Greek for life?
 

Something I've been wondering about is how people forget that being in a sorority or fraternity is for life, not just for college! Why do some people just seem to forget how much their GLO meant to them, or say "I WAS a ABC". You ARE an ABC!

I know I will be a proud Delta Gamma until the day I die!

There should be more alums like the great Tom Earp!

i feel the same way. i'm very active with my alumnae chapter and want to do even more. i've even tried to get a job at nationals. i encourage everyone to get involved after college. it helps the post college withdrawls. :)

shelley j
sigma k

I just think that as some people get into their lives, other things (family, career, etc.) take over, and they associate their undergrad Greek life with their Greek affiliation in general. When they talk about how college was, they talk about how they "were" in a fraternity or sorority.

Doesn't make them bad people, and doesn't mean they've forgotten what their org was all about.

That's the best part about joining one - it can be different things to different people.

I just went to my Metro Alumnae meeting tonight. Good people. :)

I know that being in a GLO is a lifetime thing. I don't say that "I was in ESP (Epsilon Sigma Phi)" just because I am no longer an active. I say I am an ESP, but as an alumna. Yes, I understand that alumni have jobs, families, etc, but please remember that being in a GLO is a lifetime membership. Replace the "I was" with "I am", please. Okay!

http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmili...happy/wink.gif :) :cool:

PSPGirl, thank you for the nice words!

Yep, I hate to admit it that some of the Brothers of my Chapter have done just the same thing. I feel like they just used the Fraternity and Brothers. That makes me very sad.

It seems that as KSigkid says, that yes people graduate marry and have familys. They fall farther away from the Fraternity/Soroity, but I have seen so many times that after a while and The Chapter keeps in touch with them that they do come back and become very involved again.

Homecoming and Founders Day are our two biggest times to try and get Brothers back and get them involved again.

One Founders Day, a Brother Came Back, one I had not seen since I Graduated in 1967. He ask me what his Zeta # was. I looked at him like he was crazy!!!!! I also chewed his butt. An alum took him into the House and checked the Charter. He was # 7.

I really let him have it. I told him I remembered mine. Of course he told me how could I forget mine!!!!!!:D

Bet he never forgets!:cool:

Oh I have the cutest story that almost made me cry.

We had Parent's Day before a Football game one Saturday. Before games, all the student orgs. set up tents in what we call the district. Well our tent was right next to the PIKE tent, and my Dad was president of the PIKES when we was in college (at the same school).

He really wanted a beer, and I told him to just go over and ask them, they love alumni. He was like no, they wouldn't want to talkt o an old man like me. I finally talked him into going over there, and about 15 minutes later he came back with a cup full of beer and said (with his eyes watering mind you): "My brothers just gave me a beer." Oh my god...it makes me want to cry thinking about it.

My brother didn't do the whole greek thing, but now that I am really involved, I think my dad is beginning to get back in touch with some of his old fraternity brothers. I was even trying to find something in the dining room the other day, and I openned up one of the drawers and found 3 pictures of him and his dates back in college. 2 were from a toga party and one was from a Christmas formal.

My dad loved his fraternity...it just made me so happy that day were he didn't thinkt hey'd pay him any attention and he came back with a grin on his face calling them his "brothers." :)

See.. this is what i can't wait for.. we're the founders, (i'm #22 baby) and i'm counting down the seconds until i can walk back on to my campus (which is going to be huge by then), 20 years from now and see my sisters carrying on traditions that we once carried on and started..
I was lucky enough to be blessed with a huge family, but so many people aren't, and it's so comforting to know that no matter what happens in you're life, there's always going to be someone there to back you up.. not only that, but you're going to have an infinate amount of connections.. you get in a lawsuit... there's bound to be a lawyer.. you need help with your taxes.. there's going to be an accountant.. and there's always that twinge of excitement you feel when you're walking down the street in some far off state when you see someone in your letters... it's that instant common ground.
Most of all, the ties that i have forged in this sisterhood, just being through so much with these girls... those late nights during recruitment, those bid night dramas, the long sleepy hours in the campus center just shooting the proverbial s***, the creation of new tradition, and a new orginazation, are just set in titanium... i can't imagine a day without them... you know i'm going to be a super alum, my org. is a part of me that i can honestly never see waning into the background (sorry for babbling... just had to get a little love off my chest:D )

This summer we're going to get together and finally form our alumni chapter. We've got plans in the works for various things, possibly including a scholarship fund (for right now at least it'd have to be small).

We've finally reached the number of alums needed to form the chapter (10) and are rearin' to go.

My dad is a PIKE too! Alumnae Initiate! LOL I agree with PSPgirl. You are always a DG or whatever unless for some reason you quit! We had a similar discussion on the DG forum. Mad props to the alumnae on here and me! (I am one of them!)

Old Traditions Never Die...
 

Pi Kappa Alpha's open motto is "Once a Pike, always a Pike!" This story is just perfect illustration of this motto. As in most GLO's, alums are a huge key to the success of a chapter.

MeridionaleDG, that is the sweetest story! I got misty just reading about it.

I am and always will be a Kappa. End of discussion.

Feel the love!

I have ben both sides of that lifetime commitment, both Active Collegiate and Active Alumnae, and I never felt a difference while I was either one. Being an Active Collegiate again has given me a unique chance to see exactly how important "lifetime membership" actually is, not only in words, but in practice. I find myself encouraging our alums to come and visit, drop by, write us, anything to keep that bond alive much more than I used to, and probably much more than most of the women in my chapter.

I have found that a lot of alums don't actively participate after their collegiate years because they don't feel as welcome as they used to. They are afraid of stepping on the Active's toes or being "that alum" who tries to relive her college years in a weekend. But you know what I say? Who cares! Do it. You are Sisters/Brothers for life, no matter how old you are. Sometimes they just need that extra push. I know that my chapter has tried to do dozens of activities incuding our alum, but they never seem to be able to come. It's usually because our alum are very busy Ladies, but as long as we keep trying, we get them every now an then, and that makes them so happy.

I think that part of that lifetime commitment is the responsibility of the Collegians. Make your Alum feel welcome, invite them to events, not just Founders Day and Alumnae weekend. If they don't feel that bond from you, their sisters and brothers, why would they want to come back? I think that it helps both sides: The collegians see that involvement continues after college, and the Alum get to see their Chapter grow and develop even after they leave.

I usually say I am a TKE alum, because most people otherwise would assume I am still an undergrad

Last night I went to another MetroDPhiE meeting. I met two of alumnae from my chapter whom I had never met before. They hadn't attended the previous meetings that I had. It was so nice so meet sisters from my chapter who had pledged long after me. :) It is also great to meet alumnae from different chapters.