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I'm sorry to hear things didn't work out. :(

You're probably just saying it because you're upset, but please do not let the fact that you didn't receive a bid induce you into transferring schools! Academics come first, and that's what's important, not whether or not you got a bid. And i'm not sure if this is what you mean, but if you transfer schools, if you're going to rush, you might end up in the same situation.

I'm sure you're going to have a period of time that you're sad (mourning, so to speak). But then you should really sit down and evaluate what's important to you and what is missing in your life that makes you feel like joining a sorority was a must, and fill that void with something else.

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I am so sorry this happend to you. I agree with DGMarie's comments, and I can understand why you are frustrated.

Please think about the possibilities of Alumnae Initiation. There are so many organizations whose chapters need advisors and strong alumnae support and it sounds like you would be the type of person who would put the effort into it.

Keep your chin up and try not to let it get you down.

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I'm so sorry things didn't work out. :(

Check the Alumni Involvement forum - there's a lot of information there on AI.

I'm sorry about things not working out.
I don't know where you go to school or what campus life is like there, but I agree with whoever said try alumnae initiation. I don't know much about that or national sororities in general, but I am sure if you check the web with a group's national site, you might find information there.
Have your tried going local? Are there local sororities on your campus. I have seen some that cater to older members. Check out the localsororities site at www.geocities.com/localsororities to see if there are any in your state/school/etc.

Re: Possibly AI then?
 

It sounds to me like you are looking for a place to fit in and as my mother in law would say, a place to hang your hat. That is totally normal. If such activities do not exist at your college, what about outside of it? There are junior leagues, chuch groups, interest groups etc. Do you have an hobbies? Sports? There are many options.

I wasn't aware that you had gone to undergrad there as well...that probably had a lot to do with your not getting a bid. There ARE older sisters and alums around and I would guess at least some of them knew or recognized you from your first go-round...they may have questioned why you didn't go Greek then.

where do ya live Amalia? transfer to university of rio grande, i got a bunch of nut ball sisters down there that i'm sure would love ya. i miss my girls :( grr to the real world and jobs and crap.

Re: Re: No sorority for me!
 

Well said Hootie!!!!

Re: Possibly AI then?
 

I guess you could try the AI route, but why bother?

Generally AI is offered to people already intimatelyy invovled with a specific chapter for whatever reason, kind of a recognition of contribution. Or sometimes AI is offered because you are friends or close with a bunch of alums in an alumnae association and they want to make you a member, again a recognition of contribution.

Or there is initiation for purely honorary reasons, your reputation or service.

In your case thoug,h you are not likely to find the close personal relationships you seem to be seeking. Historically white GLO's are basically college focused undergrad/grad and offer very little in terms for post grads in the sense of the GLO experience: The bond made through constant social interaction and shared projects.

If you are a natural joiner then you may want to consider the advice of the others and look into other organizations.

Also, you should not jump to the conclusion that your age was the primary factor in your elimination. I have heard of many people your age or older successfully getting bids.

Re: Re: Possibly AI then?
 

That may be the case with fraternities, but I don't think that is necessarily the case with some of the NPC sororities, James.

I encourage you to at least investigate your options Amalia. Good luck.

Re: Re: Re: Possibly AI then?
 

Do you advertise AI then? Like look for alum members? Do people just wake up and say they want to wear letters for no real reason other than to say they belong?

Do we put out ads in the papers for AI? No. It's usually done by word of mouth though. Look at the alumni forum. Lots of women there have contacted chapters wanting information about AI and expressing an interest in joining because they feel that even though they're not an undergrad, a sorority would be a positive experience for them.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Possibly AI then?
 

I know many freshman girls and guys who joined fraternities and sororities for exactly this reason. Do those over 21-22 suddenly lose a desire to belong? Being in college, being single, and being nearly 26 only intensifies your desire to feel like you belong because it's less likely there's a precarved place for you. I speak from experience.

Amalia - check out all of your options. Have you looked into Beta Sigma Phi ?
Check out their forum and talk to some of the women there... it's a really neat organization. You're in my thoughts!

Re: Re: Possibly AI then?
 

I guess I don't understand this comment. ?

Re: No sorority for me!
 

I hope you didn't say that at any of the rush parties. :p

I'm really sorry things didn't work out. Like others have mentioned, why not a local (if you campus has them)? If not, you could give AI a try...but first you have to find some alums in your area of a sorority you'd be interested in. You never know...hey, didn't you say you had family members who were Greek? Maybe they can help...

What experience though? I don't get it. These are not NPHC groups that are organized on a grad chapter level and continue functioning well that way. These are essentially undergrad groups.

To give an example: I am a Kappa Sigma, if a male were working with my chapter, or for my chapter, and gave a lot of service or was an adviser it might seem appropriate to recomend him for special initiation.

Also, if I were in an Alumni Chapter and a male was hanging out a lot with us, socialized a great deal and took part in whatever projects we had, and brought up that they might want to join, we might possibly recomend him as a special intiate.

What you guys are talking about is someone calling me out of the blue and saying: "I always wanted to be in a faternity. I have never had anything to do with any chapter. I either didn't pledge as an undergrad or nobody wanted me, and I just thought I would check out what the requirements of your group are to join. OH, and I don't know any Kappa Sigmas either, but I did read an internet site about them and other fraternities. And if you can't let me in could you steer me in the direction of a fraternity that will? Because I just really want to be Greek, the letters don't matter that much."

I will say that the groups that require affiliation through a chapter are smarter and are more likely to get service from their alumnae initiates.

I completely agree.

Not to be Harsh, but sometimes, it is not ment to be!

It does not work out for all of the people who wish to become members of Greek Organizations! While this may sound harsh, it may not ment to be.



For what ever reason, you must either move on or look for other venues to procede!

I too am sorry when a person who does not make it am very sad.

But, for each individual, there may be a Group who one fits with. Each is totally different! The Person and The Group, and a lot of what each Campi is all about!

Whoa now, James. I know you are probably just looking for a reaction with this post, but is this really necessary?

As an alumna initiate, I have run into plenty of people who share your attitude towards AI. I don't think you can make blanket statements like this and lump all potential AIs into one group. Every person has a different story.

I don't love Gamma Phi Beta any less because I joined as an alumna initiate. I consider myself fortunate to have found GPhiB and for them to have welcomed me into their sisterhood.

AI
 

James,
AI is very special. Just because an AI does not take the same path in life does not mean that his/her path is wrong. Besides, in numerous IHQ/HQ, in both sororities and fraternities, AI are running the organizations.
I am a proud AI. I volunteer. I donate. I love my GLO.
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My attitude is that there are three basic approaches to AI, well four if you include competely honorary.

I didn't lump everyone into one group, I mentioned three general categories that should cover everyone.

What other approaches are there?

Re: AI
 

Why would AI be more special than general membership?

Also I would suspect that AI presence at headquarters is uncommon if only because AI is uncommon.

Again I didn't say AI was wrong as a path, I am merely expressing a mild observation on how people get onto the AI path.

I also pointed out that the basic Greek experience is extremely oriented towards the undergrad and that the AI will be missing just about everything it means to experience membership.

Re: Re: AI
 

AI is not more special than general membership, but neither are AI's any less members than those who were initiated in college. The reason the poster made reference to AI's running HQ's is because HQ's often hire non GLO members who become interested in AI after working for an NPC (at least it works this way for AOII). Many of our HQ employees are sisters, either having been initiated in college or after going to work there.
If the only greek experience someone is interested in is what they have in college, then I agree they will not get the same from AI. However, most of us realize that college life is extremely short in relation to the rest of our lives and there are many memories to be made as an alum.

Just a thought: are there any service GLOs on your campus? (Examples would be Alpha Phi Omega, which is generally co-ed, Gamma Sigma Sigma and Omega Phi Alpha, both sororities, etc.) I don't know much about Gamma Sigma Sigma and Omega Phi Alpha, since we didn't have them at IU, but in my chapter of APO we had grad students and people getting second bachelor's degrees and non-traditional students as active members along with traditional undergrads. In fact a "non-traditional" student was president of my pledge class, and a guy getting a second bachelor's degree was chapter president my final semester. I pledged as a junior and I was nowhere near the oldest in my pledge class. That might be an option worth looking into. Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

(And that policy that post-bac students can't join any clubs is crap! If you pay the same activity fee as everyone else you should have the same rights to join things as everyone else!)

You may want to check out the BSP website link at the bottom of my signature and see if it is for you.;) There is a thread on the the Alum forum that lists all of the sororities that do AI.

BSP is non-academic Service Sorority (even though there are about 2 on chapters of college campuses). The age ranges are 18-90+. I have met members that have 60-65 years of service in Beta. We do have formals that significant others are invited to and other sisterhood events.

Good Luck - hope that helps.:D

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Thanks!
 

Thanks, aopinthesky. You very concisely stated my post's intent. Thank you.
Roses,
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it would certainly seem from what you said above that AI could be a definite way to go. if there is an almunae panhellenic association in your area, maybe you could contact them to see what chapters are around you that have AI programs and then contact the chapters to speak with someone.

on a separate note, why limit yourself to just GLOs? You seem to want to really make a difference in whatever endeavor you take on- are there not other organizations on campus that you could dazzle and really help with your enthusiasm?

good luck:)