School and Your Social Life

There are a lot of factors that make college a challenge: picking a major, taking general education classes you don't care about at 9 a.m., getting involved on campus, maintaining a job, juggling physical and mental health, the list goes on. 

 I'd like to think that I balance a social life and schoolwork pretty well. My success in managing the two comes from me keeping my priorities at the forefront of everything I do. I chose to go to college for two main reasons: to further my education and push myself outside of my comfort zone (aka be social).

 When it comes to education, though, nothing frustrates me more than when I see people consistently disengaged and not trying. There are so many people who would love the opportunity to pursue higher education but not everyone gets that chance. I understand that you can't be "on" 100% of the time and that's okay, especially if you're trying, but to me you at least need to be attempting to put effort in.

Obviously balance is important, too. It's not healthy to dedicate 99% of  your life to your studies and 1% to your social life or vice versa. This past semester I had a lot of intensive projects and I'd say that at least 6 out of 7 days of the week I was doing homework. Was I working on homework all night? Not always. But I was opening up a notebook, editing a draft, or working on a spreadsheet almost every night. I was working hard but I still had a social life. I went to Kappa Delta formal and our date party, I still attended concerts, I still went out, but I also knew how to accomplish everything I needed to get done.
This is Mackenzie, she's one of my roommates next year and she's super cool. I'm grateful we do fun things like dress up and go to formals but also just get coffee and study
College provides you with so many unique opportunities that you shouldn't always say no to because you feel like you have to do homework. At the same time, though, you have to be willing to ask for help and push yourself when you're struggling. My accounting class was a challenge and I could have easily just blown it off because I didn't really need it and I'd never use it again. Instead I met with tutors and asked my friends who were accounting students for help.

Trust me, I get that life is busy. Most days I felt like I was averaging 12+ hours day, but at the end of those long days I'd reflect on how happy I was. I have some incredible people in my life because I chose Drury. I have learned a lot, challenged myself, and had some really memorable, fun nights with a lot of people I care about. I pride myself on my hard work and I've seen the results pay off. My biggest advice for college freshmen is to make those social connections, have fun, but also be willing to put in hard work.

Until next time,
Taylor xx
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Creating a Stronger Voice

A side note: To my regular readers, this is my entry into the MarketingProfs Marketing Writing Bootcamp Scholarship
From a young age I’ve been drawn to writing. As a child I’d sit in the plush computer chair in my family’s “computer room” and third grade me would write short stories, or at least try. Each time I’d come back to the computer I had a new idea in mind and start a new story. My dad hates clutter on the computer and I know that as much as he may want to delete those half written stories I started as a 9 year old and eventually abandoned, he keeps them in a folder on the desktop entitled “Taylor’s”. I have to admit I’m a little nervous to read the stories I wrote all those years ago, but they built the foundation for my passion.
My sophomore year of high school I began a blog. I spent all my free time writing about different recipes I tried and new products I bought. Eventually, I bucked up and invested in my (now current) domain, www.thebabyperks.com. This was my high school swim team nickname that just happened to stick. My junior year I joined the high school newspaper. I was in love. I started as a reporter and then became a copy editor, features editor and creative director. Around this same time I was also taking marketing classes and competing as a member in DECA. Going into college I knew I wanted to merge my interests. Luckily, my university has a strategic communication program focused on crisis communication, multimedia writing, and brand management. I love the program I’m in and the opportunities I’ve had because of my degree.
If you aren’t challenging yourself you aren’t growing. I never want to stop learning or developing my skills. I would love to attend the Marketing Writing Bootcamp so that I can continue to refine my writing. I know what I love and I love what I do, this Bootcamp will give me another perspective of how to write. I graduate from college in 2 years and I plan on continuing to write for my blog alongside my professional career. I would love to learn how to reach my audience better through creating stronger content. MarketingProfs’ Bootcamp would give me that opportunity to develop my voice on my personal platform and strengthen my skills for my future employer’s platform.
Until next time,
Taylor xx
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