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-   -   Sorority Strongholds? (https://greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=125233)

NutBrnHair 03-05-2012 10:17 AM
I am loving this thread! Thanks, TriDeltaSallie!

AZTheta 03-05-2012 10:22 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnchorAlum (Post 2129920)
You know what? I've lived all over this country and what I've found is that the GREEK system is strong in a lot of places. From New York to California, from Wisconsin to Texas and back home to Florida.

Some of the groups I've seen mentioned in this thread are indeed stronger in some states than others. Some of the groups mentioned are part of campus life. That seems to be the best way to phrase it.

At the end of the day we're all fond of our group and have great memories of our collegiate days. This "strong" and "best" business belongs on that silly site that shall not be named.

Also, this southern lifelong thing is over-rated.It was over with Grandma. All it does is bring a smile to someone's face when you find out that you were part of the same GLO. Since I lived all over the country, I can say that with certainty.
WORD!

MysticCat 03-05-2012 10:31 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnchorAlum (Post 2129920)
Also, this southern lifelong thing is over-rated. It was over with Grandma. All it does is bring a smile to someone's face when you find out that you were part of the same GLO. Since I lived all over the country, I can say that with certainty.
And my lifelong experience of living in the South can say you're right, at least for my part of the South.

ThetaPrincess24 03-05-2012 01:17 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by MysticCat (Post 2130091)
And my lifelong experience of living in the South can say you're right, at least for my part of the South.
I can say that about Kentucky. Lexington & Louisville have a large Greek presence. You are likely to find other Greeks in most places, but you are just as likely to sit for an interview or meet with someone who is not Greek, and the mention of the fact you are Greek can result in weird looks or an "Oh that's nice." or "So what?" kind of reply. Unless you are a blue-blood or from a prominent/famous family in the area, being Greek doesn't carry that much weight here.

NutBrnHair 03-05-2012 01:28 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnchorAlum (Post 2129920)

Also, this southern lifelong thing is over-rated. It was over with Grandma.
I disagree, my friend. It was just starting with grandma.

knight_shadow 03-05-2012 01:44 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by NutBrnHair (Post 2130134)
I disagree, my friend. It was just starting with grandma.
I agree with AnchorAlum.

In my area, your college has more clout that your GLO (and even then, that's pushing it). As she said, bringing up GLO affiliation results in smiles and reminiscing, but I have yet to hear "GOOD GOD WE'VE GOT AN XYZ GET THE BEST TABLE IN THE HOUSE BECAUSE SHE DEMANDS RESPECT"

KSUViolet06 03-05-2012 01:46 PM
I've lived both coastally and in the midwest (CA and OH) and to be honest, sororities aren't status indicators in either location. At all.

What school you went to might be (ex: if you went to Stanford) but sorority, nah.

HQWest 03-05-2012 01:55 PM
I am going to have to agree with NutBrnHair. We have had girls transfer schools if they don't get into dream chapter on the first try. This does seem to be more of a small town thing than still a big deal in the big Peach or the big D, and it would have been totally ridiculous to the girls I knew in Cali. Maybe y'all just aren't south enough?

amIblue? 03-05-2012 02:01 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by HQWest (Post 2130142)
I am going to have to agree with NutBrnHair. We have had girls transfer schools if they don't get into dream chapter on the first try. This does seem to be more of a small town thing than still a big deal in the big Peach or the big D, and it would have been totally ridiculous to the girls I knew in Cali. Maybe y'all just aren't south enough?
I also think that in the larger cities that just happen to be in the south, such as Atlanta, you have many, many transplants from other parts of the country, who bring their traditions and points of view with them. What you end up with is a hybrid of points of view and traditions.

I lived for 10 years in Atlanta; at no time during my time there did I work in a place where the majority of people were native to the area. Even at church and other non-work activities, the majority of people there are transplants. You can't compare experience of living in a large urban area that happens to be in the south with the rest of the south. (Well, you can, but you won't get far with it.) It just isn't the same.

knight_shadow 03-05-2012 02:01 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by HQWest (Post 2130142)
I am going to have to agree with NutBrnHair. We have had girls transfer schools if they don't get into dream chapter on the first try. This does seem to be more of a small town thing than still a big deal in the big Peach or the big D, and it would have been totally ridiculous to the girls I knew in Cali. Maybe y'all just aren't south enough?
Maybe it's a small-town South thing, but I haven't seen this in any of the big places I've lived or visited.

And hopefully Texas is south enough ;)

NutBrnHair 03-05-2012 02:02 PM
Forgive me, but...
 
It's like anything. "It depends..." It depends on where you live. It depends on the social circle in which you are a part. It depends on the law firm you are a partner in. It depends on which volunteer board you serve. It depends.

I can assure you it still exists.

knight_shadow 03-05-2012 02:04 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by NutBrnHair (Post 2130149)
It's like anything. "It depends..." It depends on where you live. It depends on the social circle in which you are a part. It depends on the law firm you are a partner in. It depends on which volunteer board you serve. It depends.

I can assure you it still exists.
Well, yeah, that's a given. If you're serving on a board that's Greek heavy in Small City, AL, then sure, I'd think that GLO affiliation would give you some pull. Some of the comments in this thread make it seem as if the mere fact that you are XYZ in STATE puts you above the rest. I have yet to see that.

amIblue? 03-05-2012 02:25 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by knight_shadow (Post 2130152)
Well, yeah, that's a given. If you're serving on a board that's Greek heavy in Small City, AL, then sure, I'd think that GLO affiliation would give you some pull. Some of the comments in this thread make it seem as if the mere fact that you are XYZ in STATE puts you above the rest. I have yet to see that.
I would say it's more a city thing than a state thing in most of the south. Most of the women that I grew up with went either Chi O or Tri Delta. Those were the groups that were the big ones for my town. In other parts of my state, other groups are the big ones.

knight_shadow 03-05-2012 02:46 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by amIblue? (Post 2130156)
I would say it's more a city thing than a state thing in most of the south. Most of the women that I grew up with went either Chi O or Tri Delta. Those were the groups that were the big ones for my town. In other parts of my state, other groups are the big ones.
Is this a small town?

I ask because I live in Dallas and there are SEVERAL Greeks in my workplace (from all over). Many of them are from the "Greek grooming" cities, but at the end of the day, they talk more about their universities than their affiliations.

ETA: Lol @ your quadruple posting. I was trying to figure out what was going on.

amIblue? 03-05-2012 03:02 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by knight_shadow (Post 2130159)
Is this a small town?

I ask because I live in Dallas and there are SEVERAL Greeks in my workplace (from all over). Many of them are from the "Greek grooming" cities, but at the end of the day, they talk more about their universities than their affiliations.

ETA: Lol @ your quadruple posting. I was trying to figure out what was going on.
The town I grew up in is small, yes. I'm with you on the large city thing. That small town stuff didn't fly in Atlanta. It was more about what school. I never would have mentioned my sorority affiliation in a job interview type situation when I was there (unless I knew the person interviewing me was definitely a Kappa).

SMH at the quadruple posting. Good lord. Can mod clean that mess up for me, please? That's just embarrassing.

knight_shadow 03-05-2012 03:09 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by amIblue? (Post 2130161)
The town I grew up in is small, yes. I'm with you on the large city thing. That small town stuff didn't fly in Atlanta. It was more about what school. I never would have mentioned my sorority affiliation in a job interview type situation when I was there (unless I knew the person interviewing me was definitely a Kappa).

SMH at the quadruple posting. Good lord. Can mod clean that mess up for me, please? That's just embarrassing.
@ the bold - That's what I was thinking.

And you can delete the posts by clicking "edit" and then "delete"

amIblue? 03-05-2012 03:40 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by knight_shadow (Post 2130165)
@ the bold - That's what I was thinking.

And you can delete the posts by clicking "edit" and then "delete"
You are my hero. Thanks!

MysticCat 03-05-2012 03:42 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by NutBrnHair (Post 2130149)
It's like anything. "It depends..." It depends on where you live. It depends on the social circle in which you are a part. It depends on the law firm you are a partner in. It depends on which volunteer board you serve. It depends.

I can assure you it still exists.
I'm sure it does in some places. But as you say, it depends (among other things) on where you live. As has been said numerous times, the South is not monolithic, and what may be "typical Southern culture" in one place is not "typical Southern culture" elsewhere. (That's not even getting into the casual equation of "Southern culture" with some specific demographic groups but not others.) It is not something universal about the South, so it isn't accurate to describe it as though it were, which is what I think people have been responding to. It is something that can be found in some parts of the South.

I have small town and big city experiences in my part of the South, and I have never witnessed it. I have on a few occasions seen fraternity connections play a part in getting jobs, but I really haven't seen that happen as much with sororities. Certainly, many many sorority members cherish and nurture their affiliations all of their lives and remain close to sisters, but in terms of specific affiliations having an effect on careers or social standing? No. Not where I've lived.

DubaiSis 03-05-2012 04:03 PM
I would always defer to keeping your sorority affiliation to yourself unless it's made clear otherwise. The responses are as likely to be anything from disinterested to ambivalent to repulsed. Yes, there's a chance someone will be impressed, but it's not worth risking being outed as a dork, snob or just oddity just to brag about something from your college days.

NutBrnHair 03-05-2012 04:20 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by MysticCat (Post 2130179)
I'm sure it does in some places. But as you say, it depends (among other things) on where you live. As has been said numerous times, the South is not monolithic, and what may be "typical Southern culture" in one place is not "typical Southern culture" elsewhere. (That's not even getting into the casual equation of "Southern culture" with some specific demographic groups but not others.) It is not something universal about the South, so it isn't accurate to describe it as though it were, which is what I think people have been responding to. It is something that can be found in some parts of the South.
I agree with you. :)

HQWest 03-05-2012 04:28 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by DubaiSis (Post 2130187)
I would always defer to keeping your sorority affiliation to yourself unless it's made clear otherwise. The responses are as likely to be anything from disinterested to ambivalent to repulsed. Yes, there's a chance someone will be impressed, but it's not worth risking being outed as a dork, snob or just oddity just to brag about something from your college days.
I would say you should put your sorority in your job application or grad school application in certain instances. For example, if you are applying for a PR job and you were in charge of your chapter's big philanthropy project that raised $50000 for their cause or if you were applying for a job with an event planner and you were Social Director for a huge SEC chapter, I would put it in there. If you won a scholarship through your sorority that should be in there too.

If you were either consistently dedicated to philanthropy efforts through the organization or were a real leader with the group, it is a distinction, and that could make a difference to someone staring down a stack of resumes.

I have only once seen someone go - "ew - she's a sorority chick" during a job interview, and there were Many, many other clues this was not going to be a good situation on that trip.

I haven't seen being in a sorority hurt anyone career-wise, and I have seen it help with making connections and networking.

FSUZeta 03-05-2012 04:46 PM
When I was a provisional member of Junior League, the league president came to our first meeting and gave an address. This particular league had nearly 400 members, and this woman thought that it was important for us all to know that when she was in college, she was a cheerleader and a member of ABC sorority at Big Southern University. So I would have to agree with those who have said that in certain parts of the south, some people think that being a member of ABC sorority says a lot about them.

MysticCat 03-05-2012 05:11 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by FSUZeta (Post 2130198)
When I was a provisional member of Junior League, the league president came to our first meeting and gave an address. This particular league had nearly 400 members, and this woman thought that it was important for us all to know that when she was in college, she was a cheerleader and a member of ABC sorority at Big Southern University. So I would have to agree with those who have said that in certain parts of the south, some people think that being a member of ABC sorority says a lot about them.
Not disagreeing with you, but the question I would have is whether those listening (or the 400 members of the league) thought it was as important as the league president did.

DeltaBetaBaby 03-05-2012 05:25 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by MysticCat (Post 2130204)
Not disagreeing with you, but the question I would have is whether those listening (or the 400 members of the league) thought it was as important as the league president did.
BINGO!

NutBrnHair 03-05-2012 05:29 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by MysticCat (Post 2130204)
Not disagreeing with you, but the question I would have is whether those listening (or the 400 members of the league) thought it was as important as the league president did.
Well, I guess we'll never know, will we?

It's subjective. It depends... Right?

FSUZeta 03-05-2012 06:19 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by MysticCat (Post 2130204)
Not disagreeing with you, but the question I would have is whether those listening (or the 400 members of the league) thought it was as important as the league president did.
My point was the she thought it something that the multitude should know. I couldn't tell you how my fellow provisional members felt (all 80 some odd of them), but I assumed I was supposed to be impressed-not being from that area of the country, I didn't know for sure;) .

Sciencewoman 03-05-2012 10:31 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZTAOnlytheBest (Post 2129689)
From what I hear, Florida seems to be zeta's stronghold.
Personal confirmation on this...my sister is a Zeta. Her husband is a PIKE from the Univ. of Florida. When he found out she was a Zeta sometime after they met, he said something like, "You're a Zeta? Wow!" He told her Zeta is a big deal where he's from. He was impressed.

That's all I've got for this thread.

MysticCat 03-05-2012 10:35 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by FSUZeta (Post 2130222)
My point was the she thought it something that the multitude should know. I couldn't tell you how my fellow provisional members felt (all 80 some odd of them), but I assumed I was supposed to be impressed-not being from that area of the country, I didn't know for sure;) .
No, I get completely that was your point, and like I said, I wasn't arguing with it.

But if the issue has to with the degree to which sorority affiliation affects social standing, then it seems to me that what others thought is at least as relevant as what she thought. It raises the question whether she reflected the broader culture or not.

ASTalumna06 03-05-2012 10:55 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by DubaiSis (Post 2130187)
I would always defer to keeping your sorority affiliation to yourself unless it's made clear otherwise. The responses are as likely to be anything from disinterested to ambivalent to repulsed.
Like when I told a date last week that I'm an AST, and he said, "Oh, I dated one of them in college. That b**** broke up with me for no good reason." :rolleyes:

Needless to say, I didn't see him again.. For that reason and sooo many others. LOL

madoug 03-06-2012 01:02 AM
Quote:
I wonder if the conference realignment could do anything to alter the Greek environment at Mizzou. With PNMs who would have chosen a pre-alignment SEC school, deciding to go to Mizzou. I know they already have a huge Greek community there, and Sorority recruitment is thriving and pretty competitive (in the 'Southern' sense of the word). And as for active chapters, the campus does have all the GLO's associated with the South.
I strongly suspect that WVA was rejected by the SEC because their sorority women refused to wear dresses to football games.

BAckbOwlsgIrl 03-06-2012 01:55 AM
Okay, I get that the SOUTH is BAT SHIT CRAZY and beyond. Or at least some parts of the SOUTH are BAT SHIT CRAZY. May be we there is a BAT SHIT CRAZY google map or google earth for that.

BAT SHIT CRAZINESS aside, my experience has been that after a while it doesn't matter what GLO you were in, just that you were in one at all. There seems to be a certain bond of members of GLOs. It is that we know that we all have similar values and standards. And probably more importantly, ironically, is that we all know what we had to go through in our GLO's; meetings, community service, study hours, fun times, formals, and doing all the stuff that we weren't supposed to do but did anyway, etc.

Sure people may notice that you were part of a certain GLO but that was years ago with a certain reputation at THEIR school/region that may be different from your school/region. And, trust me, from my experience, I can say that I have changed so much. Sure, there are similarities between who I was then and who I am now. In all honesty, as much as I would like to think that had I rushed today on my campus, I would be in the same org as I am today, I really don't know. Not that I don't love my org, I am just older, wiser, more down to earth yet still pretentious while being cynical and less sober.

Just my 4 cents. I will hop off my soap box.

28StGreek 03-06-2012 05:00 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by madoug (Post 2130311)
I strongly suspect that WVA was rejected by the SEC because their sorority women refused to wear dresses to football games.
HAHAHA this made me LOL so hard :D

AZTheta 03-06-2012 08:17 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by BAckbOwlsgIrl (Post 2130318)
Okay, I get that the SOUTH is BAT SHIT CRAZY and beyond. Or at least some parts of the SOUTH are BAT SHIT CRAZY. May be we there is a BAT SHIT CRAZY google map or google earth for that.
:D being raised in CA, this made me laugh! It is pretty much what I've always thought (although I never thought about the google map/earth part). However, I now have many good friends from the SOUTH who are convinced that I am the one who is BAT SHIT CRAZY. It's all relative!

Quote:
Originally Posted by BAckbOwlsgIrl (Post 2130318)
BAT SHIT CRAZINESS aside, my experience has been that after a while it doesn't matter what GLO you were in, just that you were in one at all. There seems to be a certain bond of members of GLOs. It is that we know that we all have similar values and standards. And probably more importantly, ironically, is that we all know what we had to go through in our GLO's; meetings, community service, study hours, fun times, formals, and doing all the stuff that we weren't supposed to do but did anyway, etc.
Yup. Agreed.

amIblue? 03-06-2012 09:24 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by madoug (Post 2130311)
I strongly suspect that WVA was rejected by the SEC because their sorority women refused to wear dresses to football games.
Funny. The reality is the size of the TV markets, but hilarious.


Quote:
Originally Posted by BAckbOwlsgIrl (Post 2130318)
Okay, I get that the SOUTH is BAT SHIT CRAZY and beyond. Or at least some parts of the SOUTH are BAT SHIT CRAZY. May be we there is a BAT SHIT CRAZY google map or google earth for that.

BAT SHIT CRAZINESS aside, my experience has been that after a while it doesn't matter what GLO you were in, just that you were in one at all. There seems to be a certain bond of members of GLOs. It is that we know that we all have similar values and standards. And probably more importantly, ironically, is that we all know what we had to go through in our GLO's; meetings, community service, study hours, fun times, formals, and doing all the stuff that we weren't supposed to do but did anyway, etc.

Sure people may notice that you were part of a certain GLO but that was years ago with a certain reputation at THEIR school/region that may be different from your school/region. And, trust me, from my experience, I can say that I have changed so much. Sure, there are similarities between who I was then and who I am now. In all honesty, as much as I would like to think that had I rushed today on my campus, I would be in the same org as I am today, I really don't know. Not that I don't love my org, I am just older, wiser, more down to earth yet still pretentious while being cynical and less sober.

Just my 4 cents. I will hop off my soap box.
Oh, bless your heart. Where is it you're from? We'll start working on that BSC map for you. Wouldn't want you to wander into the wrong neck of the woods.

I think we're all interpreting this "sorority stronghold" thing a bit differently.

To me, the article was about the desirability of a single sorority in a single state. I thought the OP was posting about similar situations for other orgs in other areas. I think Chi Omega has a very unique situation in Arkansas. That being said, I would hazard a guess to say that pockets of this exist throughout the country in different segments of society.

33girl 03-06-2012 11:50 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by madoug (Post 2130311)
I strongly suspect that WVA was rejected by the SEC because their sorority women refused to wear dresses to football games.
I think you have it flip-flopped. (I also think this came from a different thread.) The question was would the student body (and ergo, sorority rush) change with admittance to a different athletic conference - my answer is yes, definitely.

33girl 03-06-2012 12:15 PM
And now for something completely different...
 
Didn't we have this thread already?

HQWest 03-06-2012 12:16 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by BAckbOwlsgIrl (Post 2130318)
Okay, I get that the SOUTH is BAT SHIT CRAZY and beyond. Or at least some parts of the SOUTH are BAT SHIT CRAZY. May be we there is a BAT SHIT CRAZY google map or google earth for that.

BAT SHIT CRAZINESS aside, my experience has been that after a while it doesn't matter what GLO you were in, just that you were in one at all. There seems to be a certain bond of members of GLOs. It is that we know that we all have similar values and standards. And probably more importantly, ironically, is that we all know what we had to go through in our GLO's; meetings, community service, study hours, fun times, formals, and doing all the stuff that we weren't supposed to do but did anyway, etc.

Sure people may notice that you were part of a certain GLO but that was years ago with a certain reputation at THEIR school/region that may be different from your school/region. And, trust me, from my experience, I can say that I have changed so much. Sure, there are similarities between who I was then and who I am now. In all honesty, as much as I would like to think that had I rushed today on my campus, I would be in the same org as I am today, I really don't know. Not that I don't love my org, I am just older, wiser, more down to earth yet still pretentious while being cynical and less sober.

Just my 4 cents. I will hop off my soap box.
Aww, Come on! Bless your heart, I may be crazy, but BAT SHIT CRAZY is reserved for BAMA fans. :rolleyes:

HQWest 03-06-2012 12:17 PM
Speaking of BAMA fans - pretty sure their new interim president will mention which sorority she's in.....
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/03/...dy_bonner.html

NutBrnHair 03-06-2012 12:35 PM
It depends...
 
I do remember hearing a story from an Ole Miss Chi Omega alumna who owns a vacation home in Montana -- She met a wonderful, beautiful, classy woman (not at all unlike herself). This woman and her family owned the house next door in Montana. The two women became great friends and one day talked about their college sorority experiences. My friend was understandably proud of her Chi Omega affiliation (Chi Omega having a very strong reputation in the state of Mississippi). The new friend shared with great pride that she was an Alpha Phi from (I think it was) Univ. of South Dakota. Long story - short, neither was very impressed by the other woman's affiliation. My friend Mary Lee had never heard of Alpha Phi and Meredith, the other lady, was not at all impressed with Chi Omega. Both were thinking their sorority was "the best" and surprised that the other was from a group that wasn't very good.

Shellfish 03-06-2012 12:55 PM
I recently read the novel Whistlin' Dixie in a Nor'easter because the author is a KD from Alabama--in fact, she mentions in info in the back of the paperback edition that the main character's friends are modeled after her own sorority sisters--but as in The Help, the main character is a Chi Omega from Ole Miss. I wonder why these writers wouldn't take the opportunity to give a little PR to their own sororities, but maybe the Chi O at Ole Miss represents to them the epitome of southernness.


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