I know what you mean. I'm a Chi O Alum, and I hate it when people who don't even know me make assumptions about me when they find out I was in a sorority in college. They roll their eyes, they ask why I would want to do that, they laugh and say figures were you a cheerleader in HS too. (As a matter a fact I was, but don't stereotype me!)
Even my mother--we were not close when I was in college and she "missed" my whole XO expereince. Recently, she was visiting me, and picked up my Chi O scrapbook--she was asking stuff like "they didn't make you do (insert hazing stereotype here), did they?"
I sat her down and said NO, Mom, it wasn't like that at all, that's a lie made up by people who were never a part of a GLO. And then I porceeded to tell her what it was like, how thankful I was to have been a part of it, how I couldn't get along without the daily influence of my friends Michelle, Lisa and Audrey--who I would not know without XO...by the end, she got it.
I wish the NPC/NIC would launch some sort of a P.R. campaign. Does anyone remember that VW campagn from the late 80's? Alums should--it ran in campus papers as well as national magazines. It showed real people with their VW's and a quote about how much they loved their car and why. Something similar featuring Greeks would be great. The general public can't figure it out. We're not Animal House. We're social without being irresponsible. We're sisters and brothers. We're family.
Amy
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