Mara,
It's cool that you are up here "defending" yourself so to speak. It's good (and interesting!) for all of us to hear your side. Keep it up! Remember we support you as a member of the greek community.
Good luck in your fall quarter!
-Michelle

Welcome to Greek Chat Mara. I hope that more Sigmas will eventually sign on once the finale is shown.
I have to say I am addicted to the show. I originally started to watch it to see how other sororities are. I realized after the first show that MTV has so edited the show that it truly doesn't show what sorority life is like. MTV likes to portray the show as showing what "true" sorority life is like but how can they do they when they have changed the dynamics of the new member period by creating a pledge house. I wish MTV had shown more of what sorority life is really like. Yes there is the pettiness, parties, etc but I it's difficult for me to understand how they couldn't show at least some of the philanthropy and other events that go one during New Member periods.
Well, I'm waiting to see what happens in the next couple of shows to see who decided to go through with initiation.
I do have a question (I realize that you probably can't answer it right now because of contractual obligation), what are your thoughts about the comments made by the other pledges and the sisters that MTV taped in the confessional rooms. How much flak have you gotten from the Sigmas about the activities that are being shown that the sisters didn't know about.
One final question, Sigma just opened it's second chapter, are they any others in process and has the show brought more schools in that are interested in colonies starting up.
Dont let the comments are greek chat get to you, mostly I think all of us are upset with MTV's editing.
Carolyn

Welcome to GreekChat, Mara! :)

tonight's episode
 

Was it just me, or did i actually see an example of sisterhood tonight???? I was really happy to see the pledges helping each other out tonight.
Actually i was really dissapointed in the actives as a whole for even considering a selction at this point. There were a few actives that I gained a lot of respect for because they spoke up for the pledges, and then there were those who jsut keep sinking lower and lower in my opinion (i.e. Pauli and Jesse). Don't they realize that to understand the pledges they need to treat them like equals and not like they are completely inferior because they aren't the same???
cna't wait to see what happens in the final episode...it looks like Jordan de-pledges, but who knows about the rest of them?

arrrrrrrrrrgh
 

I couldn't take hearing all this garbage about "the sisters need to accept me for who I am..."

Well, NO, I don't accept you for who you are, if who you are is more concerned with partying than working for the sorority, if who you are treats my sisterhood like a big joke, if who you are is more interested in creating drama than forming bonds. I'm not going to let you get away with crap like that for fear of someone accusing me of "hazing" - how many times have we had someone on here talking about sisters doing some of the same crap that we have seen the pledges on this show doing, and the IMMEDIATE response is "haul her to standards board, kick her sorry butt out." WTF???

I apologize if this show has been SO edited that 4 super dedicated women have been made to look like the exact opposite, but crappy editing only goes so far.

I know that a nonselective bid distribution process is foreign to most sorority members on here, but in APO, everyone may get a bid to pledge, but if you don't complete your service hours and other pledge requirements, you don't get initiated. Period.

Hey Mara!
 

It is so nice to hear the pledges thoughts on this show right now. It seems to me that some people on here are being a little hypocritical of the girls on Sorority Life, but I just sat here tonight and watched the show with my little sister and we were like ...WOW...the drama must not just be with us then ...we go through some of the very same things that you all did...Anyways, I think that it is so cool to see the pledges standing up for themselves (because pledges also have a voice in the chapter as well...believe it or not). I am REALLY disappointed that MTV chose not to show all Sigma's philanthropy work because that would've been very cool to see. And...don't worry about "your mistakes", we are all human and we all have done it...yours are just being taped....haha! So great job Mara, great job to all the pledges too b/c you guys make the show great and your drama makes the show great...It is so nice to finally have someone to relate too...!!!Take care and good luck with life at UCD...:)

I was really proud of the way Jessica got the pledges together and made a speech at the meeting. It's awesome to see somebody try to change a bad situation rather than just complaining. I would love to have her for a sister!

Too bad the "problem pledges" chose to go to Vegas instead of standing up with their pledge sisters to argue their case. Nice suite MTV paid for. :rolleyes:

It didn't seem like Jessica told them that she was going to do that. Especially since she ws hading them copies of what she had told the actives when they got back.

Mara,
Personally, from watching the show, I think you seem like a really cute, sweet girl! I hope you and others post your experiences with the show after the finale airs! I'm really interested in how the dynamics of sigma have been affected since the show's airing, and any misinterpretations MTV made about the pledges, the sisters, or the sorority itself.
Much Greek Love!

How did Mtv let this quote slide through the editing filter?
 

Pledge Dona: "We're in the same pledge class. If you need help, I'm there for you."

At least one of the pledges get it!

ok
 

Now I'm gonna keep it real, I welcomed Mara to greekchat(if that is her, hopefully) but I'm not gonna bite my tongue. It seems like Mara and Jordan REALLY don't get it. I agree with whoever said NO I can't accept that you don't see WHAT you did wrong in going to a strip club during formal or making a spectacle of yourself.

Yes the pledge process is a learning process, but DAMN are you learning ANYTHING? Are you learning that every establishment has certain rules or protochol that MUST be followed? I have a feeling if they were applying for a job or whatever at a bank and they told you "you must wear your hair in a bun while at work" that you would of said "HEY! except me for who I am!":rolleyes: Give me a break.

I'm sorry, I wasn't brought in this way AT ALL. So I cannot feel anything going on. I do applaud the sisterhood that was shown tonight and I still LUB me some Jordan. But the display of sisterhood I have seen as a whole has been garbage.


Like Heather B said at the Real World Reunion "If you were a bitch on the show, that was what they showed!":cool:


QTE

Re: ok
 

Shaunda you are scaring me!! I was thisclose to quoting Heather B in my post...can I borrow the brain we are apparently sharing, I need it for work today! ;)

Can someone please tell me what happened last night? I completely forgot about it!

thank god they showed sisterhood for all of 10 mins. during the show! to summerize short and sweet (bc i have tons of work to do and shouldn't be on gc!)...
1. jordan is annoying, i wouldn't want her as one of my sisters. and that whole thing about "they just want to keep me so their image gets better"...no, they don't want to keep you bc of that! they MIGHT want to keep you bc they do see some good in you.
2. the whole thing that "we are pledges, and we are still learning what to do and what not to do" is pure crap. my parents taught me not to get up during someone's speech or presentation when i was like 8, society taught me to have respect for older people that are ALLOWING you to join THEIR organization. It isn't yours yet honey.
3. you can't tell me that MTV didn't pay for the ENTIRE vegas trip!
4. $5 says that jordan depledges right before initiation....DRAMA!

vegas
 

actually, the weekend we were in vegas the sisters were on houseboats in lake shasta and wouldn't allow us pledglings to come.

you are up awfully early for california, mara.

GIVE THESE GIRLS A BREAK!
 

Hi everyone, I think some people on here aren't realizing that the girls do show sisterhood i'm sure...MTV DOESN"T SHOW IT THOUGH!!!!and another thing, you can't help leaving a presentation if you have to pee! In my sorority, formal isn't mandatory and you are free to leave whenever you want...Sisterly bonding isn't really everyone getting shitfaced together...(well not in my mind) and damn, if mtv wants to pay for a vegas trip for you...would you turn it down...i know i wouldn't :) and by the way, i turned into a better person b/c of my sorority, i wasn't like this during pledging so i agree with the pledges on that one...no one is perfect and remember, there are always 2 sides to every story. :)

my 2 cents
 

I've been reading this thread since the beginning and watching the show (as long as I don't fall asleep before it's on...that whole having a job thing gets in the way of my TV watching ;) ). I haven't said anything until now, but after spending an entire weekend with some of my favorite sisters ever - which, of course, included discussion about the show - a couple things occurred to me that I didn't think of before.

It seems that most of us watching this and other MTV "reality" shows see MTV as a huge instigator. While I agree that they show what was actually said/done (whether taken out of context or not) AND I don't agree with many of the actions portrayed on the show, most of us would probably agree that a lot of the problems for this chapter were at least partially caused and/or helped along by MTV. That pledge house, for example, seems to have completely divided the sisters and new members as well as the pledge class itself, and since unity is SO important to sisterhood, that's a HUGE problem.

I know every chapter has its problems, but when I was active, our chapter had a gigantic drama-filled issue that I won't go into (I yelled enough about it this weekend), and it divided the entire chapter. And sure, we had our philanthropy/sisterhood events in there while this was going on, but there was enough drama going across two-three semesters to fill two entire seasons (and maybe an hour-long special or seven) without anything like MTV adding to it.

Between talking about this specific incident and the show this weekend with my sisters, I have no doubt in my mind that had the cameras followed us around, we would've had every national representative in the area on our doorstep after one episode. There was so much negative, unsisterly behavior going on, and at the time, we were so caught up in it that we didn't even notice until after everyone calmed down. No one stood up when this happened to say, "Look stupidheads, THIS is why this is happening and we need to fix it instead of fighting each other and going behind peoples' backs." Now, almost two years later, we can finally say, "If we would've done this, this, and this, none of this ever would've happened in the first place." Granted, things are pretty much back to normal now and we're a stronger chapter because of it, but at the time, we were so upset that most of us figured things would only get worse, so why bother trying to get along?

Watching the Sigma sisters and new members brings back a lot of the memories/hurt feelings/resentment/problems that our chapter had. They seem to be caught up in the drama just like we were, but who's going to stand up and say, "MTV is making this 100 times worse than it actually is. Let's get rid of the pledge house, focus on our sisterhood, and fix what's wrong before it's too late." Instead, MTV's there causing more problems, and things keep building and building without anything ever really getting fixed.

Besides, if they did (and could without breaking their contract), would you see THAT on the program? :rolleyes:

Just my 2 cents (more like 2 bucks, but oh well).

COME ON...
 

Come on... seriously... Why does everyone take this show SOO seriously! Stop blaming the pledges, they are just having fun. Like everyone has said before-- it is obviously edited... How else do you fit a week into 22 minutes?!!? How many people here go out 2 nights a week? I know I usually do on weekend... once you follow everyone around and show 5-10 minutes of that "going out" the show is over! And obviously the sisters are going out to the bars too, if they weren't then who would have saw the pledges... cut them some slack. everyone is different... Yea Jordan is full of drama and isn't satisfied no matter what... but the whole point is that they don't want their sorority to all be carbon copies of each other, yet everyone is so unwilling to accept people that are different!
PS~ Can I just say how annoyed I was that Jordan was bitching about them deciding not to do a selection process?! HELLO?! Is she ever happy?! She bitches if they let her in, she bitches if they don't. give it up. agh

my problems with the show, is the fact that it's a SHOW. someone decided to use these girls to make money. and the girls agreed for whatever reason.
as for the behaviors of sisters and pledges alike, both have wronged. so have in many of my behaviors and the behaviors of my sisters...esp. at formals!. however, i didn't think to put them on nation so that someone else could make money and give me 15 mins. of fame. i would be beyong embarrassed if thing that i had done or said about my sisters or future sisters were on tv.
but, i believe, (and this is my opinion!) that yes, i am able to comment on these girls behaviors just like i would comment on anyone else in a "reality" tv show's behaviors because they have allowed themselves to be put in the spotlight. Blaming things on editing or whatever, doesn't make what the public has seen and "believes" any better.
i am sure there are parts of sigma that are wonderful. i have no doubt that these sisters and some of the pledges have the sincere heart of the sorority in mind. however, (and my opinion again...) i would never joined an organization that allowed the ins and outs of my sisters on national tv, while being obviously sponsored. to me, (and me alone) makes it seem less special.

Re: vegas
 

Now i'm confused. Last night i was watching and Jessica went to the actives' meeting while you all were in Vegas. maybe MTV distorted the show, but i can' see how that is possible.

Anyway, if you're Mara (i am udecided, but leaning towards yes) welcome to Greek Chat!

I don't know what to believe about this show anymore...not that I ever really did. All I know is that it's not representative of true sorority life and sincere sisterhood.

Okay, so when I tried posting a response, something happend and I lost my post. :mad: But anyway.....

I admire Jessica and the other pledges who were with her for sticking up for ALL of the pledges, not just the "problem pledges." Vegas was beautiful.....why is everybody bashing? I don't get it. I can't wait for next week's show!! http://www.plaudersmilies.de/clock.gif

And yes, I honestly believe that it is Mara. :D Welcome to GC!

I was just watching the Sorority Life marathon and wondering... how do you think the Sigma sisters are reacting to the new initiates now that they've seen what has gone on and what has been said during the show... (i.e. drinking in the house, etc)... Do you think they have reprimanded them or maybe it has made their relationship worse..? just curious...