Working and being in Greek Life?
 

I was just curious how many people work/worked while being in their GLO? We had a CDC come who was shocked that we had girls who had to work to pay their dues and tuition. She didn't understand why girls had to work, so I was just curious what your chapter was like? Did most people have jobs or not?

I pledged my freshman year and did not have a job and I think I was the only one in my pledge class that didn't have a job. Pretty much almost every girl in my chapter at least works in the summer, if not all year.

I didn't have to work to pay my dues or tuition, but did have to work for spending money throughout my entire time in college. I had a clerical job on campus freshman year, worked at an off campus pizza and wing place sophomore year, and worked retail my junior and senior years. I think I usually worked between 15-20 hours per week.

I would say maybe 1/4 of my sisters worked, most of them on campus.

I have to work to pay dues, rent, bills, and other expenses. My parents are helping me out with tuition and subsidizing some of my other bills (Thank goodness!). I'd say about 1/4 of my sisters work.

My parents agreed to pay only 1/2 of my yearly dues. So the money I made when I worked during the summers and breaks often went to the 1/2 I was responsible for.

I also worked a few hours a week in our campus bookstore my sophmore and junior year. My senior year I was a waitress at Ruby Tuesdays. The work was more for spending money and to pay utilities my junior and senior year and getting a discount on my books (this was before you could buy them used online!). My parents paid my rent my junior and senior years and part of my tuition, the rest were student loans, which almost 9 years later I am still paying off!

I think with the economy being what it is these days, many people have to have part time jobs in order to make ends meet while in college. I think if the member is willing to work just to pay dues, than that should be respected.

I'm surprised that a national representative would have that opinion of greek members. I'd hope that after traveling to other chapters, she'd see that many women have to work during college! My parents did not want me to work while I was in school, but my dad lost his job during my first semester at school. I had a full paid scholarship, so the only thing I had to worry about was paying my dues. Every summer and winter break, I saved all of my money I made working in a doctor's office as a "chart girl." I had to be VERY careful with my money so that I'd have enough to last the whole semester.

I worked from the end of my freshman year until I graduated to help cover some sorority costs and to have spending money. I had student loans to cover my tuition and my parents helped with room and board for the house.

Freshman year (including the summer):
- bartender/server for campus events
- waitress
- admin at a carpet store

Sophomore year:
- admin at a carpet store
- retail

Junior/Senior years (including summer):
- editorial assistant in a department on campus

The on campus job was by far the best job. My boss was awesome and flexible about what hours I could be at work depending on my schedule. It even qualified as my required internship for my major.

I would guess about half my chapter had some sort of job and those were split between some sort of waitressing/bartending/cocktail serving and on-campus jobs.

Yeah I was surprised too and I think she started to understand after spending the week with us and I'm sure after going to some of the other chapters she came to understand too.

I think it's interesting the variety of jobs and reasons why people had them.

I would say most of our sisters have jobs, and most pay at least part of their own dues if not all. Most girls work in on-campus offices but some are waitresses, bartenders, cashiers, etc. I work on campus 20 hours a week during the semester and 40 hours a week during breaks. It helps pay my rent and I've started paying my own dues, too. I feel bad asking my parents for money for non-academic stuff with the economy the way it is.

Technically I did have to work. I was in the work study program my freshman year and senior year. I was an RA in between. I never worked off campus though, many people I knew at school did. Many people at school either were RA's, work study students, or had off campus jobs. I, and a few other people, had their own "businessess" on campus to help in supplementing my RA "income" if you could call $50 a month an income. But that is something that is unusual. I'm surprised that someone would be very "shocked" to see something such as this at college.

Wow, I'm shocked ,that considering this economy, someone would have that reaction. I have 2 girls in college right now, and although they do not work, they have scholarships and fortunately pre-paid tuition. If they didn't have that, they would def be working. College costs a lot more than we (as parents) plan for and with the stock market tumbles....:eek:

This whole economy thing always trips me out.

Apparently it's bad, and that's what the elites always say, but I haven't felt a thing but cheaper gas.


Maybe it's cuz I'm in Arkansas...

"Someone told us wall-street fell, but we were so poor we couldn't tell. the cotton was short and the weeds were tall, but Mr. Roosevelt was gonna save us all."

I was on scholarship, so tuition was paid. One year, I tutored Algebra and Calculus, but it didn't pay enough to make it worthwhile.

I worked summers to cover my other expenses: sorority, room/board, books, etc. My parents helped me, but it was no free ride. When I graduated, I had some student loans, but they were minimal.

My niece is in school now. Her tuition is covered by my parents, but she still has her apartment expenses, bookes, etc. She has always worked 15 -20 hours per week during school to cover expenses.

As have been lurking I have to agree with Benzgirl 100%. Is it easy, no. Do you or any others want to join and be a part of a glo?
So, what are the benefits for you or others. Only you can answer that.

From your answer, its obvious you don't have investments, or maybe you do,and haven't lost $$. I that's the case then, then please tell me where. I'll take suggestions from anyone now:)

I worked about 15-20 hours a week in one of the campus bookstores. My mom and dad agreed to pay for the sorority housing part because it was comparable to the dorms, but they told me I had to pay for all social dues.

I really enjoyed working there. I worked in the clothing department part of the store, so I was able to interact with people of all ages - students, alums, local folks - you name it, they were there. I also got 30 percent off all non-textbook related items, and 10 percent off my textbooks. It saved me quite a bit of money in the long run - especially with the textbook savings.

Most importantly, though, working taught me how to manage my time effectively.

I worked at the rec center full time all four years of college to pay for housing and utilities, books, dues, etc. My tuition was covered under a scholarship, and I got a scholarship from Panhel multiple times that covered my dues -- I think I only paid my dues the semester I pledged and one semester junior year, which basically enabled me to stay a member of the chapter.

I went to a school with a mostly wealthy student body -- I'd say about 1/3 of my chapter worked, mostly as bartenders or in retail. I'd say about half of the girls who worked paid their own dues.

Even from that, it was a shock to me when I first started advising...in the chapter I advise, it seems as if none of the chapter members work and that most have their parents cover dues.

Yeah she was from a southern university and I guess the girls had their parents pay for everything. My parents pay for most of my stuff but I still know that people have to work and such to pay for tuition, dues, etc... I guess it was just sort of surprising coming from a CDC lol. And we had her pretty late in the semester so I wonder what other schools she went to where it didn't come up... She was a good CDC other than that though. Our one we have this semester came from a campus much like our own so she's kind of right at home with us which is really nice.

I have a job on-campus working security in the dorms to pay dues along with any books/pocket money/anything else I need.

Yep, she's a zip.

Yup, yup :) You're at Kent right KSU? Good old rival ;p lol.

Even 25 years ago, most of the women in my chapter worked. My tuition was fully covered by my scholarship. While in the dorms, my parents paid my room & board and when I moved into an apartment, my rent. My mom would take me to Sam's club once a semester to stock up on some staples for food when I was in the apartment. I did work though, to pay for my books, sorority dues, phone bill (and other utilities when in the apartment) and the rest of my food for the apartment. I also paid my car insurance and paid for gas.
Freshman year: Used money from graduation and my high school job.
Summer: Worked at the dry cleaner's where I had worked all through high school
Sophomore year: Started out at the Dining Commons where I worked with a bunch of Lambda Chis (including my first husband). We had great fun there. Then my Sister-Mom got me a job as a campus operator. I worked Sat and Sun from 8 am-4 pm which sounds awful, but it was great. I was the only one on during that shift both days. Nobody would call the campus operator until around 11 am so I could kind of rest my head on the desk and doze. I did homework while waiting for the phone to ring the rest of the day. Not many called on weekends.
Summer: I worked at a cafeteria for GM cuz my dad knew the executive chef.
Junior year: Continued as a campus operator but also got a job as a Rehab Aide in a group home for patients with closed head injuries. Great job to go along with being in the Occupational Therapy program. After a semester of working both, I quit the campus operator job. I stayed in my apartment all summer and worked as the Rehab Aide that year and into my senior.

At the beginning of the last semester of my senior year, my dad said "You have worked very hard to keep your scholarship and pay for all of your extras, here's some money, quit your job and enjoy your last semester" :D Great graduation present, really!

I only know of 2 girls in my chapter that don't work because it doesn't really seem like an option right now for most. I work 25 to 30 hours a week and pay for my dues. Luckily, I got grants so I'm covered as far as tuition but it's still tricky when it comes to books and other expenses. My job is really flexible in terms of scheduling so I still manage to find time to get actively involved in my chapter and work/go to school.

We have brothers that work to pay dues and brothers that live off of daddy's money.

As long as you pay your dues it doesn't matter, but I can definitely say that nowadays more and more people going through rush seem to worry about financial obligations.

In some ways I was "lucky" because I pledged when I was a junior and my fees paid for my senior year. But some of my sans that pledged during their sophomore year worked during the summer and saved their money. Many of the kids that I went to school with worked. I know that during my freshman summer I worked at a camp in
B'ham and had to save what money I could in order to just get back to school and to send back home to TX to help with the family finances (my Mom at that time had just become unemployed with 2 kids in college). Then in my sophomore year, I worked on the family farm and my Grandfather helped me out at the end of the summer and my junior summer I worked at a HHA and saved my money.
It's really not that unusual to have to work and pay for school or tuition or books or rent. Sometimes sacrifices just have to be made.

I work, and it's tough. I have a great financial aid package, but I'm also responsible for 100% of my living expenses. That means medical bills, car insurance, and of course dues and house fees. Probably 25% of my sisters have jobs, though most of them just need to money to buy clothes and go out.

The hardest part is recruitment. Last year I was working on campus, and when I told them I had to miss work during the office's two busiest weeks, they fired me.

That really, really sucks. We were just told this past semester that work isn't an excuse for formal recruitment and I know a lot of the girls were really angry.

Work was never an excuse in my chapter, even though the majority of the girls had jobs. The rationale was because we got the dates for formal recruitment in like March/April, which is 7-8 months in advance, so girls should have more than enough time to request those dates off.

Yeah I think it's harder when you have a permanent work schedule. It didn't interfere with my work schedule this past semester so I wasn't worried but it sucks when you have to take time off work if you work to pay for dues. I can see both sides though so I'll just hope I don't ever have to worry about it lol. I would have had problems if we had had something on the Tuesday of recruitment week because I was the only one who worked Tuesday nights so it was almost impossible for me to try and get off of work because then I'm just relying on the fact that someone will take pity on me and take my shift lol.

We had that same rule, too. However, since recruitment dates were set in stone months ahead of time, we all were able to make proper arrangements with our employers. Most, if not all, of us were only working part-time anyway, so we had ample time to find someone to trade shifts or switch days off.

It was mostly the freshly initiated underclassmen who tried to make a big deal about it because they didn't know any better...but eventually they learned that work is no excuse to miss rush!

I lived at home, and therefore had no room and board. But I paid my own way as far as books, sorority events, and any outside activities. I worked part-time while in school. I was at Macy’s for 3 years as a sales associate. Luckily for me, they were very understanding and flexible about my schedule. Over the summer, I worked about 40 hours a week, but over the school year I was putting in a little over 20 hours per week. I would be at work from the store opening before 10am, stay a few hours, go to class, and then go back to work. Of course it helped that the mall was 4 minutes from my school! If I had events that I knew were mandatory, I would simply let a manager know ahead of time or switch with another coworker.

I would say that about half of my chapter worked while in school. The other half had money sent to them by mom and dad.