Sorority Shopping?

[OtterXO]

Originally Posted by ariesrising

So most PNAIs hide the fact they have met with more than one group (for the record, I consider meeting a group different from just contacting a group for info). This is the part that bothers me - if you don't think you're doing wrong by meeting (meeting, not just contacting) more than one group, then why keep it a secret?

That's a really good point. My feeling on that is if you feel like you need to hide it then you probably shouldn't be doing it. I can't imagine any alumnae chapter would be happy to know the PNAI was attending functions for AAs of multiple organizations. I know that if I were confronted with that situation in my alumnae chapter I would be very skeptical of the PNAI's sincerety about my organization.

[BadSquirrelBeta]

Originally Posted by OtterXO

That's a really good point. My feeling on that is if you feel like you need to hide it then you probably shouldn't be doing it. I can't imagine any alumnae chapter would be happy to know the PNAI was attending functions for AAs of multiple organizations. I know that if I were confronted with that situation in my alumnae chapter I would be very skeptical of the PNAI's sincerety about my organization.

Otter, I totally concur. And though I have always been PRO AI I want to make it clear that PRO AI shouldn't be taken for granted, exploited and shouldn't equal pushover...

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by adpiucf

But you're not going to be involved in rituals -- once a year tops if there's a collegiate chapter nearby, and even less if there is not. And ritual does not create a unique bond. Friendship creates a unique bond.

I really think that with every post you make on GC, you paint a picture that screams out this process is not right for you. You must be invited by someone who is a member. You're not going to get that on GC, MySpace, Facebook or arbitrarily contacting HQ's. AI is not membership recruitment.

You are awesome.

I haven't gone through ritual in over three years--and I'm active in the local alumnae association and I help out with the collegiate chapter nearby. I imagine the next time I go through it will be either if I attend a convention or I advise a chapter--neither of which will be for quite some time!

I've said this before, but I believe that NPC AI needs to be more like grad chapter initiation for NPHC groups, at least on the PNAI's part. My (biological) sister did her research in private--maybe by going on the sororities' websites, but not relying on the internets--and showed her interest in other ways, by being active in the community and rubbing elbows with some of the women in the grad chapter through events. Some of them knew our family, which probably helped; plus, she had a connection to her organization. She did not post her "homecoming story!" on GC. She did not let anyone else know what she was looking into at any time other than the appropriate one. She pursued sorority membership with DISCRETION, and it worked well for her. Most of the women that I know who have gone through NPC AI have similar stories--and those are the ones we like to hear.

Finally, Florida is a small state. Even though I haven't lived there for over seven years, I have AXO connections in every major city. If you annoy/offend/gross out someone on the internets, you could be jeopardizing your AI chances.

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by adpiucf

But you're not going to be involved in rituals -- once a year tops if there's a collegiate chapter nearby, and even less if there is not. And ritual does not create a unique bond. Friendship creates a unique bond.

And you're telling me you're attracted to a sorority because of they way they designed their website? Seriously? Scandia, intuition is not something you glean off a web site. You get it from interactions with flesh and blood people, not MySpace or Greek Chat people on the internet.

I really think that with every post you make on GC, you paint a picture that screams out this process is not right for you. I'm not standing up on a mountaintop singing, "Nah nah nah, I'm in a sorority and you're not," but you can't go by philanthropies and ritualistic mysteries in the process of AI. You must be invited by someone who is a member. You're not going to get that on GC, MySpace, Facebook or arbitrarily contacting HQ's. I think you need to not pursue this quite so strongly and just get involved with your community. If you meet sorority alumnae with whom you click, they'll recognize that there is something special about you and invite you to their AA and maybe get the process going. AI is not membership recruitment.

Completely excellent.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DGMarie

• It is the local chapter that will sponsor you.
• It is the local chapter that will question why you want to join them.
• It is the local chapter that will either say gee you're swell or you don't fit us at all.

Not always. That depends on the GLO.

And as a side note, I didn't know we had this cool little feature where you can make a list. Thanks DGMarie, you are S-M-R-T smart.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by 33girl

And as a side note, I didn't know we had this cool little feature where you can make a list. Thanks DGMarie, you are S-M-R-T smart.

It will help the PNAMs list out the sororities they have shopped for.

• Rainbow Brite
• My Little Ponies
• Care Bears
• Fraggle Rock
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
• He-Man
• She-Ra

[Runs for cover]

[BadSquirrelBeta]

We need to see if Carnation's Cruddy Phi Cruddy allows for AI.

I just couldn't resist...sorry.

[texas*princess]

adpiucf - you hit it right on the nail!

I believe this has been said before, but fundamentally, most sororities are based on the same things. We want to foster friendships, encourage scholastic achievement, create and develop great leaders, give back to the community and create a sense of sisterhood.

A good 99.99% of NPC sororities have SOMETHING to that effect in their creeds/open mottos/etc.

So Scandia if you are basing your decision on websites and their creeds, I hate to burst your bubble, but that won't narrow down your search.

When you go through recruitment (at the college level), most women know that in a general sense, most chapters do about the same things (have sisterhood times, socials, philanthropy events, academic stuff). One of the things I have noticed is that a lot of their decision is based on their ability to connect to the women already in the chapter.

At a post-graduate level, it should pretty much be the same.

If you pick a sorority based on the cool pin that you get to wear twice a year, or the awesome ritual you will see at the very most once a year, you might as well put all 26 sororities on a piece of paper and pick one out of a hat.

[Xylochick216]

EXACTLY. When I went through recruitment, I loved certain aspects of some sororities on campus, but when I met the women, I knew I'd never be happy there. As much as I loved their philanthropy/mascot/ideals, the women were not the type of people I'd feel as comfortable with. I think each and every one of the NPC sororities have worthwhile philanthropies, good symphonies, etc. I value everything about Alpha Chi Omega, but the women in my chapter are what made me love my sorority. They were the ones I spent my time with, learned from, laughed with, cried with, etc. They were the bridesmaids in my wedding, and they're the ones who I've kept in contact with more than anyone else.

Because every sorority has such high ideals, you honestly can't choose one at random and say you feel a connection. You need to meet the women, because what would be the point of AIing if you loved the ideals but hated the women in your alum chapter? Who wants to attend events where they don't like 90% of the people?

Originally Posted by texas*princess

adpiucf - you hit it right on the nail!

I believe this has been said before, but fundamentally, most sororities are based on the same things. We want to foster friendships, encourage scholastic achievement, create and develop great leaders, give back to the community and create a sense of sisterhood.

A good 99.99% of NPC sororities have SOMETHING to that effect in their creeds/open mottos/etc.

So Scandia if you are basing your decision on websites and their creeds, I hate to burst your bubble, but that won't narrow down your search.

When you go through recruitment (at the college level), most women know that in a general sense, most chapters do about the same things (have sisterhood times, socials, philanthropy events, academic stuff). One of the things I have noticed is that a lot of their decision is based on their ability to connect to the women already in the chapter.

At a post-graduate level, it should pretty much be the same.

If you pick a sorority based on the cool pin that you get to wear twice a year, or the awesome ritual you will see at the very most once a year, you might as well put all 26 sororities on a piece of paper and pick one out of a hat.

[AlphaFrog]

What is with the influx of AI hopefuls in the past few days who are all but shouting from the rooftops "I'M SORORITY SHOPPING...SOMEONE PLEASE BE MY INTERWEB SPONSOR (or at the very least, spell it out letter by letter for each org, so I don't have to do any real work myself...)!!!".

[tunatartare]

It's because some people like to advertise AI as being the wave of the future. That's what happens when you give out false information.

[LPIDelta]

I bet Tom is sending them all....

[adpiucf]

When I hear that statement, "AI is the wave of the future," I think of Wonder Woman flying in the sky and an announcer's voice echoing "The waaaaaaaaaaave of the fuuuuuuuuuuuuuture"

/weird.

[SydneyK]

This probably isn't the best place to ask this question, but since MBurden posted in this thread so often, I thought it wasn't too far-reaching. Anyone know why/when she was banned? And why were so many innocuous (at least IMHO they were innocuous) posts deleted from this thread? And while I'm hijacking... what's with the new verification box in the search function?

back to your regularly scheduled sorority shopping thread...

[adpiucf]

PM stalking members and carrying on hateful PMs, openly attacking members and saying derogatory things about specific sororities