New Pi's

GreekLetterGirl · #1 11-10-2003, 01:05 PM

So for all the new pi's out there I have a question.

Do you still keep in touch with your Delta Sisters? I still live in the area I went to college and moved about 15 minutes from campus. I call them and try to IM them and keep in touch but it's not working. I miss all my sisters and I miss how we all used to live so close together, does any one have any suggestions, or is this too just another right of passage?

honeychile · #2 11-10-2003, 03:59 PM

I can remember the quick culture shock of graduation - suddenly, you're not part of the private jokes, but you're not part of the alumnae association hierarchy yet, either. I do think it's a rite of passage, but a short one. Within the year, you'll find a comfortable niche, and by then, you'll be helping the next new graduates!

ETA: Greeklettergirl, I know where you went to school, and that school doesn't have really decent homecoming gatherings for alumnae. I would suggest that you do what a bunch of sisters did when I was in school - set a date for about 5-6 years from now, and make a pact to meet. We still meet every 5 years, and we've had anywhere from 10 to almost 60 people get together!

By setting the date now, you'll have something to look forward to in 2009 - for all of you!! PM me if you need a better explanation.

#3 11-10-2003, 09:06 PM

I was in my Little Delta sisters wedding this summer and I talked to her pretty frequently

but my Big Delta sister I haven't talked to in about 6 months. We weren't that close.

I LOVE being a Pi member.
ADPi till I die

GreekLetterGirl · #4 11-11-2003, 01:12 AM

thank you both for responding, and HoneyChile you are right, it there is no great homecoming gathering, this year I got invited the DAY BEFORE BY PHONE i mean COME ON...

It is so frustrating but hopefully the sisters will rememeber that I am there when they start going through the rough times...

thanks again for the feed back and yes I would like a little bit more info on the alum homecoming gatherings?

jh124 · #5 11-13-2003, 04:35 PM

I've had a lot of frustrations as an alumna. Of course, things are different on this side than they were on the other. You are in an awkward stage right now - not in college, not really having a life outside of college. It's difficult.

I'm not sure that I have any great advice on how to deal with things. If you have an alumnae association near you, that may be the best place to turn. If you don't have one, do you have enough Pi's nearby to start one?

Within a year or two, you aren't going to know many active girls anymore. You will be more established in your career, and won't want to hit the bars with the Deltas on a Monday night. You will have a larger circle of friends outside ADPi and no longer be up for dropping everything at 9pm to head out for ice cream or a social. You may have a SO, or even be married with a family. Your interests aren't going to be the same.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that ADPi is a part of me and always will be. But in college it was such a large part of my life - like 50% and everything else (school, family, job) were fighting for space in the other 50%. Now that I've been out for awhile, my family is 50% of my life and everything else (career, ADPi, friends) compete for the other 50%. It was hard and strange and difficult getting there. I belong to our local alumnae association and attend meetings and events. While we are "sisters" in the ADPi sense of the word, they aren't sisters like my Eta Rho sisters were. It's good, it's just different. I think there's a lot of growing up and adjustments that happen in our 20's that isn't really talked about. And you know, if you were never an ADPi, I think you would still be missing whatever group of friends you hung out with in college.

My frustrations with my chapter led to me posting a thread here and promptly getting ripped for it. I wasn't bagging on my chapter, I was just posting things that I know a lot of chapters need to work on. Of course, now I'm getting nasty emails, but that's another matter...

You are going through a transition right now. It's natural and normal and kind of hurts.

WLFEO · #6 11-15-2003, 10:56 PM

While I understand what Jh124 was saying, my experiences have been a little bit different in alumna life. I guess for the first year or so after college I was focused on my wedding and new career, but soon I missed the ADPi "action" so I got involved by becoming an advisor, then starting up alumnae associations in different cities in which I've lived. Now I've become even more involved.

Even though I still keep in weekly contact with my 4 best friends from my chapter, I have found my circle of true sisters has expanded so much more after college. I can honestly say some of my closest sisters are those I met after college. They come in all different ages- from those still in college to women in their 70's.

I know it sounds cliche, but I've found most ADPi's to have that common bond- if we're all living out our beautiful Creed, then we share the same value system. When I move to a new city, it's our sisters I seek out first and they've always made me feel welcome and not so alone.

Never do I laugh so hard as with sisters- and I'm not just talking about my core group I pledged with- I'm talking about sisters I've met within the past 3 years who are from various colleges.

Like Jill said, join an alumnae association near you, and if there's not one, start one. The rewards are numerous. Is there a different chapter near you with which you could get involved? I've rather enjoyed getting to have the role sometimes of just popping in to visit chapters to do nice things for them (bringing goodies for finals or holidays, helping with FR or initiation, etc.), then being able to leave. Then they associate you with positive stuff & you don't have to hang around for the difficult decisions.

If you don't live near a chapter or association, there are lots of committees, etc. that ADPi has that can be done by sisters spread throughout the country.

You are entering a new phase of your life which is difficult. I hope you find how rewarding it can be, also. You'll get out of it what you put into it, but you might have to work harder at it than you did in college.

Good luck and let me know if I can help in any way.

L&L,
WLFEO