UF brat, MollyUF - ANXIOUSLY awaiting your rush updates!!

[SigkapAlumWSU]

I just wanted to say that this is why I love my Sigma Kappa sisters. I love the pride you women take in everything you do! My Chapter used to be one of the smallest chapters as well, but in the last couple of yeas, despite what anyone thought about us, we have successfully re-built to be bigger than ever before. Yes, numbers are important, to an extent, but I feel assured that I know every one of my sisters personally. Our rentention rates have skyrocketed, and my chapter is doing better than ever. We have more women coming back for formal recruitment than I have heard about in the past 10 years, even after 15 members just became alum. We are successful, we are climbing the numbers ladder, and no one can take that away. Yes it excites me when I hear we have more members than houses that we have never been close to in the past, but keeping that close sisterhood that binds us is what is more important. I would rather have 5 wonderful women to call my sisters than 100 I know as aquaintances. (NOTE: I am not ripping on chapters that regularly do have 100 members, total here is only 90- I say only because I have heard so many who have 150 as total on a regular basis on other campuses)
Please do not judge the "weaker/small" chapters based soley on their number. I know that each of you has either been a part of or known one of your chapters exactly like this. There are enough people out there that perpetuate the stereotype that small equals bad, and I know all of you are better than that. It may be different in other areas of the country (someone mentioned the southern schools) but I know that every chapter should respect every member of their conference, no matter the number. I know women in the largest chapters on our campus that respect us as equals. And why shouldn't they. We are.

[ROWDYsister]

Originally posted by SigKapSweetie
This goes for the rest of my house as well, although I have to admit I take an unreasonable amount of pride in the pledge class I brought in .

That's awesome! All's well that ends well.

[SigKapSweetie]

It's interesting to go back and read this (twelve year old!) thread knowing how much has changed at UF since then. In 2001, there were some significant chapter size disparities between the largest and smallest chapters which fueled negative 'tent talk' about certain chapters. After the introduction of RFM around 2005 (maybe 2006?), the gaps shrank, and as of Spring 2012 the chapters all ranged from membership in the 140s-180s with no outlying chapters in either direction. I'm sure the 'tent talk' will continue, the way gossip always does when you put a few thousand 18 year olds together, but there are no longer any 'weaker' or 'stronger' chapters based on size.

[carnation]

Hey, that's great! I would say the same has happened at several other SEC schools!

[33girl]

Yep, this is the story that popped into my head when I was telling the mom in the other thread that letting her daughter go to random parties was probably worse for the boy factor than for the booze factor.

And I will also say for the millionth trillionth time, public "runs" to sororities where the feelings of PNMs as well as sorority members are thrown out in the open for the whole campus to pick apart are emotional abuse, in my book.

[SigKapSweetie]

Originally Posted by 33girl

And I will also say for the millionth trillionth time, public "runs" to sororities where the feelings of PNMs as well as sorority members are thrown out in the open for the whole campus to pick apart are emotional abuse, in my book.

I forgot to add - they don't do that anymore either. It really is a kinder, gentler recruitment at Florida these days. (Which still requires recommendations.)

[KillarneyRose]

Wow, it seems weird to read the old rush threads where the actual sorority names are mentioned!

[AnchorAlumna]

I didn't read the thread originally, but since the OP doesn't seem to be around anymore, I'll say this:

We only read her side of the story.

We have no idea what actually went on at Chi Omega. We have no idea what actually happened with the Hooters thing and how others perceived it. She may have thought it was harmless, but apparently others did not.

We only read her side.

Just a thought.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

I didn't read the thread originally, but since the OP doesn't seem to be around anymore, I'll say this:

We only read her point of view.

We have no idea what actually went on at Chi Omega. We have no idea what actually happened with the Hooters thing and how others perceived it. She may have thought it was harmless, but apparently others did not.

We only read her side.

Just a thought.

I personally find the language she uses to talk about the other woman more offensive than posing in a Hooters t-shirt.

[kiteflyersmom]

It was interesting to read that the chapters at UF now have similar sizes. Things certainly change over time. I was shocked to find out, several years ago, that a certain sorority at the University of Miami is struggling with a negative reputation. Back in the day (I did not pledge due to being quite poor, lol) when I attended UMiami that particular sorority was the place to be and now it's the total opposite. Things do change.

I was not so surprised by Molly's choice of words when referring to the Ice Queen. A post above made a good point that we are reading things through the eyes of young people.

I wonder if Molly stayed active with Kappa for her entire time at UF.

[carnation]

Didn't she pledge the same year that curlygirly did? Some people here know how to reach her.

[ASUADPi]

Originally Posted by KillarneyRose

Wow, it seems weird to read the old rush threads where the actual sorority names are mentioned!

I actually find it refreshing.

My feeling is, if you are posting your recruitment story non-live you should be able to use the names. Yes you should have some tact, but I think 99% of us here on GC understand that we are reading the POV of an 18-20 year old.

[BlueOwl]

I just read the thread. I liked the story. OP was very open and honest. She was pretty brave, in my opinion, to be so frank about her feelings and the events. Recruitment and the aftermath is not always storybook perfect. Her personal account felt very honest.

[carnation]

I thought I'd bump this for 2014. Although blunt (and who knows what happened behind the scenes?), she still comes around and accepts her new chapter.

This is especially good to read if you're a PNM who might be thinking that everything will go 100% your way in recruitment.