Well, though I didn't end up pursuing membership in Beta, I'll try answering this question.
As you know... I had kind of a bad experience with Beta. I know it's just one person, but sometimes one person can make all the difference by saying exactly the wrong thing
I'm
not knocking Beta at ALL... but my experience with her made me realize that what I was looking for was something that it couldn't provide.
As a member of Delta Omicron in college (well, and still now, you know what I mean)... I always ran into people saying that we weren't 'real'... that since we didn't have that name recognition, that they didn't respect our sisterhood. While that angers me (greatly!)... it did make me realize that one of the aspects of sisterhood that DO couldn't provide me was being able to come to a site like this, and instantly find sisters with whom I could share a bond. The only times I've ever run into sisters that weren't from my chapter were at our Triennial Convention.
When I looked into Beta, I ran into a lot of the same flack. Since we weren't NPC, the NPC greeks didn't want anything to do with it, and the GDIs didn't respect it or understand it. I've met several of you online, and while you're all wonderful and I do feel a bond with you - I just couldn't see myself saying, "I'm a Beta Sigma Phi." It couldn't provide that national level of sisterhood I'm seeking. I also was uncomfortable with what seemed like the lack of chapters/opportunities/sisterhood for younger girls like myself.
So, now I'm considering Alumnae Initiation with an NPC sorority. I haven't actively done anything about it yet, I'm just sort of letting the idea settle in my mind. I want to be able to help out collegiate chapters. I want to find sisterhood with girls my own age. I want to find an alumnae group who I feel comfortable with. I want to be able to stand up proudly and say "I am an XYZ" and know what that means and have other people know what that means, and hopefully have someone in the back say... "Hey! I'm an XYZ too!"
Hybrid Mode
