What makes Greek life "hot" in the south?

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by srmom

LadyLonghorn is right about introductions and people knowing your greek affiliation. I find it kind of funny to be at an event and have somebody say, "This is @, she's a pi phi." I'm 44 years old!!! I know I'm still a pi phi, but, I'm also a wife, a mom, a business woman, etc.

What types of events are these and are these people who only know you within an organizational or college-educated context?

That makes a lot of difference.

[srmom]

What types of events are these and are these people who only know you within an organizational or college-educated context

Could be lunch with friends at Cafe Express - usually around the time when people are looking for recs. This makes sense.

Could be at a luncheon or dinner with people my age that I don't know. People will ask, "What college did you go to? What sorority were you in?" Then when you are next introduced, it's the "This is @ she was a * at ***" It is a mark you carry forever, haha.

I just think it's kind of funny. But, I also think it is funny that women my age will greet each other with big hugs like long lost friends when they just saw each other earlier at the gym. I guess I'm just a cynic.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by srmom

Could be lunch with friends at Cafe Express - usually around the time when people are looking for recs. This makes sense.

Could be at a luncheon or dinner with people my age that I don't know. People will ask, "What college did you go to? What sorority were you in?" Then when you are next introduced, it's the "This is @ she was a * at ***" It is a mark you carry forever, haha.

Well, these make sense. They aren't random Greek inquiries and references.

So, on that note, I still believe that a lot of these Southern differences are exaggerated. People reference Greekdom in the North all the time when the context permits.

[DSTCHAOS]

I like small Southern chapters.

[Army Wife'79]

On that North/South discussion note, as a Yankee transplant in the South, I've noticed that the engagement announcements in the newspapers here usually state which sorority the girl is in. i.e. "Miss Suzie Bigrock attended xxx University where she was a member of xxx sorority and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in English". They also mention the boys fraternity.

[BabyPiNK_FL]

Just in regard to bowsandtoes. A good size chapter at some school may be 150+, and my school has sororities of this size, but due to the fact that we can not accomodate meetings for chapters of that size easily and if chapters continue to grow we'll be having meetings outside, we are doing the extension process so that the chapters can maintain a size that is healthy for OUR campus. So it's not a matter of any specific number being a good size at every campus, because if you look at it, the actual amount that is a "good size" is usually total that is usually set by the Panhellenic at the school. At some schools that may be 6 or 20, or 75, or 170. It really just depends. Campuses are different and greek life must accomodate those differences and vice versa. We are simply not all what your ideal of greek life is, nor do we aspire to be, because we can only hope to be our campuses best attainable concept of greek life. What's good for the goose does not work for the gander in this particular case. In addition to that. The school and the sororities already there pick the chapters that join when adding an additional sorority. So it's not your job to approve if perhaps its a smaller or larger one nationally. They pick what meets the needs of the campus and will continue to do so over time. It's not done at random, no one plunks down and says "this is it". It's a careful process. Similar (usually) for the fraternities. Those involved know what they're doing!

[KenUDiggit]

If there's sweet tea served then it's the south. I vacationed in Miami and about had a heart attack when I found out they didn't serve sweet tea

[Thetagirl218]

Originally Posted by KenUDiggit

If there's sweet tea served then it's the south. I vacationed in Miami and about had a heart attack when I found out they didn't serve sweet tea

Lol, well using that logic, I guess Jacksonville is in the South! lol!!!!

I grew up in south/central florida, we have iced tea with sugar.....but I have never had sweet tea until I went away to school! Now I am hooked forever!

Originally Posted by KenUDiggit

If there's sweet tea served then it's the south. I vacationed in Miami and about had a heart attack when I found out they didn't serve sweet tea

Love sweet tea. Everytime I vist family in NC I make sure to get me some sweet tea. Anyway, with McDonalds serving sweet tea , I don't think you can use that test anymore as you can find sweet tea in the North now.

[fantASTic]

Originally Posted by PhiKapSkulls

Love sweet tea. Everytime I vist family in NC I make sure to get me some sweet tea. Anyway, with McDonalds serving sweet tea , I don't think you can use that test anymore as you can find sweet tea in the North now.

Not as far as I know. I'm pretty sure they only sell unsweetened...at least in the Deep North.

[banditone]

lol to the "so shut up" post above. Good stuff.

[PhiGam]

Florida is patchy but for the most part exclude south florida, retirement communities, and major cities. True Floridians are southerners but we have a TON of people from other places.
I really just wanted to bump this thread because I love the topic.

[brunetteddd]

As a Northerner going to school in the south, there is definitely a difference in Northern sororities vs. Southern sororities. I'd agree with the fact that in the south, sororities are steeped in tradition.

HOWEVER, this is a gross generalization on my part. Individual sororities on individual campuses with different girls all make a difference in someone's experience, so please don't get mad if your experience is different!!

I love my sorority and I love my school and I love being able to have a totally different college experience then most of my friends from high school, who are going to school back north.

[IronManismyVOlS]

I believe what makes greek life in the south so good is the amount of publicity and how active they are on campus. I attend UT Knoxville and everywhere there are greeks doing different things on campus and it doesn't hurt the fact that most fraternity and sorority members of all fraternities and sororities are good looking. Hey, we know how to pick 'em in the south.

[Leslie Anne]

I just have to clarify (once again) that this isn't a contest.

The original question was why Greek life is so "hot" or "vital" in the South, not why it's "better." (Many would and have dismissed the idea that it's better.)