The choice: live in the house or depledge

[dakareng]

I always thought living in the house is the greatest thing ever, and I don't understand why people would NOT want to live in the house.

The grass is always greener on the other side. Non-housed chapter members dream of having a consistent place to display their treasures, have meetings and ceremonies and hang out together. Housed chapter members dream of the freedom to live where they want, on their own terms and pay fees that are substantially less.

There are pros and cons of both. To have no where at all is the hardest from the perspective of chapter organization. To have a large house is the hardest from the financial perspective. If you have a rent payment of $10,000/month, it IS a business, whether you like it or not. (and I'm not exaggerating that figure. As province officer 1993-99, one of my chapters had a rent payment to their house corporation of $12,000/month) On the other hand, those large, gorgeous homes also create lasting memories, provide sisterhood experiences that no apartment or dorm floor could match. And, in all honesty, it is a matter of competition. If XYZ, ABC and PDQ have 30-bed red brick mansions with white columns and manicured lawns, when CDE comes on campus they'll want one too or they won't be able to compete during recruitment (as much as we hate to admit it, a lot of formal recruitment is dependant on externals).

Should new members be told upfront about housing requirements? Absolutely! On the other hand, if you are joining a housed chapter, you should not assume that you won't be asked to live in at the first opportunity. And it should never be assumed that the housing obligation is only one year if you have a large house. If your house sleeps 75 and you typically pledge 40, you WILL be asked (that's the polite way of saying required) to live in a second year.

I'm with you Dolphin Chica-- I don't understand why people would not want to live in the house. You have the rest of your live to clean your own bathroom? The opportunity to live in the house is for a very short time and then it's gone. Is the ability to have your boyfriend spend the night or keep beer in your fridge more important?

[Measi]

As an alum who never had the opportunity to live in a house...

I would have loved to. My particular sorority is honorary and Boston University has a strong anti-house policy (we have several houses on our campus... the irony is that they all belong to frats of MIT).

The storage of sorority-related materials is one of the easiest reasons to wish for a house-- ours have been scattered to the winds, finding their places in campus storerooms, sister dorm rooms and apartments, etc. Over the years, entire year history albums have been lost.

There's something to be said for a permanent ritual space, too.

I would love to have experienced living in a house.

[valkyrie]

Since many of you don't understand why someone wouldn't want to live in the house -- I'll try to explain because when I was in college I absolutely did NOT want to live in a house, ever. As an only child, I'm used to having my own space -- lots of my own space. I hated even sharing a dorm room with another person, and the thought of being in a house full of 60 or however many other women just gave me the shivers. I don't know how sorority house meals go where you are, but when I was in school (early 90s) there were not many vegetarian friendly meals served, so I would've had a very hard time eating.

Now I've mellowed in my older age and can see how it would be a wonderful experience, but it was one that I didn't want to have when I was younger.

[Tom Earp]

For those who never had a house, it is the focal point of any Greek Organization! Well escpically if it is close to campus! A place to go to kick back and relax between classes, get a little study time in.

To be selfish enough to not want to do it, then, Why Join?!

I think valkeryie just said it all! A little to late but ment from the Heart!

Interaction is a big key here, you are at the top of what is happening, not being in your own little world saying I am a XYZ! Wearing a Badge, being somewhat involved. In the House, You are Involved, and you would gain more from that than being a person inan apartment not knowing what is talked about in BSing or chitchat situations!

Excuses are like butt holes and relatives, eveyone has one.

[sugar and spice]

I think most women are willing to put aside personal freedoms for a year or even two or three.

I think it's a whole other issue when you get into women who have already made plans to live with friends and are being forced to change these plans, maybe break their lease, let down their friends (and forcing the friends to open up their room to a stranger) . . . I think this goes beyond just "not wanting to live in."

[AXORissa]

Originally posted by 33girl
We had independents in our house. It's actually not that bad if you can manage to find someone who has a life of their own and is never there and just needs a place to sleep. Then again, we didn't hold initiation or anything in our house (not enough room) so we very rarely had to deal with the "you need to get out, we're having ritual" issue.

We had our chapter meetings in the basement so every Sunday we had to tell the girls to leave. I dont remember much about it, since I was pledging and a new sister when the house had subletters, but I was confused seeing these girls in the house-- at first I thought they were sisters!

a positive aspect to it was one of the subletters decided to join and was in my pledge class. she was probably one of the least active sisters though, and left after the first year. I guess she heard too much on the inside too soon!

ETA: scratch that, I remember now, she joined as a senior and graduated. nevermind