Simply the BEST!

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We ARE...Simply the BEST!

{only a few of you will actually get that, but I had to through it out there}

Today marks the 106th anniversary of the founding of Chi Omega at the University of Arkansas.

I pledged Chi-O in the Fall 2005 at USC.  It was one of the best decisions I made in college and in life.  Going through Rush, I tried to keep an open mind about each sorority, but I had a special connection to Chi-O.  A few of the older sisters had taken me under their wings during my senior year of high school.  Justin's girlfriend, Fleming, was a Chi-O, so when I visited them in Columbia I would stay with her on the Chi-O hall.  I could not have been more excited and thrilled to open my bid and unroll my bid t-shirt to see the colors cardinal and straw.

The six founding purposes of Chi-O are scholarship, career development, community service, sisterhood, campus involvement, and high standards of personnel.  I received the senior award for career development.  These goals helped me grow into the person I am today.  The friendships I made as a sister in Chi-O are irreplaceable and some of the truest friends I have.  I had the honor of serving as Secretary my Sophomore/Junior years. {new officers took over in January}

Our Symphony gives us the "standard" by which we should live...
Chi Omega Symphony
To live constantly above snobbery of word
or deed; to place scholarship before social
obligations and character before 
appearances; to be in the best sense,
democratic rather than "exclusive",
and lovable rather than "popular";
to work earnestly,
to speak kindly,
to act sincerely,
to choose thoughtfully
that course which occasion and
conscience demand;
to be womanly always;
to be discouraged never;
in a word, to be loyal under any and all 
circumstances to my Fraternity and her
highest teachings and to have her welfare
ever at heart that she may be a symphony 
of high purpose and helpfulness in which
there is no discordant note.
Ethel Switzer Howard Xi 1904 


Ethel wrote that the night before her initiation.  At the end of each chapter, we would present the Symphony book to a sister.  The sister currently with the book would take the next line of the Symphony and give it to the sister who they though best embodied that line.  I received "to work earnestly" three times.  My favorite line{s} are "to be womanly always, to be discouraged never."  Powerful words when you think about it.


If I could go back to Bid Day and do it all over again, I would.  I loved college!  And, I have these girls to thank for that.

Love my sisters!
I can't wait for my real sister {hopefully} to join Chi-O at Carolina.
LICO

Soulfully,

Ashton