“You don’t have to fit into a mold that someone else has defined.”—Peggy Johnson

In this incredible order, there is so much to do. From, the chapter level, to regional, to international…  So, what do you choose? I’m not here to tell you what to choose. I’m here to inspire you to choose what you want to do and to tell you that you do not need to follow in someone else’s footsteps. In the picture above, you can see a MIT candle and a classic convention lanyard. To you, it may mean nothing, but to me, it means everything because it was the first Regional Convention that I steered. However, that wasn’t my first leap in BBYO.

Looking back all the way to September 2019, I applied for the BBGG Chapter Chair. I thought almost nothing of it, but my sister thought that it would be a perfect match for me. So I applied, and I got it!! Although I only planned 1 program, the chair was so rewarding and truly the best way to dip into my BBYO journey. Shortly after, I got into what would be one of the scariest moments of my BBYO journey, the 6 Month Term Task Force. For the first time, I got to talk to other members in regions across the world, including NTO’s (Northern Texas Oklahoma Region) past Regional N’siah! Thereafter, I got up in front of my Region to present my points, one of the scariest yet exhilarating moments of my life.

After being on Regional Press Corps and Lock-In steering, I decided that these 4 opportunities would help me apply to be Beauheart Ball coordinator, but I wasn’t ready, and to be fair, my application was not so great. So I tried instead for Hospitality Captain on Spring Virtual Retreat Steering, and I got it! This Steering committee brought me closer to many more amazing Alephs and BBGs and it was the opportunity of a lifetime! I was a little stressed because I was also running for Chapter board at the same time. I lost the position that I wanted (Chapter Morah/Aym Ha’Chaverot/MIT Mom), but I am so grateful that I got my slide down position (Chapter Sh’licha)! It shaped me to become so much more involved regionally and internationally, and I helped my chapter while fulfilling my term. It’s now a new term, and I’m on board again, now serving as the 5th Chapter S’ganit!

Success isn’t the same for everyone, it never is. The same journey will still look different because every person will learn new things. Your success is YOUR SUCCESS, never let anyone tell you otherwise. If you’re happy with your BBYO journey, then that’s all that matters. And, if you can’t find anyone to be happy for you, I’ll be happy for you!!

Honestly, I never planned for this to happen, I never planned for any of it. I knew that I wanted to make a difference, but I didn’t go into BBYO with that mindset because I knew that it would get into my head. So, I went in with the mindset of having some experience, and I applied it the best that I could, with answers from the heart. My advice for all of you is to try everything, no matter what experience you have, no matter what anyone says! It never did, and it never will hurt anyone if you try everything. If anything, you’ll gain new experiences, perspectives, and most importantly, you’ll always have that with you through your BBYO journey!!