[Serena_TPhiB]

Oy, this sucks. A really good friend of mine is greek at tech, he didn't mention anything about it so hopefully this isn't affecting him.

First of all, no one in my sorority posts pictures of us drinking anymore. if pictures are taken in a bar, they are kept for our house photo albums or don't show us drinking. At the MOST sisters have drinks in hand while posing, but never cheering or consuming. THIS is because our greek adviser wagged her finger at us for this, though apparently it's ok for one of the huge, national, all-white sororities to have pictures of them holding glasses of champagne... as long as they look classy while doing it. I can't say for sure that our diversity had anything to do with the scrutiny, but I myself am white, and I was like... guys, this is fucked up. ANYWAY, personal issue, I digress.

Honestly, college kids drink all the time, NOT just greeks. Actually, some of the greeks at my school are some of the prissiest kids around. Universities just love it when stuff like this happens, because if you're found drinking, and you wear letters, it can be brought upon your whole group, and they can be like OMG THEY'RE GREEK, THEY'RE A LIABILITY AND HORRIBLE STUDENTS. NONE OF OUR OTHER PERFECT STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN SUCH DEBAUCHERY!

OPEN YOUR EYES, these kids would be drinking NO MATTER WHAT. I realize that it's dumb to post these kinds of pictures -- greek or not -- but it's worse to tattle, and the fact that universities have this big brother power is just ridiculous to me. (thank you srmom) Though personally, I feel that if I can vote and drive and smoke, and my best friend can go die in Iraq, we should be able to drink. So I really don't feel even a little bad when I do it. I recognize that it's law, and therefore something that will be enforced, I guess I just enjoy defying the system.
On another note, I'm also not trying to diss nationals, I have a lot of respect for the nationals on my campus, but more and more I see them trying to make greeks - especially greek women - into the stepford wives. my issues with the sexism and discrimination brought upon greek women today (mostly by their own sex) is another topic (which I've been meaning to post about) but you'll notice that these pictures featured women from every sorority on campus, and I'm sure their nationals will throw a hissy fit about standards of conduct. I bet you that the guys' nationals won't do anything of the sort.

I just feel like female university and national administrators put the blinders on when it comes to this stuff. My mom and dad always say, I'd rather you feel comfortable enough to come to me or talk freely about the stuff you're doing so that I can help you if you ever are in real trouble. I feel like the way 'grown ups' handle this stuff is like a bad parent who thinks if they just make stricter rules the problems will go away. They won't, they'll just hide it from you more.

and that's my $5.