The "Sorority Type."

Originally Posted by violetpretty

When we say "withdrawl" in my chapter, we mean a permanent severance of ties between the member and the organization. Pin and membership certificate turned in, no coming back.

Since you mentioned a medical condition, did you drop out of school? In my sorority, if you leave your University for any reason (health, finance, transfer), you become an alum and are eligible for (but not required to seek) reinstatement when you return.
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One of the best pieces of advice I can give someone who doesn't quite feel like they fit is to remember that you have X number of NM classes coming, sisters you haven't met yet. NMs are usually very receptive to anyone that reaches out to them, and you might find that you become closest with members of younger NM classes.

If you're willing to put in the effort to find your niche in the chapter, and know that you can balance it with school and your medical condition, do it. If you're planning to just show up and everything will be rosy again, you will probably feel isolated again. Friendships do take work.

I love your username BTW.

I had talked extensively with my advisor, chapter president, and even made a call to our CPO to talk to her about the situation. It was unanimous that a Withdrawal with possible reinstatement would be a better choice than Leave of Absence, since we do not know how long recovery will take, and since I would not be able to make it to Recruitment and Bid Day (which would have been a HELL of a lot of money to pay, on top of National Fees and Medical Bills ) . Because of this medical and financial situation, I did take a semester off of school, but for some reason, I was not eligible to go Alum, so my ONLY choices were LOA or Withdraw. If money wasn't an issue, I would have taken the LOA. Since it was, I had to Withdraw....even if it's only temporary.

And since everyone in my chapter is aware that my Withdrawal is for Medical and Financial reasons, and they have stressed that they would like me to start coming back around when I'm recovering. Which brings me to another part in your reply...

Your point about the NM's is a good one; I hadn't thought about that! And I don't expect things to be rosy again when I come back, since things we'rent very "rosy" to begin with. It IS going to take some work, but the way I've been feeling, I'm willing to put that work into it, and really prove myself to my Sorority.

LOL....My sorority kinda feels like my boyfriend right now....I love it, and I REALLY want to make it work, but I know it's gonna take time, patience, and effort for anything to change

And thanks for the comment about my username! It's actually my Roller Derby name for MRD and my on-campus Roller Derby organization

[AGDee]

My sister-mother (our version of Big Sis) told me early on "You will get out of this what you put into it". I have put my heart and soul into it and in April, I will be celebrating my 25th anniversary as an Alpha Gam. In those 25 years, I have held some sort of office (chapter, alum chapter, advisor, regional/national) every single year and I have received back the most amazing sisterhood ever. Definitely give it your all. I think you'll see very different results.

Originally Posted by AGDee

My sister-mother (our version of Big Sis) told me early on "You will get out of this what you put into it". I have put my heart and soul into it and in April, I will be celebrating my 25th anniversary as an Alpha Gam. In those 25 years, I have held some sort of office (chapter, alum chapter, advisor, regional/national) every single year and I have received back the most amazing sisterhood ever. Definitely give it your all. I think you'll see very different results.

So I think what we're all getting at is...

*I should really give it another go?
*Don't wait until after surgery to reconnect with my sisters....because it will actually help everyone if I do so before?
*Put everything I have into it, because it's the only way I'll get everything out of it?

I was sitting here thinking about it before I read your post, AGDee, and I remember Pref Night at my Sorority. It was so beautiful. I cried. I was the only girl in my Pref Class that looked remotely emotional about the beauty of Sisterhood and excitement for what lies ahead as a XYZ.

I think those beautiful memories and intense emotions became lost and distorted in the partying and apathy I went through. It's not that they were never there....I just forgot about them.


Oh, and I did my homework about our Reinstatement Policies. A few girls in my sorority have said "there is no coming back," but according to the National Policy Handbook, Reinstatement Policies DO exist, and it IS possible. I have spoken with my Advisor about everything before I took my withdrawal, and she knows my situation and my desire for reinstatement. I think that's why she let me keep my Bid Day presents *shrug*

[agzg]

Originally Posted by prettyk8machine

So I think what we're all getting at is...

*I should really give it another go?
*Don't wait until after surgery to reconnect with my sisters....because it will actually help everyone if I do so before?
*Put everything I have into it, because it's the only way I'll get everything out of it?

I was sitting here thinking about it before I read your post, AGDee, and I remember Pref Night at my Sorority. It was so beautiful. I cried. I was the only girl in my Pref Class that looked remotely emotional about the beauty of Sisterhood and excitement for what lies ahead as a XYZ.

I think those beautiful memories and intense emotions became lost and distorted in the partying and apathy I went through. It's not that they were never there....I just forgot about them.


Oh, and I did my homework about our Reinstatement Policies. A few girls in my sorority have said "there is no coming back," but according to the National Policy Handbook, Reinstatement Policies DO exist, and it IS possible. I have spoken with my Advisor about everything before I took my withdrawal, and she knows my situation and my desire for reinstatement. I think that's why she let me keep my Bid Day presents *shrug*

Yes, yes and yes. If it's really what you want to do, there's no sense in not trying, especially if you feel like that's what's going to make you happy.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by prettyk8machine

*I should really give it another go?
*Don't wait until after surgery to reconnect with my sisters....because it will actually help everyone if I do so before?
*Put everything I have into it, because it's the only way I'll get everything out of it?

1. Yes, if that's what you want and think you'll be able to.
2. Keep in contact as much as you can with sisters, not necessarily going to the house all the time if the chapter has one, but calling/IMing/sitting with them in classes, etc.
3. Basically.