Reason for your mascot??

[FuzzieAlum]

Well, like Kristy said, I'm pretty sure there isn't much meaning behind our bear. It's cute, but that's about it.

I know the major and minor meaning behind the Quill, why the rose is our flower (and why it's pink), what our three colors mean, what our name stands for, the symbolism of our crest, etc. The teddy bear is a mascot for AXD, not a symbol, and it doesn't really mean any more than a dancing chicken does to a sports team.

So I don't feel too bad about not knowing why someone picked it for us!

[Serenity]

Originally posted by KristiAZD
As to people not knowing about their symbols, I can say that in Alpha Xi Delta's case, the teddy bear was not chosen by our founders. It was not even invented until the turn of the century, and we were founded in 1893. Therefore, it does not really hold any special meaning like other mascots. If it does, we were never taught to look at it that way. It's just a fun mascot.

As for people forgetting, I can say that not all chapters of a organization teach their information to their new members in the same way. Maybe more emphasis was put on something else in one chapter but was not in another. Also, maybe the people who have forgotten are older alumnae and naturally would forget things as they are now removed form the sorority atmosphere. I know that you are a member for life, but when you get out of school there are more important things you need to be remembering than what a certain animal represents to your sorority. If you're not active in that life anymore, I don't see it as such a tragedy. It's ok to forget, you will always have sisters there to help you remember. I'm not trying to be rude, just throwing out possible reasons one might forget something.

Thank you, KristiAZD, for answering my question!!

Originally posted by Cream


I sincerely doubt that you were "not trying to start any drama" with your post. Your post questioned my pride in my sorority, and I find it quite insulting. For the record, as an undergrad, I held Executive Board positions for five semesters, more than any other sister in the history of my chapter. Since school, I have supported my sorority and chapter and our philanthropies with my time and money. Your sorority would be fortunate if you had an "Hermana" as devoted to your sorority as I am to mine. I have been a sister longer than your sorority has existed. In fact, I remember many of your founders back in my days as an active sister, since your Alpha chapter was at my college. Those women were involved in campus and greek life and put their energy into improving them rather than insulting people as I feel you intended to do with your post.

Cream, contrary to your belief, I wasn't trying to start any drama. Nor, was I questioning your pride in your sorority or trying to insult you or anyone else. Where you read that in my post, I don't know. You were not the only person who posted they either forgot or didn't know the meaning of their organization's symbols. Apparently, you felt I was singling you out. Let me assure you that was not the case. Obviously, you made a lot of inferences when you read my post. Inferences that were wrong.

I am glad you are devoted and active in DPhiE and have been "longer than my sorority has existed". While I had no intention of being insulting, I can not say the same for you. But that's fine. You're not taking anything away from me or my organization.

If you feel the need to respond to my post, feel free to email me. I don't do the back and forth thing. I haven't got the time.

I just want to clarify the point I really wanted to make with my post so as not to have the meaning misconstrued again. A lot of non-greeks/perspective greeks visit this site. They read a lot of information about greek life in general. However, they also read a great deal about how we are so proud to be greek and to be in our respective organizations. How proud can we be if we don't even remember the meanings behind the symbols we hold dear to us? That was my point. That and that alone.

Once again, thank you KristiAZD for answering my question. Your points were very well taken!!

[Peaches-n-Cream]

Originally posted by Serenity

Cream, contrary to your belief, I wasn't trying to start any drama. Nor, was I questioning your pride in your sorority or trying to insult you or anyone else. Where you read that in my post, I don't know. You were not the only person who posted they either forgot or didn't know the meaning of their organization's symbols. Apparently, you felt I was singling you out. Let me assure you that was not the case. Obviously, you made a lot of inferences when you read my post. Inferences that were wrong.

I am glad you are devoted and active in DPhiE and have been "longer than my sorority has existed". While I had no intention of being insulting, I can not say the same for you. But that's fine. You're not taking anything away from me or my organization.

If you feel the need to respond to my post, feel free to email me. I don't do the back and forth thing. I haven't got the time.

I just want to clarify the point I really wanted to make with my post so as not to have the meaning misconstrued again. A lot of non-greeks/perspective greeks visit this site. They read a lot of information about greek life in general. However, they also read a great deal about how we are so proud to be greek and to be in our respective organizations. How proud can we be if we don't even remember the meanings behind the symbols we hold dear to us? That was my point. That and that alone.

Thank you for the clarification. I didn't feel that you were singling me out, just addressing me and anyone else who had written anything that was similar in terms of mascot memory loss. Since I can only write for myself, I did. I am a sensitive person so I did take it personally.
This is the part of your previous post that I found insulting and I thought questioned my pride in my organization along with other forgetful GCer's. I didn't think that that is an unreasonable or inaccurate inference. Since you wrote that that was not your intention, I'll take your word for it, Serenity.

Originally posted by Serenity

I would be shocked and appalled if an Hermana "forgot" or didn't know ( not even a remote possibilty ) the meaning behind our symbols. Honestly, how do you proudly wear and/or display your symbols if you can't remember what they represent and why your Founders (members, others) chose them?

I wrote that "I have been a sister longer than your sorority has existed" which is a fact and certainly not intended as an insult in any way, shape, or form. If you knew me, you would believe that. I find it is funny that you think that I intended to be insulting to you by expressing that I found your post insulting. For the record, I would never try to insult or take anything away from you or Sigma Lambda Upsilon or anyone else or any organization for that matter. Not that I could. Take Care