Question for Greeks that are not in the Divine 9
 

At my old job one of my co-workers came up to me and inquired about my Sigma key chain. So he goes "Yeah I was a frat boy in college too". Just about every Greek I have met outside of the Divine 9 who has gradated from college refers to their respective organizations in the past tense. Why is that? I thought your commitment to your organization was life long. I am not trying to start anything I just want clarification on this.

Simply a matter of perception. Some people (greeks and non-greeks) see greek life as only a 'college thing' and nothing more (despite taking pledges and whatnot saying it is for a lifetime).

I had a customer at work ask me about my badge and told me that she was a DZ - I did correct her that she still IS a DZ. On the same note, at a DAR conference we were discussing our sorority affiliations and even included the National President into it by asking what sorority she is in (we had Kappa, DZ, and AOII represented in our 4-person group). Her reply was "I am a Tri Delta."

This topic has been discussed a million times. Please do a search.

I've noticed that people in the divine 9 tell people to do a search, while as the rest seem to inquire as to why a search was not done.

While I agree that you're a member for life, I think its really obnoxious when people make such a point out of it. To some, their fraternity or sorority is not the most important thing they've ever done.

Huh?? I tell people to do a search (or with the NEW GC check the bottom of the page) all the time, and so do others...

You know me...NOT afraid to tell anyone what my daddy tells me... "Go look it up":p ;)

I thought he was using some humor and playing on the theme of the thread.

Searches?

You know that like takes time and effort!

To be honest, the search function is often a waste of damn time. Who knows where those damn threads are. LOL.

If you all care enough and can find the threads that discussed this topic before then post them for the OP.

Thanks AF, I hadn't even noticed the similar threads listing before.

What's the big deal with it having been discussed before. Maybe the person who is asking the question missed the thread. If you don't like the fact that it has been repeated just skip it.

When I hear someone say that she was an XYZ at State U, I assume what she means is that she was an active member of XYZ at State U and don't take offense. If someone who is 50 years old says she is an XYZ from State U, that can be a little misleading (unless she is in college right now and an active of her sorority).

Maybe we need to start saying that we are XYZ alums instead of saying that we were XYZs.

Yepper!
 

Could not agree with You more!

If one does not put in the correct seach, oops, it wont come up.

Computers are not all that they are cracked up to be at times
.

If one wants to run a new GCer off of site, it is a damn good way to do it!:rolleyes: .

Rather new people come on GC and ask questions and learn than be hustled off in never land.



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Could not agree more about I WAS. Well What Was You? Just a part time Greek?:o

Were you married, a kid, a boy, a girl, a professional, a crook? Well, what are You now?

because it can get to be an ugly topic, and turns into an NPHC vs. NPC/NIC debate that just leads to a lot of crap on both sides...

Fight fight, a black and a white!

;)

Only if it is made so!:p

Tom, are you advocating race war here on GC?

LOL. You're insane.

I'm not advocating a race war, but I do like it when drama comes up on here sometimes. Its a refreshing break from the whole "We're all greek, I love all of you, we're all beautiful," stuff. So in other words, carry on, please.

Hardly. But some seem to want to and I am not sure why?:o

LMAO

Every person in my entire family is/was Greek in college, and all of them refer to their respective fraternity sorority involvement in the past tense. They, like me, I think find it rather humorous and lame when a middle aged person talks like they are still active in a chapter and that it is probobly the greatest thing to ever happen to them in their life. There comes a time when you should let it go and move on. College is over. Enjoy it and share it with your children........but for Christ's sakes, don't act like its a big deal that someone says yeah, I was an SAE, etc. etc. etc.

And when I hear a D9er say it in the past tense, my perp antenna goes up. LOL

I'm in a non-d9 org and I don't understand it either. If this is supposed to be a life time thing, then why do so many people associate it with college only? Yeah, when you're 35 and still doing keg stands and chasing around 18 year olds that's weird. But, in "graduate" or "alum" chapters your role in your org changes, it is nothing like being in undergrad chapters (from what I understand here on GC). Greek organizations, no matter if you're NPHC, NPC, IFC, or special interest, have a lot to offer regardless of your age (and you have a lot to offer too).

My version of post-grad involvement will probably involve using the fraternity house for parking on game weekends, fall tailgating, writing checks, and getting undergrads out of trouble.

^^agreed.

Speaking from what I have experienced, it depends entirely on the person, not the conference (NPC/NIC/NPHC). I've got co-workers who have said "I was a (insert letters here) from the NPHC. It's not just NPC/NIC people who say it in the past tense. I also have co-workers who have said "Oh that was back in college, I don't do that anymore."
It's a personal preference one way or the other. Every organization has members who are "financial", members who give time, those who look at it as a college experience only, or those who give $$ and time. Sure we could all make generalizations based upon the type of organization it is, but we all have international/national officers and alum advisers, so obviously some people live the lifetime commitment.

ETA: You can't force alums to be active, and we all know of some who it would be better if maybe they had other things going on in their lives as well. :)

One reason I will choose not to be a constant presence post grad is that I hated that as an undergrad. I mean we needed people to set things up for us sometimes, but weve grown the organization far more than they could have, and it was annoying when they tried to run the show. One thing I loved about greek life was that in essence, you were running a small business. It was a great learning experience, and it truly develops college students into men with responsibilities. Therefore, Ill be happy to support the fraternity financially, organize interviews, write recommendations, or provide advice, but I wont be that guy telling you how to develop the brotherhood. From another perspective, im ready to start my professional life, and while I attribute some of my personal growth to the fraternity, it is far from something that defines me. I dont keep in touch with fraternity brothers because of brotherhood, or because of the fraternity, but simply because they are my good friends who I wish to keep long term contact with.

I think the reason most non-NPHC members refer to themselves by saying I "was" an XYZ is because most (certainly not all) orgs do not place a big enough emphasis on alumni involvement. For most NPC/NIC members, our greek life as we know it comes to an abrupt halt after college.

Am I out of the loop? What is the "Divine 9"?

The Divine 9 are the fraternities and sororities that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council (this is different from the 26 sororities of the National Panhellenic Conference).

* Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Founded 1906, Cornell University
* Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Founded 1908, Howard University
* Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Founded 1911, Indiana University
* Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Founded 1911, Howard University
* Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Founded 1913, Howard University
* Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Founded 1914, Howard University
* Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Founded 1920, Howard University
* Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Founded 1922, Butler University
* Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Founded 1963, Morgan State University

ETA: Alumnae/ni membership in NPC/NIC is more of a lifetime title than obligation. The culture is such that the emphasis is on undergraduate programming. A far lesser percentage of NPC/NIC alum are involved post-college simply because they don't HAVE to be active as advisers, national officers, volunteers and association members in order to retain their membership.

I know that I tend to say that "I was an ADPi," but usually add, "but now I'm in the Alumnae Association," or something similar that indicates that I consider my sorority membership a lifelong commitment.

I usually deny I was ever greek at all, instead saying something like, "I didn't have to buy my friends."

I agree..I know during my Sigma "learning process" my Dean and ADP as well as several Old heads instilled in my whole line that the work does not stop when you graduate...they let us know that this is a lifelong commitment....

LOL!! I haven't heard this in a long time.

LOL...exactly!

It's usually followed with "uh...it's been soooo long ago...uh...I can't remember the chapter designation or what year I pledged...you know my old mind forgets things."

I had someone who pledged the same year as I did say that to me once. :rolleyes: I also had someone who pledged in the 60's say that to me. That sucks because I know Greeks from the 40's and 50's who haven't skipped a beat and can tell you whatever you want to know.

Actually, there are traditions, norms, and socialization that shape all of our organizational experiences. So while you say it is based on personal preference and isn't conference-specific, most NPHCers were socialized a particular way and know the deal. That's why certain generalizations can be made even if there is a percentage of unfortunate NPHCers who say "I used to be."

This identification of so-called D9ers as active members of their organizations vs. NIC/NPC (i.e., those who aren't also D9 member groups also)has more to do with the culture of these groups. They also have to do with how they are organized. For D9 groups graduate/alumni(ae) chapters are real, functioning chapters, and in many cases are do more than undergraduate chapters in terms of programming, etc., even though the social aspect may not be as intense, even though for officers and committee chairs, they may spend a lot of time taking care of fraternity/sorority business. And these chapters are the ones that will usually have houses that function as social meeting places and places to carry out social outreach programs.

This is in contrast to most alumni chapters and associations in NIC/NPC groups, which tend to be gather for luncheons or the like occasionally or some other project, and they tend not to have the authority to initiate candidates.