NPHC Traditions and Practices that annoy you
 

Another thread in the Greek Life section made me think of this. Among NPHC organizations, and those organizations with NPHC-style rush and intake, there are various non-ritual practices that are unique to our type of organizations. Some of these practices are universal and others are not. I thought that we could discuss some things about our OWN organizations that annoy us. (Although this thread has the potential to go haywire, I felt if we set the proper tone at the outset, it could work!)

Here is my example:

Presentations of new members at midnight in the cold. Don't they know I have to work in the morning? Don't they know I get bronchitis? argh!

Members of city-wide chapters who take the same approach to "recruitment" of members as huge HBCUs. You can't be at St. Wilona's with no chapter website expecting the dudes at Jackie Collins College to be able to find you.

Busy crossing jackets. I mean REALLY busy crossing jackets.

Losing our songs and musical traditions to the ages... :( I am talking about songs that DON'T sound like James Cleveland and Mahalia Jackson. Many of our orgs have like REAL SONGS with four part harmony! And they're being lost because of a lack of effort to document the lyrics and record them.

Again, these annoyances are not universal, but I hope you see my drift.

This is NOT intended for non-NPHC members to take the opportunity to question or belittle our traditions.

I hear ya.

I get annoyed when folks stroll to ANYTHING. I know it's a little difficult when the hot songs are "Pop, Lock and Drop It" and "Rock Your Hips" and that's all that's played at a party, but I'm saying. What happened to decorum?

OMG thank you! I saw some thangs on youtube that I was kinda surprised at!

And another thing, what's with making strolls that only go with ONE song? (i'm sorry, I'm a stroller lol)

it's a sign of the times...you're getting old(er).

Senusrest, you are a mess. LMAO @ St. Wilona's and Jackie Collins College!!

In addition to what's been said, stepshows annoy me. It seems like no one actually steps in stepshows anymore. They're more like dance competitions and talent shows. I just don't understand how within a 20 minute show, 19 minutes of it is either dancing, dialogue, or skits with fog and light shows.

People who play the "my chapter is better/more (insert name of organization)er than your chapter" game. Especially when they are younger members approaching older members who crossed at other chapters. But I'm tickled to convulsions when I see alumnae and graduate chapter initiates playing that game.

People who think their chapter was founded and their organization was chartered. They place their chapter above the organization.

This is a big one.

When folks are more concerned with planning the next party instead of the next service.

Only doing the minimum programs required just so they can have intake. :rolleyes:

Chapters/states that have their own way of singing one of our official songs and pride themselves on it.

Chapters who think their size automatically makes them right about everything.

Partyhopping (thats what we call it) at a non-greek party or function....its kinda rude and "takeoverish" IMO...I also agree with the hopping to any song, some lyrics are just out there...I want sorors to always be about classiness (is that a real word, lol), ya know...

I hate this. I don't care if you have 5 or 50, intake should not be approved if you only met the MINIMUM requirement.

Add to that age.

I'm not knocking parties as a fund raiser, but money to run the chapter should come from dues. If a chapter is constantly having to have fund raisers of any type to run programs, there's an issue and things should be reevaluated. And there are tons of programs that can be done for little to no cost.

Organization founded vs. chapter chartered is HUGE!

That, too.

But many small chapters don't get most of their money from dues.


Sure, but most good programs that actually get the students' and community's interests have some cost. And that "some" cost is where fundraisers like parties come in for chapters that do a lot of programs per semester.

I understand ALL of that, but it still annoys ME.

Did someone delete my post? Or maybe I didn't post at all? I might be tripping! :confused:

Very annoying.

Sometimes its a matter of perception and the revenues from the parties are for charitable puposes. One simple solution might be to have on the flyers, etc. "The proceeds from this event will support xyz chapter's community service programs."

Based on our IRS designation, only up to 35 percent of funds raised from the public can be used to support the orgs operations. The rest of the funds must go for a charitable purpose. And the rest of the chapter operating costs must be funded my members, i.e., dues.

Although, I have quite a bit to say, I will refrain from the difficulties one faces when "enduring" the bad times.

To resolve the silliness of multiple parties before community service, I have made statements from our documents and ritualized information memorized...

All good things in the end...

My point, exactly.

Huh?

1. When a chapter splits because a few people don't like the way things are being done or because there are personality conflicts. I've seen / known this to happen in all D9 sororities, but I will take my own as an example. We have a large grad chapter, then for some reason that no one can remember the chapter split, but most likely it was over a personality conflict. Fine, now there are two grad chapters in the same area. Then, within the two chapters, people have personality conflicts so a third grad chapter is established. I know of one member who was in chapter A, things got heated so she ran to chapter B, things did not work out so she ran to chapter C, things fell apart there, so now she is back in chapter A.

2. Not recognizing your own members who came through a different chapter. My soror was at a grad NPHC event and talking to a member of another org. My soror congratulated this other person on having new members into their org, and this person said supposedly "They are not my sorors, they did not come through my chapter."

3. People who take their officer position too literally. I respect your position but you are not my mother.

Coming from a small chapter, I have to agree with you here. Although for small chapters it is difficult to run the chapter just on dues money, there are programs that could be done that cost little or no money. Once you do these programs, hopefully people will become familiar enough with your chapter that they will support you when you have a fundraiser. If the chapter focuses mostly on fundraising, many times the programs don't get done, and to me, that is what's important.

I promise it wasn't me! :p:cool:

Yes! Too many people wanting to be in control. It's not that serious.

I also hate that folks will stroll to ANYTHING, especially the sororities. I cringe when I see women strolling to songs that are inappropriate. Then again, I also cringe when I see women doing stripper-esque dances to those songs at parties....

speaking of struts, I don't think they need to be any MORE than 5 8-counts. I look at some of the struts the UGs do and I'm like, "when are they going to start STRUTTING?? They're just dancing in a line!"

But she's still as active member of the sorority.

Now that is stupid.

Or those who think they know it all because they are an officer and really don't know jack.

I beg to differ. Running a chapter is very serious, which is why it needs to be done with the right leadership.

Shooooot I will be the FIRST to admit that I don't know it all when it comes to my APO Alum Assoc. I think it's going to take Year One just to get everyone on the same page!

But um a rah.... as webmaster for my Alpha chapter, I'm sorry, nobody can tell me ISH. LOL

The biggest thing that annoys me is when folks don't know or acknowledge their org history, esp when they know their chapter history inside and out. Chapter history and info is important but we all come to the org by way of the chapter because the org is the parent of the chapter.

True, but it was kinda funny watching her run from chapter to chapter over the years. :p

I agree. But, we had a sargent-of-arms who would not only charge 0.25 cents if you were late to the meeting and that was okay, she would also scold you like she was going to spank your behind for being late. Right leadership is one thing, wayward leadership is another.

I totally agree, Ladygreek. I'm not talking about when sorors correct, I'm talking about when sorors dictate. There's a huge difference. There's a way to lead and dictating is not the correct way.

I hate misguided deference. I don't mind deferring to those who came before me, when appropriate. But if you haven't been financial and actively involved in a chapter, since your initiation dues ran out, then what do you REALLY know?

Ditto to the above: Those who have not been financial since initiation and are misrepresenting by wearing letters EVERYWHERE. They don't know jack about anything currently going on local, regional or national basis. And most of all they place the chapter they were initiated through on a pedestal ABOVE the sorority.

I have just decided to start being very vocal about this issue because I encounter way too many members of all organizations who do this.

OK im a youngin and i have a hard time keeping up with long azz strolls. time by i get the second half, i done forgot the first half...

exactly. and i hate semester-difference deference. how you gonna call def on me (Fall 05) and you came in Spr 05? i mean you still got sand in your ears!

word! it used to take FOREVER to find out when something was happening. dont be putting up ONE flyer in a random corner of a bulletin board at XYZ University for an event at ABC College, especially if it's an hour away, the event is on a Thursday afternoon and it's Wednesday nite.



OK it really irks me when said greek will wear the SAME ONE PIECE of para at EVERY function, even when its inappropriate. i know a guy (wont say what org, but he's grad) but he wears this varsity line jacket everywhere, including a fellow greek's funeral and an afterwork social event. umm, sometimes a pin or simple button down will do.

And THIS is why I Love you!! :D Good to see you!