Which Greek system would you want to join?

[honeychile]

I'd be lying if I didn't say that I sometimes wonder what my life would have been like had I gone to William and Mary, but it's more for career/academic reasons than sorority.

The others would have been Washington & Lee, and possibly an SEC recruitment. Although, much like Killarney Rose, I'm not sure how well I would have handled a SEC recruitment!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by honeychile

The others would have been Washington & Lee . . . .

For me, the do-overs likely would have been W&L or Hampden-Sydney.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

For me, the do-overs likely would have been W&L or Hampden-Sydney.

I have to say W&M, as I did almost go there!


FWIW, Pitt schedules around the High Holy Days - to the extent that I've seen the Recruitment Schedules changed due to those making up the schedule forgetting about the night before issue.

[angels&angles]

Originally Posted by honeychile

The others would have been Washington & Lee...

Not to trying to pry, but were there women/sororities at W&L when you were rushing? Or is this 100% hypothetical?

For me, I almost went to Syracuse and it was probably the only other school where I actually would have rushed. (18-year-old me would NEVER rush at a Big 10 or SEC school. I was super closed-minded about Greek Life at that age. Took me a semester to come around to the idea--but boy did I)

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by angels&angles

Not to trying to pry, but were there women/sororities at W&L when you were rushing? Or is this 100% hypothetical?

For me, I almost went to Syracuse and it was probably the only other school where I actually would have rushed. (18-year-old me would NEVER rush at a Big 10 or SEC school. I was super closed-minded about Greek Life at that age. Took me a semester to come around to the idea--but boy did I)

Totally hypothetical. I could probably say University of Virginia, as I considered it, but I liked the idea of the "what if".

[KillarneyRose]

Originally Posted by honeychile

I'd be lying if I didn't say that I sometimes wonder what my life would have been like had I gone to William and Mary, but it's more for career/academic reasons than sorority.

The others would have been Washington & Lee, and possibly an SEC recruitment. Although, much like Killarney Rose, I'm not sure how well I would have handled a SEC recruitment!

LOL, Honey, I'm sure you would have been just fine in the SEC. I bet during your rush at Pitt they didn't know WHAT to make of you! (who is this girl with the nice manners and recs? What is a rec, anyway???)

[chi-o_cat]

I don’t have a specific campus in mind, but I think I’ll go the opposite way from many of the responses. Instead of a huge Greek system with a brutal “rush”, I’d take my do-over at one where the chapters are all small and quota (if they even do formal recruitment) is in the teens or single numbers. I think that would feel very comfortable for me.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Titchou

Having been raised Roman Catholic I can assure you that missing Mass on Sunday is just as serious a sin TO THEM as missing a Holy Day of Obligation.

But those days just involve an hour or a little more at mass. One can still go to work or school on a holy day of obligation or a football game on Sunday without any problem, as long as the obligation attend mass is fulfilled.

The Jewish High Holy Days are full-day observances that require fasting and avoiding all activity except religious observances. No school. No work. No recreational activities. And it's pretty well understood that many Jews who are not particulaly observant about Sabbath-keeping are very observant when it comes to the High Holy Days.

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

It would never ever ever happen that rush would be scheduled over Easter, even Good Friday.

Exactly. These days (or Christmas) are the apt comparisons to the High Holy Days. Sundays and holy days of obligation are comparable to the Sabbath, about which see above.

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

But those days just involve an hour or a little more at mass. One can still go to work or school on a holy day of obligation or a football game on Sunday without any problem, as long as the obligation attend mass is fulfilled.

The Jewish High Holy Days are full-day observances that require fasting and avoiding all activity except religious observances. No school. No work. No recreational activities. And it's pretty well understood that many Jews who are not particulaly observant about Sabbath-keeping are very observant when it comes to the High Holy Days.

Exactly. These days (or Christmas) are the apt comparisons to the High Holy Days. Sundays and holy days of obligation are comparable to the Sabbath, about which see above.

True. But if are on a campus in a small town where there is only one mass a day, that could prove to be a problem. I just picked Catholic as one of several. There are other religions which have all day strict observances besides the Jews who observe High Holy Days. I'm just curious about how to deal with those as well.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by honeychile

The Muslim equivalent (from what I understand, I'm not fully versed in their culture) would be Ramadan.

I'm not sure that Ramadan would be equivalent. Muslims fast during daylight hours in Ramadan, but otherwise pretty much go through their regular day -- work, school, etc. So Ramadan per se would not prevent someone from participating in rush/recruitment. It might prevent them from eating or drinking at rush/recruitment events. Eid al-Fitr (the last day of Ramadan) and Eid al-Adha (during the Hajj) are perhaps the closest equivalents.

It's the all-day-and-nothing-but aspect of the Jewish High Holy Days that distinguishes it from the other observances that have been mentioned. A Jew observing Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur simply cannot attend any rush/recruitment event on those days. Period. If attendance at rush/recruitment events on those days is required, then that requirement effectively excludes Jews from being able to participate.

Originally Posted by Titchou

There are other religions which have all day strict observances besides the Jews who observe High Holy Days. I'm just curious about how to deal with those as well.

It's not that complicated, really. The reality is that, historically at least, it's Christian and Jewish observances that were most frequently encountered in American culture. Also historically, it's the High Holy Days that are most likely to conflict with a Fall recruitment.

So it's been a pretty simple matter: Don't schedule required events on Christmas, Good Friday or Easter, or on Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur. Additional "no-schedule" days might be locally appropriate depending on local demographics.

As other religions like Islam or Hinduism grow in the U.S., note can be taken of what days (if any) would present attendance problems for the faithful of those religions and plans made accordingly. In the meantime, policies are structured so that missing an otherwise required event because of religious obligations doesn't have a negative impact on someone. Schools and workplaces do it all the time.

[ASTalumna06]

I would want to go through an SEC recruitment just to see what it was like, and to experience the insanity of it all. However, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't fit in and I wouldn't want that typically large chapter experience.

I'd simply like to go through formal recruitment - as my school didn't even have formal when I attended - at any school where there were 5-10 chapters and each sorority had between 40-60 members.

And having a house would be nice

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Additional "no-schedule" days might be locally appropriate depending on local demographics.

I think this is the bottom line.

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I'm not sure that Ramadan would be equivalent. Muslims fast during daylight hours in Ramadan, but otherwise pretty much go through their regular day -- work, school, etc. So Ramadan per se would not prevent someone from participating in rush/recruitment. It might prevent them from eating or drinking at rush/recruitment events. Eid al-Fitr (the last day of Ramadan) and Eid al-Adha (during the Hajj) are perhaps the closest equivalents.

It's the all-day-and-nothing-but aspect of the Jewish High Holy Days that distinguishes it from the other observances that have been mentioned. A Jew observing Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur simply cannot attend any rush/recruitment event on those days. Period. If attendance at rush/recruitment events on those days is required, then that requirement effectively excludes Jews from being able to participate.

It's not that complicated, really. The reality is that, historically at least, it's Christian and Jewish observances that were most frequently encountered in American culture. Also historically, it's the High Holy Days that are most likely to conflict with a Fall recruitment.

So it's been a pretty simple matter: Don't schedule required events on Christmas, Good Friday or Easter, or on Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur. Additional "no-schedule" days might be locally appropriate depending on local demographics.

As other religions like Islam or Hinduism grow in the U.S., note can be taken of what days (if any) would present attendance problems for the faithful of those religions and plans made accordingly. In the meantime, policies are structured so that missing an otherwise required event because of religious obligations doesn't have a negative impact on someone. Schools and workplaces do it all the time.

Exactly what made me wonder about all this. I guess I'm sort of the one who says either accommodate them all or ignore them all. I think I might be somewhat miffed if my school allowed people of a certain religion to opt out of a day of recruitment while not letting others. But then, I come from a place where "chapter church" is not a foreign concept. That's why I veered off on this topic - to see where others fall on the spectrum. Interesting....

[pbear19]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

But those days just involve an hour or a little more at mass. One can still go to work or school on a holy day of obligation or a football game on Sunday without any problem, as long as the obligation attend mass is fulfilled.

The Jewish High Holy Days are full-day observances that require fasting and avoiding all activity except religious observances. No school. No work. No recreational activities. And it's pretty well understood that many Jews who are not particulaly observant about Sabbath-keeping are very observant when it comes to the High Holy Days.

Exactly. These days (or Christmas) are the apt comparisons to the High Holy Days. Sundays and holy days of obligation are comparable to the Sabbath, about which see above.

I agree with all of this. SLU is a Jesuit school in a *very* Catholic city, and recruitment is held on Sundays. It's in the afternoon and evening, and no one bats an eye at it. Not even remotely the same thing as a Jewish High Holy Day.

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by pbear19

I agree with all of this. SLU is a Jesuit school in a *very* Catholic city, and recruitment is held on Sundays. It's in the afternoon and evening, and no one bats an eye at it. Not even remotely the same thing as a Jewish High Holy Day.

Well, being Jesuit explains that!