Improving Sorority Reputation
 

Hello,

I love my sorority. It's an intelligent, diverse group of women who are some of the sweetest people I've ever met and a lot of fun to hang out with. That said, we have a bit of a reputation as the nice but awkward, fat, and ugly chapter. Some of our girls are heavier, but we're all pretty good looking, and some of us are really beautiful. It makes me sad because I want these awesome people to be known as such and not ignored because of an old and mostly untrue rep. Do y'all have any ideas how we can improve our image? Maybe we could have health initiatives to encourage sisters to take care of their bodies? Put our prettiest and most outgoing sisters on the social committee? Go out and win stuff like Arrowbands, Derby Days, etc.? Thanks for any advice/stories of how you helped your chapter with their reputation.

All those things you mentioned, although tread lightly with the first.

Another thing: get involved on campus. Get to know lots of different people. Once people know you personally they won't be as ready to repeat dumb stereotypes.

And step outside your comfort zone as far as fraternities are concerned.

Encourage everyone to wear your letters frequently around campus and always make sure you look your best when you do, no matter what the sister's size or other less than perfect features. Don't look sloppy or like you don't care. Defy the stereotype and be proud to wear your letters.

Many times being well put together and confident can go a long way. As, Sororitysock said, if you're wearing letters make sure you've got makeup on, hair looks good (even if you're having a bad hair day, put it in a neat pony, chignon or cute headband), nails aren't bitten down, legs shaved, etc. Maybe have a sisterhood event dedicated to getting glam? Give each other mani/pedis, facials, etc? Perhaps some members didn't have a mom or older sis at home to show them these things? As much as everyone will want to say looks don't matter, they do. No, you don't have to look like a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, but giving off that glam vibe can make a big diff. Are there exercise classes at your school's rec center? They should be free to students (at least they were at my uni). Maybe encourage a group (no matter a sister's size) to go and have fun together. It's easier to get started on exercise with another person. Plus, you have someone to moan and complain with during the class or when you're sore later. :D

Also, get involved on campus, plan mixers with fraternities you all don't normally hang out with and that can help crash some of the stereotype. Try to win things like Derby Days and other Greek awards like best GPA, intramurals. No one can dog a sorority that wins everything or at least makes a big showing. Be the sorority known as the go-getters. :D

Fuck all that. Focus on having a good time with your sisters and not conforming to some image of what you guys *should* be.

Please don't change to suit what someone else may or may not think. If others cannot accept human beings as themselves, despite differences in appearance, size, or someone's perception of healthy, to hell with them.

Be yourselves, and only yourselves.

No one's suggesting they should be fake or phony or something they hate. She didn't say "we're a bunch of girls who are quiet and like to study - how do we make people think we're party animals?" She said "people are not recognizing the fun, beautiful, awesome people we actually are because of an old reputation. How do we get rid of it?"

Hrstinna, this is something that will take more than a week, or a month, or a semester to fix. Everyone has to commit to it for the entire time they're in college.
I'm not saying only go out the door in full makeup and rockin' outfit everytime everybody goes out the door.
I'm saying that there's something everyone can do every single day - even when they're at home.
It's a public relations thing.
Lots of ways mentioned already.
Get members to participate in as many things as possible on campus, in letter or badges.
Wear your letters - yes.
Be vocal about your group. Tell friends your membership. Talk about how you enjoy your group and are proud to be a part. Do this at home, too.
Put your letters on your cars. Hand out decals/bumper stickers/magnets to alumnae to put on their cars.
Swap with some different fraternities.
Sororities tend to only thing about their campus, but public relations is for hometowns, too. Do you have a member who's majoring in public relations or journalism? That person could write up press releases for hometown newspapers when a member wins an award, is elected to an office (including the sorority), or does something noteworthy. The release should always include "Miss Jones is a member of Alpha Beta Gamma sorority at Big State University." People at home talk. And girls from your hometown will be rushing next year.

You can see that getting your name out there and meeting people all over campus all 4/5 years is key to changing perceptions. These stereotypes often exist about ABGamma because other students have never met an ABC. Once they know one, that often just goes away.

All this points to - be yourself, but be the best version of yourself. And try to improve, too!

Yes, what 33 and Anchor said. No one is saying not to be themselves, but a harmful stereotype can hurt the chapter in recruitment and that can trickle down to a drop in numbers. You have to keep the chapter alive. You don't want petty PNMs who tent talk to say "Oh ABC. They're so lame." Or some dumb frat guy saying, "ABCs are all [insert stereotype here]." and PNMs hear it. Busting the stereotype and becoming a force on campus can be a game changer, especially with smaller chapters. A good new member class can make a big difference.

Thanks everyone for your replies! Of course I don't want the girls to change who they are fundamentally. I love the fact that we spend our weeknights having long conversations about game theory in the lounge and binging on Always Sunny. I just want people to see that we are not the sum of the stereotypes about us. These are all really good thoughts though. I haven't been as active as I'd like recently, so I think I'll see if anyone wants to go to the gym with me. I know I'll be better about staying on a workout regime if I have them to help me, and suffering together is a great way to bond. :/

Since you mentioned suffering when you go to the gym, you don't have to suffer! A couple sisters in my chapter teach workout classes at the on-campus gym, and it's fun stuff like spin cycling or Zumba or hip-hop dancing or whatever the kids are into these days. We have several senior events scheduled around doing yoga or pilates together-maybe you should survey your sisters and see if there's enough of them interested in going to make it a weekly or biweekly sisterhood event! Most places love hosting sororities as well because they bring in big groups, so they'll generally give you a group discount too,

Better yet...make it a Panhellenic wide event. Doing positive things with other sororities helps improve your reputation too, especially if you take the initiative.

To ClemsonGirl's and 33's point, my gym just did a Zumbathon to raise money for the American Heart Association. It could be a PanHel philanthropy event.

Honestly, in the long-term, the groups who I have really seen turn themselves around in a 5-10 year timespan are the ones who focused on having a great time with their sisters, making friends on campus who saw how awesome they were, etc.

The groups who focused on putting the hottest girls in the front row and always wearing makeup didn't fool anyone, and then disillusioned many of their members, leading to retention problems to go along with their recruitment problems.

Wow, that's not at all what she suggested. She suggested the most attractive and outgoing sisters should be social chairs. Just as the most attractive and outgoing brothers of fraternities should be their fraternities' social chairs.

And she said the majority of girls ARE nice looking...but the stereotype says otherwise. If they had different letters on, no one would think they're in this sorority.

This isn't a question of putting 10 Belles on the rush floor or the website and hiding 50 Beasts in the kitchen.