Believe it or not, your sorority’s standards board members were, at one point, freshmen too. They know you are going to want to attend the occasional frat party and they know there is a chance you will test your body’s, or your liver’s, limitations. 

But something they are considering is how your actions portray the chapter as a whole. They must look at the big picture and ensure one sister will not harm the entire chapter’s reputation. So rather than scuff and moan when your VP of Standards asks you to remove a picture from social media, take cute and classy pictures in the first place that she would approve of. Here are some tips to doing so.

Cup Down

Nothing ruins a cute picture more than the hideous accessory of a red solo cup. Even if it is the most darling picture of you and your new best friend, just say no to posting pictures with cups. Not only will this be an automatic red flag to your standards chair, but also your future employers could see that post as a symbol of your work ethic. Technology has provided us with many amazing tools such as the ability to crop, so if you want to share the picture, remove all of the beverages before you post it.

Check your background 

So you are off to a good start – no cups, no problems, right? Almost! When you are posing, make sure to check what will end up in the background. Even if you are respectfully representing yourself, it doesn’t look good if there are frat boys photo bombing in the back, making fools of themselves. Let's be honest, a nice clean setting makes for a cuter Instagram anyway.       

Don’t Post While Out 

Now we are getting into the groove! The content of your picture is on-point, so now it comes down the posting. Instead of automatically transferring the photo to a social media account, let the photo sit in your phone’s photo album until you are in the right state of mind to decide if it is a quality picture. Wait until you can properly determine the sharpness and lighting so you don’t end up posting something you will wince at in the morning. Time will help your judgment and will give you a chance to weigh the pros and cons of posting the picture.   

Everyone knows college life entails going out and being a part of the night life. Your Greek organization will be happy you are having fun in your first few weeks, but they will not be so happy if you are acting like “that girl” everyone is talking about the morning after. Be the new member all the actives think of as cute and fun rather than fun and ratchet.