Who is disrespecting you?:confused:
Remember, we have already attained what it appears that you are seeking. I would think that humility is very important in pursuit.
And I also wonder if you would step to a live, in-person member of whatever sorority you are interested to in the manner I've seen in this thread? Keyboard courage can be something.

Sisterfriends, Sisterfriends, Sisterfriends
 

Let's be absolutely clear, shall we?

Did we HAVE to say ANYTHING about the answers at all?

Do we REALLY want you to answer our questions? Is that our goal here? I want you to think LONG and HARD on whether we REALLY care whether or not you simply answer these questions. Think about that for JUST a second..........................................

After you got done thinking, what did you come up with? Do you think that I started this thread because WE wanted to get something from YOU? If so, you are sadly, sadly mistaken and completely and totally missed the point of this thread.

Do you remember back in the day in math class you learned about word problems? Remember the ones that gave you extra information and you had to use WISDOM to discern what was important and what was not? You have to learn to read between the lines.

See, we are not the hostile, rude, disrespectful women you all make us out to be. However, if that is what you want to believe, then please believe it. I am whatever you say I am; if I wasn't, then why would you say I am? (Thanks, Marshall)

In every relationship, there are those with power and those without. Power is often times regarded as a negative characteristic. On the contrary, it is neither negative nor positive; it just IS. It is up to each and every one of us to determine who we are in each of our relationships, the empowered or the powerless. It is important for us to know HOW to interact with those that are in power in order to get what we want. It is just as important to know how to choose our battles. But most important, we have to learn when to let go.

As for me, I have HIGH expectations of women wishing to enter my illustrious organization. If that means that I want responses WITHOUT rhetoric, then so be it. Why? Because I am the gatekeeper. Does that mean you simply don't respond? No. Does that mean that when you do respond and get called on it you get defensive? No. What you do is make sure that NEXT time (if there IS a next time) you COME CORRECT. You frustrated? So what? You mad? Be mad. Let that anger motivate you.

I've said enough. Shoot, I've said too much. Do with it as you will.

Say what?
 

Dayum! Here, ya'll had me out to be the mean/harsh one. :rolleyes: :o Erebody wants to diss '2D. Hmph and I haven't said a WORD! LMAO

I don't have anything on ya'll! :D :p :o :cool:

But, I'm a soldier! I can take it! :p

Sorry this is soooo long.
 

Sorry that this is such a long post. I couldn't catch a free moment to reply until now.

1. If you could choose your own linesisters would you? What would be your criteria?
I don't think that I would choose my own linesisters for a couple of reasons. Mainly because I really try to be open to meeting new people. I found throughout college, and now that I've graduated, that some of the people that I learned the most from and became the closest with were people that I would not have normally expected. They were people that I might not have gotten to know if I hadn't been required to, but it definitely would have been my loss. This has been a reoccurring theme since I was in high school, and I can't imagine it changing in the future. However, I would hope that whomever was chosen with me was dependable, honest (trustworthy as well as ethical), and someone that I and the sorority could be proud of.


2. If you knew FOR CERTAIN that you would NEVER have the opportunity to become a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, would you go ahead and seek membership elsewhere?
No, I wouldn't seek membership in another sorority. I believe that I chose Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated based on qualities that I see within the organization and its members that I don't see anywhere else. By this I mean, the way that the members that I have met (in person as well as those who I've simply observed) carry themselves, their values (spiritually, professionally and in our community), and their goals for the future. Also the way that the organization was founded and has grown into what it is today. I can't really see finding the exact same match in another sorority. What is more likely is simply participating in other organizations (professional, philanthropic, ect.) that may allow me to get involved in some of the same activities that I would be looking for in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.


3. What role, if any, have greek stereotypes played in your interest/selection of a sorority?
This is really interesting b/c I'm sure that when I was in high school I was familiar with the stereotypes surrounding different sororities, but I cant imagine where I heard them. No adult that I was in contact with (who was in a sorority) would have repeated them, so it must have been from some other high school students, which is really too bad. I can't say that these stereotypes had no affect on me whatsoever b/c I am sure that there are some organizations that I only mildly considered before determining that I wanted to pursue Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. (This is just a personal decision that I made when I was in high school and was not outwardly pursuing anything) However, by the time that I got to college I was mature enough to take a more in-depth look at all the sororities. Once I met members of each organization as well as learned more about their histories and programs, then all of the stereotypes were disproved. Ultimately my decision was made for reasons other than stereotypes.

4. If you knew FOR CERTAIN that in order to become a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha you would HAVE TO spend an extra year in undergrad would you submit an application and stay in school that extra year or continue your studies/graduate on time and hope to be invited to a graduate chapter? Why or Why not?
No, I would not stay in undergrad for an additional year for several reasons. The first relates to the cost. My scholarship and my parents only provided funds for four years of college. I worked really hard not to have to take out any loans, so once the money ran out, I needed to be walking across the stage towards my degree. The second is because I would feel that my priorities were out of order. No matter how much I want to join Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated I went to college to get a degree. That was always my first priority. Anytime I start delaying that for something else, then I have lost sight of what I came there to do. Lastly, I realize now that nothing is guaranteed (no matter how set in stone it seems). I have been w/in 24 hrs of a Rush when it has gotten cancelled. I would definitely pursue and take an opportunity for membership if it came along. However, if I stop my life to wait on that opportunity, then I could be waiting forever.

5. If your mother, for whatever reasons, forbade you to become a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha would you do it anyway (assume that her opinion CANNOT be changed)? Why or Why not?
I would really have to discuss it with my mother before I made a decision. She has never ever guided or advised me incorrectly, so I must admit that I would hear out and seriously consider her concerns. If I felt that they were concerns that I could live with, and that our relationship would continue to thrive in spite of my going against her, then I would continue to pursue membership. However, if she felt so strongly about it that it was going to cause a permanent rift in our relationship, then probably not.

6. Are you currently involved in other organizations? If so how many? Is your interest in AKA genuine or is it just another organization to add to your resume?
Since I just graduated from college, the only organizations that I have a commitment to right now is my job and my business fraternity (as an alumni supporting our UG chapter). However, when I was in college I was very active on our campus, and I really believed in all of the organizations that I participated in. Just like I believe in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and the impact that it has on its members, African-American women, and our larger community. It is to participate in and contribute to this impact that I want to become a member. Not for my resume.

7. Do you think you can remain a committed member to those you are already involved in and maintain membership in AKA if you are chosen? Do you have the funds to support all? Do you have the time to support all?
My job is my number one committment right now, and I must admit that the hours can be serious. However, I have been able to find time to participate in other activities that give me joy. In fact, if I didn't participate in those other activites, then I would be really unhappy b/c work alone is definitely not enough. Since that is the case, then I feel that being involved in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated would enhance my life. I think that I would enjoy spending my time working on causes that I believe in and fellowshiping with other members (socially and spiritually). As far as money goes, I would be determined to remain financial as well as support as many events as possible w/o negatively affecting my overall financial goals.

8. What are you actively doing to obtain membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha?
Right now, I am getting accustomed to pursuing membership on a graduate level. I am getting in touch with (and remaining in contact with) members who I knew prior to going to college (my mother's friends, teachers, church members, etc), and trying to attend as many event as I hear about. The experience is really different from undergrad, so I'm trying to be tentative rather than going full steam ahead and making a mistake.

9. If you are a grad level interest, do you find that attending grad events are expensive? If so, how do you expect to pay dues?
Right now some of the events are definitely more expensive than any event that was held in undergrad. However, I'm also working now, so it balances itself out. However, I have really enjoyed the events that I have attended, so I'm not upset or uneasy about any costs associated with them. If I have the opportunity to become a member, then I think that it would be best for me to budget dues and other sorority related expenses into my life. This would allow me to be better prepared, so that none of my financial responsibilities go unmet.

I'm going to try to answer so more questions later, but my manager will kill me if I don't get some work done.

Marie

I'll give some of these a shot.
 

So, SFs, I ask you, how do you view discretion and what does it mean to you? What do you think it means to the organization?

If you were a legacy, would you tell?

I have, in the past, spoken of my familial connections to the sorority; so members of the chapter that I am interested in already know of it. I don't think that it is wrong to be proud of those familial associations. I do, however, think that it is wrong to hope to stand on the reputation and the work of the women that have come before you.

If your blood sister was an AKA perp would you tell or would you let my Sorors think she was real?

I wouldn't have to tell. I wouldn't let my sister perp. I would set her straight before that even got started. (see next answer)

Have you ever thought about perping? What made you decide against it?

No, I haven't thought about it. I wouldn't do it because I am an accomplished young woman in my own right. I don't have to pretend to be anything that I am not in order to feel special, important, or a part of something. That's why my sister wouldn't perp, because I would convince her (though she does not need convincing) to be proud of her accomplishments and that she need not pretend for reasons of recognition, admiration, etc...etc...



What, if any, is the advantage of doing community service in a group as opposed to doing it alone?

It is always fun to do service with people that you share a bond with, just as it is fun to do most anything with people with whom you share a bond.
Also, service performed by a group is generally more effective and far reaching than what one person, herself, can accomplish. When a group of like-minded, committed individuals come together to work towards a certain goal, they have but to accomplish it.
Bottom line, service to others, in all of its many forms, is the reward in and of itself.


If you have always wanted Sorority ABC and instead go to Sorority XYZ, what makes Sorority ABC "not right" for you anymore? What are you looking for in any Sorority?

Someone has noted, people change as they mature. Ideals and personalities ared different, and thus the goals that might be important to us when we are younger (goals that might be articulated by a particular sorority) might take a back burner. Furthermore, the methods towards achieving what are, in the end, very similar goals within the D9 sororities are quite different. Thus, as our ideals change and as we mature, we might find ourselves more aligned with the methods and aims of a different sorority than the one we initially aspired to.


Knowing what you know about your organization of choice, what would make you a "fit"?

My commitment to sisterhood, first and foremost. My commitment to educating our community with the hopes of changing it for the better. My compassion, my humility.


What are your favorite colors?
Purple, blue, and green

Why do SOME SFs say they want to join XYZ because of the colors?

Because they look good in them?

Do you (not just coco, collective you) think that Alpha Kappa Alpha should discontinue membership at the undergraduate level so that we can make sure we are taking women who KNOW what they want?

I think that there are a few ways to look at that. First, by ending undergraduate membership, would you in fact be robbing to undergraduate communities of the positives that sororities can bring to that experience. (If so, no). But just because you end undergraduate intake, that doesn't mean that any D9 sorority can not continue to have an impact on those campuses via the graduate chapter.
Also, given my answer to other questions, I would almost say yes. An older woman, hopefully, knows better her own mind, and will be better able to sustain a commitment to her organization of choice. She would be less given to making that commitment for the wrong reasons (not all, but most).

What, in your honest opinion, is the purpose of a sorority? Now, how does it relate to the purpose of Alpha Kappa Alpha? Are they aligned? And do you believe that they HAVE to be aligned in order for you to join the organization?

I think that the main purpose of the sorority is sisterhood. Sororities were established as communities of support for women on various campus, and that support takes on a variety of forms. Sisterhood takes the form of the bond that you form with the women who join with you, with the women that bring you into the sorority, with the women--who have been there for years--who have already been where you are going and want nothing more than to help you through. And you, in turn, do the same for others. I would not join a sorority for community service. I would join a sorority with women I would be proud to call my sisters.
I think that my understanding of sororities does align with the purposes of Alpha Kappa Alpha. I think they would have to be aligned in order for me to want to pursue it.


If you could choose your own linesisters would you? What would be your criteria?

No I would not want to choose my own linesisters. However, I do have a couple of criteria that I would hope they would understand. I would hope that they would know the meaning of--and value of--sisterhood. A meaning which I expounded upon a bit above. I would hope that they were committed, conscientious, intelligent, and passionate. But sisterhood, an understanding of that, would be core.

If you knew FOR CERTAIN that you would NEVER have the opportunity to become a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, would you go ahead and seek membership elsewhere?

No.

If you knew FOR CERTAIN that in order to become a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha you would HAVE TO spend an extra year in undergrad would you submit an application and stay in school that extra year or continue your studies/graduate on time and hope to be invited to a graduate chapter? Why or Why not?

No, because I didn't go to college to join a sorority.

If your mother, for whatever reasons, forbade you to become a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha would you do it anyway (assume that her opinion CANNOT be changed)? Why or Why not?

If I knew that it would cause an rift that could not be repaired, I wouldn't.

Here's some more
 

How come the application process so scary to you all? Are you all afraid of being rejected? And why?

The opportunity has not presented itself yet. I am not afraid of being rejected. Rejection is a part of life. I think that I owuld have much to offer the sorority, but others might not necessarily feel the same way.

Why do SFs still use the term pledge?

I think that a lot of them still respect that process (not in it's most extreme forms), and perhaps hope to have a process that they can remember fondly for the lessons that they learn and the bond that it creates.

Why do AKA SFs ignore the anti-hazing policy?

Misconstrued notions of what makes one "real."

Do you know what the AKA anti-hazing policy includes? (if so, don't post...only reflect and digest the info and make it applicable to your lives)

To quote OrangeMoon "Yes and digesting."

Are you currently involved in other organizations? If so how many? Is your interest in AKA genuine or is it just another organization to add to your resume?

Yes, several. My interest is genuine. I am at the point where extracurricular organizations and activites on my resume don't really carry that much weight.

Do you think you can remain a committed member to those you are already involved in and maintain membership in AKA if you are chosen? Do you have the funds to support all? Do you have the time to support all?
Yes. My other commitments don't cost me anything. Actually, my association with on is about to change from a leadership position to just a member, thereby reducing my responsibility. I feel that I can remain active and committed to any organizations that I am a part of.

What are you actively doing to obtain membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha?
Attending events, learning pertinent information, making connections with members in the chapter.


If you are a grad level interest, do you find that attending grad events are expensive? If so, how do you expect to pay dues?

Expense of events seems to depend on the chapter. The chapter that I am interested in has expenses that I think that I can handle. I have a job, no dependents, and a bit of discretionary income.

For any contacts made with members, is it genuine (considering these will be the people you may be working with) or is it just a means to an end (I've got letters)?

Grad level is different, particularly in my situation, because I am not surrounded by a lot of members, at least members that I am aware of. I have had to actively seek out women who are members, and so there is a bit of means to an end to that. I have to know graduate chapter members to get an invitation. But, really, most of the women that I have met are kind and warm and helpful, they are women that most would count themselves lucky to be friends with (me among them).

Have you done a self-assessment to determine are you really up to par? Do you find that your peers (those who are interest like yourself) are up to par?

I am not sure what this question means. I think that I would make a great contribution to any organization that I would join, because if I want it enough to pursue it, then I am going to do a great job. I am confident in my self-worth, my value as an individual, and my potential as a sorority member. There is no question that I am up to par. (That is not arrogance, it is confidence.) I have no peers who are working towards this with me, (I wish I did, it might be easier that way) I am in this thing alone, for now.

If you do attend programs and community service events, do you make yourself known to members? Do members only know a face without a name?
At the events that I have attended the members that I know have introduced me to others. I don't obtrusively make myself known, but I do strike up conversations.

If you had an opportunity to attend a "closed" meeting (ie. Boule, Regional Conference) COMPLETELY undetected; would you go? Y

Yes, curiousity.

If all membership requirements were TOTALLY waived and ANYONE could be member, would you still want to be an Alpha Kappa Alpha woman?

If the goals were the same, sisterhood was still at the heart of it. Yes.

If the fees associated with membership were $10,000, would you still pursue. How about $25,000?

No, but I would support what events I could. (That's if those fees were asked for up-front. I recognize that a lifetime of membership in any sorority includes considerable expense.)

If you KNEW FOR A FACT that another woman being considered for membership was a Liar, would you say anything? And why or why not .........How about a Thief?.......................How about a "homewrecker"...........................

No, probably not, more than like, the women who chose the potential members would know this woman's character better than I. I would leave it to them to make that judgement call.

If you are members of other organizations, what offices have you held? Have you served as a/an committee chair(s)?

President, service co-chair, treasurer.

What resources/connections do you have that would be beneficial to the local chapter, if pursuing Graduate Membership?

I have connections with most of the major educational institutions in the city and through them connections to other organizations.

If a memberfriend invited you to a function and you have a scheduling conflict, what would you do?

Depends on the nature of the event. Wedding, Birthday Party, etc...I would stay with the prior commitment, with an explanation to the memberfriend. Dentist appointment, or something else that happens on a regular based, I would reschedule.

Good, questions. I have tried to be honest. They have made me think.

Someone asked about discretion
 

dis·cre·tion ( P ) Pronunciation Key (d-skrshn)
n.
The quality of being discreet; circumspection. See Synonyms at prudence.
Ability or power to decide responsibly.
Freedom to act or judge on one's own: All the decisions were left to our discretion.

(From an online dictionary)

I think that discretion mean being selective in a number of ways. Selective about the organization that you are interested in. Selective about the people that you share information of you interest with. Selective about the ways in which you display your interest and so on. I think that this definition is in keeping with the way that the term is generally defined.

My definition of discretion would generally have me not answering any of these questions. But, heck, this is fun.

That is EXACTLY what I want.

You are welcome to 'just be you'. Just do it over there----->

Let's get this straight right now. SKEEphistATE could care less whether sisterfriends answer these questions. It seems logical that as interests of the organization that we are members of, you would jump at the opportunity to show us what you are working with. If not that, at least you'd think that this exercise (as I stated before) would be useful to you when you have to go through Rush and interviews. My sorors and I already have our pearls, you should be taking notes. You should have been glad that an entire thread was dedicated to you when you are non-members on a GREEK message board.

Further, my comments about your answers were pretty nice considering that I thought many of them were a bumbling mess of incoherent rhetoric, lacking elementary-level sentence structure. Heck, most of them didn't even answer the question posed. It was obvious that a few of you just typed whatever popped into your head, or what you thought we wanted to hear. And I mean, really, this isnt even a face-to-face conversation. You all had plenty of time to proofread and actually think about the questions being posed. So don't get your feelings hurt when I tell you that your replies were crappy. Just pick your face up off of the sidewalk and come again.

If I REALLY wanted to hurt some feelings I would have commented on each answer posted and embarrassed some of you. Although that was well within my discretion, I chose not to do so, because I am not trying to crush anyone. My general critique was to let you all know that you need to step your game up if you want to make a good impression. I am sure the MATURE SFs gathered that.

Lastly, if you think that being corrected/critiqued on an internet message board is a "hostile environment" you are weak and pathetic and need to either (1) work on developing a thicker skin or (2) humble yourself.

Take it how you want it.

Hi, I'm a sisterfriend pursuing graduate membership in DC. Are there any sisterfrieds here in the DC area?

^^
Did you do a search of existing threads?
Did you read the POW?

Yeah, I'm in DC. Would you like to meet in person and get to know each other a little better? I'd be glad to take you under my wing and teach you all there is to know about Alpha Kappa Alpha. You game?

Soror SKEEphistAKAte, we are >here<.

Sorry! I tried to do a search but it wasn't coming up with specific locations of people on the board.

For islandgirl21...
 

It's OK!!! Don't worry about it!!!

When would you like to meet?

I used to come on this board and I recently moved. I was just trying to meet people in the area. I hope I didn't offend anyone. I don't think my question was inappropriate was it?