[OleMissGlitter]

I think there are some women who do not go through recruitment because they feel they won't fit in or they aren't the "right look." However, I encourage women to try because with recs and with our recruitment 6weeks into the school year, they have time to look at the GLOs and to meet sorority members. That way they can decide if it is the best thing for them. Obviously, this works because tons of girls sign up late, literally the day before, who did not sign up at the end of May when the forms go out. I think that there are also other non-Greek groups, such as academic groups and theatre troupes and comedy troupes and Church groups who met weekly who fill any void a woman might have if she is not in a sorority. We have tons of student orgs, like any other university, so therefore, I feel that even those who don't join a sorority they might get a sorority-type feeling living in the dorm, joining a religious org, or just volunteering at our local Leap Frog chapter to read books to kids. Yes, Greek life is a big part of Ole Miss, but I think anyone can be someone here if they are not Greek. We've had Presidents of the Student Body who were not Greek, breaking down barriers, and we have many other heads of student orgs who were not Greek. I think what Ole Miss is trying to do lately with having recruitment 6 weeks into the year is to have a balance between Greek members and non-Greek members. However, outsiders of Ole Miss must realize that Greeks have been very prominent since Ole Miss' founding in 1848. Some of our biggest alumni were members of GLO's here. However, I also know that we have many other alumni who were not Greek who donate money. I think what we have at Ole Miss is truly unique and I think the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill had a student do a disseration on us once, our Greek Life that is....I remember hearing about that. I also know we have had some of our own PhD candidates write on that sort of subject. It is quite strange that our campus is sometimes dictated by Greek Life. For example since I've been here (1996) the Homecoming queen and Miss Ole Miss have been greek. I don't know if that is because Greeks are wonderful at backing each other and supporting each other or their own member when they run for something. Either way you look at this, in order to truly understand our Greek System you either need to study it as an outsider for a long period of time or matriculate and pledge and become a member of a sorority or a fraternity. It is not the normal Greek System, but we are similar in one way, that all of our houses hold our letters close to our hearts and we all try to follow our GLOs' ideals. Sorry to go off on a tangent!