Kappa Alpha Theta uses social media to promote positive life outlooks

USD’s Kappa Alpha Theta sorority chapter is participating in an October social media movement called #LoveisLouder.

The movement was created by the Jed Foundation and actress Brittany Snow to promote self-love, and to show people that under any circumstance they are loved and are not alone.

Junior Ashley Rook, who is one of 134 other Kappa Alpha Theta’s members at USD, said the movement helps show younger women and men that there are people who feel the same isolation, and that they are not alone.

“It’s out there to say there’s more people out there with you, (and) you can have everyone’s love,” Rook said. “You don’t have to go through everything by yourself.”

Molly Cahoy, junior and Kappa Alpha Theta’s chief panhellenic officer, said the movement is important to publicize especially at a college because the younger population is always at war with themselves and their image.

“Girls and women are going through a bunch of changes and being on (their) own,” Cahoy said. “It’s hard to see all these other women on campus and some have better confidence than others, so I feel it’s important that they can see that everyone’s there for each other.”

First-year and Kappa Alpha Theta member Kjerstin Williams said the movement is important to her on a personal level.

“I have a lot of friends that have really gone through depression issues or just self-image issues,” Williams said. “Even myself, sometimes I struggle with seeing myself as beautiful or perfect.”

The sorority isn’t hosting any events for the campaign, but is instead having its members post pictures with the hashtag #LoveisLouder to social media to spread the word.

The members have different days throughout the week that they take pictures and post them with their own personal hashtag.

For example, Rook’s hashtag is #LoveisLouderThanSelfHarm.

“It means a lot near and dear to me,” Rook said. “Even if you think you’re not worth it, everybody has self-worth.”

Cahoy posted the hashtag #LoveisLouderThanSelfImage, which has a personal connection to her because she, like many other people, struggled at times with self-image and feeling good about herself. She said love is more important than what people look like.

“When you’re on your own and you don’t have your normal group of friends, and coming to college your freshman year, it’s hard,” Cahoy said. “I remembered in high school there are girls that are hard on each other because of that and I want those women to see that that’s not important — who you are and what you believe in is important.”

Williams posted the hashtag #LoveisLouderThanPressuretobePerfect, which she said really “hit home” for her when she was in high school and needed to get perfect grades or a perfect GPA.

“I’m realizing that maybe that isn’t the most important thing in life,” Williams said. “Maybe if you just create those good friendships or do really good (in a) club or something like that, it’s better than getting a 100 percent all the time.”

So far, Kappa Alpha Theta has received positive feedback from the social media posts, and people have been receptive and posted their own pictures to spread the love.

“It’s another support system,” Williams said. “And it’s good to see that positive effect that social media can have.”

Though the movement is only a month long, Kappa Alpha Theta members hope to continue to promote the messages they’ve been posting about this past month.

“There (are) so many different people on campus who are going through so many different things,” Rook said. “I want people to know that they’re not alone. Everybody has their own insecurities and flaws, but you’re made the way you are – no one should be judged based on something they did or how they feel about themselves or what society sees themselves as.”