Leaving My National GLO

[NoMotiv]

I've been thinking of leaving my National GLO because I've had a lot of problems within my chapter as well as the National itself. I am transferring to another school where this GLO also has a chapter, but I am thinking of withdrawing my membership (already talked to nationals) and starting another fraternity on that campus since they are looking to expand anyways. I don't want to sound like I'm giving up on my GLO. I've just exhausted many options and have become very disappointed as a whole. It just never worked out for me and did not fit my values as I thought it would. ( Need advice and thoughts about the subject.)

[PenguinTrax]

I would get to know the brothers on the new campus before you 'give up' on the fraternity as a whole. It could be that a new campus and chapter will renew your commitment to your fraternity. I strongly believe that if you relinquish your membership now, you will regret it later. You will not be eligible to join another NIC or NPHC fraternity and even if you start a brand new fraternity - examine your motives. If you want a fraternity that stands for better things that your current chapter, then work with your current chapter to become the type of fraternity you can be proud of - don't give up and walk away.

Just my 2 shekels,
Barbara
Rush Forum Moderator

[Hootie]

nomotiv:
I can relate to your dilemma (to an extent). At one point I was ready to throw in the towel because of the attitude of certain individuals in my chapter that were seeping onto the chapter as a whole (long story). So what I did was write a letter to all of them and one to the advisor. I used our symphony to back up my statements as to why I thought things weren't going so well. Needless to say I REALLY didn't want to leave but it just brought the problem to everyone's attention. Within a day of mailing the letter my sisters started calling me wanting to talk...they didn't want me to go.
As it would turn out I learned that in order to make positive change YOU need to stay to help out. I don't know specifics to your situation, however talking it out with others in your chapter may help you.
Good luck and remember that a lot of us at one point or another have felt like "giving in!"
Hootie

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What do you get when you cross and Alpha Omicron Pi and a Sigma Phi Epsilon? A beautiful Chi Omega!!!

[dzrose93]

Hi! I would definitely check out the chapter at your new school before giving up your membership. Just this weekend, I met a girl who turned in her pin because she didn't care for some of the things in her chapter. She now regrets her decision because she recently changed schools and her new best friends are members of a different chapter of the same sorority she left.

Every chapter is different, so give this other one a shot! (that's my two cents worth anyway!) Good luck, and I hope things work out for you!

[shadokat]

NoMotiv--I agree with what everyone else has said about checking out this other chapter before disaffiliating. I had a woman from one chapter (who hated sorority life) almost disaffiliate. She then transferred to my school, and she saw me in a class one day with my letters on. I guess I looked nice enough to talk to. We ended up having lunch, and I invited her to the house that night for our meeting. She ended up loving sorority life with us, because it was so different from her own chapter previously. We ended up adding her to a family line, giving her a number and a nickname, and initiating her again as a member of our chapter. It was awesome, and we're still great friends!

[Tom Earp]

NoMotive, I don't know about your Fraternity, but once you are initiated in LXA, you are a Brother for life unless expulled. Each school with a chapter has different people and different ways about them. The big picture is the Fraternity you are in and what it means to you! Once you have been a National Fraternity, YOU can never join another. If you beleive in what your National does then why give it up as you joined for the people in that house or the National.
I see many people say they were a member at soa n so college. I am a LXA from Pitt. St. U and will always be a LXA.
One should realize I was kicked out of XY Fraternity and atarted my own local and would not ever give up what I have!!

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Tom Earp LX Z#1
Pittsburg State U. (Kansas)

[33girl]

Originally posted by NoMotiv:
I've been thinking of leaving my National GLO because I've had a lot of problems within my chapter as well as the National itself. I am transferring to another school where this GLO also has a chapter, but I am thinking of withdrawing my membership (already talked to nationals) and starting another fraternity on that campus since they are looking to expand anyways. I don't want to sound like I'm giving up on my GLO. I've just exhausted many options and have become very disappointed as a whole. It just never worked out for me and did not fit my values as I thought it would. ( Need advice and thoughts about the subject.)

NoMotiv - I definitely agree with what everyone else has said - give the chapter at your new school a try, it could be like night and day!! That doesn't mean one chapter was "bad" and one was "good", just that one is a better fit for you.

As far as being disgusted with the national itself - reread your history, motto, creed and ritual. THAT is your fraternity, not the 8-12 national officers. Just because those people hold high office doesn't mean they are the keepers of the flame - they are humans and brothers, just like you. Like I said - reread the documents of your fraternity and decide whether that is something you want to be part of and fight for. If you feel that your fraternity has gotten away from the important things, be the one who sticks around and helps get it back to where it should be.

[NoMotiv]

Thanks for the advice everyone I really appreciate it. I guess I didn't really look at it in a whole perspective. I realize the fraternity I'm in is a part of me (undergrads, alumni, etc.) and I do agree with my history, purpose, and ritual . I just let a few bad apples and incidents overshadow what my main purpose was in the first place. I've already been in contact with the guys at the other chapter and within mine and they're really stoked about me transferring to their school. I guess I just got upset, but I'm glad I did because it's turning out for the best after all.

[Billy Optimist]

Great to hear that NoMotiv. Hope everything works out for the best at your new school.

[James]

nomotiv,

There is an old saying as a statement of maturity:

Never take your toys and go home.

No matter how negative your chapter, or the people you perceive as idiots representing your national, you can still be the best fraternity member you can be.

If your members drink to much . . . you don't have to.

If they don't want to do service . . . you can.

If they don't want to be gentlemen . . . you can still act appropriately.

Use the Nike motto: Just do it.

If you develop enough personal prescence you'll have people saying wow, everyone should be like you .

We actually had someone do that here to a degree. In another Fraternity on our campus th members did not want to do community service, so he asked the Greek Advisor what he should do (he was the CS chair).

The advisor answered: You want to do service? Do it.

After a little while of sitting at tables by himself, suddenly he had more help than he could handle. It turns out that people (especially sorority women) were stopping his brothers in the hall and asking why one of their brothers was sitting at a table, raising money, by himself . . .

[CutiePie2000]

Originally posted by Hootie:
So what I did was write a letter to all of them and one to the advisor. I used our symphony to back up my statements as to why I thought things weren't going so well. Hootie

Hootie,
I didn't know what the Chi Omega Symphony was, so I searched and found it. I must say, I am very moved by the words, and thought that I would post it here for others to read and contemplate.



By the way, I thought it was excellent that you referred to The Symphony to back up your statements. Good Work!