smoking
 

i dont know where this question belongs so please bear w/ me, are u allowed to smoke if you're in a sorority or what? i have no clue of any of is

I don't know how smoking policies are enforced with the other sororities, but there's no rule with my chapter saying that we're not allowed to smoke at all.

In our code of standards, the only time smoking is prohibited is during chapter meetings, events, rush events, or any other time deemed inappropriate. In those cases, we use our best judgement (especially when wearing our letters and/or representing our sorority).

We don't have a chapter house, but I'm pretty certain that most (if not all) chapter houses in my sorority enforce a no-smoking in the house policy.

I'm a smoker, so whenever I do decide to smoke I make sure that I'm in a designated smoking area on or off campus.

there's no non-smoking clause--in that a smoker wouldn't be given a bid. I agree with OTW though, most, if not all, houses would be smoke free zones in respect to other members.

No smoking ever at formal rush parties, chapter meetings or ritual. Most sorority houses are probably smoke free nowadays (unless they are big enough to have a separate smoking lounge).

We have a rule that you cannot wear letters when smoking. You have to cover them up. That is just our chapter though.

our chapter has a rule that you cannot smoke in front of the house (we are a housed chapter)as this disrespects the house and those within and you cannot smoke while walking across campus and if you do need a cigarette in between classes you have to sit down to smoke. This is to promote lady like behavior. Of course we dont smoke in the house or during meetings,etc. We also have a rule that a member cannot dance with an alcoholic beverage in her hand. She must put her cup down before she boogies. This is either to promote a ladylike image or just make sure she doesnt spill!!! These rules seem kind of goofy but they are well accepted by smokers and non-smokers alike.

hey just a hunch... do you go to college in the south? i hear standards are pretty intense...
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Are the non-smoking policies put in effect for reasons of health and safety, or is it that people just don't want smokers in their sorority?

I'm a sometime smoker, but I do it outside. I usually do it when I'm at bars, so there's no issue of having my letters on.

Couldn't a girl who didn't receive a bid because she was a smoker sue for discrimination? Sounds pretty elitist to me.

I don't think it's a matter of my GLO not wanting smokers, nor do I think that it's because of health or safety...I guess it's just for courtesy for those who are uncomfortable with it. Out of respect for my sisters that are anti-smoking, I wont smoke around them. I'll smoke at bars & clubs and I'll totally smoke at school (especially during breaks), even when I wear my letters, just as long as I follow the rules accordingly.

My campus has been taking measures against smoking and for the first time since I don't know when they're actually enforcing the designated smoking areas in our campus commons. We're not allowed to smoke in any covered area, and now people like me are limited to one small tent outside. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/mad.gif I guess it makes sense, though.

I know my chapter doesn't discriminate on the basis of smoker status. In fact, my sister-"great-grandmother", "grandmother", and "mother" were all smokers. My sister-mom jokes that my sis-daughter will have to be one to continue the line(jokingly, of course).

My Delta Zeta chapter has strict rules about smoking, as do all of the other chapters that I've visited. We can not smoke in letters, we can't smoke in the sorority house or out in front of it, and we can only smoke sitting down with our legs crossed. Sounds strange I know, but the theory is that sitting in a ladylike position while smoking looks a lot better than running around campus waving a cigarette. Anyway, I do live in the South and all of the DZ chapters that I've visited have been at Southern schools, so it may very well be a Southern thing. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

Same here DZrose!

No, she could not. Smoking is not a protected class as designated by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of '64 or any of the addendums.

I'm sorry, but I've never heard of such absurd things as sitting and crossing your legs to have a smoke. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/rolleyes.gif It's times like this, I'm glad to live in the northeast http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif (no disrespect to the southern women, of course you're all great!). We have no real rules on the topic, with the exception of not smoking in the middle of a recruitment event or meeting or ritual. But that would seem normal to me. We also don't allow smoking in the common areas of the house, but if you smoke, you can in your own room.

We also have a rule that a member cannot dance with an alcoholic beverage in her hand. She must put her cup down before she boogies. This is either to promote a ladylike image or just make sure she doesnt spill!!!

This rule worries me a little bit, simply because of all the arning we hear about with GHB and Rohypohonal (sp?) I would rather drop a beer all over someone then leave it, and take the chance someone did something to it.

Hmmm...when I was in Mississippi, I had grits and sweet tea. I'd rather have a cheesesteak and a coke http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

But honestly, I don't see how a woman smoking is putting the sorority in a negative light. I understand that people don't smoke or don't like smoking, but I really don't think smoking puts your sorority at risk of negative reputation. Of course, this could also be one of those southern things again.

Girls in sororities are looked at way harsher than girls up north. Same here in FL...girls can't smoke with letters or lavalieer on. If they are caught they will get fined or worse. Its seen as somewhat unlady like i guess. Its a turn-off for me personally. Same as far as girls sleeping around. I think if girls up north from what i have seen if they sleep with a couple guys then its no biggie but down here your labeled as a ho. Just different culture.

yes, twinstars, im from the south, texas to be exact....i guess the standards are a bunch harsher here but they are also well recieved. Usually when a girl puts her drink down to dance, she usually hands it off to a nearby friend or non-dancing sister to hold for her. We also cant wear our letters while drinking or in a bar-setting or around alcohol out of respect for our sorority and if we are drinking we have to wear our lavelier under the collar of our shirts...most sororities down here have simular rules, I like it though, its nice and traditional!

USF Student--I totally agree about the GHB thing. Very scary. The worst part about it is that a person doesn't even know that the GHB (can't taste it) has entered his/her body. They only know a person has consumed GHB when they are taken into the hospital.

You got to remember that before the 1920's only men smoked, publicly at least. Since all the NPCs were founded before then, founders would've considered it just as crass as spitting on the sidewalk. But of course the same is true for wearing pants!!!

It'd be kind of sad if women of the 21st century completely agreed with every rule women of the 19th century created!!!

thank ya'll that helps a lot, since i am a smoker. i was told it looked bad also if rushees smoked outside but during a rush event. i was wondering if thats true especially since i would have not known this smokin stuff if i hadnt of asked ya'll. so thanx and keep the good posts coming!

It's definitely a Southern thing. The book "A Southern Belle Primer or Why Princess Margaret will never be a Kappa Kappa Gamma" explains it all. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif While at an event in Texas, she walked across the floor with a cigarette in her hand. A very unladylike gesture and everyone was aghast. I would like to point out that it happened in the 60's but many people still believe it.

Eclipse, thanks for the information. I always wondered about that.

Yes, I can see why a Yankee wouldn't understand that particular rule. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif It's right up there with grits, sweet tea, and y'all! heehee

Seriously though, I kind of like the rule. I guess it's kind of a respect issue. Seeing someone puffing on a cigarette isn't the most attractive thing in the world to a lot of people. This rule, no matter how crazy it seems, encourages our girls to not smoke so openly and, because of that, Delta Zeta isn't portrayed in a negative light.

The smoking rule sounds like a Southern thing. Reminds me of how glad I am to be in Rhode Island right now. I respect the rule, but it seems elitist and moralistic, to say the least. What do these same groups do about members who are quite open about their sexual conquests? That could be even more of a blackmark than having a few smokers.

Okay, I got the talk about leaving a drink unattended before I got to school, so I've always been careful about that, but in the early days, I used to drink really fast so that I could finish my drink and still have time to dance. Woke up with a headache many a morning, eh?

AlphaChiGirl--

I was thinking the same thing about the "sexual conquest" thing (great wording!) http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

We always had the talk about GHB and drinks, so we just threw a few back really quickly and hit the dance floor. No danger there, except if someone got sick. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/frown.gif

someone who was causing serious image problems for the chapter with her "sexual conquests" (and i mean way above and beyond what the average college girl does) could be called into the standards committee and would be reprimanded. this could be for something like a particularly bad PDA (drunken probably, but that doesn't excuse it) at a sorority party, for instance. basically if you're doing anything publicly enough that it would reflect poorly on the whole group. it would be highly embarassing to get called in, but i'm not sure what the actual repercussions might be. i don't know if you could be put on social pro or what for this sort of thing, it's never happened in my chapter.