Do you ever wish you joined a National org?
 

ok, first of all don't crucify me lol
and second of all i LOVE my local organization, I wouldn't give that experience back for just about anything, and it has made me into a better person.

However, sometimes.... I feel like I missed out and I wish that I had the same connections as a national org, different chapters, sisters all over...
Maybe it's from being on greekchat, idk, but I sure do get jealous sometimes....:(

i believe what we think we are missing is SIZE. it can be weird being asked what your org is. i embrace it, though. i am the only member of my entire sorority in my city (richmond va. and its not a small city either!)and there are about 14 members statewide. i get asked all the time about my license plate frames, who are we, etc. its a gateway for us to invite other ladies into the sisterhood we are already members of. not that the larger orgs arent special, because they ARE VERY special. they are a very small percentage of a huge general population. we may be a smaller percentage of the small percentage, but that makes us more special in our own way!

I like to think that its nice that national orgs do have the benefit of having members cross country and even world wide. i think its great to be able to have a connection with so many people all at once. And i guess it is alot easier to inform others about your organization when its one that is widely publicized or more well known, throught schools and communities.

i would be very interested in knowing how quickly/slowly some of the more well-known orgs spread when they first were founded.

Alpha had nine or ten chapters from 1906 to 1911, when Kappa happened.

ETA: We did absorb some locals, if anyone was curious.

any idea about how many people that was?

There's a slim chance an approximation is listed in my history book... I'll try to remember to look that up when I get home.

here in Richmond, there are TONS of greeks. i can drive 5 miles down the road and probably see 8 or 9 license plates or tags for BGLO's. my mom lives across the street from a DST and i live around the corner from an Omega. i always find myself wondering what we need to do to get to that kind of presence nationwide!

I agree with this. I'm not sure I would have rushed at a school with all nationals or a mixed campus, maybe because I'd be blinded by my own stupid stereotypes (pre GC, mind you. My horizons have been expanded). That being said, I am soooo happy to be a sister of my sorority, and if we ever went to a national, I think I'd be pretty upset (and probably wouldn't affiliate). Tau Delta has 85 years behind her, and I'd feel like I was turning my back on that. It has nothing to do with a national being "worse" or "not as good"...it just isn't what I pledged. My oath and my consent were to Tau Delta, not to another organization. And I said "forever" to that...dunno how I'd feel breaking that.

Yeah, I mean, I don't think my org would ever affiliate with a national, we've been around for 88 years.. why do it now (or in the future?) but on the off chance that it would, Idk if i would affiliate with the new national if this did happen.

like i said, I love my local, (i am very frustrated by the girls that are active right now and not following the constitution and doing things all willy nilly without any regard to our history, and they aren't listening to alumnae.... grrrrrr) anywayyyyy..... i love my local... I just wonder what it would have been like had I gone to a NPC or something.

also, as a side note, i started to pledge a national org... I didn't complete pledging nor initiate due to the fact that I couldn't go through with a process that I felt uncomfortable with nor did I agree with (i.e. hazing) so maybe because of that I wonder what could have happened?

I've been both. I was part of a local through most of my collegiate years that went "national" the second semester of my senior year--so I feel like I've had the best of both worlds. I AId a year and a half after I graduated. I would guess that while you're in college, you don't much think about other chapters other than the occasional road trip, convention or event, but then as an alumna you might wish there were more sisters spread far and wide.

Its too bad there isn't an alumnae association for local sorority members--kind of like the NPC alumnae panhellenics in cities across the country.

help, I need all of your knowledge and advice!
 

hey everyone.
this is my first post, but I've been reading this site religiously for the past few days. it's so interesting to hear everyone else's stories and opinions!

so, I obviously have a purpose for posting on this thread. I am part of a local at a small, private college where greek life is not huge, although present. we are the only local here, with the rest being NPC sororities. going though recruitment, I didn't truly identify myself with any of the other houses. yes, one or two mesmerized me with their glamor, looks, etc, but none were really me. I also hated rush, which surprised me, because I am a pretty social person and tried to put my best foot forward. anyway, to get to the point, my best friend was part of this local sorority and I knew some of her friends in it, who I liked. so, I got a bid and pledged. let me say that I absolutely LOVE my pledge class. we are a great group, and the more I researched and took part in events, the more I loved greek life. I was chomping at the bit to move into the house, get a position, and make myself a presence in the greek life here, even speak out about expanding the sororities and frats on campus.
however, I have lingering thoughts about my school as well as my sorority at times. perhaps some people aren't aware, but local sororities get the short end of the stick when it comes to recruitment, the house, special events because of the lack of money flowing in from a national organization, which puts a limit on what we can do. also, it's hard to not have that international connection that others feel through their national connection. I envy that a little. I feel that not having a national lets us skimp on our values or traditions a little, seeing as the only ones enforcing our rules are other active sisters--alumnae don't take too much of an active role in the house. as I look into being greek, I want that sense of tradition and sisterhood to foster as I get older, but many juniors and seniors seem to let things slide, which worries me. moreover, my sorority is known as the booze bags, a name I don't like to flaunt. it's not that I don't like to party, I really can enjoy it, but drinking every night of the week and being known as what I can only refer to as 'hot messes' isn't the label I desired when joining an organization.
now, I'm not trying to complain or undo my decision. but I am curious to see if I could, in the future, join an NPC organization at another school, say grad school or if I transferred, while still being part of my local? in case anyone is wondering, my local broke away from a prominent national a while ago and there is almost no chance that we will apply for any national status. my local is also part of the panhellenic council at my school and follows all NPC rules, so would I need to deactivate from my chapter to join an NPC? I'm sure this doesn't look to great to the new sororities I would be interested in. what is everyone's take on this issue?
again, I want to say that I'm just asking if this is possible and some opinions. I know some people might think I'm not loyal to my group or that I regret my decision, but I don't. I'm just interested in knowing the facts, as well as potential options. I apologize for this being so long! :)

This absolutely, positively is NOT the truth everywhere. There are schools where the locals rule rush and the NPCs are the bottom of the totem pole. And money doesn't "flow in" from the national organization - the members are paying dues that are probably several times what yours are.

Do you have an active alumnae corporation/chapter? This is absolutely essential for a strong collegiate chapter when you're local amongst NPCs.