Social Utilization

We often take our personal relationships for granted when we get busy with our school responsibilities, new fraternity experiences, and the other activities which fill our calendars. Building and maintaining these supportive relationships with family members and friends, while staying involved with your chapter and campus activities is very important to your health and well-being. It is also surprising how much assistance we can get from all around us if we would only ask.

Members who go on to be successful always accomplish more with the help of a mentor. It is for this reason the chapter should provide you with a Big Brother. By forming this relationship, while utilizing The KEY, you will not only be incorporating new skills into your life, you will be motivated and held accountable by your Big Brother.

This area will focus on activities which will strengthen your support system, and your ability to utilize this support. The outcomes of which will be the following:

• Chapter/Campus Participation
• Relationship Management
• Resource Discovery
• Mentoring

To achieve mastery over this area, complete the following four activities. Below each activity you are provided with sample options that you may utilize to fulfill the activity. Remember, these are only sample options, you may choose to come up with your own options that may better suit you or your chapter's needs. Follow up your accomplishments in your Learning Journal. Finally, once you have completed all activities within this Area of Mastery, finish the area by answering the concluding Critical Reflection questions within your Learning Journal.

Attend and participate in chapter and campus activities.

• Write a three-sentenced commitment statement indicating your desire to participate in chapter activities. What three committees are you most interested in? What skills do you have? Submit your statement to the Chapter "B" so he can place you on an appropriate committee. Take the Greek Leadership Self-Appraisal to determine your skill areas.
• Meet with a student activities staff member and talk about involvement opportunities or obtain a student organizations brochure. Find one organization which complements your intended career. Find one organization which you find personally interesting. Attend at least two meetings of each of these organizations. Summarize your experience. Be sure to include what you did and did not like about the groups.
• Take the Greek Leadership Self-Appraisal to determine skills important to a fraternity leadership position. Identify skills you feel that you must develop in order to be most effective in that position. After examining your skills , complete the Personal Learning Goals worksheet. Share your learning goals with an older, respected member in the chapter, your Big Brother, or an alumnus. Ask what campus, fraternity, and community resources you should tap to strengthen your skills.

Maintain healthy relationships with others who are important in your life.

• Develop a list of individuals who have had a major impact on your life. These are people who have helped shape who you are and have impacted your personal values. Take a moment to consider and record how these people have impacted your life. Ask yourself the following questions: 1) How can I strengthen those relationships? 2) How can I show my appreciation to these individuals? 3) What life lessons have I learned from them? Take time to write each of these individuals a thank-you letter.
• Write a letter to your parents and let them know hoe the Fraternity has helped you develop as an individual to this point. Inform them of the importance of Initiation. What is Initiation? Why is it important to our brothers? What one activity during your membership has had the most meaning to you? Invite your family to the upcoming Parents Weekend or another Delta Chi family program.
• Talk one-on-one with a close friend, reflecting on your friendship over time. Discuss the following questions: 1) When was the most difficult period in the relationship? 2) When did you take each other for granted? 3) How can you continue to strengthen the friendship? Make sure to write all of this information down to refer back to in the future.

Discover the resources available to you on campus, in your community, and within the Fraternity.

• Collect information concerning the student services which are provided by your college/university. Several departments provide assistance and aid for their students whenever it is needed. Take some time to discover what they can provide you. Then take this information back to the chapter and share it during a chapter meeting.
• As a member of a fraternity, there are several types of support that can be provided by your organization. Speak to your advisor, a university official, or an alumnus about what other options are available to you for programming and support. You can also contact the Fraternity Headquarters Office or the North American Interfraternity Conference for these answers.

Understand the value of developing a mentoring relationship with someone.

• Interview several Delta Chi brothers one or more years ahead of you in school to discuss recommended faculty members for the next semester. Ask for samply syllabi for upcoming courses. Keep a list of the courses and professors they suggested. Speak to at least three of the professors to get their suggestions on you chosen academic career path.
• Contact an alumnus in the areas who has the same profession which you have chosen. Talk to him about a course of study and other ideas that he may have for you. You may even go so far as to ask if he had to do it all over again what would he do differently. Make sure to come up with a list of questions before you contact him, and take notes during the discussion.
• Review the Delta Chi BRIEF on Big/Little Brother relationships. Develop a profile for the ideal Big Brother. Create a list of minimum expectations for Big Brothers. Present the profile to you Big Brother and discuss it. Is he living up to your expectations?