Goofydz,
Sorry to hear that your chapter is going through a rough time right now. Going alumna isn't the answer, though. Being a Delta Zeta means sticking with your sisters through good times and bad. To have a strong sisterhood, everyone has to make a serious effort to work together. Running away from the chapter will only weaken it. Instead, why don't you and your sisters plan a weekend retreat? While you're there, have a brainstorming session about what is good about your current chapter and what needs to be changed. Most importantly, make it a rule at the session that no one is allowed to complain about the problems unless they do two things: 1) say something positive about the chapter first - something specific, not just "I really like Suzie." and 2) offer a solution to the problem the person is complaining about. That way, the whole brainstorming event won't become a negative thing and you can return to school with a lot of ideas on how to fix your internal problems. Also, take a stuffed turtle with you and make a rule that only the person holding the turtle is allowed to speak. That will prevent people from talking out of turn.
During the retreat, play some bonding games with your sisters. One of my favorites is to take white paper plates and fasten a piece of string to each plate so that the sisters can wear the plate as a necklace around their necks. (The plates go on their backs so that they don't know what is being written until the end of the activity.) Give everyone crayons and instruct them to write one thing that they like/admire about each sister on her plate. When every plate has a comment from every sister, get in a circle, pass your plate to the person on your left, and then go around the circle reading your neighbor's plate out loud. This is an activity that brought huge smiles to my pledge sisters' faces while we were on our retreat. And, from reading the plates aloud, we were able to learn some things about our sisters that we may not have known.
I hope this helps you out a little. I know that some years in DZ are better than others. I experienced extreme highs and lows during my time as a collegiate, so I can certainly sympathize. But please don't go temporary alumna. Don't give up on your sisterhood - those girls need you and your strength INSIDE the collegiate chapter, not outside.
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