Which Greek system would you want to join?

[DubaiSis]

First, mass on Sunday is not a holy day of obligation and that would be the only comparison to scheduling an event over the high holidays. It would never ever ever happen that rush would be scheduled over Easter, even Good Friday. But we can get into an argument about how the US does not really have freedom of religion another time.

As far as different Greek systems, I think I'd like to see what it's like at one of the Southern California or Arizona schools. They just seem so non-traditional in completely traditional clothing. Make sense? Since I didn't get all freaked out through most of rush in the Big 10, I am guessing I would have been as oblivious through an SEC rush. I'd love to observe an SEC rush, but don't really have interest in most of the pomp and circumstance of how I perceive the day to day life of a sorority girl there. Of course, that's only perception, but that's what this is all about!

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

First, mass on Sunday is not a holy day of obligation

I did not say it was. I stated them as two separate events. And I'm neither Catholic (any longer) not Jewish. So I don't have a dog in that fight but I did wonder why she singled that one event out. And I think it's a fair question. What do Catholic schools do about recruitment on Sundays? I don't know but would be interested in the information.

And it could fall on a Holy Day of Obligation. For instance, August 15 is the Feast of the Assumption and January 6 (deferred recruitment folks) is Epiphany/Twelth Night.

[Gusteau]

Originally Posted by AzTheta

You are SO NOT WIMPY. You guys, we've met Gusteau, and I must say that despite the age difference, it was definitely eye candy time from our perspective. His, not so much... more like dinner with the grandmas. Oh well.

All is forgiven.

No way! Let's go with "dinner with my cool older sisters."

[DGTess]

What I've learned of other/today's greek systems I've learned from GC over the years, and I can honestly say my 17-year-old self nor today's self would be willing to put up with the rush process, even at a laid-back school.

My 17-year-old self because a sorority was simply not a priority at that time, and my today self because of the structure and rules (I never heard of a green book when I was in school).

I look at the emotional turmoil people put themselves through - sometimes when it's not even their own rush - and simply cannot imagine it. I strive for empathy, but it ain't there.

[TriDeltaSallie]

Originally Posted by DGTess

What I've learned of other/today's greek systems I've learned from GC over the years, and I can honestly say my 17-year-old self nor today's self would be willing to put up with the rush process, even at a laid-back school.

I agree to a point. I find the hyper-competitive recruitments endlessly fascinating, but I would not go through one nor would I actively encourage my daughter to attend a school that had a recruitment like that. The more laid-back recruitments at smaller colleges and places where Greek life is not the be all and end all of life are more my style.

I'm really thankful that all the NPC groups choose to locate on a wide variety of campuses to offer many women the opportunity to enjoy sorority sisterhood.

It would be interesting to know what percentage of national volunteers in the NPC groups come from the uber-competitive campuses and what percentage come from the others.

[KillarneyRose]

Originally Posted by honeychile

I'd be lying if I didn't say that I sometimes wonder what my life would have been like had I gone to William and Mary, but it's more for career/academic reasons than sorority.

The others would have been Washington & Lee, and possibly an SEC recruitment. Although, much like Killarney Rose, I'm not sure how well I would have handled a SEC recruitment!

LOL, Honey, I'm sure you would have been just fine in the SEC. I bet during your rush at Pitt they didn't know WHAT to make of you! (who is this girl with the nice manners and recs? What is a rec, anyway???)

[chi-o_cat]

I don’t have a specific campus in mind, but I think I’ll go the opposite way from many of the responses. Instead of a huge Greek system with a brutal “rush”, I’d take my do-over at one where the chapters are all small and quota (if they even do formal recruitment) is in the teens or single numbers. I think that would feel very comfortable for me.

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

First, mass on Sunday is not a holy day of obligation

Sunday Mass is obligatory. It isn't called a holy day of obligation, because that would be redundant. (For example, Easter is not a HDO because it falls on a Sunday, which is always obligatory.) Some other HDOs (like Epiphany) are typically transferred to the nearest Sunday.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Titchou

Having been raised Roman Catholic I can assure you that missing Mass on Sunday is just as serious a sin TO THEM as missing a Holy Day of Obligation.

But those days just involve an hour or a little more at mass. One can still go to work or school on a holy day of obligation or a football game on Sunday without any problem, as long as the obligation attend mass is fulfilled.

The Jewish High Holy Days are full-day observances that require fasting and avoiding all activity except religious observances. No school. No work. No recreational activities. And it's pretty well understood that many Jews who are not particulaly observant about Sabbath-keeping are very observant when it comes to the High Holy Days.

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

It would never ever ever happen that rush would be scheduled over Easter, even Good Friday.

Exactly. These days (or Christmas) are the apt comparisons to the High Holy Days. Sundays and holy days of obligation are comparable to the Sabbath, about which see above.

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by Gusteau

No way! Let's go with "dinner with my cool older sisters."

And this is why Gusteau is so wonderfully awesome, and delightful. The non-shirt-wearing statement about UofA men is true, btw.

Originally Posted by KillarneyRose

LOL, Honey, I'm sure you would have been just fine in the SEC. I bet during your rush at Pitt they didn't know WHAT to make of you! (who is this girl with the nice manners and recs? What is a rec, anyway???)

I am willing to bet that honeychile left Pitt a much prettier, kinder, gentler place than it was when she entered.

As for the theme of this thread: I'd like to have experienced a Greek system in a place like Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, or Arkansas. Never been to any of those states. The entire Midwestern culture is very intriguing to me. OK so maybe Missouri and Arkansas aren't midwestern... but, they are kinda flat and in the middle of the country, so in my world, that equals midwest. It would be very different for this California-raised Zonie. A whole other world out there.

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

But those days just involve an hour or a little more at mass. One can still go to work or school on a holy day of obligation or a football game on Sunday without any problem, as long as the obligation attend mass is fulfilled.

The Jewish High Holy Days are full-day observances that require fasting and avoiding all activity except religious observances. No school. No work. No recreational activities. And it's pretty well understood that many Jews who are not particulaly observant about Sabbath-keeping are very observant when it comes to the High Holy Days.

Exactly. These days (or Christmas) are the apt comparisons to the High Holy Days. Sundays and holy days of obligation are comparable to the Sabbath, about which see above.

True. But if are on a campus in a small town where there is only one mass a day, that could prove to be a problem. I just picked Catholic as one of several. There are other religions which have all day strict observances besides the Jews who observe High Holy Days. I'm just curious about how to deal with those as well.

[pbear19]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

But those days just involve an hour or a little more at mass. One can still go to work or school on a holy day of obligation or a football game on Sunday without any problem, as long as the obligation attend mass is fulfilled.

The Jewish High Holy Days are full-day observances that require fasting and avoiding all activity except religious observances. No school. No work. No recreational activities. And it's pretty well understood that many Jews who are not particulaly observant about Sabbath-keeping are very observant when it comes to the High Holy Days.

Exactly. These days (or Christmas) are the apt comparisons to the High Holy Days. Sundays and holy days of obligation are comparable to the Sabbath, about which see above.

I agree with all of this. SLU is a Jesuit school in a *very* Catholic city, and recruitment is held on Sundays. It's in the afternoon and evening, and no one bats an eye at it. Not even remotely the same thing as a Jewish High Holy Day.

[NinjaPoodle]

Howard U. or Spelman.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by Gusteau

No way! Let's go with "dinner with my cool older sisters."

Pics or it didn't happen.

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by pbear19

I agree with all of this. SLU is a Jesuit school in a *very* Catholic city, and recruitment is held on Sundays. It's in the afternoon and evening, and no one bats an eye at it. Not even remotely the same thing as a Jewish High Holy Day.

Well, being Jesuit explains that!