How will I explain?
 

Hey everyone. I started getting interested sororities and rushing when I found my grandmother's member pin... even though I won't be going through recruitment for another year and eight months. :p Anywhooo, here are two problems I foresee:

1) I participate in "Running Start;" I take my classes at a community college and get both college and high school credit. When I finally get to college, I will have junior (or eek! senior) standing. But I don't want to graduate early. It will take me three years minimum to graduate, and I think I want to take four. How do you think GLOs will react?

...and an even stickier subject....

2) I am a vegan. So I don't eat meat, dairy, eggs, honey (lol I know I know it's a little silly), etc. Since talking about this falls into the no-no category of politics, I would rather not mention it during FR. However, I will be declining any food offered to me (how rude!). How do I explain myself without coming off as rude or weird, and without scaring people, or getting stuck on an undesirable topic?


Any suggestions would be great!

Oh, and watch out for my recruitment thread, coming September 2006! :p :p :p

Hello hello! As a former non-meat eater, what you need to do is politely explain. If someone offers you cheese or a cocktail weener (man that doesn't even SOUND appetizing), just say, "No, thank you, I'm vegan." Might even start an interesting conversation for rushing. Goodluck, and don't compromize your stance just to make an impression.

When I went through rush way back in the day, we were never offered food so it wasn't an issue -- so take what I say with a grain of salt. I don't think you'd have to offer an explanation as to why you're turning down food -- isn't it enough to say "No thank you" -- I mean, maybe it's not and I don't know where you're rushing, but I would never be offended by that. I would think it's enough to decline food and maybe accept a drink and be done with it.

Also, please don't feel the need to dismiss being vegan as silly. I really admire that -- I've been a vegetarian for over 10 years and I have mad respect for you for being vegan.

Good luck!! :)

m0rgan-- I PMed you;)

Make sure they know you are a first-year student!

Give them a (short) explanation of Running Start - just tell them that you had the opportunity to take college classes when you were in high school, but you are (this is most important) scheduled to graduate in 3 - 4 years.

If you explain, you will stand out for your grades/smarts, not your age. I'm sure they will have your class standing (fr, so, jr, sr), so be sure to do this. It is a lot harder to go through formal recruitment as an upperclasswoman.

Don't worry too much about Running Start (or veganism - I agree with Phoenix, it shouldn't be an issue) - every sorority wants to have a great GPA, and you sound very smart! ;) Good luck!

if you've got a year and eight months until you rush, you really shouldn't be worrying about something so trivial as how to politely say no thank you. :)

I agree with everything that has been said.
You can explain your Veganism (?) to the sisters when you go through or you can just say no thank you..often times girls don't eat food we give them because they are either too nervous or too busy talking

One year we had a young lady go through rush who was a diabetic. No one knew until she turned down the snack at a party which was cookie and lemonade. Once word got our, every house made sure that they had something appropriate for her so that she did not feel uncomfortable, especially on the days when you had food at every party near the end of rush. Don't remember is she ended up accepting a bid at one of the houses. Was nice to know that panhellenic as a whole would work through the situation back in the days when Greeks were thought to not tolerate anything different.

DaffyKD

I didn't go through formal recruitment but the COB I went through had a TON of food. I'm talking ice cream, pizza, the whole nine yards. And I am a diabetic.

Since my insulin schedules at the time had me eat beforehand, I simply declined any and all major meals they served. Granted I had a couple snacks, but it didn't count against me if I didn't eat the whole meal.

However when I started searching for non-existant diet soda the first night, people started to take notice and asked why. On future nights, there was a two liter bottle of diet soda there, as well as water.

If anything, they will accomodate you rather than turn there noses up at you.

ETA: Phoenix, I'm not on the pump unfortunately. Although I broke my sisters in real quick on Bid Day the year I rushed when I whipped out my shots and vials. I also have no shame. :)

Daffy: As a diabetic, I think it's fantastic that you made adjustments for her needs. It was really hard during rush to eat at parties simply because people rarely expect diabetics, or know that they are diabetic. I unfortunately had a hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) attack during open house last year, thankfully one of the chapters had a fellow diabetic who helped me out with glucose tabs.

(PS, all you recruitment chairs out there, consider getting Crystle Light lemonade or Diet pop for your parties!)

Edit: Chi Delt, are you on the pump?

I am a diabetic as well and I found that when I went through rush there was always sometyhing I could eat or drink, like water or veggies or fruit. (I'm also a bad diabetic so I would eat the chocolate too :p )

Currently we have a sister who has PKU and we try our best to find foods that she can eat. We also have several sister who are vegitarians or vegan and we usually try to have something like veggies or fruit available.

You'll probably find that the parties aren't all that long and you'll be too busy too eat. But you're not the only one who is a vegan and you'll find that there will be members of the houses that are vegan/vegitarian. It's really nothing to worry about.

Being a vegan is a lifestyle choice, and not a life-or-death dietary restriction. If somone offers you food or drink at a recruitment event that does not meet your dietary choices as a vegan, just say, "No thank you." No one is going to cut you from a house for refusing food. And if they do, honey, it isn't a house you want to belong to, anyhow!

Regarding your upperclassman status-- make sure that the office of Greek Life and the sororities receive a letter from your Running Start program regarding your status. Also, make sure any alum recommendations you get talk about the program and your age, and years you will have left in school. Talk about the program at parties and leave women with the impression you are an academically motivated leader--- it will help them remember you and your class status. You may still be cut for it-- like it or not, a junior is a junior, and a chapter that wants freshman is still going to take only freshman. But if you are proactive about informing the sororities and selling yourself as the Running Start PNM, you'll be well prepared.

I am a diabetic too! I have been on the Insulin Pump for 3 years. And Lady PiPhi if you consider eating chocolate being a bad diabetic, then I am downright evil! My nutritionist tells me it is okay, she taught me how to do it safely (and how to have other no-no's as well). She is diabetic and knows about how hard it is. I just press a few buttons on my pump and away we go! It drives me crazy when other people think that they know how to take care of my health better than I do. "Oh but my Great-Grandmother is diabetic and she...." Two different things honey!

Sorry to hijack, just got excited!

Lol. I eat whatever I want. I haven't been on a meal plan in 10 years.

I only take 2 shots a day because I refuse to take 4. I know I should be on more because a more rigid control is better, but I refuse. Chocolate is my one weakness. I'm not big on sweets anyway, but I must have chocolate.

I'm on the pump as well, have been for 3 years. I'm on a 1200 calorie a day diet, so I guess I'm on a pretty rigid meal plan.