New sorority coming to campus
 

This is sad. Last year....I didn't rush. I didn't rush this year either. I tried informally rushing but I didn't like some of the houses. (Two houses seemed really, really desperate in trying to talk to me to the point where it creeped me out a bit). i ended up joining an interest group of girls who were brining a sorority to campus.

Little did I know how badly it would be bastardized. Our former president was so determined on bringing her sorority to campus (she was a transfer) that she literally had people calling us by those letters. I think it caused me to be blacklisted because when I tried informal rush again, when more sororities were involved, one girl screamed out,'HEY, WEREN't YOU IN SORORITY XYZ?" when that sorority didn't even come to campus.That sorority didn't even make it to panhel's final 3 consideration. Our former president, obviously, took that moment to leave.

The group though had our hearts set on one sorority (of the final three) and we were so sure we would get it. Instead....we got another one. Phi sigma sigma.

I know...it's really superficial at this point. I don't like the letters. I don't like how they're planning on initiating us in a year. I'll be a junior by then. What's the point? A lot of the girls feel the same way, since a lot of them are juniors NOW (and we have one 1st semester senior). Is there a way we can talk to nationals to expedite this? I want to have the sorority experience. Having it as a second semester sophomore isn't so bad....I really want to get a lot out of this. Bigs. Littles. Etc. It's asking for a lot....

And at the same time, I'm stupid and say,"I don't like the letters." We can't be called phi sig, there's a phi sig on campus, but are there any other cute nicknames? Like PSS? Or something besdies PSS? I like the handsigns and the colors are pretty cool. I also see that they're coming to campus very organized, which I guess compensates for the slightly smaller alumna base. I like my sisters but I want to do some recruiting because we are so small. And I'd like to do it informally in the fall to start at least. This is driving me insane because the nationals want the interest group to do work to help set things up but not give us letters. We've been dying for this.


I've missed formal rush twice, and now that some of my sophomore friends are getting into some really good sororities, I'm wondering if maybe I missed a lot. I'm having a lot of what if's. And I know there's NOTHING I can do to change that.

Can someone at least console me here? Tell me if there's something we can do to negotiate with nationals a bit without offending them? Something to make me enthusiastic about greek life and phi sigma sigma again?


(Also, the name PSLAm, my username, came from someone's username on some other forum saying some good things about a particular chapter of phi sigma sigma, if it's actually offensive, I apologize).

qfp

Negotiate with nationals about what?

When the current members of the now-local will be initiated, I think. According to the OP's post, they won't be initiated until next Spring semester (2012), and the OP thinks this isn't really fair to current members.

Ask not what you can do for your sorority, ask what your sorority can do for you.

SMH...

ETA: the more I think it over, the more I believe that you are either (a) a troll or (b) suffering from a personality disorder or (c) a spoiled, selfish, self-centered, small-minded, immature brat.

Okay. You need to take a deep breath and step away from GC. You've just blasted very private business for all the world to see. Colonizations are very well planned out, and colony members DO have the sorority experience. I'd recommend that you talk to Phi Sigma Sigma and clarify plans WITHOUT making demands. I will tell you that their priorlty is to establish a successful chapter. Depending on the campus, this may take a year or longer. Their priority will not be to make an individual member of the interest group happy at the expense of a successful expansion. BTW, your group has been given a gift in Phi Sigma Sigma. They are a wonderful organization, and you should feel lucky to have the chance to be a part of them.

My goodness.

I'm going to attempt to be nice here and give you real advice. There is a reason colonization takes a year or more. There is a lot to do to make a chapter work. Perhaps you can ask your colonization team what things will take place in that year.

If all you are looking for is a lettered sweatshirt, you are in the wrong place. Being a colony member is hard work and requires real dedication to the organization.

Your username is pretty much the only thing you said that ISN'T offensive. Do Phi Sigma Sigma a huge favor and quit. You want to be Greek for all the wrong reasons.

It sounds like she should just quit now. she is looking to go greek for all the wrong reasons. she is even lucky to be dealing with Phi Sigma Sigma. there are some girls that spend their whole college career trying to bring a new sorority on campus and it sometimes never happens.

Let me see if I have this straight.

• You never went through formal recruitment (which has happened twice since you got to the school). Why didn't you ever go through formal??
• You joined an interest group. Why? Did you think it would be easier?
• Said interest group later became ABC (out of Panhellenic spirit, I am not going to put their name in such a disparaging post).
• You hate the way the letters sound/look because they aren't cute, but you love the colors and hand signs, and you are pissed because nationals won't "give you" the letters you are dying for.
• You think the group and alumnae base is too small.
• You aren't having the same experiences as your friends who have been through formal recruitment and received bids.
• You are pissed off that you have been "blacklisted" because when you went through informal rush (as a member of the interest group-turning-colony), someone questioned your status - as a member of the interest group-turning colony. Do you not see how anyone would think this was an odd situation??
• You're complaining that by the time you are initiated - as a junior - you won't have all the same sorority experiences your friends are having. You obviously have no concept of lifetime sisterhood.

What do you need consoling for? You joined an interest group. It became a colony that you dislike for various reasons. Why, then, are you so keen on trying to get the national organization to hurry up and initiate you?

WE cannot make you "enthusiastic about greek life and phi sigma sigma again."

Lastly, your user name stands for "Phi Sig Love And Mine". You are doing them or the other members no service by being so openly rude and immature. If you don't want to initiate, then LEAVE.

I know that I won't get answers to any of my questions, but they had to be asked.

This is all a moot point. The OP's never going to make it to chartering. This is exactly what (well, one of the things) a year long wait for initiation is for - to weed out the people who are there for the wrong reason (i.e. jacket sisters to be) and don't want to work.

I'm sorry if you feel that you got screwed by your former president - her insistence on her sorority probably did screw you with some NPCs when they looked at your interest group - but the time to fix that was THEN, as in the rest of the IG needed to grow a pair and kick her out the minute she started doing things that were inappropriate (like using her sorority's letters for the IG).

And you (or should I say the colony) can be called Phi Sig...I'm guessing you have Phi Sigma Kappa on campus...there are plenty of schools who have both and there's not a problem. The colors are completely different, and oh yeah, one group has boobs and one doesn't.

LOL.

FYP

http://www.afterellen.com/archive/el...ads/olivia.jpg

Ugh, there's so much to address here, but I think I'll just touch on the whole colony thing and let the others take the rest.

I highly doubt your Nationals is going to "expedite" your new member period. As much as you may not like it, your experience as a colony member is going to be different than the experience of women who join a chapter that is already established on campus. But a different experience doesn't mean it's going to be a bad experience. I was a member of a colony as well, and I loved my experience!

We installed our chapter 6 months after we received our bids, and looking back on it, I can completely understand why. We had SO much to learn. This was something brand new to the 120+ women who were a part of our colony. Obviously, not one of us had any experience with Greek life, so I think it was a great (and necessary) learning and growing period for all of us. And please don't think of a second that just because you have some friends in the Greek system that you know it all and you've seen it all. Trust me, coming from experience, YOU DON'T. Your chapter will really benefit in the long run by having this "longer" new member period.

The what's the point of being initiated as a junior question is silly. First of all, I joined as a junior, and was initiated in my second semester as a junior. I still got a TON out of my collegiate experience. You say you want to "get a lot out of this". The thing I'm having trouble understanding is why you think that you need to be initiated in order to start enjoying sorority life. You started your experience in Phi Sigma Sigma the day you got your bid. Why aren't you making the most of it now? Do you think that the moment you get initiated you're chapter is going to magically be just like the rest of the chapters on campus? It doesn't work that way.

Also, if you wanted to get the most out of collegiate sorority experience (please note that I am specifically saying collegiate, because you are a member for life), then you should have though about that before you decided to pass on formal recruitment, TWICE.

WOW, this is so superficial.

Also, do you think that your campus is the only campus that has both a Phi Sigma Kappa chapter and Phi Sigma Sigma chapter? Mine had both. Both went by Phi Sig. Oh well.

And this right here confirms to me that you are in it for the wrong reasons. Don't join a sorority because OMGZ I CAN WEAR SUPER KEWL LETTERZ. While I am not a Phi Sig, I am completely confident that your nationals has it set up this way because they want to give your chapter all of the guidance that they can in order to help your chapter become successful in the long run. It takes time.

If you're not willing to work for it, I would suggest de-pledging and leaving it to your sisters who really want to have a hand in establishing your chapter.

Mariska's "bitch please" look goes well with this thread. (Not that you are looking at anything above the neck.)

Double post, oh well.

This post also had me wondering...why does the idea of not having bigs and littles if you join a colony FREAK some PNMs out? I've seen a few other threads from PNMs who were debating rushing a colony and a lot of the time they ask "OMG will I have a big/little?1!!???!!ELEVEN!!?"

Most colonies I've heard of have twins (that's what we did). While I love my twin, the idea of not having a big/little wasn't so that important to me. At all. Is that just me?

ETA: Not a double post, thanks 33girl.

It's keeping up with the Jones' you know. Gotta check all the boxes off the list.

When I was in college, we had a sorority colonize and Panhel arranged for them to get bigs from other chapters. Each chapter had 4 women volunteer to take a little from the new chapter. I decided to do it and asked for an upperclassman so she would be in school about the same time as I would. I got a lovely girl and she and I were close until she graduated. We got a long so well that she invited me to events at her chapter and I invited her to events too. She moved around a lot with her job and we lost touch. It was a really good experience and I am glad that I got the opportunity.

However, unless the OP really has a change of heart, I think she might be better off dropping out.

Probably is the group since according to the panhellenic website AGD, Phi Sig and DZ presented.

How come we haven't seen any official word that Phi Sig was chosen to colonize?

You don't go greek for the letters on the sweatshirt, colors, crest/coat of arms, mascot, etc. You go greek because of the amazing people you meet and the connection you have with the chapter.

PSLAM, I suggest you take a good, hard look at the other girls colonizing with you and ask yourself whether you'd be able to see them as sisters for life, friends forever, someone you're comfortable brushing your teeth next to in the bathroom. Sisterhood is ultimately about the connections you feel with the other sisters on a day-to-day basis. Alumni networking, leadership conferences and all the other benefits of national organizations are just the icing.

Colonizing will obviously be a different experience than being apart of a chapter which has already been established, however, as previously mentioned, it won't be a bad experience. Think of the leadership opportunities you'll have!

My boyfriend is a founding member of a kappa sigma chapter - he's twenty-four right now, but whenever he comes back to events the younger brothers really look up to him and respect him as a founding member. Along with the rest of his founding class, he's definitely left a mark on that chapter - he's had a really special experience that not many people in the greek community get to have...

I think what happened is yourself - and perhaps the other girls in the colony - were set on a particular organization to come to campus, and it didn't pan out that way. My experience being greek has been a pretty crazy one - however, at the end of the day, I ended up in the right place. Give Phi Sig a chance. If you honestly feel like it's not the place for you, then don't get initiated - you have quite some time to make that decision.

But only you can get yourself pumped up about phi sig and being apart of this organization. no one here on greekchat can do that for you.

Who knows? Maybe it's not the right school, but a lot of things fit. If it is the right school, congrats to Phi Sig! Awesome pick up!

I've never known a local sorority who formed to become a specific NPC to have worked out - the Delta Gamma chapter at Texas State was founded as a local by Sigma Chi little sisters who wanted a Tri Delta chapter. They went so far as to tell pnm that they WOULD be Tri Delta. It was unpleasant there for a little while for some members of the local, although now the chapter is doing well.

NOTE:
I started to respond to this thread right after this was posted and would have been the first to respond after the QFP but since Im not NPC I knew you guys would handle it :) What I typed below was my knee-jerk reaction and after reading the responses, I know I was not the only person to feel this way. So here is what I wrote:

I usually stay out of these type of posts but:

1. Why do you want to be in a sorority? Is it just to wear letters or are you looking for a LIFETIME commitment?
2. Based on what you say, you've gotten a 3rd chance to join while there are young women who wish they could be where you are.
3. Phi Sigma Sigma existed before you (or I for that matter). They were founded in 1913. They obviously have programming that works for them and if you don't like the organization, what they stand for, the philanthropies they support, then WHY JOIN? Do Phi Sig a favor and drop if you don't want to be there and give your spot to someone who does and will appreciate it.
Being in a fraternity or sorority is not a right, it's a privilege and you've been lucky enough to be offered membership while you are still in under grad.
People like you really irritate the he** out of me. You're the reason why we need to be more selective about who we allow into our organizations. You sound like you just want to join to wear the t-shirt.http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/icons/icon13.gif

I think this is one of those threads that transcends conferences. We're not talking about something like bad recruitment etiquette here.

knight_shadow, since we're dealing with the NPC, do you have one of people snapping enthusiastically? Just for authenticity. :p

Best I could do on such short notice

http://skinnymojo.com/images/men_on_...ving_color.gif

You won't get the same experience as girls joining an already established chapter, but do you realize that you'll be a founder of the chapter on your campus?? Do you realize how great of an honor, and how big of a deal that is?? You have a completely different experience because your name is one that will be forever tied to the founding of your chapter, on your campus. I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and really hope that you were just upset about something else, and that this is NOT how you really feel about your sorority.

Honest question here: Is it really so bad to join because of the allure of letters/ritual? Not join JUST because of that, of course, but for it to be part of the attraction of Greek life? When I decided to go through recruitment, I did it because I was attracted to the idea of sisterhood and close friendships but also because I liked the idea of being connected to other people across generations and geography by this shared, secret ritual that only members of the organization know. So, I guess that I did join, in part, for the letters, handsigns, secret ritual, etc. Of course, I wouldn't have joined if I didn't feel the connection to my now-sisters that I did, either, and I did end up joining an org where I didn't care for the colors much but LOVED the people. I was also an officer, so I was definitely involved.

OP, you are getting the chance to join a sisterhood that is almost a century old and tens (hundreds?) of thousands of members strong, with a deep history and tradition. Why not embrace that for the amazing opportunity it is? Assuming you like your sisters well enough, why not enjoy your time together now, even if you won't get initiated until next year?

I salute you, sir.

The allure of the letters is one thing. Thinking that your letter combination is ugly is quite another. She got more chances than most people and is still complaining. I don't feel sorry for her one bit.

*bows down*

I think it's obvious the OP is interested in a lettered sweatshirt.

Wow. Those expansion documents are quite interesting to read! Thanks for the link.

Well, believe me, I looked and looked and looked some more. Apparently they were going to announce to everyone which sorority got picked after formal rush (bid day is tonight. This was obviously scheduled before they knew the Jets would be in the AFC championships).

So either:

1) They gave the interest group a heads up as to who was picked and the OP is, regrettably, real.
2) This is someone who, for whatever reason, wants to scuttle PSS's chances and thinks this is the way to do it.

I don't make commitments on weekends in January. :) Here we go!

If the decision was JUST made, how can the OP be so impatient already?

It's weird, huh? I can't help but think there are ulterior motives here and this isn't the full story. Maybe she isn't really even involved in the colony and has some ulterior motive for torpedoing Phi Sig before they even announce who will colonize.

It looks like the only other recent Phi Sigma Sigma colony was at Sonoma State and they came out of a longer term local. Seems like Cornell is the only possibility especially given the back story with the original president pushing for her own sorority at a previous school.

And to the OP: Whatever your motives are posting here, you suck.

As the OP said, she really had her heart set on one of the other two orgs, and was really disappointed by the choice of Phi Sig. My guess is that she is feeling the same as girls who go through formal rush and get their #2 choice when they really really wanted their #1.