NPHC Secretiveness, Insularity, Etc.

[Senusret I]

ChildOftheHorn, you need to slow your roll. For real.

You were just initiated this past semester, right? You can't possibly know all there is to know about even your own organization, much less others to say that they MUST be smaller for a reason.

You're throwing about the word "hazing" an awful lot -- have you reported it? Or do you just like perpetuating gossip about cultural Greeks at Northwestern?

Originally Posted by Senusret I

You were just initiated this past semester, right? You can't possibly know all there is to know about even your own organization, much less others to say that they MUST be smaller for a reason.

[ladygreek]

Something that I think has been lost here is the fact while there are certainly first time college attendees in families, in many there are not. Because of the alumni/alumnae system in the NPHC many attendees are already quite aware of the NPHC orgs--either through family members, school teachers, neighbors, family friends, etc. And the latter four categories quite often apply even to first time college goers in a family.

My Mom joined Delta as an alumnae initiate the same month I graduated from high school. But I had been exposed to all of the D4 from my Godmother, teachers, advisors counselors, etc. And even from the events that were held in the community.

To be honest I haven't been approached by anyone who knew absolutely nothing about my org or others. So when it does happen I suspect it surprises folx. And again not to mention that some of our orgs have strict rules about engaging in conversation with a prospect about the org. Not because of secrecy, but because of legal liabity. And yes we have had young ladies try to sue when they were not accepted on the grounds that the sorority member they talked to led them to believe that they were qualified and would be accepted.

[AKA_Monet]

The Original Poster stated a bias we in the NPHC hear all the time. Basically judging us because he or she feels that we do not have our act together and we ought to be competing against all GLO's to jock for members.

The irony is that someone on the outside of the NPHC would indirectly pay us a compliment to think that we can "steal" potential members away from other GLO's. The FACT is most in the NPHC could give a crippa-crap about "jockeying" for members who choose not to be a part of us. I don't want to accept a girl who rushed ALL the NPC's, then migrated to the MCGLO's talking out of both sides of her mouth, then finally decides and wakes up on day that she wants to be a member of my Sorority. OH HAYLE NO!!!

We need decisive members. Preferably those who came to college to wish they are fine and unique and so petit to those who want to be greek. If one chooses to pursue membership it will be "written in his or her heart".

But I guess, nowadays EVERY kid wants things handed to them on a platter...

Boy, are they in for a rude awakening...

[ChildoftheHorn]

Also - I am not clueless on Greek Life. Every woman in my family who is of age is in a sorority. I knew, and still know, my grandmother's sorority sisters better than some of my cousins or other relatives.

I grew up with them ALL telling me exactly what it was like and what it entailed.
On top of that, most of my closest friends are greek in other organizations. My BFF is in another sorority; I knew what exactly happened and goes on (mostly some of the stupid fights that go on - sometimes just over the color of someone's wall decoration - not a joke).

Off topic: When did proper grammar account for anything on GC? I see you down-play my argument because my typos on a FORUM! If you need to make that excuse for making my argument invalid, then you really cannot find a real reason to prove it wrong. That goes for any topic here -- not just mine.

BTW: I'm not stupid...just absent minded... and cannot type as fast as my mind runs. Proof reading for grammar and spelling does not make sense for an online forum. I give it a glance over because this is a discussion and once something is said....it will have been said.

**A recent study came out that says a person is physically unable to use the logical part of their brain before the age of 24. If you are under 24... BEWARE...and you now have an excuse...**

[barbino]

Originally Posted by ChildoftheHorn

Also - I am not clueless on Greek Life. Every woman in my family who is of age is in a sorority. I knew, and still know, my grandmother's sorority sisters better than some of my cousins or other relatives.

I grew up with them ALL telling me exactly what it was like and what it entailed.
On top of that, most of my closest friends are greek in other organizations. My BFF is in another sorority; I knew what exactly happened and goes on (mostly some of the stupid fights that go on - sometimes just over the color of someone's wall decoration - not a joke).

Off topic: When did proper grammar account for anything on GC? I see you down-play my argument because my typos on a FORUM! If you need to make that excuse for making my argument invalid, then you really cannot find a real reason to prove it wrong. That goes for any topic here -- not just mine.

BTW: I'm not stupid...just absent minded... and cannot type as fast as my mind runs. Proof reading for grammar and spelling does not make sense for an online forum. I give it a glance over because this is a discussion and once something is said....it will have been said.

**A recent study came out that says a person is physically unable to use the logical part of their brain before the age of 24. If you are under 24... BEWARE...and you now have an excuse...**

Deep, very deep. What is the source of this amazing study on the logical part of the brain? I'd like to think that I'm not stupid, too-every time I post I try to type everything just right- if I'm off by even one letter it bothers me. But sometimes I can look over a post several times and still not catch little things, and I'm over 24, so I guess that I really don't have a valid excuse.

[Animate]

Wow this thread is so fun...

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by barbino

Deep, very deep. What is the source of this amazing study on the logical part of the brain? I'd like to think that I'm not stupid, too-every time I post I try to type everything just right- if I'm off by even one letter it bothers me. But sometimes I can look over a post several times and still not catch little things, and I'm over 24, so I guess that I really don't have a valid excuse.

It is known that it it is hard for people to proof read their own writing. The mistakes don't always stand out to you, because you wrote them. That is why authors use proof readers. It takes another objective person to do so.

It is silly to condemn someone for their spelling and grammar mistakes on a message board unless they are so extensive that the message is lost and the writer's credibility is questioned.

But then on the other hand who can explain Earpisms? LOL

[Animate]

[quote=DSTRen13;1496326]

Originally Posted by nwu43

So basically the only way to be unified is to all be the same???

In some crazy upside down world yes!

Originally Posted by kathykd2005

The whole purpose of this thread is lost to me. All of our organizations are secretive, and all members of our organizations I'm sure, get defensive when there is negative press associated with the sisterhood or brotherhood that is near and dear to our hearts. That isn't weird--that just means that the people in the organization want to guard it from harm. Do we go around telling everyone how to get into our organizations? No. Is that odd? No. Only people within the organization should know everything about it.

Excellent.

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

The Original Poster stated a bias we in the NPHC hear all the time. Basically judging us because he or she feels that we do not have our act together and we ought to be competing against all GLO's to jock for members.

The irony is that someone on the outside of the NPHC would indirectly pay us a compliment to think that we can "steal" potential members away from other GLO's. The FACT is most in the NPHC could give a crippa-crap about "jockeying" for members who choose not to be a part of us. I don't want to accept a girl who rushed ALL the NPC's, then migrated to the MCGLO's talking out of both sides of her mouth, then finally decides and wakes up on day that she wants to be a member of my Sorority. OH HAYLE NO!!!

We need decisive members. Preferably those who came to college to wish they are fine and unique and so petit to those who want to be greek. If one chooses to pursue membership it will be "written in his or her heart".

But I guess, nowadays EVERY kid wants things handed to them on a platter...

Boy, are they in for a rude awakening...

I love your posts. It's really that simple.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

ChildOftheHorn, you need to slow your roll. For real.

You were just initiated this past semester, right? You can't possibly know all there is to know about even your own organization, much less others to say that they MUST be smaller for a reason.

You're throwing about the word "hazing" an awful lot -- have you reported it? Or do you just like perpetuating gossip about cultural Greeks at Northwestern?

I must be missing something. I don't get the reaction to Child's post. To me it appears she is just being honest about her experience on her campus.

But then I didn't get the reaction to my post to Wolfman either.

[DSTRen13]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

ChildOftheHorn, you need to slow your roll. For real.

You were just initiated this past semester, right? You can't possibly know all there is to know about even your own organization, much less others to say that they MUST be smaller for a reason.

You're throwing about the word "hazing" an awful lot -- have you reported it? Or do you just like perpetuating gossip about cultural Greeks at Northwestern?

I got the impression that what she is saying is that due to other people's (not her own) ignorance of how MGC & NPHC orgs work, they have these ideas about the size of the chapters and other things, and that's why she is pushing for greater communication and awareness between councils on her campus. Perhaps I misinterpreted?

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by DSTRen13

I got the impression that what she is saying is that due to other people's (not her own) ignorance of how MGC & NPHC orgs work, they have these ideas about the size of the chapters and other things, and that's why she is pushing for greater communication and awareness between councils on her campus. Perhaps I misinterpreted?

You may be right. I won't take that aspect of what she's saying away from her. If she could perhaps be half as eloquent as you are, maybe I'd understand her point. Otherwise it just sounds like she's a neo running off at the mouth about a lot of things she doesn't know about.

[fantASTic]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Otherwise it just sounds like she's a neo running off at the mouth about a lot of things she doesn't know about.

Harking back to my previous post in this thread...

This is EXACTLY what I mean. No, that's NOT joking. That is someone saying that her opinion doesn't count because she's newer in her sorority. Guess what? It doesn't work like that in the NPC. Yes, we listen to the older members and respect their decisions, but they also allow us the same respect. It goes both ways. Being young does not mean you're stupid.

Senusret I: I enjoy reading your posts quite a bit, and I think you often have something good to say, but your reply to my previous post was [I think] off the mark a little, yet at the same time exemplified what I was trying to convey. I shouldn't have to go talk to a Greek Life administrator to understand your group. You should be representing yourselves in a way that doesn't make people think of you in a negative light, or have to go off rumors or hearsay to get information. If it was more readily available, and the process was less secretive, you wouldn't have that. [I'm using the word 'you' in a broad sense here, by the way. Just meaning a variety of NPHC groups.]

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by fantASTic

Harking back to my previous post in this thread...

This is EXACTLY what I mean. No, that's NOT joking. That is someone saying that her opinion doesn't count because she's newer in her sorority. Guess what? It doesn't work like that in the NPC. Yes, we listen to the older members and respect their decisions, but they also allow us the same respect. It goes both ways. Being young does not mean you're stupid.

Senusret I: I enjoy reading your posts quite a bit, and I think you often have something good to say, but your reply to my previous post was [I think] off the mark a little, yet at the same time exemplified what I was trying to convey. I shouldn't have to go talk to a Greek Life administrator to understand your group. You should be representing yourselves in a way that doesn't make people think of you in a negative light, or have to go off rumors or hearsay to get information. If it was more readily available, and the process was less secretive, you wouldn't have that. [I'm using the word 'you' in a broad sense here, by the way. Just meaning a variety of NPHC groups.]

fantASTic..... I strongly suggest talking to someone more knowledgeable in real life, like a Greek affairs administrator. I think that what you see on GC and what you experience in real life are valid, but I think it takes something a little "extra" to understand certain nuances about how and why we do things the way we do them. I suggest an administrator because they have the experience and the patience to explain things a little better than we probably will.

That was precisely what my answer to you was. If that's off the mark, then you just don't want to learn more in the first place.

As for the rest of your remarks, well I really don't want to have to hurt your feelings.

[DSTRen13]

Originally Posted by fantASTic

Harking back to my previous post in this thread...

This is EXACTLY what I mean. No, that's NOT joking. That is someone saying that her opinion doesn't count because she's newer in her sorority. Guess what? It doesn't work like that in the NPC. Yes, we listen to the older members and respect their decisions, but they also allow us the same respect. It goes both ways. Being young does not mean you're stupid.

Senusret I: I enjoy reading your posts quite a bit, and I think you often have something good to say, but your reply to my previous post was [I think] off the mark a little, yet at the same time exemplified what I was trying to convey. I shouldn't have to go talk to a Greek Life administrator to understand your group. You should be representing yourselves in a way that doesn't make people think of you in a negative light, or have to go off rumors or hearsay to get information. If it was more readily available, and the process was less secretive, you wouldn't have that. [I'm using the word 'you' in a broad sense here, by the way. Just meaning a variety of NPHC groups.]

No one ever said that newer means stupid. It does, however, mean that you do not know as much as older members about the ways of your organization and Greek life in general - no matter what org you're in.

If you really do want to understand another group, then who better to go to than a Greek Life admin? They're going to (ideally) be knowledgeable and unbiased, and if you are looking for deeper info, then seems to me, that'd be an excellent resource. That kind of information isn't going to just be out there to absorb casually off the streets - I certainly don't know very much about the membership process of NPC sororities! If I wanted to know, I would ask someone like a Greek Life admin about it. I wouldn't expect members to just throw that info in my face as I encounter them in day-to-day activities.

And as for the whole "negative light" comment - okay, some NPC/IFC Greeks chose to look down on other groups out of ignorance. And some GDIs (and yes, it's true, NPHC, MGC, and other Greeks) look down on NPC/IFC Greeks out of ignorance as well. So in your opinion the burden should be with the group who is being falsely perceived, rather than those who aren't educating themselves? Why? And what are you, as an NPC Greek, doing to change others' false perception of YOUR group?