If you're thinking about RUSHing read this!!!
 

I posted this message in hopes that anyone thinking or rushing a fraternity or sorority will read this and actually think about if this is what they really want.
First of all becoming greek is not just about partying and popularity. You are joining an organization, and with that come along serious responsibilities and time consuming commitments that will last through your four years of college. Unlike in the south, where fraterity's and sorority's are considered elite and prestigious and belonging to one is a high honnor. Here in the northeast they are strongly looked down upon on many campus's. Many administrators, faculty memebers and parents continute to have stereotypes and believe that fraternity's and sorority's are to blame for violence, alcoholism, and promiscous behavior. In fact I once had a professor pull me aside after class and tell me never to wear "letters" in her classroom again! Although pledging a sorority was the best decision I have ever made and I would never trade the memories spent with my sister for anything in the world. . .I just wanted people reading this to understand the positive and negative attributes that come along with being greek, and to really think about if this is what they want.

Hello,

I think most of us here have been contemplating this for a long time. It's been in the back of my mind since the middle of my junior year of high school and after much, much research on national AND campus sites...I'm really ready to become a part of a sisterhood that will be there for me and love me no matter what. I am excited about and ready for the "honor codes"...if nothing else, it can only strengthen me. I will wear my letters with pride. This is my decision, what I WANT TO DO, and nobody is forcing me or any of the other rushees on this board to go through rush.

I believe that because of this, it will be even more rewarding on the day we open those bid cards (being that all of us DO get one... http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif)!

Yeah, I've had this problem. I coach soccer, and I went to shake hands with the other coach and introduce myself before the game, and he looked right past me, obviously trying to find "the other coach." -.- Guess what? I was wearing my letters. You know what though? The benifits of rushing far outweigh the negitivity you get from people... I mean, these people are 'PIG's. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif So, ignore them!

This is true. Greeks in some areas of the Northeast, dependent on the political-social bent of the school or its affiliation, are looked down upon as elitist, rich, blah blah blah. Huge culture shock for me, coming from the South.

I just had to reply because I think you might be scaring the bejeepers out of the future rushees! I am the product of a large Northern university who, obviously, was a Greek there. Never once did I encounter any animosity from a professor, advisor or administrator. Sigmagirl43, what happened with the professor who insisted you never wear letters in her class again was unethical and unacceptable and she should have been reported to her department head. She is a professor, not the head of her own exclusive little fiefdom and what's more, your tuition pays her salary so she should just keep her nasty little mouth shut. (stepping off soapbox!)

The Greeks at my school were well respected and held the vast majority of campus leadership positions. In addition, the Greeks as a group raised more money for charity than every other campus organization COMBINED year in and year out during my tenure there.

For all that though, I can't deny that there are people out there who hate Greeks. I never could understand how they could single out our organizations for criticism when there are dozens of other groups on campus that don't accept everyone who wants to belong. It's not like the football team, the cheerleading squad or the campus newspaper just lets anyone who shows an interest join. Even the university itself certainly didn't admit everyone who applied! So why are we singled out as "bad guys"? The truth is that any "exclusive" group (i.e. does not have open membership) is going to be criticized by those who are not a part of it or those who are disgruntled by it. But let me stress that that will happen NO MATTER WHAT GROUP YOU CHOOSE TO JOIN. It is not exclusive to GLOs.

Ladies who are planning to rush this upcoming year...follow your heart on this. When you go to college, you will want to become a part of a group where you can feel at home. Some of you may want to play a sport, some may want to do something with the performing arts, some may want to cheer and some may want to join a GLO, some may do more than one of the above! Everyone wants to belong to something, right? I can honestly say that I got so much out of my years as an active. I made friends that I know I will be able to count on forever, countless business contacts and the chance to hone my leadership skills (which was of great help once I entered the business world).

I would never have considered giving that up because of some drunken dork at a party who called me a "stuck up sorority b***h" because I wouldn't give him my phone number or because someone would want to try and hold me personally responsible for a hazing incident that took place on a campus two thousand miles away! Learning to overcome the ignorance of others is a valuable lesson and will serve you well the rest of your life!

By going to college, you all have a great opportunity ahead of you to embark on an adventure that can change your life forever. You can literally become anything you want to at this point. I hope that each and every one of you use this chance wisely to get as much out of your college experience as you can. I feel that I did just that and as a result am very happy with my life today!


P.S.
***Sigmagirl43, please don't think I am busting on you or that I don't believe there is any validity to your post!! I know you are one of us! I just had to throw in my two cents! Besides, that comment your professor made to you made me see red! UGH!


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@~Tracy~@

By the light of the lamp, by the light of the lamp, by the bright shiny light, by the light of the lamp...if you are a DeeZee, you're the best that you can be, by the bright shiny light of the lamp!

As a professor myself, I would have nothing but scorn for any supposedly learned person who generalized so grossly about any group. Do these professors say we should abolish all athletic teams because some athletes haze and get drunk? Do they say that all bikers are sleazebags becuase of some movies they've seen about motorcycle riders?

A truly mature person will join the groups he or she wants to and ignore ignorant generalizing.

Unfortunately many Greeks on the West Coast aren't looked at very nicely, either...(I've heard of the professor stories here on the West Coast, too.)

Actually, I thought this thread was great, b/c many prospectives might not have ever thought about the negatives, and they might be shocked if not prepared...

I've said it before (and so did Tracy http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif) and I'll say it again....if a professor or administrator has ever made negative comments about your Greek affiliation, or singled you out because of it, they are guilty of discrimination and harassment. It goes against every anti-discrimination code in place on campus and is the same as if they had called you a (insert racial/religious/sexual orientation slur here).

Greeks have to stop lying down and taking the crap that is being heaped on us by predjudiced people who think they're morally superior. When we do lie down like that, it makes us look like we are guilty. No one is going to stand up for us unless we stand up for ourselves.

Sigmagirl, I think if I had been in your situation, not only would I have worn letters every single time I was in that class, I would have encouraged the other Greeks in class to do the same.

you go, 33girl..."damn the man, save the empire" (or the greek letters, lol)

I find this interesting. When I joined my sorority so many of the older girls originally thought that I was going to be a girl that wanted the letters to wear and the parties, decorating cups type of sister.... they have since come up to me and told me that I was a pleasant surprise. I have changed and matured because of my experiences with my sisters. I hold my code of standards very seriously, I try to live up to my sorority's Purpose, I recite my ritual in my mind at least three or four times a day to remind me what type of person i should strive to be.. I love my sorority.. I love the ideals it has but when I joined I knew nothing about them. I knew nothing about the responsibilities that come with being a member (and an officer!)Now that I am a member I realize that it does thrust some responsibility on me. I also realize when I am out with friends that if I chose to wear my letters I need to think about my actions more. It can be tough sometimes, but it happens. I wouldn't trade the bad for the good though. Not for one day of one year. Heck, I am trying to talk my mom into alumna intiation!

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"...and love her for her womanhood."

I once had a professor ask me to remove my pledge pin during class when I was a new member. I told him no, that I didn't want to and was free to wear what I liked. He huffed and didn't say another word. I talked to the Greek Advisor, who said that it WAS his classroom, but that it was ok to refuse. We had a professor write an editorial for our school newspaper saying that all greek orgs are about are drinking, partying, and taking away from the academic experience of college, and the president of the university approved the editorial. Bunch of bullshit...but that's state schools in PA for you. 33girl can go with me on this one...although I doubt it's all of them.

As I've told y'all before, I'm a professor at a college that has only locals and they're probably going to be made to go national because they haze so badly. During the pledge period, the pledges are forced to wear stupid outfits and carry stupid items like rocks to class.

Several of us will be telling the pledges this fall (if the locals still exist by then) that we are very pro-Greek but anti-hazing and that we will not permit rocks, demeaning costumes, or any other hazing props in our classrooms. Greek shirts, pins, all the good stuff--yes, wear that by all means!!--but don't violate state law in our classrooms.

This happens a lot at my school, fraternity's and sorority's are viewed so negatively. . .It is such a shame. By the way, the professor who harassed me about wearing my letters to class has done so to her other students as well, However nothing has ever been filed against her. I'm sure the dean would just laugh in our faces if we brought it to his attention anyways.

I don't know how everyone else feels about it since this thread is three years old, but I think it brings up some good points.