This past week at FSU, I was able to attend my first Panhellenic meeting--ever! Rather than hold a meeting this week, however, Panhellenic hosted a tea party at Delta Zeta in honor of Women's Wellness Week. This tea party may have been less psychedelic than Alice's--but thought-provoking nonetheless. All women from each organization were welcome to come, and each sorority was also encouraged to invite a female mentor (a professor, Chapter Advisor, boss, etc.).

At each table, we not only had delicious treats to eat, but we also had two cards with health facts and topics for discussion. Each group then had the hour to discuss these very important topics. Alpha Gam was paired with Kappa Alpha Theta, and we had such wonderful conversations!

The really amazing thing about such a program is its relevance. Every woman had interesting thoughts about each topic, yet I can practically guarantee that most would never sit down to discuss this with other women--hence the necessity of purposeful programming!

Here are the ideas for discussion, and I would love to see this program taken to individual chapters or College Panhellenics!

Facts:

• Nearly twice as many women (12 %) as men (6.6%) are affected by a depressive disorder each year. These figures translate to 12.4 million women and 6.4 million men in the U.S. (http://www.depression-guide.com)
• Among current female drinkers, 7.16% of whites, 10.22% of blacks, 22.16% of American Indians/Alaskan Natives, and 9.03% of Hispanics reported alcohol dependence. (http://www.cspinet.org/booze/women.htm)

-This fact sparked a really interesting discussion about racial stereotypes (most likely ignited by me...I can't help it). See how such programming gets all kinds of relevant topics out in the open?

• An estimated 10% of female college students suffer from a clinical or sub-clinical (borderline) eating disorder, of which over half suffer from bulimia nervosa.

-This brought up a very interesting question: can women recovering from an eating disorder remain healthy (physically and mentally) while living in a sorority house? Though I'd like to think YES (because of the available support systems), each of our experiences proved that the answer may not be one I like to think about! I'd love to hear anyone's personal story!

• Approximately 5% of women and 1% of men have anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder. (http://www.annecollins.com/eating-disorders/statistics.htm

-Think our appearance-obsessed celebrity "role models" help this? Doubtfully.

• At this time, there are over 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. (www.cancer.org)

-Hooray! Don't forget to check yourself for lumps!

• A survey of 500 young women, ages 15-24, found that 60% were currently involved in an ongoing abusive relationship and all participants had experienced violence in a dating relationship. (http://www.acadv.org/dating.html
• Heart disease is the #1 killer of American women.
  
• Nearly 2/3 of American women who die suddenly of a heart attack had no prior symptoms. (http://www.msha.com/body_sibling02.cfm?id=429
• An average of 28-46% of women under the age of 25 are infected with genital HPV. (http://www.cervicalcancer.org/hpvstatistics.html)

Now for the really interesting topics for discussion!:

• What is one of the most uplifting times of your life? How did that affect you?
• What is one of the hardest times of your life? How did you cope?
• How do you choose to live? What decision in your life have you made to improve your health and wellness?
• What tips would you like to share with the group?
• Do you know someone who has battled with or is currently battling breast cancer? Share your story.
• If you suspected your roommate or close friend was in an abusive relationship, what steps would you take to get her help?
• Depression is one of the 5 biggest health concerns for young women. What are some ways that you can deal with depression and anxiety?
  
• How do you feel about being a woman?
• What part of being a woman do you celebrate? What part do you struggle with?
• Body image has always been a topic of discussion in relation to women's health. Why does it matter so much?
• Please share any other thoughts you have with the group.
  
• What is abuse? Is abuse inevitable in life?
• What comes to mind when you hear the words "gender roles"?
• What are some situations that may cause depression?
• Have you or anyone you know dealt with depression? What is that like?
• What is in the media about women? What do you think about those topics?
• Dieting: do women do it for health or for others?

I hope people are thinking about these important issues on a regular basis...and how you can live a mentally and physically healthy lifestyle!