A local sorority at USC?

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by SC2013

I care because the Greek community is a very important community at USC. I care because recent actions of just two guys have made news around the world. I care because I have many friends in fraternities and sororities that are constantly being negatively stereotyped by the bad actions of a few, and because most have had to make the choice between being involved in their GLO and getting good grades and being involved in anything else.

Why shouldn't I care, really? Please don't tell me that we shouldn't all strive to be more involved in the community and with our school. Non-Greeks likewise should give back to the community, but the Greek system here is very well-established and I admire what it has accomplished thus far, and I see them as the first to take steps here at USC. If GLOs head in a positive direction the university, non-Greeks, and the public would respect them better. If I hated GLOs, why would I bother with a local sorority rather than simply a club? Because as a member of a fraternity I see the importance and how special that bond is. As a member of a fraternity I see it can be difficult to find ways to get involved, but that doesn't mean we can't keep trying.

You don't see an issue with telling other people they're not living up to the ideals of their organizations?

Shit, you and dnall should just have judgmental babies together.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

You don't see an issue with telling other people they're not living up to the ideals of their organizations?

Shit, you and dnall should just have judgmental babies together.

LOL

[Gusteau]

I can tell that you like research, I do too. However, and it's a big however, this is one area where all of the good research and well intentioned reading you've been doing doesn't mean squat. You've read about our values, ideals, philanthropies, and foundings, and that's great, but unless you're a member you can't tell us what we should or shouldn't be doing or how we are or aren't living up to our values. I can't go into another country and tell them how they should do x, y, or z to improve their country because I don't have the background or cultural context to give them an informed assessment. You're in a similar position here, and I believe your time would be better spent elsewhere.

Their are certainly issues present in Greek Life (not speaking about USC, but about the community in general). Unfortunately we have often earned the negative reputation we get, but if a meaningful change is going to be made it can only come from within our community, period.

[als463]

Am I the only one who reads the OP as crying, "Waaaahhhhh...I didn't get into the chapter I wanted (maybe they weren't top-tier enough or something) and now I'm going to start a new organization by claiming these orgs. no longer have values! Boo-Hoo!" I can't be.

I would rather be in the bottom-tier national sorority at USC than try to start a "top-tier" local as I cry about the values no longer meaning anything to the members. OP, you had your chance. Get over it. Move along and stop trying to put down the Greek Life on your campus. In fact, please go away.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Wait, why didn't you accept your bid during formal rush?

[KSUViolet06]

See her rush thread:

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...d.php?t=117671

[victoriana]

I can understand why she made the choice she made during formal recruitment, but what I can't understand is how she's bashing the chapters she wanted to be a part of now. I would say you should give Peggy Olson a chance, if you're lucky enough to get one. From what others have said in this thread, it sounds like it would be a good fit for you, even if it's not a stereotypical chapter (which seems to be what you were looking for during formal).

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by victoriana

I can understand why she made the choice she made during formal recruitment, but what I can't understand is how she's bashing the chapters she wanted to be a part of now. I would say you should give Peggy Olson a chance, if you're lucky enough to get one. From what others have said in this thread, it sounds like it would be a good fit for you, even if it's not a stereotypical chapter (which seems to be what you were looking for during formal).

What typically happens:

Girl goes through FR.
Girl has an unfavorable outcome (doesn't get a bid, gets bid and turns it down, etc.)
Girl decides to start local.
Girl bases that on bashing other sororities and what the other sororities aren't doing.
Girl alienates all sorority members.
Girl fails at starting local.
Girl has no shot at all of joining any other chapter because well, she spent an entire year bashing them.

[victoriana]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

What typically happens:

Girl goes through FR.
Girl has an unfavorable outcome (doesn't get a bid, gets bid and turns it down, etc.)
Girl decides to start local.
Girl bases that on bashing other sororities and what the other sororities aren't doing.
Girl alienates all sorority members.
Girl fails at starting local.
Girl has no shot at all of joining any other chapter because well, she spent an entire year bashing them.

You're right. It's just sad to watch this in action. The OP seems like a nice enough girl who could do well in a smaller chapter like Peggy Olson and really help turn things around. Wasted potential.

[DTD Alum]

I actually went through and read your recruitment story, and am 99.99% sure I've identified Joan Holliday based on a special feature of their house that only they have (and, of course, am highly curious about the rest, you did a good job giving a lot of detail without giving any of them away). I actually can see how going from Joan to Peggy would be a bit of a disappointment, not solely because of status. Despite what you are saying in your recruitment story, Joan is a chapter that a ton of people want, and in recent years they have even stolen several PNMs from the previous "top" chapters. Not only that but they are spunky and down to earth overall. So I can see how Peggy may have paled in comparison. But ironically, this is also a chapter that sometimes gets criticism for social climbing and partying, so if this is truly how you feel about the row, maybe it's best you didn't get them.

That being said, every chapter at USC is going to have some ambitions about partying and social climbing. Not to mention that most chapters are well over 200, it is impossible to have the true, close ideal of sisterhood. There are simply too many girls. When I was there, most of my friends said you bond with your pledge class, and maybe your big/little's friends if you are close with them. But it's not going to be the same type of bond that exists in a 20 person sorority (which will still have cliques).

If these ideals are really want you want 100%, no chapter at USC (and very few in the USA) will fit the bill. These are chapters filled with 18-22 year olds, hardly the most mature age. There will be girls who only show up to the socials, girls that roll their eyes during ritual, girls that shirk responsibility and openly talk badly about their sisters. Not that there won't be fantastic girls as well that uphold the sorority's values, but the way you've spoken about ideals will just lead to disappointment. This is true even in a colony situation.

Of course, if you take a long deep look and realize that maybe the ideals are because of being burned/bitter, then obviously check into rush/COB next year, but just know that most juniors will get released almost immediately from everybody but Peggy. The juniors that receive bids to other houses are generally those that would have had their full choice of houses if they had rushed as a freshman or sophomore, and tend to be transfers (OR they have insanely close friends in the sorority already).

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by DTD Alum

(a whole bunch of reasonable shit)

I just want to tell you that I appreciate your mature perspective, while the rest of us are just bitching at the OP. That's all.

Also, you can have "close sisterhood" in a larger chapter, it just means something different than it would in a smaller chapter. There are women I was never friends with in college who I am close with as an alumna, and there are women I would never choose to spend time with, but I'd still give the shirt off my back.

[KXEM]

OP, why don't you just get involved in student government or any other areas (review boards etc) that would allow you to voice your opinion and concern about greeks on campus? it doesn't do much good to come to a message board and air it all out.

also ditto to what the others said about pref conversations. i pretty much suck at talking to people i don't know, its awkward, especially when you get to that point in recruitment and you're constantly being told that the "fluff" convo's aren't allowed anymore. but those awkward uncomfortable situations don't mean the chapter as a whole isn't a good fit, i can almost guarantee that in every chapter there's someone who sucks at talking to people.

if you go around your whole life with a negative attitude toward things you're going to miss out on a lot of awesome opportunities. now i don't know much about USC or its greek life but most of what you say seems to be conjecture, yea i know they've been in trouble recently and blahblahblahblah, but i'm sure they do other things that are positive. it's just hard to take what you say seriously because you aren't a part of greek life, you are an outside observer, (this has been said before) so you really can't speak for member's values etc. also worthy of noting is that these people are young, they make mistakes, who says that once they are done they won't be more like your ideal greeks? i don't think going out and partying is so much a "greek" thing as it is a "young" thing, i think it's probably amplified by greek life activities and is therefore more noticeable in this case.

in closing, nobody is perfect, and it's unreasonable to assume they ever will be.

[ellebud]

I believe that USC has begun (as of this year) two "free" juniors. That being said, there are lots of transfers, so be advised.

And I have to say that I am very good friends today with women that I really never got to know in my house. Other girls that I thought that I would be friends with...haven't seen them in years.

[33girl]

I just love the fact that we got to see a boy using girly rush story code names.

Also that I learned two brand-new terms (tl; dr and Grice's maxims).

[princessamy]

Also good luck with rushing again. You never know if someone from USC has read your post.