How did you know you were a Phi Mu?

HotDamnImAPhiMu · #1 05-25-2003, 10:29 PM

I wanted to start a thread about how you knew you were a Phi Mu.

Was it something someone said at rush, or did something really strike you at a COB party, or did you meet a Phi Mu that really represented sisterhood to you? Jump in at any time...

pinkyphimu · #2 05-25-2003, 10:50 PM

for me, it was honestly the promise that i would not be hazed. on my campus at the time, phi mu was the only group that did not haze. the summer before my sophomore year, i met a group of women through friends of my boyfriend. they were so awesome. they weren't what i thought of as a "typical" sorority girl. they were interested in me...and we became friends. it wasn't until the end of the summer that i even found out they were in a sorority!!! as soon as i did, i called my roomie (who wasn't at school yet) and said...we are going through rush and going to be phi mu! she said ok...and we did! now, looking back, i would never have been happy in the other groups, not on the national level bc they are very good groups, but on the local level. the girls were different from me (which is ok) and it wouldn't have been "home" and "sisterhood."

plus, pink and white have always been my FAVORITE colors, so maybe it was just meant to be!

HotDamnImAPhiMu · #3 05-25-2003, 11:45 PM

That's funny -- I never liked pink (until I became a Phi Mu, now I've got tons of pink stuff.) I actually loved Sigma's colors (silver and purple) but wouldn't have been happy with Sigma on the local level.

Our chapter placed a lot of emphasis on being the "Phi Mu Lady." I really was afraid of joining the "typical" sorority -- the drunk stripping emptyheaded snobby rich girl club. But the Phi Mus were very careful to explain that they had a history and were intent on holding it up.

The girls I met, too, were diverse. For awhile I held a job harvesting eyes at an eye bank for organ donation. A current sister got me the job! And my big sister is auditioning for a job dancing with Disney this month.

OUlioness01 · #4 05-26-2003, 12:27 AM

I knew I was a Phi Mu the second day of rush (sorry, recruitment). I talked to a bunch of my now sisters that night and i felt at home with every single one of them. we talked about most of the things you aren't supposed to (boys mostly) and i felt comfortable doing that, although I didn't in any of the other houses i had visited to that point. it was just one of those weird things where you feel like you had known all the women in the chapter for your entire life.

it helped that my favorite color was pink too!

deltaphi94 · #5 05-26-2003, 04:03 PM

All of the other chapters on my campus seemed to look alike. The Phi Mus were diverse, and it was the only place I really felt comfortable. It seemed like I'd known some of those women my entire life. I knew early in the week that I'd found my place, and the thought of not getting a bid after pref was just horrible. I cried through the whole party because I knew I had to leave and didn't want to go.

When I turned in my card after pref, Phi Mu was on the first line, and the others were blank. The bid matchers told me I had to fill in the blanks, but I refused. Those women were my sisters, and I knew I couldn't go any other way.

What amazes me now is the bond I've found with the sisters I've met after my collegiate days. Much like the feeling of having known my chapter sisters forever, I've found the same in other places.

ladybug1116 · #6 05-26-2003, 04:54 PM

I knew I was a Phi Mu when I went to the house to meet the girls with my roommate (who was already a sister). Anyway I was having boyfriend trouble at the time and he kept calling my roommate's cell phone to find me....well the girls totally "saved" me from the situation and were totally supportive and understanding that I could not be responsible for the psycho-exes actions.
That and the girls were so down to earth and friendly. I immediately felt like a part of the "family".

VSUPhiMu · #7 05-26-2003, 10:32 PM

I knew I was a Phi Mu on the first day of rush when I sat down with my now big sister. We were instant friends and just connected in a way that I think only ya'll would understand. She laughed with me about dumb things our boyfriends did and how psycho they made us sometimes. She talked to me everyday, and I just knew it was right.

I never thought I had made the wrong choice, and initiation just cemented it all in for me. My favorite Phi Mu moment ever was when she pinned me!

sirfidelgrl · #8 05-28-2003, 12:25 AM

Pref night was the nite for me.. all week I didnt know who I wanted phi mu or ZTA...I prefed both and I had gone to ZTA first.. well I just knew leaving that pref I wanted to be a ZTA.. when I went to phi mus pref my preffer, and now one of my best friends.. told me this really sweet story about her and another sister and I got confused all over again! SO when she stood back up to sing another song... I prayed to myself, Lord, please help me make the right decision...Well the next thing I know the girls started singing friends are friends forever, by Michael W Smith.. now to anyone else that song is just a really great song about friendship, but for me that song had a much deeper meaning...Michael W Smith is a personal friend of my family... he and my parents are really good friends... Right then I knew, I walked out of that pref, did not even sit down put phi mu as #1 and left... I think I had a record time for signing!

daoine · #9 05-28-2003, 11:28 AM

Heh, I didn't. Everyone else needed to clue me in.

We had sophmore year rush, and I wound up dropping out pretty much before it had even started [a friend has some serious problems] I didn't give it much thought after that. I went about my way, hanging out with my friends from my freshman hall, my engineering crowd, and the band.

A few months later, I noticed that friends from ALL THREE of my friend circles were wearing Phi Mu letters. It so happened that one of them had brought my name up for COB, and it was kind of history from there.

deltaphi94 · #10 05-28-2003, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sirfidelgrl
Pref night was the nite for me.. all week I didnt know who I wanted phi mu or ZTA...I prefed both and I had gone to ZTA first.. well I just knew leaving that pref I wanted to be a ZTA.. when I went to phi mus pref my preffer, and now one of my best friends.. told me this really sweet story about her and another sister and I got confused all over again! SO when she stood back up to sing another song... I prayed to myself, Lord, please help me make the right decision...Well the next thing I know the girls started singing friends are friends forever, by Michael W Smith.. now to anyone else that song is just a really great song about friendship, but for me that song had a much deeper meaning...Michael W Smith is a personal friend of my family... he and my parents are really good friends... Right then I knew, I walked out of that pref, did not even sit down put phi mu as #1 and left... I think I had a record time for signing!

That song has a lot of special meaning to me, too. Not that I know Michael W. Smith, but I am a huge fan. Hearing my sisters sing that or Pass it On always gave me chills.

CarolinaCutie · #11 05-29-2003, 02:11 PM

This is one of my favorite stories to tell. I saw Phi Mu at the Fall Kickoff at school, and my favorite color is pink, so I was instantly drawn to them. Throughout recruitment, they were one of my favorites. BUT this is why I chose Phi Mu:

During one of the parties, one of the sisters I was talking to was laughing at something I said and then she said, "Come on now, CUT IT OUT" complete with the Joey Gladstone hand motions from Full House. I almost died laughing, and we started to talk about how everyone comes home after school and watched Full House, and if they say they don't, they're lying. It seems like such a silly little conversation... but it was the first REAL LIFE conversation I'd had during the parties. I felt completely relaxed and at home while laughing about something that was really pretty dorky.

Of course, there were other reasons in the end why I just HAD to choose Phi Mu... and I've never regretted it for a second!

WCUphimuDIVA · #12 06-04-2003, 01:58 PM

I wanted to go greek and I had decided to take a semester off from school during the spring. My chapter is only 3 years old and a friend of mine had a brother who was engaged to a girl who was going to West Chester. It was mentioned in passing that she was a founding sister of a sorority (I didnt remember which one). Anyway I had been looking at West Chesters greek website to find out who was COB'ing and ZTA, who I wanted to pledge, was not. Then I saw Phi Mu and the name clicked... this was the sorority that the girl had helped establish. So I emailed the president and immediately we started talking and discovered we had a lot in common. I didn't look anywhere else and went home to Phi Mu. I love my chapter and I loved the women I met at the COB and wanted to be a part of that bond... I would later discover that a lot of the women I met were graduating and a lot of the newer incoming members I don't share that bond with.

It's a very frustrating situation, being that I would say I bleed rose and white and want to do as much as I can to help further establish us on campus. It seems that many of the newer members don't share my enthusiasm and it feels sometimes like I'm pulling teeth to get a sisterhood together. Our chapter isn't given the credit it deserves. And we need new ideas for a succesful philanthropy project (because our current one is not getting the job done).

So I sit here replying to this post and don't know wether to be happy or sad. Recruitment is fast approaching and I have been researching and getting other chapters ideas left and right... but then I can't help but think, will it be worth it in the end? Will we bring home enthuiastic women??

I love Phi Mu with all of my heart and even though I can't always find a bond with some of my sisters, I still have a bond with Phi Mu in that regardless of my frustrations I do as much as I can to be involved and stay involved...

LIOB,

Jess Linn
Phi Lambda Chapter
West Chester University

HotDamnImAPhiMu · #13 06-05-2003, 02:39 AM

Hi Jess! I'm the girl who mailed you all that Phi Mu stuff.

Hang in there. Things will get better. I think every member goes through a period where it's like, "everything changed from when I joined -- what now?" The answer is -- YOU. It's your time to shine and be the beacon the older sisters were when you joined. After all, who else can teach the new members about sisterhood?

pinkyphimu · #14 06-05-2003, 07:33 PM

jess...

i was a phi when my chapter was in its 3rd year on campus....there were 7 sisters that semester. it definately takes a lot of work to get things going!!! give the newer members a chance. get to know them better, spend time with them and show them what phi mu is all about. pass that enthuiasm on...and your feelings will change.

good luck!

deltaphi94 · #15 06-06-2003, 02:55 PM

I have to agree that I think everyone goes through a period of doubt. Things will look up, even if it doesn't seem possible now. A piece of wisdom my grandbig passed on to me during my collegiate years... look at the big picture. You didn't just join that small group of women in sisterhood. Phi Mu will be with you for the rest of your life, and you will find sisters everywhere.

Believe it or not, you have the power to make the difference. Something to think about ~ are you still in contact with any of the members who were there when you joined? Maybe you could set up an alum weekend or something. If you have a group of those (or any) alumnae who could come for a day or a weekend, have some sort of sisterhood with them. That can show the actives the bond that seems to be missing now. It will also show how much the alumnae still care about Phi Mu.

Like pinkyphimu said, spend time with your sisters and get to know them better. You might be surprised at what happens.

You have joined a very special group of women. Even if you can't find a strong bond with every one of your sisters, I can tell you from experience that the bond of Phi Mu is all around.

I've found sisters on this board that I may never have known, had I not been introduced to GC. While we've never met in person, I wouldn't trade them for the world.

Keep you head held high, and don't give up!