She also got a half-page article on the back of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's op-ed section on Sunday all about secret societies.

what this woman needs instead of more publicity is a bitch slap upside the head...ooops did i say that out loud.?

Yes. But not loud enough. :p

to concerned451

You should know something about us on Greekchat. We do NOT condone hazing, or the people that do it (I don't even support the people who let it happen to them, because I think you have a choice, but no everyone agrees on that point).
If a chapter of my sorority was caught hazing I would not tolerate it for one minute, and no one else here would either. If you want to come on and tell us how bad hazing is you are preaching to the chior! We already agree. :-)

ETA:
My bf is the rush chair of his faternity and I think anyone against greek life should read these little ditties he wrote:

"We like to say that their is no typical Sigma Nu which to me means we value diversity tremendously- diversity of race, interests, majors, philosophies and politics. We have beer drinkers and teatotalers, athletes and intelectuals, techies and fuzzies. We value men that have other interests; we want you to be involved with the fraternity, but we don't want the fraternity to be your whole life. We try and cultivate men who will be leaders on campus and beyond. We like to socalize, but we also emphasize honor (the hallmark of Sigma Nu) and respect toward women."

My favorite line? We emphasize respect toward women.

Here's a few lines from his article, "Why every freshman should rush":


"...What do you feel the most important thing is that you can take from your time here? Your GPA? Membership in an honors society?

I would submit to you that the most valuable resource here is our fellow students. If you come out of school with several real, lasting friendships, then I would count you as truly successful. I am continually in awe of all the amazing things that Stanford students do; you might never again have such a rich resource of really cool people from whom to learn.

I have no doubt that everyone here is super intelligent, but I’m not quite as certain that some are wise enough to contemplate what they want to gain from their Stanford experience. Get good grades, but for Pete’s sake don’t spend so much time working on stuff to enhance your resume that you don’t spend time developing meaningful relationships with the people around you. The “deathbed perspective” means picturing yourself lying on your deathbed, looking back and taking stock. What will be most important to you? I’m guessing it will be your family first, your close friends second and everything else a distant third.

Now, if you buy my perspective that your bonds with others are what is most important in life, maybe you’ll understand why I’m so pro-fraternity. As a freshman, I was firmly against fraternities because of all the stereotypes: I didn’t want to join a group of people that engaged in silly hazing, disrespected women, drank beer, partied a lot and just generally lived shallower lives.

Also, I am very anti-elitist, and I didn’t like the idea that a group of strangers would judge my social worth and how “cool” I was and that I would get accepted or rejected based upon how I acted in a couple of interactions with fraternity members. Coming back to school 10 years later, I knew from the start that I wanted to join a fraternity: I was already missing the camaraderie from SWAT, the police and the Army. When I joined my fraternity at the end of the rush process last spring, I instantly gained 50 new friends — and what a group we have.

The men are respectful toward women, take care of their academics before partying, have plenty of friends outside the fraternity and, in my opinion, tend to lead deeper — not shallower — lives. I know that there are lots of great guys in other fraternities who are equally proud of their own groups.

In the sort of hectic, resume-building, activity-laden, pre-professional schedules most students keep, I have a lot of concern that it becomes difficult for people to build many meaningful relationships (see “The Organization Kid” from the Atlantic April 2001 for a great discussion of this).

...Being in a fraternity enforces balance in students’ lives. It ensures that you’re nurturing what’s most important while you’re nurturing your future career."

I have an Idea
 

why don't we all collaborate on a book about sorority life? How about everyone tells a true story about something that happened to them during their collegiate years of sorority life, it dosen't necessairly have to be positive in fact a good mix of stories would paint a more realistic picture. I'm sure we have enough collective knowledge on here to get it published. I think a book that is honest is long overdue.

I have a question?

Can I access the Teen Vogue article through the internet or do I have to buy the article?

Also does People keep an archive of their past articles on the net?

I would really love to read the two articles

so i was at a local bookstore yesterday and Pledged out on the shelves.....i flipped through it and although its purely fiction, the girl who wrote the book secretly pledged a sorority to go "undercover" after her younger sister started pledging a sorority and was hazed.

I go to a school where greek life is TINY......we're completely outnumbered by the rest of the campus and we often get a bad rap even though we are trying very hard to clean this up. we have very strict anti-hazing rules and they are implemented. i am really scared that this book is going to be a reason for girls NOT to go through recruitment.....they are going to think we're all like this.

we went through this when Sorority Life came out a few years ago......I'm at a party with a potential new member and she started asking me if we did the same things those chapters did on the show.

i don't know.....i'm still planning on reading the book when i get some cash to pick it up and i feel like ithe greek system is going to be fighting their way to get many potential new members to sign up for recruitment because of this book.

go to barnes and nobles or borders or something like that a read the article from teen vogue there.
thats what i did...i'm a poor college student

Re: Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities
 

You and me both! I saw the book at Barnes & Noble yesterday and I thought about buying it, but then I thought, "Why should I shell out $24 to buy this when I can just check it out from the library?" I don't want some chick getting rich from badmouthing sororities...well, unless it's me, but I joined my sorority with honest intentions and I never saw anything that horrible go on. If no one buys the book, maybe there won't be any more written like this. I did read the inside flap of the jacket, though, and I must admit that it sounded interesting. So as soon as the local library gets it, I think I'll read it.

Re: Re: Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities
 

I thought so too. But I can't honestly tear into it and criticize it w/o reading it. And there's very little chance that a local public library will get it around here. So I purchased it Online from Chapters (actually surprised they had it) and should get it this week sometime...

Go to Barnes & Noble and read the Teen Vogue article and the whole book. Hell, you can read War & Peace there and they won't care. I love Barnes & Noble. :D

We don't have Barnes & Noble here ...we have Chapters and I checked - they don't have the book in stock :(

They don't have the book in stock at any Chapters?

What about Indigo (even though it's the same company)?

they have it online - just not in store so that you could read w/o buying as suggested.

Some stores may have it in stock - but mine didn't

I've checked the Chapters-Indigo website, and it's available at a few stores, including Chapters Bloor Street (the one next to the huge Nike store), Indigo at Yorkdale, The World's Biggest Bookstore, Chapters Festival Hall and Chapters Runnymede.

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/item.a...1D8D9666C42612

Oooh Runnymede Chapters is near my house and Bloor Chpaters is near work.

Maybe I'll read it on my lunch hour.


I really don't want to buy it.

?
 

quick question...was she actually hazed or did she experience hazing? (was she actually in a sorority before she wrote the book, i got the impression that she is an adult now?) i haven't read the book or the articles but i was just curious as to her basis for writing her book.

also, i think its a wonderful idea to get stories from people in the house, even if we can't publish it for real, we could always make a website. i know that my pledgship to agd was amazing and we (as pledges) were spoiled rotten by our moms and bigs. i've learned more about myself through the house than i ever could elsewhere, i love it :-)

her website www.alexandrarobbins.com gives a very tiny biography of her - she is a grad from Harvard (i think that's what i read)


AS for telling our own stories, i know my Supreme Council would (and has) discouraged members from sharing any stories....I'm sure they wouldn't approve of a member writing anything using its name whether its good or bad...so one would have to use fake names which kind of distorts the whole thing....

None of the Chapters in BC had the book (I checked the other day). But many of the stores in the Toronto and Montreal area had it!

Re: I have an Idea
 

We can attempt to write books on sorority life using fake names ;) I'm currently (attempting) to write a book where one of the characters is going through alumnae initiation in a fake sorority :) I'll let you guys know if the book ever gets published!

ETA: "fake" as in made-up, of course!

I was just thinking that NPC needs to get together and publish something that can be their "official word" about sororities and what they are all about and could include people's memoirs because obviously people are curious (or we woudln't have pledged or sorority life) and they (obviously, and smartly) can't just let any media source write or video tape chapters.. but if they did something themselves it would be exactly what they wanted it to say and be and t would hopefully balance out everything has been going around.

Fabulous idea. The PR arm of NPC should create marketing materials for high schools and teen clubs, and also work to get editorial published in teen mags. These materials could also be provided to student life offices at colleges and universities.

I was thinking of trying to write a young adult book series about a fake sorority, kind of like Sweet Valley High or something like that. Don't know if the kids would read it though, Harry Potter it would not be.

Isn't there a Young Adult series about girls who attend a private school in Manhattan? I've heard that it's been dubbed "Sex and the City" for the tween crowd (well, not nearly as explicit, of course).

That IS a good idea!!

Re: I have an Idea
 

There is a book out called "Inspiration for Greeks" by Anthony J. D'Angelo, et.al and it's really good!!! I bought a copy for my <> sister last fall and she loved it :)

The short stories range from Bid Day experiences, to going through a rough spot in life and having brothers/sisters be there for you, and pretty much everything in between. It really is a great read :)

I also have a copy, and co-sign all of this! :)

I think at one time they were also working on a Chicken Soup for the Greek soul (or something like that) because I remember getting a call for stories while I was still in school. I don't know if it ever got published, though.

Can anyone tell me where to get that, "Inspiration for Greeks"?

I checked Chapters/Indigo online and also Barnes & Noble but none of them had it...


ETA: nevermind - I forgot to check Amazon :p I just don't like using them! (it's only available on the U.S. site)

Moosegirl - I believe you can also order it direct from the publisher (http://www.collegiate-empowerment.com/store.html) :)