Hi smiley
Its great that you are doing so much research before rush. I sort of went blindly into the whole thing. Really look at the houses and try and keep an open mind, because when I first met the alpha chi's on my campus I thought "no way. these are not the kind of girls i am usually friends with." Now when I look back on that I can't imagine what I was thinking. I have been so happy as an Alpha Chi and I love my sisters. The past 2 and half years (since I got my bid as a freshman) have been great and I really can't imagine being in another group on my campus. I know now the sorority i thought was "perfect" and so wanted to join was DEFINITELY not the place for me. In fact one of my best friends started pledging that house and dropped out.
Don't let things other people say, at your school or on greek chat influence you too much. You know what's best for you.
I read the greek life link about race and sororities (that def got way expanded from your first topic
) People here seem to get caught up in things and use greek chat as a forum for whatever is on their mind, and there are always a few people looking for conflict. Don't take it as a reflection on sororities in general.
Sorority life varies so much school to school and by area.
Both NPHC and Panhellenic sororities have a lot going for them. I don't know what your school is like but i can share my experiences. I am part Italian and part Chinese, and from NYC. While my chapter has less minorities than the total campus, it is pretty diverse. But what I love is that even if no one else in the chapter "looked like me" and if only the white sisters remained, I would still feel comfortable as a part of the house because my sisters are great people. I don't mean to overidealize things. There are still a few people who I don't necessarily want to be friends with and am not that close to but I still respect them and see that they meet alpha chi's five membership criteria (academic interest, character, personal developments, financial responsibility, and leadership ability). When I joined there were a few people who I really didn't like. I thought to myself "do I really want to join this group" the answer was yes. I realized I could watch my back. Those 3 seniors graduated and our chapter is headed in a great direction. I love axo and the friends I have made. I feel like I can be myself around them. I don't feel uncomfortable cooking foods they have never heard of before in the house kitchen and while many still think some of my food is odd, some of my sisters are hooked on my dumplings and ma po dofu. I bring my sisters home for an Italian Christmas eve, and Chinese new year celebrations. And from them I learn about their cultures and interests. I love my chapter because it is diverse and open, not just in terms of race, but in terms of places people come from and their interests. I have learned a lot about the south, texas etc (and believe me its def different than ny) and gone to support my sisters at sports event, concerts, student government stuff, and community service events.
Sorry bout the long post... Good luck with rush. Give sororities a chance, because you never know what you'll find. If you are comfortable.