Interested Party saying hello!

#1 11-01-2007, 07:53 PM

Hello, everyone. I'm new to the boards, and I would appreciate your feedback on this.

When I was an undergrad at UC Berkeley, I rushed during my sophomore year. I loved meeting the girls in all of the different houses, but there was one house that I really admired and wanted to join. I thought the girls were awesome - smart, funny, kind and beautiful...I would have been proud to call them sisters. Anyway, I made it through most of rush week (day 4 of 7) before I was dropped. I was heartbroken! I stayed in touch with a couple of the members while I was a student, but we all drifted apart after college.

Fast-forward to today...I'm a successful law student 1 year away from graduation (December 2008), and I'm thinking about doing an L.L.M. abroad after finishing my J.D. But I'm still thinking about the house that I missed out on, and I'd love to join.

How should I approach this?

AlphaFrog · #2 11-01-2007, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bibelot

How should I approach this?

Absolutely any way but this way. First of all, calling yourself a "Future AI" is extremely presumptious. Also, naming the sorority you're persuing is a huge no-no.

Listen, I know I'm being "Debbie Downer", but if you were already told "NO" by collegiate memebers, I think it's horrible that you want to back-door into a spesific GLO anyway. I would be pissed if I was one of those sisters who spent all night doing MS to find out that people we cut were getting in anyway.

#3 11-01-2007, 08:09 PM

I don't think that doing AI to join any sorority would be a "back-door" maneuver. I am honestly admitting that I still admire and want to be a part of the organization, and I will still be subject to the scrutiny of National and the local Alumnae chapter. I can't hide anything!

And I'm sorry that you think that my method of bringing up this issue was improper, but I wasn't sure precisely how to ask the question -- so rather than going for perfection, I just said what was on my mind. This is a message board where people post items to discuss, right?

AlwaysSAI · #4 11-01-2007, 08:18 PM

Welcome to GC

(AF, you know how I meant it)

haha.

#5 11-01-2007, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlwaysSAI

Welcome to GC

(AF, you know how I meant it)

haha.

Wow, that was pretty snarky. You've got a lot of free time to troll the boards and mess with people, huh?

Anyway, you two girls have fun. I've got some volunteer work to do, and then I'm going to go study. I will pursue my dream of joining the sorority that I admire, one way or the other...and it's up to them, not you, to tell me yes or no. Period.

fyrnymph · #6 11-01-2007, 08:36 PM

May I suggest you go and read the past posts here in the AI section? It will give you a great deal of information and also some perspective.

AlwaysSAI · #7 11-01-2007, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bibelot

Wow, that was pretty snarky. You've got a lot of free time to troll the boards and mess with people, huh?

I just meant that GC isn't always a friendly place especially when you bring up sensitive subjects-as such.

And, calling yourself a "Future AI" even though you have now changed the title is just like saying- "I'm going to be an ABC!!" When homegirl hasn't even gone through recruitment yet.

But, I can see how my post wouldn't be seen that way. (There have been lots of threads about the rampant snarkiness on GC-maybe you should check them out)

AlphaFrog · #8 11-02-2007, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bibelot

I don't think that doing AI to join any sorority would be a "back-door" maneuver.

Of course YOU don't...that's why you're pursuing AI.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bibelot

I will pursue my dream of joining the sorority that I admire, one way or the other...and it's up to them, not you, to tell me yes or no. Period.

"Pursuing your dream of joining a sorority" is the exact reason that most of us are against these AI forums to begin with...and no, AlwaysSAI aren't the ones who say "yes or no", but the ones who DO have already said "no".

SmartBlondeGPhB · #9 11-02-2007, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bibelot

I will pursue my dream of joining the sorority that I admire, one way or the other...and it's up to them, not you, to tell me yes or no. Period.

Which they already did when they dropped you.

As an alumna member I seriously question any woman who went to a college with a large/active Greek system and didn't end up joining then and then wants to AI.

texas*princess · #10 11-02-2007, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Absolutely any way but this way. First of all, calling yourself a "Future AI" is extremely presumptious. Also, naming the sorority you're persuing is a huge no-no.

Listen, I know I'm being "Debbie Downer", but if you were already told "NO" by collegiate memebers, I think it's horrible that you want to back-door into a spesific GLO anyway. I would be pissed if I was one of those sisters who spent all night doing MS to find out that people we cut were getting in anyway.

I'd have to agree w/ AF.

AI should be an honor... not a right.

CutiePie2000 · #11 11-01-2007, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bibelot

How should I approach this?

You asked "How should I approach this?" so here goes.

You might want to re-establish / reconnect / reforge the friendship ties that you made with those sorority friends. It's better that they are the ones to recommend you as a prospective candidate for membership, rather than you approach the org. directly yourself, on your own recommendation for membership.

Going forward, I would also refer to yourself as a "Prospective Candidate", rather than as a "Future AI". It's best to err on the side of caution and humility.

PenguinTrax · #12 11-01-2007, 09:19 PM

Please read the FAQs in the forum and practice the utmost discretion. this is a very touchy subject on GC with strong feelings on both side of the fence.

SWTXBelle · #13 11-02-2007, 05:34 PM

PLUS op stated that she wanted to perhaps go abroad for study after law school. I don't see how, unless I'm missing something, her desire to join Pi Phi is going to translate into AI. I think that AI is something which should come from the alumnae group - not the pnm.

texas*princess · #14 11-02-2007, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

PLUS op stated that she wanted to perhaps go abroad for study after law school. I don't see how, unless I'm missing something, her desire to join Pi Phi is going to translate into AI. I think that AI is something which should come from the alumnae group - not the pnm.

I would venture to say - based on previous discussions - a lot of people on GC disagree with the AI subforum to begin with.

How many "HI I WENT THROUGH RECRUITMENT, BUT ENDED UP NOT JOINING A SORORITY, AND NOW I'M 40, ALL MY KIDS ARE GROWN UP AND I'M READY TO TRY AGAIN, AND OMG! I'M SO EXCITED I FOUND GC BECAUSE I NEVER KNEW ABOUT AI BEFORE THIS I'M SO EXCITED NOW I CAN FULFILL MY COLLEGE DREAM OF BEING IN A SORORITY!!!!!!!" people have we had?

I'd say alot.

It's one thing if you (general, not directed at anyone specific) already have some kind of connection (whether you pledged, but could never initiate, or you happen to be friends with someone in XYZ), and the person thinks high enough of you to recommend you for AI, and it's quite another to be stalking the HQ and the Alum Assoc. trying to get an "in" just because you had a dream of joining a sorority that never came to be in your college years.

PeppyGPhiB · #15 11-02-2007, 09:12 PM

You didn't "miss out on" this sorority, they declined to offer you membership. Why would you want to join an organization that already rejected you? I've also never understood how women on this board who want to AI can feel any ties to a sorority from a failed recruitment or just from reading the Web site...really, you probably don't know anything about the sorority, so how can you admire it?

I believe AI should be something you're invited to do, not just a form of recruitment for older women.