Emily Helen Butterfield wrote a book called College Fraternity Heraldry which I've heard is quite interesting and wonderful.

/Shameless founder plug.

Great suggestions DubaiSis! Why would anyone ever want to be part of an organization that lacks originality? In a world consisting of billions of people, there has to be other ways to express yourself and your beliefs without borrowing...

And you are speaking for yourself.

Here are some official symbols, colors, and jewels I can think of that are shared just in NPC sororities:
white (3), blue (6), green (4), red (4), pink (3), teddy bear (2), owl (2), dolphin (2), lion (2), carnations (4), roses (4), violets (3), pearl (4)
And I know more than one has the diamond as a jewel.

These are just the ones I know of off the top of my head through friends...I'm sure there are many more examples.

What I'm seeing is a 15 year old girl who is being slammed for being a lying, theiving, stealing soandso. Instead of getting negative, how about we provide this girl with guidence and a positive influence? Many GLOs out there had an advisor or guide who was a member of a DIFFERENT GLO helping them during their initial years. I see this as an opportunity to help an ambitious young girl in a foreign country. Yep, she lied, but it seems only out of fear that none of us would take her seriously. Yep, she was a little overly inspired in some symbols, colors and mottos. But that doesn't mean we cant give her some insight.

Thumbs up. :D

This.

I, for one, am excited that the OP has taken the initiative, along with her friends, to start a sorority. It's a step up from grade school playground clubs, at the very least, so let's start treating her as a step up, k? K.

At any rate. Congrats on getting your group going! I'm interested to see how it progresses, and I certainly wish you the best. :)

There is a difference between plagiarism and coming to the same conclusion on your own. Similarly there is a difference between lifting colors/symbols/mascots/phrases and coming up with similar ideals on your own.

One is better than the other.

You're admitting that you're speaking yourself. Good.

What does that have to do with anything? This is how I know that you don't understand what we mean by "stealing." It isn't just about choosing a teddy bear or choosing a pearl.

This thread is really not about this child anymore.

People have actually given her advice in this thread. If she isn't old enough or smart enough to grasp the advice, she shouldn't be starting a sorority in the first place.

I wish you'd do the same.

Yes, it is. Because that's all she's done.

Good for you and speak only for your org please. You don't know what's meaningful in other orgs. And feel free to contact the OP directly so you can be her Big Sister/Mentor since it appears that you are running for the position. Speaking your mind about something (as we're all doing here) does not equal coming down on anyone, like you are trying to imply. In fact, if you haven't noticed, the conversation has moved on to "stealing" from other orgs in general. I'm not even thinking about the OP anymore.

Do the same what?

That's all she has done? Really?

Realize you are speaking for yourself as well.

Yes. She and her friends/sisters picked a teddy bear, blue, yellow, and a phrase. She didn't reincarnate an entire sorority under a different name.

Let's put it this way, if sharing colors or mascots with another organization is a huge problem, just about all of us are in trouble. It really hasn't moved on to "stealing in general". It seems to still be about getting up in arms over a 15 year old girl in England who has picked a mascot and colors that another organization is already using. As I posted, lions, dolphins, teddy bears, owls...these are all shared. They all represent something a little different to each organization that uses these mascots.

And still missing the point. And actually counted the colors the orgs have in common. For real?

No, I actually conducted a poll and am the spokesperson. Genius.

So, it isn't just that they coincidentally found a teddy bear and a color. Stop tripping over yourself.