There is nothing cake can't make better

        Our first full day of NGLA-ing has been a whirlwind. I'm invigorated and inspired and ready to to bring back so much information to my chapter but simultaneously wanting to stay and take in everything I can.
        My favorite speaker today, Annalise Sinclair, opened up my eyes to more than the probably intended herself. Her session was titled "Curiosity, Courage, & Cake". She discussed her experience in going out for recruitment and how it was the first time someone was genuinely curious about me? She encouraged us as sorority women to be more intentionally curious about other people, about our potential new members, and ourselves. During recruitment we have our pre-set list of questions... 
What's your name? 
Major? 
What are you watching on netflix? 
Do you dorm or commute?

Then she encouraged us to ask more profound questions. 
 “What do you do to be creative?”
 “Not who do you look up to, but who looks up to you?"
“What is your 'Why'?”
“If you have zero boundaries, zero expectations of failure and zero limits what would do?”

This type of thinking and conversation allows us to be more vulnerable and genuine and to be your true self. The grit of the conversation started when the cake jokes ended and the secrets came out. She revealed to us that for 10 years she kept her bipolar disorder a secret from everyone becuase she fet the pressure most sorority women do; the pressure to be perfect. We as sorority women are told that we are held to a higher standard, that we are excellent women striving for even more excellence in everything we do. There is a stigma around mental illness that, until is gone, will continue to make anyone with it feel flawed, and "not enough". She explained that if she had been open in her years as an active sister in her undergrad that more women would have reached out and said "me too" and that she wasn't alone. One person keeping their secret can make it so that everyone else does do. If there is one takeaway from today it is that we need to break free from what is expected of you and actually start challenging yourself to life authentic life, and that when a speaker mentions cake, but doesn't provide cake, I get a lil bit hangry!