An Open Letter to New GC'ers

[adpiucf]

Whether you're a PNM, a new member, initiate or alum...

Welcome.

That being said, now that you're here and registered, take a look around. Get to know who's posting.

1) Got a question? Click on SEARCH. Chances are, it has been answered before. Don't be afraid to bump or reference an old thread.

2) Got a question about GLOs on your campus? Sign off the Internet, pick up a phone and contact your university.

3) Want to know about the reputations of your GLO at other campuses? Don't ask here. Is anyone really going to own up to being the drug addict fraternity or the slut sorority? For that matter, who gives a flip?

4) Spell check. Spell check. Spell check.

5) If you're a PNM thinking about rushing, don't ask us, "Should I rush?" Make up your own mind, talk to your real, flesh and blood friends about it, get your parents thoughts on it, and then go to the rush forum and introduce yourself. I have a thread titled "General Advice" in that forum that I feel is pretty applicable to recruitment and can help you get an idea of what you might expect.

6) Before you post, consider what you've written. Your "tone" can be taken many ways. Be direct.

7) While you may make friends on GC that can carry over into real life, you don't need to post graphic details of your life on these boards. Nor other people's lives. Be discrete. Don't be a sorority girl impersonator, either.

8) Don't post something and then give the excuse "My crazy roommate must have written that." And if it was your crazy roommate, start a new screen name. Why? Well, we really don't care who the psycho was. It's still your screen name.

9) Ask yourself when you post: Am I really going to get the worthwhile answer I seek here? I mean, GC is just a bunch of Greeks from all over the place. We're not the best authority on the big XYZ Date Party at your school. So I implore you, pick up a phone and call your school. If you're just looking for ideas about an event you are planning, that's fine. Your posts should be considerate of others and ones that have nothing to do with offending someone's GLO, color, religion or dating life, post away.

10) SEARCH and SPELL CHECK. All you need. (The occassional typo isn't a big deal, but you are taken more seriously when you take the time to write coherently. This is true in the real world as well as in Greek Life).

Happy Posting.

/Posted because I've seen older members ganging up on newer members... and a lot of newer members who aren't representing themselves very intelligently. Thus, older members are justified./

[IrishPhiSig]

this place has too many rules. and its not very accepting of new member's opinions!

[Rudey]

It's almost like you are John, the site administrator, and have posted rules - rules that seem to mollify your own little pet peeves.

-Rudey

Originally posted by adpiucf
Whether you're a PNM, a new member, initiate or alum...

Welcome.

That being said, now that you're here and registered, take a look around. Get to know who's posting.

1) Got a question? Click on SEARCH. Chances are, it has been answered before. Don't be afraid to bump or reference an old thread.

2) Got a question about GLOs on your campus? Sign off the Internet, pick up a phone and contact your university.

3) Want to know about the reputations of your GLO at other campuses? Don't ask here. Is anyone really going to own up to being the drug addict fraternity or the slut sorority? For that matter, who gives a flip?

4) Spell check. Spell check. Spell check.

5) If you're a PNM thinking about rushing, don't ask us, "Should I rush?" Make up your own mind, talk to your real, flesh and blood friends about it, get your parents thoughts on it, and then go to the rush forum and introduce yourself. I have a thread titled "General Advice" in that forum that I feel is pretty applicable to recruitment and can help you get an idea of what you might expect.

6) Before you post, consider what you've written. Your "tone" can be taken many ways. Be direct.

7) While you may make friends on GC that can carry over into real life, you don't need to post graphic details of your life on these boards. Nor other people's lives. Be discrete. Don't be a sorority girl impersonator, either.

8) Don't post something and then give the excuse "My crazy roommate must have written that." And if it was your crazy roommate, start a new screen name. Why? Well, we really don't care who the psycho was. It's still your screen name.

9) Ask yourself when you post: Am I really going to get the worthwhile answer I seek here? I mean, GC is just a bunch of Greeks from all over the place. We're not the best authority on the big XYZ Date Party at your school. So I implore you, pick up a phone and call your school. If you're just looking for ideas about an event you are planning, that's fine. Your posts should be considerate of others and ones that have nothing to do with offending someone's GLO, color, religion or dating life, post away.

10) SEARCH and SPELL CHECK. All you need. (The occassional typo isn't a big deal, but you are taken more seriously when you take the time to write coherently. This is true in the real world as well as in Greek Life).

Happy Posting.

/Posted because I've seen older members ganging up on newer members... and a lot of newer members who aren't representing themselves very intelligently. Thus, older members are justified./

[adpiucf]

Sorry, friend. That is just the culture of this message board. You're going to encounter similar obstacles throughout your life on and offline. I'm not being cruel, just candid and trying to help you ease into this place.

Remember sorority rush? It's 365 days a year on here. Anyone can sign up for GC, but there are a lot of people on here, and a lot with certain feelings and opinions. You have to respect that you're new and get to know the culture or you're (hypothetical "you" and not you per se) going to keep committing social blunders on the boards.

You'll see what I mean about company culture when you get your first post-college job.

You have to wade through the internet culture of Greek Chat before you can surf with the big guns.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by adpiucf
You have to wade through the internet culture of Greek Chat before you can surf with the big guns.

Are you a "big gun"?

-Rudey

[IrishPhiSig]

Originally posted by adpiucf


Remember sorority rush? It's 365 days a year on here.

You have to wade through the internet culture of Greek Chat before you can surf with the big guns.

and what elite organization am i trying to gain access to here? Sorry, but the business of impressing people is over....for right now anyway.

And that last statement is a lie and a half.

[33girl]

Originally posted by IrishPhiSig
this place has too many rules. and its not very accepting of new member's opinions!

You haven't been on a lot of message boards, have you? This is low key compared to some places.

No one would have cared if you'd brought up old posts about philanthropies or mixers - but your first posts happened to be about subjects that people who have been on here a long time KNOW end up as everyone fighting and getting upset. Just learn from that and go forward.

Editing again - as far as the MLK post - no one was berating you for posting an opinion, they were just letting you know where the original poster was coming from. You took it the wrong way.

Originally posted by IrishPhiSig
this place has too many rules. and its not very accepting of new member's opinions!

Then there's the door. Don't let it hit you on your way out.

It's not a matter of being new. We get new people all the time who try to get a feel of the place first instead of leaving erratic posts here and there. It's a matter of being conscious of the atmosphere here. adpiucf's examples of social blunders hit the nail right on the head.

But hey, if you don't like the rules...then you're just going to get reactions like this.

[IrishPhiSig]

Originally posted by 33girl
You haven't been on a lot of message boards, have you?

actually i have. and not one of them has openly berated new members for posting opinions alongside old timers. And most of them get very annoyed when you dig up topics from the dead...so I was just following the rules I am used to. Usually people don't mind if you jump right in and post. I guess that's the issue here.