[blueangel]

Hazelle:

I don't mind questions being asked several times. It just means you've asked a good question since so many people have asked it before and are curious about the answer.

Why did I join? Well, quite honestly, I wasn't meaning to!

I'm a yankee who knew absolutely NOBODY in a sorority or a fraternity. It just was non-existant in my area. Sororities and fraternities were never talked about in high school... ever.

I had a rather negative opinion of the Greek system because all I knew were the stereotypes that you saw on TV and in the movies. I had no interest in joining one.

When I moved down south and starting attending an SEC school, I was amazed at how big and how popular sororities and fraternities were! But, I had a gang of friends in the dorm, and could care less about joining one.

I knew NOTHING about them. I had never heard the terms "pledge" or "rush".. and I had no idea what the Greek letters meant.

Then.. my very good friend Kelly asked me if I would go through rush with her. I remember staring at her with a blank look and saying, "What is rush?"

She explained it to me, and I wasn't at all interested. I was too busy with my sport anyway. But, she pestered me and finally convinced me to go-- just to keep her company. (Kelly ended up pledging Kappa Alpha Theta).

As I went from house to house, I was amazed at what I was learning about these groups. I had expected a bunch of plastic, snotty girls. But I learned that every preconceived notion I had about sororities was wrong!

These were genuine girls who really cared about each other.. who had a special bond. That's what attracted me the most about the sororities I visited... these girls were so "into" their groups, so "into" their philanthropies, and proud of everything about their organization. They told me of mixers, date nights, woodsers, retreats, formal dances, and just "hanging out in the house." They described their fund raising activities, and helping the community. I began to get interested!

Sometimes, you just "know" something is right. That's the feeling I had the first time I stepped through the doors of the ZTA house. I knew I had found something really special. I knew I had found my home.

I wasn't at all disappointed when I pledged. The girls were amazing.... they made my pledge period a time I will always treasure. I was able to find my way back to Zeta years later, and am so happy I have. I've met wonderful new sisters through the alumnae chapter.