Please don't stalk the PNMs

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

While saying something like, "I hope the outcome makes you happy." is okay, gushing things like, "Go Strawberry Shortcake or go Ravenclaw!" or whatever made up names they're using in the thread is not. It just gets people's hopes up for nothing.

I don't see anything wrong with choosing to cheer for one of the code names at the beginning of a thread. I don't think the PNM thinks "Wow, the GCers told me I should go Ravenclaw..." The PNM knows you don't know which code is which chapter, at least at the beginning of the thread, so you really are cheering for whichever dessert/sport/character/whatever and not the chapter that corresponds. Besides, the PNMs probably have their own "hopes" in terms of chapters they like before recruitment, and "cheering" for Ravenclaw isn't going to change that.

However, once the PNM has stated Ravenclaw is her fave, you should back off because, not only is SHE hoping for a Ravenclaw invite/bid, but all these GCers are doing the same.

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

Don't blow sunshine or get their hopes up unnecessarily.

Blowing sunshine to me, means saying, "You'll get a bid" or "You'll do great" or "You'll be an amazing addition to any house" etc. Instead, say things like "good luck", because you don't know the poster IRL and you don't actually know if these things are true.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

I don't see anything wrong with choosing to cheer for one of the code names at the beginning of a thread. I don't think the PNM thinks "Wow, the GCers told me I should go Ravenclaw..." The PNM knows you don't know which code is which chapter, at least at the beginning of the thread, so you really are cheering for whichever dessert/sport/character/whatever and not the chapter that corresponds. Besides, the PNMs probably have their own "hopes" in terms of chapters they like before recruitment, and "cheering" for Ravenclaw isn't going to change that.

Yes, but what's the point of that? Post count padding? Reinforcing the PNM that there is someone reading their story? Adding so much fluff that people get sick of scrolling through it to real the actual story?

ETA: I'm not cool with outting a PNM's school, but I don't think it's wrong to point out to a PNM that even though they didn't out the school, it's extremely easy to guess.

[APhiAnna]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

ETA: I'm not cool with outting a PNM's school, but I don't think it's wrong to point out to a PNM that even though they didn't out the school, it's extremely easy to guess.

Especially true because everybody on this forum has some interest in Greek Life and understands the differences between schools...but if you are a 17 or 18 year old girl and rush is your first real contact with greek life, you have no idea that simply saying "there are 14 sororities at my school" or "we had to wear a recruitment t-shirt the first day" could eliminate 99% of the schools in the country from the running of your "anonymous university". Naturally you'd simply assume that your recruitment experience was the norm for every other school.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by APhiAnna

Especially true because everybody on this forum has some interest in Greek Life and understands the differences between schools...but if you are a 17 or 18 year old girl and rush is your first real contact with greek life, you have no idea that simply saying "there are 14 sororities at my school" or "we had to wear a recruitment t-shirt the first day" could eliminate 99% of the schools in the country from the running of your "anonymous university". Naturally you'd simply assume that your recruitment experience was the norm for every other school.

EXACTLY.

Larger schools are less anonymous. Like when a poster will say, "I'm not going to say my school, but we have 19 chapters and deferred recruitment" and not realize there is only one school with that description.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Yes, but what's the point of that? Post count padding? Reinforcing the PNM that there is someone reading their story? Adding so much fluff that people get sick of scrolling through it to real the actual story?

Oh I agree it's pointless, I was only arguing it's not harmful.

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I'm not cool with outting a PNM's school, but I don't think it's wrong to point out to a PNM that even though they didn't out the school, it's extremely easy to guess.

I am one of those GCers who can easily figure out a PNM's school, but if I (along with 99.9% of the GCers) announce that I know, it's to caution the PNM that she might want to be more discreet. Most GCers who announce they know the school say so to either warn the PNM or just because they are proud to have figured it out and want to pat themselves on the back. Most GCers mean no harm. For the most part, it's the lurkers from the PNM's school that PNMs have to worry about, because someone can read whatever they want on GC without registering. You really don't know who is reading.