Hierarchy of Importance

Hello NCD!

Without a whole lot going on in the VPSP world, I thought I'd write my blog post this week in an attempt to gauge how everyone is doing.  This seems to be the time of year when everyone is freaking out about midterms, projects, and essays, not to mention the countless other things we all have going on.  With all that stress and added weight on your shoulders, sometimes you can feel like it's tough to even breathe.  I'm here to tell you today that you NEED to breathe, it's for your own safety!

Think back to the 8 and 5: "cultivation and maintenance of your emotional poise under all conditions".  What I take that to mean is that even under the hardest and busiest times of the year, there has to be a way for you to grind it out and get through it; and you will get through it, I promise!  Don't even give up on yourself, that's the first step to failure.  A very wise correspondent of mine, who also happens to be our District Counselor, has told me many times of the "hierarchy of importance" when it comes to anything in life.  At the moment, it looks as follows:

Yourself
Your Family
School/Work
Band/Extracurriculars
Tau Beta Sigma

You'll notice a few things in this hierarchy.  First of all, you are at the top, as you should be.  This isn't some egotistical ploy and it isn't selfish either, it's the realization that this is your life and you are the only one who can live it; therefore, you have to put yourself first.  If you aren't able to think about yourself and what's best for you in a given scenario, you may find it difficult to give all that you can to those organizations below you on the hierarchy, such as your family, your school, and your sorority.  I've often found that I try and put some of these things before my own well-being, and while the thought and effort is appreciated, what's most important is making sure we are all ok before we expend our services to those deserving of it.

You'll also notice that Tau Beta Sigma is last on this list, and that is on purpose too.  Many of us, even district officers and counselors, will tell you that no matter how involved we are with the sorority, it is still just a small portion of what we have going on each and every day.  This of course doesn't mean that TBS is somehow unimportant or should be left out on the side, it is a reminder that your family, your classwork, and the band you are serving need your attention as well.  We all would much rather have you not fail all of your classes, even if it's because you were doing a service project for the sorority!

Take some time over this difficult stretch in the semester and think about your own personal hierarchy of importance, and see if it matches the one I have.  It certainly doesn't have to, but it is interesting to think about where you're working the hardest and what in your life is important enough to deserve your service.  You are all wonderful people, and frankly I want to see each of us succeed at our best.  In order to do that, make sure you are in your best shape physically, mentally, and emotionally each and every day.  Be a better version of you than you were yesterday!

I wish everyone the BEST of luck with their schoolwork, marching season, and recruitment!

ITB,

Zach