Tres

     Monkeys? Sounds like an odd topic for our blogs haha but here goes. I could go on for hours about the numerous "monkeys on my back" that are part of the innumerable communities I am a part of, but I will just focus on a few here. Firstly, our RG family. It doesn't force me to take care of many responsibilities, but there are some. One I can think of is homework, but doing my homework doesn't directly help out everyone else, so it is more important to talk about the monkeys that have to do with the image we have to uphold. It is necessary for all of us to portray the best image possible of sorority women, without being biased towards one chapter or another, and also, we should be a support system for one another, and for the girls going through recruitment. Therefore, the monkeys we carry around have to do with being the genuine, caring people that we are, no matter what the situation is.
     I feel that the monkeys connected with my chapter and with PHA are very similar. They also coincide with the responsibilities I just discussed. As a part of a chapter and PHA, I would like to uphold as good of an image as possible, at all times. This is because as a sorority woman, I am not only always representing my chapter, but representing PHA, because even if someone doesn't know what sorority I am in, they could still know that I am in a sorority. The monkeys that are connected with this upholding of better standards for myself and for others include being genuine and caring, partaking in community service, and not acting in a way that would make my chapter or PHA look unsatisfactory to someone who isn't a part of either organization. And also, as a part of my chapter, I would include my grades as a monkey that I carry on my back, because I am constantly trying to strive for better grades so that we can improve as a whole chapter and provide more proof that people in sororities and fraternities have higher GPAs on average.
     Going along with getting good grades, I carry around a "homework monkey" when it comes to my classes. I like to do all my reading (even if it isn't entirely necessary) because it is a responsibility that I feel I have and something I like to do for my other classmates. When I do my reading and all of my homework, I can come to class prepared to discuss things and be in a position where I know what I am talking about with my classmates. In the house that I live in, I have a "chore monkey" because there are some things that all of us must do in order to keep our house clean and running efficiently. Therefore, it is important that all of us fulfill our responsibilities and carry around that monkey. And finally, in the other clubs and organizations that I am involved in on campus (mainly the Equestrian Team) I have a similar monkey in the fact that it is important for me to be caring, genuine, and friendly so that I can make new members feel welcome, while at the same time, keeping existing relationships strong. And there is a volunteer monkey that goes along with any sports club, so that is important too.
     I never really thought about responsibilities as "monkeys on your back" but it does make a lot of sense because it is similar to a to-do list. I know that if I have something I know I have to do, I carry it around with me and I think about it all the time until I get it done and it feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. But weights are different than monkeys, they aren't as heavy, and that is why I really like this metaphor and found it very relatable.

Dos

     The first experience that comes to my mind when I saw the Empowerment section in Chapter 5 is when I volunteered with my Mom's work (she works for Lucas County Children Services) at their annual holiday party. They host the party for foster parents and their adopted children to come and see Santa and get a free gift from him, while also receiving a large basket of holiday type food. There are also lots of activities for the kids to partake in, and this is where the empowerment comes in. I usually work at either the craft table or the cookie decorating table, and both of these activities give the children a chance to experience empowerment, because they are able to decorate however their little hearts desire, and I am still there to help if they need anything. Therefore, I am taking to heart what they would like and not helping them if they don't actually want help.
     This same holiday party also has a lot to do with engaging in multicultural citizenship because families of all different sizes and colors and races and ethnicities attend the party. It has helped me to see that not only certain races are willing to adopt children and take them into their home, no matter what their current financial state is. Also, because so many different people attend the party, I am able to interact with all of them and learn as much as I can from them about the differences between people in our world. If we get to talking, I can even learn about how their culture and customs differ from mine, or are very similar to mine. This is what makes multicultural citizenship important when helping out a community, because if volunteer work was restricted to only certain groups of citizens, it would not be nearly as beneficial as it is when everyone is aided, regardless of the color of their skin.
     The last way I engage in citizenship in this community is through the use of empathy. It is very important to have the ability to sit down and listen to the people who are in need of your help. Whether they want to talk about something important or trivial, by listening to them, I could make a huge difference in their lives. I also must be able to take a step out of my comfort zone and put myself in their shoes, because by "seeing the world through a different and distinct vantage point" the opportunities I have to help out that family or that person are endless. All three of these things are very important to acknowledge when engaging in community service because they enable the volunteer to help as much as humanly possible and will give both the volunteer and the person receiving the service a better experience.