Book pledged: the secret lives of sororities

[Sheenie_Marinie]

Well, I have read this book and I agree that the "secrets" section was unneccesary. Ritual is what keeps all of our groups individual organizations, and they reveal the purposes of our groups. To reveal such information is rude, and disrespectful to all of our Founders.

Secondly, I hate using this cliche', but you dont understand unless you are Greek, but in this situation it's true. It's hard to explain to someone who #1.) probably doesn't want to understand completely, and #2.) someone who can't be in the situations that fellow greeks are involved in everyday in the respect that all of us feel towards other members of our greek communities.

Third, Although I did feel like she was more balanced than I first believed her to be ... I have to remind non-greeks that this is not a representation of all chapters. Just because this book revealed these issues that were present at this school doesn't mean that this is an honest representation of Greek Life in general.

This book was an entertaining read, but I'm sure that all of my fellow NPC Sisters could see the sisterhood through the drama, and could understand the stressful nature of rush, and can make the commitment to stress the postive nature of Greek Life!

Love and Loyalty!

[PureGoldF2K1]

Sorry, I know I'm super late in checking this book out, but last night was the first time I read this thread! Today I was in the King of Prussia mall and I went to 3 diff. book stores to find this! I havent read it yet, but I did flip to "sorority secrets" and I have to say that I'm soo appalled and angry and I actually was in a little daze while walking through the mall. I know that nothing is totally secret due to disgruntled ex-members, members who cant keep their mouths shut to boyfriends, etc....but to see certain things in print for everyone to see literally brought tears to my eyes. (I was with my GDI little sister who does NOT understand, so I kept from getting too emotional!)

I only hope that whoever reads this understands that not everything is accurate.....

[James]

Its neat that she managed to find four complete chuckleheads to follow around. I guess people with better social skills weren't willing to do it? Hint Hint Hint.

And a lot of stuff only looks odd out of context anyway. If you could have camera following you around even relatively normal stuff might seem really strange to people that are not there. Private type converstions and minor idiosyncracies especially.

[JupiterTC]

Originally posted by PureGoldF2K1
I havent read it yet, but I did flip to "sorority secrets" and I have to say that I'm soo appalled and angry and I actually was in a little daze while walking through the mall. I know that nothing is totally secret due to disgruntled ex-members, members who cant keep their mouths shut to boyfriends, etc....but to see certain things in print for everyone to see literally brought tears to my eyes. (I was with my GDI little sister who does NOT understand, so I kept from getting too emotional!)

I completely agree with ya! However, some of the secrets are not acurate (thank goodness!). For example, she thinks she knows Tri Delta's secret password, but the one disclosed in her book is no where near it. She also makes a reference to Sigma Kappa's secret motto, which from my understanding is also not correct. Though it's sad that some our sisters would disclose our rituals to non-members, I would not take Ms Robbins' book as gospel.

[annmarie3]

I am almost positive that it did take place at SMU. In what I think was a slip-up, Robbins mentions one of the "Alpha Rhos" arguing that a pledge is from Highland Park. There are a ton of other clues throught the book.
I think that Alpha Rho is Alpha Chi Omega. Caitlin calls herself an "Alpha-holic". They also both have October founders days, like someone mentioned.
Beta Pi.... Pi Beta Phi.... I'll have to go through the book to find the specific reasons, but the first time I read this book there was no doubt in my mind that Beta Pi was Pi Phi.
I don't think that Robbins provides subtle hints the whole way through.
Does anyone actually go to SMU who can verify any of the information/descriptions in the book?

[Sister Havana]

There is a Highland Park in Illinois, too, though. It's one of the North Shore suburbs of Chicago.

[33girl]

There's one in Pittsburgh as well. It's really not an original name for a suburb.

[sugar and spice]

Originally posted by annmarie3
I am almost positive that it did take place at SMU. In what I think was a slip-up, Robbins mentions one of the "Alpha Rhos" arguing that a pledge is from Highland Park. There are a ton of other clues throught the book.
I think that Alpha Rho is Alpha Chi Omega. Caitlin calls herself an "Alpha-holic". They also both have October founders days, like someone mentioned.
Beta Pi.... Pi Beta Phi.... I'll have to go through the book to find the specific reasons, but the first time I read this book there was no doubt in my mind that Beta Pi was Pi Phi.
I don't think that Robbins provides subtle hints the whole way through.
Does anyone actually go to SMU who can verify any of the information/descriptions in the book?

I'm with you on all three of those guesses. I'm actually 98 percent sure it's SMU at this point. I wish there were some SMU Greeks on this board to verify, but I don't think there are any that post.

There was one thing that made me question that it was AXO though -- I think there's one section where one of the Alpha Rhos "flops down on her bed, tossing aside her stuffed swan (the Alpha Rho mascot)." AXO's mascot is the lyre, and I can't imagine that many girls have stuffed lyres. AXO doesn't really have ANY symbols that would make good stuffed animals, in my opinion.

ETA: People at amazon.com agree with us:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...coliid=&colid=

[Munchkin03]

Originally posted by sugar and spice
There was one thing that made me question that it was AXO though -- I think there's one section where one of the Alpha Rhos "flops down on her bed, tossing aside her stuffed swan (the Alpha Rho mascot)." AXO's mascot is the lyre, and I can't imagine that many girls have stuffed lyres. AXO doesn't really have ANY symbols that would make good stuffed animals, in my opinion.

Some AXO chapters use an angel or teddy bear as their informal mascot. If the SMU chapter does, then it could still be the chapter.

Have any of the SMU sororities integrated?

[annmarie3]

I'm glad that so many people have responded to the post, and that other people agree with me!!

The amazon link was helpful. Another clue that I don't think was mentioned in that was the town where the college is located having 2 demographics divided by a freeway. DALLAS.

There was a typo in my last post! I meant to say that Robbins DOES provide subtle hints. I just feel it's very obvious to anyone remotely familiar with the area that State U IS Southern Methodist University.


My best guess on the Alpha Rho swan is that it was either
a) a teddy bear that they were using as a mascot (munchkin)
b) a lapboard
c) a random stuffed animal unaffiliated with the sorority

[kddani]

i'm quite certain that she took many creative liberties when writing the book, so every detail DID NOT happen in real life. She might've been tossing a stuffed donkey for all we know

[texas*princess]

Originally posted by kddani
i'm quite certain that she took many creative liberties when writing the book, so every detail DID NOT happen in real life. She might've been tossing a stuffed donkey for all we know

or playing with her Barbies pretending they were living in the Barbie Sorority Dream House!

[texas*princess]

that would be so crazy if it was Dallas!

[tinydancer]

Originally posted by Munchkin03
Have any of the SMU sororities integrated?

I can only speak for Gamma Phi Beta at SMU, but yes.

[annmarie3]

Originally posted by Munchkin03

Have any of the SMU sororities integrated?

what do you mean by integrated?