stereotypical greeks
 

Ok i know we all get in a hissy fit the minute someone gets to yapping about "stereotypical sorority girl" and "typical frat guy." The whole "we're not ALL like that, etc."


My question is, are we really ALL "not like that?" I find it a little hard to believe that every greek on GC is opposite the stereotype.

I know this doesnt warrant a full thread but i would like some feedback. And i do realize that one's "stereotypical" is another's "what's the big deal about that?" (between ppl's comfort zones, campus cultures, between difference councils...) but really, there's gotta be some "yup i'm definitely in a sorority/fraternity because i _______________."

Oh yeah..... a LOT of people here are stereotypical, lol....but I have friends here, so I will stop now. :)

One stereotype that's definitely true: fraternity guys have stupid nicknames.

I think we females all do a little of the being shallow and judgemental and cliquey at times - however, I don't think it's exclusive to sororities. The same thing probably happens on campuses without Greeks - all the rich girls hang out at so & so dorm, all the smart girls join a certain club, etc.

Is it awful of me to say that I think anyone who joined a GLO at an SEC school is pretty much a stereotype? That's really where it stems from so...I mean you kind of have to be. Lily Pulitzer, beauty pageants, etc etc.

We don't do that up north and we don't need to. Am I wrong here?

Senusret1 is definitely an Alpha because he is a smarty pants!:p

I can't speak to the SEC. . .but as far as the south goes, I think you will find some members and some chapters that fit aspects of the stereotype you mentioned, but just as many if not more that do not. Also, in my many years of living in New Jersey I found plenty of snobby people.(!)
Human beings are human beings. Name an aspect of human nature, good, bad or indifferent, and you can find examples of it in ANY group you care to name, be it the PTA, the Elks, or the Safety Patrol.
The problem witih stereotypes is not that there may not be SOME truth to it - it is that they are not the whole picture. Gross generalizations are always going to fall short of reality.

One thing that I think is so fundamental to fraternity/sorority life that it's often overlooked by members: if you're in a fraternity, you have to enjoy, at least on some level, a lot of interaction with a lot of different men. Similarly, I have female friends who could never be in a sorority, simply because they couldn't handle that many girls in one place, and the drama would just outweigh the benefits of sisterhood to them. This manifests itself as the stereotype of the "frat guy" who is always hanging out with six to seven other guys, and the "sorority girl" who never goes anywhere without a cloud of her girls in her wake. Does this make sense?

LOL....yup. :)

I knew you would like that steroeotype!;)

This is exactly what people thought about me and what I thought about myself for a long time but Sigma Gamma Rho proved me wrong. One of our stereotypes (that we encourage) is about us being so individual and encouraging individuality, and I have to say that of most of the sorors I've met, this rings true. Many of the ones I've met did not even seriously consider greek life until finding out about Sigma Gamma Rho because they thought that they wouldn't be able to be themselves. Because the Sigma women on my campus were so individual (had lots of non-greek friends and were a part of other clubs) even though they were in a sorority, I felt that I could still be myself and I didn't have to be around them 24/7. I'm naturally a loner (well, part of me is) and I have lots of guy friends, but I found that I can be around a group of girls when I want to or to achieve something. My sorors respect that sometimes I need to be a loner or to be around others and they are cool with that. They know that when I'm ready to be with the group, I'll come around and they can count on me to do whatever I signed up to do or what they need for me to do. So my personality definitely doesn't fit the stereotype and I was even one of those who once said that they would never join a sorority and complained about how women just can't get along. So go figure.

Generally if you are going to be in a strong fraternity or sorority at an SEC school, or Texas/SMU/TCU/W&L, etc. etc. etc. you are going to have to fit the mold, so to speak. Sure, there are some exceptions, but for the most part that's the way it is.

There are definitely chapters at all of these schools that don't fit the image at all.

.......also, I'd replace "beauty pageant" with deb balls. I think most Southern fraternity women would agree that beauty pageants are a bit sleazy.

I think you'll find a wider spectrum of members on a campus where people who had never thought about being Greek decide they want to be a part of it after seeing it firsthand than on a campus where lots of people who have dreamed of it since they were knee-high to a grasshopper are cut.

It's a self-perpetuating thing, I think. Once Greek life is seen as very exclusive, some potentially excellent members are turned off to it, and those who aspire to it are more concerned about being in the "right" kind of chapter.

Which isn't meant to sound negative only about super-competitive systems. It's possible to go too far in breaking stereotypes, as I think most of our organizations are supposed to aspire to excellence. Some stereotypes, such as decent grades or good hygience, I would rather see upheld.

From the inside looking out, I don't see the same old stereotypes at UK, but we're probably one of less competitive SEC schools as far as recruitment goes.

Not really up for Your Definition of doing anythig with any Conference of either A GLO or a school grouping!:rolleyes:



You scare me!:mad:

I'm trying to ignore the gauntlet you've throw down there.

It's nice bait, but surely, you are kidding, right?

ETA: Going with the idea you aren't, I think it's fair to say that SEC rush is goofy and it may keep a lot of good people from participating in the system who might in a different region (not that they get cut; just that they won't do it).

And there may be a certain strata of groups, like the ones Macallen25 probably has in mind, where looking at pictures of the groups, you'd think maybe of the Barbie stereotype, but when you actually interact with the group members, the attitudes and behaviors are down to earth and normal and really gracious. One might want to believe that they are too good to be true so they must be catty behind people's backs, but they aren't particularly. They have authentically good manners and are as likely to be truly friendly and kind as any other group of people. (I mean, surely you don't think the SECers have cornered the market on catty on GreekChat, do you?)

I think you hear the horror stories on here and because recruitment is bizarre in the SEC, I understand that reading about it here might make you think that everyone willing to do must really must buy in, but they don't.

Also, when I think of stereotypical images of sorority girls, they suggest kind of dumb, mean, and materialistic (like the recruitment twin story) but the reality is that nobody (or almost nobody) is actually like that, even at SEC schools.

Yes, you're wrong, but no, it isn't awful of you to say it.

Ignorant, yes. Awful, no.

Hm, there are so many stereotypes of sororities: sorority girls are sluts...huge snobs...drug addicts...ditzy...fake...alcoholics...prissy girly girls...anorexic/bulimic...etc... But those stereotypes are also used a lot to label two other groups: young women and college students. So when you put a social group of young, college women together, it's pretty much inevitable.

As far as my chapter goes, I will admit that there are definitely some girls who fit the "sorority girl" stereotype (as far as being a little snobby or acting like ditzy, valley girls, or getting really drunk), then there are also girls who partially fit it and girls who don't fit any of it whatsoever. But I love them all...well, except for the snobby ones. :p

Before I went through rush, I heard SO many stereotypes about all of the different sororities at my school and it was really hard for me to ignore them and give each group an equal chance. But for the most part, I was able to ignore them. Well, when bid day came around and I got to know my new sisters, I realized that the stereotypes some people had told me were so wrong! And, as I got to know girls in other sororities, I realized that their stereotypes seemed to be wrong as well. Stereotypes are funny, people tend to accept them when they're positive and reject them when they're negative...despite them actually being true or not.

To be realistic, I think that there are many different types of girls in pretty much every sorority: smart, dumb, skinny, heavy, tall, short, classy, unclassy, pretty, ugly, mean, nice, poor, rich, etc... Some sororities may get labeled based on a group of girls that are seen in public the most/stand out the most...but when it comes down to it...it's all there.

Bless her heart.

excellent. and so efficient. well played.

Look, you've missed some of what I've said, bless your hearts. Macallan got it.

Stereotypical greek-take a sorority girl. Uber-girly, always with her hair and makeup done, LOVES her sisters and her sorority, gracious, ladylike to an extreme, primed for greek life. Perhaps a little ditzy.

Or there's the other extreme stereotype-we drink too much, sleep around, only date frat boys, are extremely catty and want to kill each other behind each other's backs.

All I was getting at was that because SEC is so big on greek life, if a stereotype were to be formed, it would be from those schools, not from say, the University of Vermont. If it's the other extreme stereotype, you'll find it anywhere.

The one time I try NOT to offend, jesus...

As much as I hate to admit it...stereotypes are around because there are enough people who fit into said stereotype for it to exist...

"sorority girls" wouldn't be classified as snobby, rich, and pretty (or whatever else we are) if there weren't enough of them out there making a big enough show of it.

I'm not saying that the stereotypes are the majority...but they definitely stand out more than others. Honestly, though...who doesn't love a good stereotype? I personally love hearing what my chapter is stereotyped as, good or bad...and I love gossiping about others.

I see the media based stereotype as something a little different, but I may have missed your point completely.

You're just saying that SEC Greeks are not diverse as they are in other regions? Okay.

Yes, you're wrong here. And I like how in your other response you tried to change what you actually said and down-play it even though in this direct quote you clearly state that you think anyone who joined a GLO at an SEC school is pretty much a stereotype.

Regarding the OP's question, I'd hate anyone to think I was throwing a "hissy-fit" over being stereotyped or whatever. I am definitely of the volition that all stereotypes exist due to some truthfulness somewhere...so in general, I think that the sorority girl/frat guy typing is pretty funny and I can laugh at the humor caused by it even more genuinely than outsiders, having been a part of it. But, in the same vein, it has been my experience that Greek Life can stir up some of the biggest controversy and even sheer hatred/rage at times from non-Greek members of a campus or college community. It is times like this, when people who really know nothing about it make ignorant and hateful comments about sororities/sorority women or fraternities/fraternity men, that I would deem hissy-fit worthy. If you need an example, visit the Red & Black website (the college newspaper at UGA) and read the comments on any of the articles with Greek Life subject matter. There you'll find some of the most hateful comments and some of the most heated controversy you'll ever read--far more bitter and acrimonious than anything GC's ever dreamed of!

Indeed.

Sorry if we misunderstood, but I read Mac's post as a correction to yours, not an agreement or a "getting what you said."

Anyway, the stereotypes of Greeks (and perhaps fraternities in particular) owe as much to the New England prep school and Ivy League stereotype as they do to Southern/SEC stereotypes. University of Vermont? Probably not. Dartmouth? Definitely.

And by the way -- "bless your heart" just doesn't work the way you used. Don't worry -- with some careful observation and practice you'll get it. ;)

Cosign. I think I was that way even in high school. We had a pack of 8 girls and a few on the fringes. It just felt natural in college to rush and pledge (and meet tons of people). Even as an adult, my friends and I would go out in packs of 5 or more. We even went to Nantucket for a bachelorette for a 4 day weekend (14 girls).

It's just the way I am. Even today I go out in groups. My husband is used to it.

This is how I see it, but I'm not NPC, so my view may not be as valid.

Admit it, I will, that greek organizations are elitist. I don't care what kind of org, be it NPC, NPHC, MGC, music, service. Every woman or man that comes out to an event is not offered membership. That is what sets greeks apart from other clubs. We select our members--our members do not select us. That is a quality we, as greeks, value but that is what also makes us elitist.

Many woman and men come out each semester to events. Women and men that are talented, smart, leaders that would make excellent members. Many of those women and men are not offered membership because our membership selection process is superficial (save NPHC and MGC). NPC, music and probably a few other organizations bid many women and men every semester after only speaking with them a total of 90 minutes the entire week. This leads to the assumption that all ABC women are pretty, all DEF girls are smart and all XYZ girls sleep with the GHI men.

Here's what the stereotypes all boil down to. Yes, some women and men in my chapters may match those perfectly, but there is no reason that should set a precident. As I stated before, greek organizations are elitist. Only those we chose are allowed membership and that leaves many people in the dark. Many times, people are intimidated by things, in this case sororities and fraternities, unfamiliar to them and that leads to insecurity about sororities and fraternities. To make up for that insecurity they have to find something that makes them stand above those organizations. Such things as--sorority girls are dumb (when most maintian a 3.0), fraternity boys are male sluts (when many are in committed relationships), or you only get into XYZ if you have blonde hair (when half the membership is brunette).

There are stereotypes about every single greek organization, not just NPC and the like. Around the school of music, my SAI chapter is known as the stuck up girls because we present ourselves with class. And, my Phi Sig chapter is disliked on campus because of our membership requirements.

If greek organizations are really that put off by stereotypes one thing that may get that problem under control is open membership. Every man or woman that comes out to x number of events is offered a bid. But, we could all list 500 reasons why Sally PNM and Chuck PNM should not be members of our organization.

I don't want to resort to open membership to stop stereotypes. I can deal with them because I know the truth. Stereotypes are a fact of life with greek membership and that's just how the cookie crumbles.

what? people still stereotype? SAY IT AINT SO!


hehehehehe...as long as there is soemthing that makes group A dissimilar to group B...we all will find ways to pick it apart.

That makes sense.

One of the faternities on campuss is full of rather stereotypical greeks. The brothers are all about patying and getting the hot girls. That does not mean that they are not fun to hang with when your in the party mood.

No.

But you know you are not the "stereotypical" Delta--right? Well the smart part, but not the rest. ROTFL

:p LOL! *looking at my forehead*

A GDI friend and I were unfortunately talking about this the other day. We have both gotten the "you 'look' like an AKA but 'act' like a Delta" shpill from people since college. She's much older than I am but the shpill hasn't changed since she was an undergrad. I don't know if the "look" or "act" part is supposed to be a compliment.

That's certainly based on a stereotype and people's experiences/interactions with a particular mold. :)

ROTFL