Good Things Come with Time | Maddy Love

Hi! My name is Maddy Love, and I’m a sophomore coffeeshop enthusiast who proudly loves to find underground musicians that no one has heard of, have spontaneously deep conversations with friends, and dabble in a million random hobbies without ever committing to one… Ask me about how rock climbing is going.

One thing that I can go on and on about is my friends. The Lord has truly worked through Chi Omega Zeta Zeta to bring the most amazing, steadfast girls into my life. Before coming to college, my only impression was how Samford Chi Omega looked on social media. I desired to have deep, rich friendships like the ones I saw portrayed. I longed to be fully known and to have friends by my side to do life with. Today, I can genuinely say that I am known deeper than I ever hoped to be. “Doing life” alongside my sisters looks like going grocery shopping together, sitting on the floor of my room and talking, going on hour-long drives around Mountain Brook screaming 2000s Christian radio music (never beating the allegations), or being there for each other through the heartbreaks, the homesickness, and the times where our faith feels weak. I’ve been blessed with a sister of my own to grow up with and a friend from home who is the next closest thing, but my Chi Omega girls will forever and always hold a special place in my heart. 

To the freshman girl who may be reading this, if I’m being honest, we didn’t even truly become close until the end of freshman year. In one of my favorite books, "Find Your People" by Jennie Allen, she referenced a statistic that really left a lasting impression on me. Get this, on average, “it takes about 40–60 hours to become casual friends, 80–100 hours to become a good friend, and over 200 hours to become close friends”. At points during freshman year, I felt disappointed that my relationships were not as deep as I had hoped, especially when it seemed like everyone else's were. But, dearest freshman, you haven’t even had the opportunity to spend that many hours with those around you. Do not be discouraged, good things come with time.

My sisters in Chi Omega have made me a better friend, Christ follower, chef, runner, and have given me much practice in laughing. They have expanded my knowledge of iconic music, shown up for me when I felt alone and unworthy of love, stood up for me when I wouldn’t stand up for myself, proven that someone can be more brain-rotted than me, and forever impacted my life for the better. They have shown me what it looks like to call each other higher, to carry each other's burdens, and to love one another no matter what. I thank the Lord for the ways He provided and the way He designed us to live in community with others. So my encouragement to you is to pay attention to who happens to be next to you, be unafraid to be the one to initiate a coffee date or a compliment, and give your friendships grace if they aren’t as deep as you thought they’d be. Let the Lord be your closest friend first, and the rest of your relationships will flow from there. I am forever indebted to this sisterhood for blessing me with my best friends!

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expectations are a thief of joy | Caroline Drummond

Let’s be honest, it’s so incredibly easy to put expectations on every part of our life.

“First year of college is going to be so fun and have no hard moments”

“I am going to meet all my best friends in one semester of college”

“I’m going to love my major and never switch”

Expectations are not in itself a bad thing. Expectations set by parents, work, and school all help us stay disciplined and grow into the person the Lord desires us to be.

But, when I begin to set excess expectations for myself I easily get disappointed.

Looking back on my freshman year of college, I wish someone told me to stop making mile high expectations of what my college experience was going to be like. Every single person’s college experience is going to look different.

I found so much beauty in releasing expectations and control to the Lord. Events where I put no social expectations on were some of my favorite events. The most spontaneous hangouts with no expectations to make it “insta worthy” created some of my favorite memories from freshman year.

Friend, I would encourage you to release your grip and release your expectations to the Lord. He knows our hearts more than we do ourselves. Psalm 37:4 reminds us to “delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart”.

my why chi o || gracie koester

Hey there! My name is Gracie Koester and I am a member of Zeta Zeta’s P.C. 22! When I came to Samford as a freshman, I didn’t want to go through recruitment. I am naturally very introverted, and the idea of being in a sorority and going through recruitment didn’t sound ideal to me. I had preconceived ideas of what sororities were, and I was pretty stubborn when it came to wanting to do my own thing during my freshman year. While I made several amazing friends in my first year at Samford, a part of me began to crave the connection some of my friends had with their sisters. I prayed about the idea of going through recruitment a year late and was nervous about how the process might be different, already having a year of college under my belt. I ultimately decided I wanted to do it. This decision was also made easier for me because one of my best friends and sophomore year roommate, Morgan Hill, was also going through recruitment as a sophomore, and we got to do the whole process together!

Recruitment was unlike what I expected- while it was funny and weird to walk into sorority houses and talk with people I already knew, I was so thankful I made the decision to wait a year. When I walked into the Chi Omega house each round, I felt so at home! I met so many girls who I am now so close with and each one made me feel so loved, seen, and heard. Chi Omega does such a great job of treating each girl like they truly matter, not just like they are a number. We want to get to know your heart.

After philanthropy round, I knew whole-heartedly that I wanted to go Chi O- and when I opened my bid day envelope and saw the insignia, I was filled with joy! Bid day was so much fun because I got to run home to my best friends who welcomed me with arms wide open. My bid day buddy was my freshman year roommate and it was so special to embrace her amidst the craziness and anxiety bid day can bring.

One of the sweetest aspects of going through recruitment as a sophomore has been being a part of a younger pledge class. I’ve become close with several girls who are a year younger than me through new member meetings and events, and this is not something I would have gotten if I hadn’t rushed as a sophomore. I got to live in the Chi O house junior year with a majority of my P.C. and it was SO FUN!

So if you are completing your freshman year and feel a tug to go through recruitment, DO IT! It has been one of my greatest blessings in college and I

coffee with a chi o | sara grace dancy

Hello!! My name is Sara Grace Dancy, and I am a member of PC ‘23 here at Chi O Zeta Zeta. In case we haven’t met, I’ll give you a 5-second summary of my defining characteristics. My personality consists of working out, being a Texan, cooking, re-reading Little Women, and coffee. Anyone who knows me knows I love coffee. I love joking with my friends by saying that coffee is my “love language” because frequenting coffee shops is my favorite way to spend my time. Coffee is especially important to me because it runs in my family! My dad expertly trained me to be a coffee snob from a very young age. As I’ve grown up, it has become something that we have bonded over, and routine coffee dates with my Dad are one of the things I look forward to most when I come home. This love for coffee that he instilled in me has carried over into almost every aspect of my life. I have been a barista for a little over four years now and have worked in everything from a commercial coffee shop, serving coffee at weddings, and most importantly serving as “the Dancy home barista” alongside my Dad on our trusted Breville espresso machine. 

Since being a student at Samford, I have taken it upon myself to visit every coffee shop in the Birmingham area. Throughout the year, I kept a ranking in my journal of my thoughts and takeaways from each shop to share with friends when they needed a place to go. Although I’ve been to more than the five listed, consider these shops my most loved recommendations for the next time you need a place to take a friend, study, or just enjoy the peace brought by a cup of coffee.

1) Seeds Coffee

Seeds was one of the first coffee shops I tried after moving to Birmingham, and it has stood the test of time as it is still my favorite. Seeds prides itself on coffee that is mindfully sourced and mindfully roasted, which has created a higher quality of coffee and service. I am a big fan of turning coffee into a community and I love the community that Seeds has created in their shop. Their signature lattes are amazing, as well as their pour-overs. I consistently order their Lavender Citrus latte. Nothing beats the combination of espresso and citrus, in my opinion. Bonus points because they have housemade pastries, including Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins, which are my all-time favorite.

2) June Coffee

June has been my tried and true favorite for weekend mornings. With its large patio and the fact that they’re right next door to Last Call Bakery, it is the perfect spot for a Saturday morning in the sun. My favorite drink is the Orange Fig Latte because I can’t get enough of the citrus-flavored lattes. One of the highlights of June is their unique seasonal menu! They release new drinks around every 3-4 months, and I am always impressed by the creativity and craft behind the drinks. 

3) Cala Coffee

Cala Coffee has two locations, one in Cahaba Heights and one in the downtown Birmingham area. I frequent the Cahaba Heights location as it is close to campus and has lots of seating with a large outdoor patio. My favorite thing about Cala is their house-made syrups. They have a large variety of latte flavors, but I rotate between just a plain honey latte and their Brown Sugar latte; Both are amazing. Cala is very aesthetically pleasing, and I love the cohesiveness of their brand; everything from their logo, coffee packaging, and inside decor is picture-perfect. I always recommend Cala as the place to take a friend who is visiting town. The inside is adorable, the coffee is good, and they have a large variety of beans to choose from for a souvenir!

4) Caveat Coffee

I went to Caveat for the first time when I toured Samford as a junior in high school and, over time, I have grown to love it more and more. My go-to at Caveat is just a latte with raw honey, iced of course. Their standard lattes are pretty sweet, so if you’re like me and enjoy less sweet coffee, I would suggest asking for your latte “half-sweet”. Caveat is located in an old blue house in the downtown Homewood area, making it the perfect place to stop after a morning working out at Supertone or a day shopping downtown. While I am not a fan of coffee shops with drive-thrus, they have a little drive-up window on their bottom floor, making it the ideal spot to stop by and get a quality latte on your way home. Their outside seating is on their back patio, which is perfect on Fall and Spring afternoons, and their inside is calm and quiet.

5) Santos Coffee

Although I tried Santos for the first time a few weeks ago, it has become a new staple in my coffee shop rotation as I approach finals. Santos has several locations across Birmingham, but my favorite location is the one in downtown Homewood. One of the things that sets Santos apart is their hours! They are one of the few coffee shops in Birmingham that is open until 6 pm, making it my go-to study spot. I switch up my order at Santos a lot but have found myself loving their Coconut Latte as well as their Honey Lavender Latte.

Trying all the new coffee shops and slowly turning into a regular at some of them has been one of my favorite parts of Birmingham. I hope this list will recommend a new place to try or remind you of an old coffee shop you haven’t been to in a while. Regardless, let this serve as your reminder to take your friends to coffee, it is a love language after all.

six lessons from a sappy senior | emily ann smith

Hey y'all! My name is Emily Ann Smith and, as weird as it is to say, l'm a senior. Chi Omega easily became one of my greatest blessings and biggest joys throughout college. And without the girls who line the walls behind the red door, I definitely wouldn't be who I am today. I can't say I have learned everything college has to teach me or that my story is exactly like someone elses, but here is a little survival guide I've made along the way.

1. Believe in yourself! It's cliché I know, but true. It is so easy to get down on yourself after a bad test, a forgotten assignment, having to drop a class, not passing a nursing semester, and so many other things, but even in those moments, you are more than capable. Believe in your abilities! God gave you gifts for a reason! Don't let self -doubt hold you back from pursuing your dreams.

2. It's okay to say no! I know, it's hard, you don't want to hurt someone's feelings or feel like you're missing out. I get it, I am excellent at overbooking my calendar, but I have learned that it is okayto say no. College has a lot to offer, and that's one of the amazing and special things about a school like ours, but before you know it, your calendar will be so full that you forget to give yourself time to breathe. Prioritizing yourself and your work is important too! So, learn to say yes and to say no!

3. Try new things! It's scary but also can bring some of the greatest memories you'll make!
Whether participating in Step Sing, SGA, study abroads, getting involved in Chi O, intramurals, and so much more, take the chance! Allow yourself to try something new, you may love it, you may not, but you will never know unless you try.

4. Take care of your mental health! You are growing in so many ways in college. You begin to leam how to live on your own, make new friends, decide what good friends and maybe not so good friends look like. You may get a boyfriend, maybe experience new emotions you hadn't before, or maybe you're always around people and don't have a place to think. A lot is happening in college, and your mental well-being is just as important as your physical health. Prioritize self-care activities that nourish your soul, whether that's joumaling, counseling, or going for walks on the Lakeshore Trail.
Remember to keep you healthy!

5. Embrace failure as growth! It's okay to stumble and fall along the way. Every setback is an opportunity to learn and grow. It can feel like the end of the world, but God has a reason for everything, seek His wisdom and guidance!

6. Trust the journey! Remember that life is a journey, and college is just one chapter in your story, Trust in yourself and trust in the journey, knowing that every experience, both good and bad, is shaping you into the person you are meant to become.

College will feel like the best four years of your life and maybe the not best four years of your life at times, but it is a journey just like every other season. So, I encourage and commend you in finishing the semester strong, with new friends, new memories, and new lessons. Above all, remember to be kind to yourself and treat yourself with the same compassion and understanding you would a sister or a friend. You're doing great, and you've got this!

a bond that distance cannot undo | Grace Davis

Hi from across the pond! My name is Grace Davis, and I am sad to say that I am already a Junior. Time really flies when you’re having fun. And let me tell you, fun is the most important of words used to describe Chi Omega and this sisterhood that I, fortunately, am a part of forever. I wouldn’t want it any other way. Chi O is adventurous and silly and just downright real, and that is what I adore most about it.

I am currently residing in the heart of London this semester, and let me tell you, it has been INCREDIBLE. Before I ventured over, I prayed for a change that molded and shaped me, and I have received nothing short of that. I am seeing parts of the world that I have dreamed about visiting since I was a kid. 15-year-old Grace would be GEEKING. I especially adore my internship, an opportunity of a lifetime that I would have never gotten had I not decided to study abroad. London is slowly but sweetly becoming a second home, and the phrase “I can’t wait to tell my kids about this” best describes the thoughts of those here in the Daniel House.

While I’m having a blast over here (!!!!!!!), my first home will always be within the walls of the Chi Omega House. Yes, I realize that sounds so incredibly cheesy. Watching the Golden Bachelor on the chapter room TV, sharing closets with my best friends, and getting ready for functions together are core memories that I take with me wherever I go. I have learned a whole lot since being abroad, but if I could share one thing, it’s that home is where your people are, and thankfully, Chi Omega has brought me those people. The evening Facetime calls (9 pm my time and 3 pm their time) fill my cup with each conversation that I get. Getting to see a sister's sweet face, even just over the phone, means the world to me! “Tell me about your day” never grows old.

When I landed in London, I was so sure that my communication with my friends would be poor. Mostly because I suck at long-distance communication and because we would all be too busy to speak to each other. But what I discovered has been so unexpectedly opposite. I really didn’t think that I could treasure these friendships more than I already do, but distance has created in me a grateful heart. I’ve seen the world, but let me tell you, there is really no place like Homewood, Alabama, mainly because of the really awesome people it holds. 

One really cool thing that has been just so fun about studying abroad is the fact that 6 out of the 19 of us are Chi O’s. Hootie Hoo to that. Getting to relate with each other on activities like bid day, crawfish, big/little, etc., has been a highlight. I not only have the honor of being their sister, but I also get to see the world with them. And there is no better way to bond with someone than that. (in my own opinion, of course!!!!!) Truly, I have never appreciated being a part of a sisterhood more than I do now. It is a bond that distance cannot undo. It’s a bond that started on Samford’s campus and continues to flourish even while I am away.

So yes, you might catch me using the phrase “take away” instead of “to go” or saying “sorry” instead of “excuse me” when I come back to the States, but my heart for this sisterhood has and will always remain deep. No amount of change or scenery or time difference can replace that. 

this thing i love called step sing | Emmy Tane

Hey there, my name is Emmy Tane, and I cannot believe I am a senior already. I love Chi Omega with my whole heart. As a retired theater kid, of course I live for Samford’s longest tradition, and I am honored to have been chosen twice to represent Chi Omega in Step Sing as a director to help create and teach a show to some of my closest friends. There is just something about the spirit that sweeps through campus in January. Now as one of the least competitive people I know, I feel Step Sing is definitely for having fun and creating a space for others to come together and to get to try something new or get to do something they love.

Serving the chapter as a director for two years was a huge blessing. The amount of support, encouragement, and affirmation I received from the girls was so unexpected but helped shape my view of leadership. I have never seen myself as a leader, I am quick to see my inadequacies and just how much I cannot do. Thankfully, I was not expected to do this job alone. I only know Step Sing with Faith Jones, and I admire her even more than I did before leading with her for three years. From her humble and passionate leadership, I learned how to lead in a peaceful way, extending more grace than you’d think we would need. She is a leader who cares deeply about the work being done and about the people involved. Her creativity and vision when approaching a project are full of excitement that hooks you and lights a fire under you. I am so thankful to have seen how to lead with such zeal and detail, working for excellence, while having fun. I learned about how to lead boldly from Sarah Beth Galbreath and EmilyAnn Smith, and how to think outside the box to quickly find solutions and get a better result than we thought of initially. Sarah Beth always saw the end result and was confident in the work being done. Watching and leading with her helped me become a bolder and more honest leader. I admire both of their logistically powered brains that help piece together and organize the abstract mess of ideas I tend to pour out. All of the women I led with have shaped me into the leader I currently try to be, and I am overly thankful for all they have taught me.

Chi Omega has greatly influenced who I am today, and for that I am thankful. I have had wonderful mentors to look up to, have been poured into by those around me, and I have been affirmed, shaped, and uplifted by my sisters, encouraging me to be the best version of myself. I am embarrassingly proud to watch Chi O Zombies too many times each month and am caught too often singing “Thriller” and “It’s Hairspray” everywhere I go. I am beyond proud to be attached to such a niche tradition and, obviously, to be a Chi Omega. 

how I define sisterhood | Margaret Viña

Hiiiiii!!!! My name is Margaret Viña, and I am a self proclaimed chi o sappy senior- cheesy, I know. The extent I have with writing blog posts is my failed fashion blog from high school with 1(!) consistent viewer aka my mom, so bear with me. A bit about me: I’m a wannabe tea lover with an overstuffed closet, appetizer and dessert enthusiast, and am rarely seen driving with the windows up. I’m a Texas girl (and proud of it too) who grew up with 2 brothers. And now don’t get me wrong, I love my brothers. They are smart and caring and taught me the importance of watching The Sandlot from a young age. My older brother Henry is honest and my baby brother George is the biggest late night Sonic trip advocate. But as wonderful as they are, they’re not sisters. They had this bond growing up, one I just “couldn’t understand.” Pretty sure it was all over March Madness brackets and plaid color bedspreads and athletic cups, I think. I wouldn’t play in the dirt with them and wasn’t “one of the boys” no matter how much middle school Marg wished she was. I didn’t have a sister, and honestly, didn’t think I needed one. No bathroom to share, no one stealing my clothes, anything pink was automatically mine. 18 years of sister-free life. And then, college came.

I entered this new stage of life with eagerness and excitement and a bit of fear tucked somewhere in my brain. Days felt like years until recruitment, but the week went by in the blink of an eye. Bid day started with butterflies in my stomach and ended with the biggest smile on my face. That cardinal and straw jersey fit like a glove; and by glove I mean oven mit. I said the word “sisters” probably 100 times that day. Why? Because everyone else was saying it, duh. I used this 7 letter word fairly often, but there wasn’t meaning behind it for me. I still didn’t understand this connection people had with this word. Until one day, I did. And I know you’re waiting for the big hurrah, the turning point, the moment in the plot when “Ribs” by Lorde starts playing and you feel like you’re flying. And I can now say with full confidence that I’m so glad that wasn’t my story.

My sisters in Chi O didn’t start to feel like my sisters because we had our movie moment and everyone clapped. My sisters felt like my sisters because of the small moments. Familiar faces in the UC or being taught how to navigate the SamTram for the first time. Lauren Bell letting me cry on her couch (and in her car, and in my car, and probably the Lib if we’re being honest). Addison Toy never saying no to going to get a milkshake with me, even though she never gets one. Sophie McRoy never letting me walk to my 8am and consistently picking me up at the stop sign every morning for a year. Ellis’s cackle at the same New Girl episode she rewatches once a week. Tatum Foreman’s welcoming smile on BBP, Liza Yates who is the biggest caf advocate other than myself, and friends who make sure you eat and sleep during the most stressful time of your life. I’ve learned there’s never a limit to sisterhood. I have 200 something sisters, who will call me higher and never make me watch The Sandlot unless I really really wanted to.

And now I know blood is thicker than water, but I would go to the ends of the earth and back again for the women in Chi Omega. *Correction, my sisters(!!!!!!) in Chi Omega. These people have taught me the definition of sisterhood in its purest form. I now have sisters to share my overstuffed closet with, sisters who ask for a dessert menu before I can. Sisters who care way more about the internal over the external and who know me better than I know myself. I think back to 18 year old Marg who would use the word “sister” as such an empty word. This word holds weight for me now; like tub of C is for Cookie or carrying the spreadsheet kind of weight. Sisters mean sharing clothes and always having a dinner date and being the LAST person on the semi dance floor. Sisters mean forever, and I thank Chi Omega for all of mine!!!!