Young Alumni....Still in the mix?

josh8o · #1 09-02-2004, 04:32 PM

any young alumni out there who still live in teh city they went to school in? who are still friends with the undergrads? do you still hang out with them? is it lame to go back and party with them on a thursday night? or a big theme party?

emleepc · #2 09-02-2004, 04:36 PM

I don't live in the same city anymore,because I graduated in December of 2003, but I do still have undergrad friends, and I visit them. Also my boyfriend is in grad school at the same school, so he still live in that town, and I go visit him. We go out with friends, undergrad and others, and I still go to the fraternity house and hang when I'm there. It's still fun to do, but I will admit it's different now that I live a couple of hours away, and have a "big-kid job".

#3 09-02-2004, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by josh8o
any young alumni out there who still live in teh city they went to school in? who are still friends with the undergrads? do you still hang out with them? is it lame to go back and party with them on a thursday night? or a big theme party?

Right when I just became an alum 2 years ago it wasn't uncommon for me to be out at the bars and apartments with the collegians because these were the girls I was very close with while I was in chapter.

A lot of "older" alums frowned upon it because some young alums didn't know where to draw the fine line between alum and collegian. I was still working on my degree when I took alum status early. Still, I only went out with them if I was invited to the bar and if I was invited to the party. I don't think it's lame at all.

Now, on the other hand, because it's been a few years and most of my girls have since graduated, I rarely ever encounter the collegians aside from official chapter events. Out of the chapter, there are only a handful of girls still collegians that were collegians with me.

#4 09-02-2004, 04:54 PM

I stayed in my town for about a year after I left school... I'd gotten a job in a local law office and just decided to get a nicer apartment and stick around

I still went to meetings pretty regularly and out to the bars, etc. There were a few of us young alums around and we pretty much did stuff together with the actives.

Now that I'm in a different city and a few years out, I don't do much with my chapter anymore.. there's no one still active that was active with me, and that hour drive back home makes it pretty inconvenient to attend 9pm Monday meetings. I'm actually planning a trip to a meeting in October, though, so we'll see if I feel welcome. If so, I'll try to do it more.

hannahgirl · #5 09-03-2004, 12:14 AM

Thats funny that you mention that. I still live 20 minutes away from my chapter of initiation and am helping them with recruitment. I actually went out with them tonight for a couple drinks. I did just graduate in May so I still know a lot of people in the system (some that at times think i'm still active) but I don't think it matters whether you're alum for a couple years or recent. Its still ok to go out with them.....afterall they are your fraternity brothers. It's all about reliving some college moments that you don't get anymore~!

zchiprincess · #6 09-03-2004, 11:04 AM

I graduated in December 2001 and I am still very active with my chapter and my sorority in general. As a chapter Founder, I definitely want to remain in contact with the ladies initiated into my chapter. I have attended at least part of every Rush week we have had since I graduated.

I am also very good friends with some of our neos and just last week had a party at my "big person" house to which all chapter founders and all our neos came too. I see myself staying in touch socially and business-wise with my chapter for a long time to come.

winneythepooh7 · #7 09-03-2004, 11:10 AM

I graduated in 1998 which is a long long time ago it seems. I try to make it back to New Paltz at least once a year but it just isn't the same after you graduate. The girls are still sweet and as adorable as ever (some are like 10 years younger then me scary............) and it's nice to visit but as soon as I get my New Paltz fix in for a night, I long to go back to being an "adult". As much as things change, they still remain the same and you realize as you get older how much you have changed from those days as a young collegian. I am going to begin my next chapter in my sisterhood by becoming an Advisor this Fall for the Deephers at Pace University. I don't think it is cheesy at all to go back and see the actives, in fact I think it is great because it lets them know you are still interested in them and sisterhood doesn't necessarily have to die after graduation.

Kevin · #8 09-03-2004, 11:18 AM

I graduated back in '02. Since then, I've become a member of the chapter advisory board and deal with both the chapter's Honor Council (like standards board) and Financial issues. The two areas often go hand in hand.

I've had to kind of redefine how I can hang out with these guys. There obviously aren't any guys left that were around when I joined the colony -- in fact, there are only a few former colonists left in the chapter.

There has been a great deal of change since we received our charter and our roles as alums have been chaning along with the chapter. We've set up a house corporation, an Alumni Chapter and an Advisory Board. Yeah, we still hang out. A lot of us show up for Rush from as far away as Dallas (which is about a 3 1/2 hour drive). We still have a good time with them.

I on occasion will buy an active a beer, go out to the bar with a few of 'em, etc.. These days, you won't see me participating in chugging contests or anything of that nature (if that stuff ever happened anymore). I don't usually hang out at parties too late, etc.

-- It's a fairly unique situation we have where we essentially are able to define what an alum is and does where our chapter is concerned.

Alphie1851 · #9 09-03-2004, 11:29 AM

i'm only a year older than some of the women in my chapter and am attending graduate school at the same university where my chapter is located, so i still do a lot with my collegian sisters. i helped with formal recruitment and have attended a few of their events this semester. though i've been invited to attend meetings with the advisors, i have yet to go to one because i don't want to be around too much, you know? it feels different, but in many ways, it's not been a drastic change from being active.

oncelurked · #10 09-03-2004, 02:10 PM

I've been out for just over a year and have moved roughly 400 miles from my chapter of initiation. When I was back for a visit, I hung out with the girls and helped out with recruitment. It was great, and I hope to be able to do so again. Since I try to meet all of the new actives and keep in touch with everyone I knew as an active, it makes helping out easier and shows the younger women that it really is for a lifetime. Plus, visiting gives me a chance to see my pledge sisters

I also happen to live by another chapter now, so I am serving on the house corporation for that chapter. This is a new thing, so we'll see how it goes, but I know it will be different than being an active.

chideltjen · #11 09-03-2004, 07:43 PM

The girls have made it a tradition to go line dancing every Monday night after the meetings. I've been joining them on occasion. I also have very recent alumna sisters that still hang out with the actives... so if they have a get together, actives are there too. So the house generally knows who I am. And I still run their website, so I have to be around.

JonoBN41 · #12 09-03-2004, 08:55 PM

Josh,

This is a very good question. I agree with ktsnake about recent alums having to redefine their roles. Some alumni can be wilder than the undergraduates, which is not a good situation. I think recent graduates certainly can hang out with the actives, but it's probably better if they're a little more reserved and even watch out for the younger guys while they're together.

How long can you do this? I don't know. Depends.

But if an active asks you when you were initiated - and then says, "Wow, dude that's the year I was born", ya might want to look in the mirror.

Jono

RioLambdaAlum · #13 09-04-2004, 12:56 PM

i don't live in the town i went to college in, but last year was my first year out of college and i made a point to make sure i got to go see everyone. i went down for a day in august to see my sisters, in nov. for our homecoming, and april for our white dove ball. i plan on trying to stay involved as much as possible in supporting the gals as i can.

Tom Earp · #14 09-05-2004, 10:14 AM

Living some distance does make it hard for some Alums to get back. We at my Chapter try to plan for Alums to come back to two events a year. Homecoming and Founders Day. Oct and Feb. to be exact.

But now, back to the original question, We have a lot of Alums in the Area Of The School who dont do a damn thing. No matter How Hard We as Alums and Actives try to get them involved.

If I had the answer, I would be working for Our Int. Hq.

It is funny though, our local Alums tail gate at every home game and dont really have anything to do with the Active Chapter.

Hmm, there could be a total tailgate for Alums and Actives in the works.

Greek Life is not like marriage where absence makes the heart grow fonder.

ZTAngel · #15 09-05-2004, 11:08 AM

I'm right down the street from my chapter but I rarely go to the house unless it's just to stop by and visit or for an alumnae event. I'm still friends a few of the undergrad although I keep in better touch with the alum. I'll go downtown and party with a few of the collegiate members but I don't go to socials.