The case of the "was."
 

does it bother anyone else that some greeks refer to themselves as a "was" greek? i mean, people say "i was an ABC at my university back in the days." or, "i was a member too." why not say "i am an ABC and proud of it?" just wondering.

Was
 

People consider their affiliation to be a college experience, so they say they "I was an SAE," or "I was in a fraternity." My fraternity has a BIG problem with this...our guys tend to not get involved once they graduate and you always have the same people serving on alumni boards.

Involvement after college can be one of the best ways to make friends in a new city, make friends in other cities, volunteer (if your employer recommends/requires it), or simply have a social life.

You could ask them if they were expelled...

I think they mean it more as "I was an active at XXX" instead of "I used to be an XYZ."

makes MUCH more sense when put in that context...

b/c honestly, it BOILS my blood when i hear someone say,

"i USED to be an XYZ",

makes me feel like they are no longer proud of thier affiliation.

When asked i say " I was an AST at Beloit College and now I plan Convention and advise a chapter." Though sometimes I don't explain my current involvement, it's not about being ashamed, but sometimes it is not necessary to discuss my personal reasons for my involvment and why I continue to volunteer.

In the most recent edition of Delt's magazine, our International President had a great quote. He said when he meets a Delt alumnus and they start to say "I was a Delt from..." He says "Oh, I'm sorry, what was it that caused you not to be a Delt anymore?..." to remind them that you're a Delt for life. Thought it was kind of clever.

But yes, even though I understand the lifetime membership concept I always slip and say "was".

I make a careful point to say "I joined AGD in college" or "I'm a volunteer for the sorority I joined in college". It's easier to say that way, I think.

I guess I feel like it is one thing for a National President to say that and another for some other alumnus, but it still is a little annoying. I kind of equate lecturing greeks on their affiliation to the people that flyer and are ready to lecture you on religion and social issues around a city or a campus. I don't like those conversations of conversion (for whatever cause) so I guess I prefer not to do that to others...

I think a lot of it is the conversation. For example, here's one I have a lot at law school.

Classmate: "Oh, you're a Gamma Phi! Where were you a Gamma Phi at?"
Me: "Dinky State U, are you Greek?"
Classmate: "Yeah, I was an Alpha Phi at Big Local School."

Neither of us are saying we don't care anymore - but she's NOT an Alpha Phi at the U anymore. She's still an Alpha Phi, but not there. I think that's where a lot of the confusion comes from, because it's easier to say that than for me to say "Oh, I pledged at Wisconsin Platteville and am now a member of the Twin Cities Alumnae Chapter."

I can't stand it when people think sorority life's limited to the college years.

I was talking a friend the other day (who attends UIUC, ironically) and mentioned to him that I couldn't go to his party two weeks from now because I had a dinner to attend with my sorority sisters -- a Junior Circle event.

His reply?

"Oh, but didn't you graduate from college 3 years ago? You're still doing sorority shit?"

I told him that since graduating, I've been an advisor, served on the Alum Chapter Board, and participate in Junior Circle events. He still doesn't get it.

^^^^ GP's post

LOL @ Dinky State U. Shouldn't it be MN State University at Dinky Town? (MSUDT) :D

Please, like I would have spent four years more than necessary in this state. ;) Although that would be a good location! :D

I cannot agree more. It makes My Blood Boil so to speak.

I am a Member of My Organization no matter what!:cool:

I am a Member of LXA from So and So School.

As OTW stated, she still works with Her Organization.

I have been doing it for 40 + years and am damn proud to still being able to do it.

I still remember the times and most of The Members I have met over the years and am damn proud of them and call them My Brothers.:cool:

Do I still keep in touch with Many of Them, Hell Yes I do!!!!:D

To anyone who asks, just look at the Members of GC who are still doing after so many Years.:cool:

see, the semanitics of it can get a bit tricky, especially if you are a grad student at a school with your org. If I were to say I'm a Delta Zeta, people assume I am an active member of the chapter at my current school. Wheeras, I was a DZ at Millersville, explains I was initiated there and am not an active collegiate at the school im at. I am still very active with my undergrad chapter and a local alumnae group. I have been trying to work as an advisor for the local collegiate chapter, but that is a whole different story. I'm not saying I always say it liek that, but sometimes it slips. Most of the time, outside of the college, I say I'm a DZ. But since I work with Greek students, I try to not connect myself to any of the chapters on campus more than another, so that I am more approachable for all the students.

I find it really great though when i mention I was a DZ at another school to people at my grad school. I feel like I break all the stereotypes associated with DZ because I am different than what they have seen with the local chapter. for me that is so cool and what my chapter was all about...being different.

A line from a song answers for me:

I'm a Phi Mu
Stay a Phi Mu
PHI MU 'til I die

I joined as a junior and it's important for me to stay involved even more because I'll graduate sooner than the majority of my pledge class.

The problem is easily solved for alums - just say I'm a Delta Zeta (or XYZ) Alum. Cures all kinds of confusion!

Interesting...I'm a grad student at a different campus than the one I pledged at, so sometimes people assume I pledged here. Normally my conversation goes:

Them: What sorority are you a member of?
Me: Sigma Gamma Rho
Them: Did you pledge here at Tech?
Me: No, I pledged at the U, and I'm a member of a graduate chapter.

I guess for D9 orgs, most folks ASSUME you're in a graduate chapter once you graduate.

amen!


this is my reply :)

WAS
 

gosh, I thought Frau Blücher flew north for the winter.

when the today show aired the super story on the u of wash. fraternity that is doing a great job at turning itself around, katie couric mentioned that she "was a tri delta for a year" at u of va. boy did that bug me!

i'm not a phi mu, but i love it nonetheless. ♥

its irks me as well.. she said something to that effect yesterday on the show when a group of tri-deltas were at the plaza... ::argh::

[disclaimer: i LOOOOOVE katie couric!]

I know most people don't mean harm by it, but it does bug me when people say he or she WAS an XYZ. If people ask me, I tell them I AM an Alpha Chi Omega because I won't ever stop being one :)

throw away that old truss
 

what if some girl pledged, say, Kappa Delta, and declined to
be activated (made her grades, though).
Could she say "I WAS .." perhaps moot. Moving on...

I'd say no. She never initiated.

My sisters that graduate always say, "I was a Phi Chi." There's no desire for alum involvement from the majority of the chapter or the alumnae.

while i admit sometimes i do slip and say 'was' (i do not mean that i am no longer a member) but i think it should matter more what i am doing than how i word something. people see me being involved as an alumn and a grad student. they see i am a greek and a delta zeta, even if i say i was in delta zeta at millersville. maybe the 'was' means that i was an active at that chapter and am no longer an active member of that chapter? maybe. im not sure, but that sounds more like what i mean. i mean no offense by it and usually explain my current involvement when the conversation arises, so i think it is fine. it'd be different if i was like 'i was an xyz.' and that was all i said.

I may have dreamed or imagined this or something, but I think I heard that when sisters of a certain sorority (no idea which one) become alumnae they are encouraged to exchange their chapter Badge guards for something else; a crest maybe. Has anyone ever heard this?

Again, like I said I may possibly have imagined or dreamed this piece of information! :)

That's the first time I hear about that. Why would any one want to exchange sometime that is special to them?

old hides
 

yes, but Tommy, some of those unemployed old hides do fly
north for the winter.

When I mention that I am in a sorority (usually along the lines of "I'm going to Nashville this summer for a sorority conference" or "One of my best friends, who is also a sorority sister, . . . .") most people ask where I went to school. This leads usually to the list of schools that I received degrees from (or did most of the degree work) - but I also point out that I was initiated at Michigan State which is NOT in the list of schools I attended. Sometimes the conversation leads into me explaining Alumna Initiation and my story of how I WAS an XYZ which was a local (it no longer exists and upon my initiation into AOII I had relinquished my ties to XYZ - so 'was' is accurate in that statement), etc.

In my neck of the woods, it is easy for people to say they 'were' such and such because they have not been involved in MANY years (closest collegiate chapter is 3 hours from where I live and closest alumnae chapters are 2-4 hours away!). If I meet and older AOII I usually get really excited whether they use 'was' or 'are'! The statement is usually phrased as "I was an AOII at UW-ABC" which is a bit more specific.

Sarah

It could be symbolic that they're entering a new stage in their sisterhood.