mom on greekchat

scrapcat · #1 08-22-2011, 05:22 PM

I saw a post awhile ago, the poster asked why so many moms are on gc but not the daughters. This got me thinking. Why am I here? (just to preface this I have one daughter in a sorority and one about to start recruitment)
I got on gc several years ago. Here are my reasons:
- My daughter was about to undertake something I knew nothing about.
- Sorority = money! There is some serious costs involved and as a parent it's mainly my checkbook that is affected.
- I wanted to know as much about the process as I could find out (plus I love to research stuff!)
- Having knowledge of the process helped me to understand and assist my daughter through her "rush" week. I was able to explain how/why cuts are made, mutual selection and get additional advice here!
- my older daughter wanted to share her story but didn't have the time so I submitted her recruitment thread.

So those are some of my reasons why I'm here. Any other moms want to add anything?

PS: My daughter starts recruitment Friday!

carnation · #2 08-22-2011, 05:26 PM

Yeah...ditto to all that. My oldest had just gone off to college and pledged AOII, my youngest was an infant and still slept a lot, and I was bored because the other kids were in school but the college where I taught hadn't started classes. I don't remember how I found GC!

I tell you what, though, GC has been invaluable. I have found friends here--also recs, advice, so much I can't think of now.

A lot of us are Greek and have renewed old ties as well.

alum · #3 08-22-2011, 05:45 PM

Ditto to the 2 posts above.

D was a hs sr. We both attended colleges with 5 NPC orgs but the similarities ended there. Her future school was 80% Greek, mine was about 15%. I went to a research university in the North. D's school was a LAC in the South. This was a great resource.

AXOmom · #4 08-22-2011, 05:45 PM

My reasons were very similar to yours Scrapcat. When I went through college joining a sorority never crossed my mind and what I knew about it was very limited, so I wanted to find a place where I could find neutral, unbiased information (translation: not what I thought she and her friends wanted me to know, so she could talk me into it - LOL). Also, at the time, we had some questions about recruitment that she wanted to get answered by people who didnt know her and wouldn't just tell her what she wanted to hear. Initially, for both of us this site provided a lot of invaluable information.

I think I mentioned once that I stayed on because her sorority has obviously become a major part of her life. When things are important to my kids I want to show an interest and be able to talk to them intelligently about the things they love. This site has helped me do that.

Finally, there are threads here that have nothing to do with sororities that I find fun, interesting, and/or entertaining to read.

I will say that I think parents who come on here would get less flack if they spend a lot of time READING first before they ever start to post and kind of get the "lay of the land". I read for a full year before I posted and that was after my daughter had accepted her bid.

HappyKappaMom · #5 08-22-2011, 06:24 PM

I came on to learn about sorority life because I didn't get the chance in college and knew I missed an important experience. I really wanted my daughter to have every possible opportunity in college. Many of your suggestions and opinions helped so much to smooth her way and she loved every minute of it.

I got hooked because y'all are so funny sometimes.

My mother was hooked on soap operas . . . guess this is my substitute!

yayaya · #6 08-22-2011, 06:33 PM

Some of us "moms" pledged sororities during our college years. Once an ABC. Always an ABC! [=
Those who are knowledgeable about the workings of the collegiate sororities know how wonderful and important it is to have the continued interest and assistance from alumni members. This would include help and wisdom on greekchat.

FSUZeta · #7 08-22-2011, 08:04 PM

while i am the mom of a sorority woman(and fellow ZTA), i came on greekchat years ago when the "sisters only" site on the ZTA international website was taken down for maintenance and penquintrax(a ZTA sister) clued me in onto this site.

i enjoyed hearing how advisors from other sororities do their job, and still do. i have made friends, learned many new things, expanded my panhellenic knowledge and especially love the recruitment threads!

axoalum · #8 08-22-2011, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yayaya

Some of us "moms" pledged sororities during our college years. Once an ABC. Always an ABC! [=
Those who are knowledgeable about the workings of the collegiate sororities know how wonderful and important it is to have the continued interest and assistance from alumni members. This would include help and wisdom on greekchat.

While I originally found GC in my search to help my oldest when she went through several years ago (forgot what my username was then) I have continued to enjoy following the threads as a sorority member myself. I agree yaya, once a member always a member. I am actually lucky enough to be getting together this weekend with several girls who lived with me in the house 30 years ago!!!

baci · #9 08-23-2011, 08:56 AM

I think it is great that moms are here. Enjoy your time here!

ree-Xi · #10 08-23-2011, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrapcat

I saw a post awhile ago, the poster asked why so many moms are on gc but not the daughters. This got me thinking. Why am I here? (just to preface this I have one daughter in a sorority and one about to start recruitment)
I got on gc several years ago. Here are my reasons:
- My daughter was about to undertake something I knew nothing about.
- Sorority = money! There is some serious costs involved and as a parent it's mainly my checkbook that is affected.
- I wanted to know as much about the process as I could find out (plus I love to research stuff!)
- Having knowledge of the process helped me to understand and assist my daughter through her "rush" week. I was able to explain how/why cuts are made, mutual selection and get additional advice here!
- my older daughter wanted to share her story but didn't have the time so I submitted her recruitment thread.

So those are some of my reasons why I'm here. Any other moms want to add anything?

PS: My daughter starts recruitment Friday!

I think it might have been me who asked the question in the past week or two, and it wasn't directed at moms in general. It was that I was wondering why moms were here asking about things that their daughters should have been doing to the work on.

Otherwise, the more, the merrier!

FuturePNMMom · #11 08-23-2011, 12:28 PM

Good luck with another recruitment Scrapcat! After experiencing all the emotions of recruitment two weeks ago, I am glad I only have one daughter!

My reasons for joining GC are very similar to yours.

I joined while my daughter was a senior in high school because she didn't know which University in Alabama she was going to go to, but she knew she wanted to rush and I knew nothing about the process, except it was extremely competitive at both of her schools of interest.

The advice on here was great. I followed both the Alabama and Auburn threads last year and read some previous years and realized that every year there are many good endings but sometimes things don't work out as a mom would like.

I was able to ask questions to some experts on the topic and get really good, quick answers.

Obviously, I didn't plan on staying on at the time I made my screenname,

, but I did get hooked. Lots of fun stuff here at GC.

wareagle93 · #12 08-23-2011, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FuturePNMMom

Good luck with another recruitment Scrapcat! After experiencing all the emotions of recruitment two weeks ago, I am glad I only have one daughter!

My reasons for joining GC are very similar to yours.

I joined while my daughter was a senior in high school because she didn't know which University in Alabama she was going to go to, but she knew she wanted to rush and I knew nothing about the process, except it was extremely competitive at both of her schools of interest.

The advice on here was great. I followed both the Alabama and Auburn threads last year and read some previous years and realized that every year there are many good endings but sometimes things don't work out as a mom would like.

I was able to ask questions to some experts on the topic and get really good, quick answers.

Obviously, I didn't plan on staying on at the time I made my screenname,

, but I did get hooked. Lots of fun stuff here at GC.

Congrats on your daughter!

AlphaFrog · #13 08-23-2011, 12:48 PM

I've wondered if GC is going to be around in another 11 and 13 years when my daughter and son are able to rush.

ETA: If it is, I'll probably set the record for the first person to register on GC as an active to have their legacy rush.

phimusam · #14 08-23-2011, 02:44 PM

Granny here. I was in a sorority, but daughter was not. Daughter joined Greekchat after I told her about it. Both granddaughters had a successful rush and both are in sororities. I did recs for both of them - but told them to follow their hearts. One was not interested in Phi Mu - one had Phi Mu second but got her first choice. This place has good information and would certainly help a parent understand rush as it is now. I like the new winnow down method better than the old - the only suggestion I would have is to allow sorority to keep those on the list that have dropped them so that a girl who might otherwise be released could circle back to a sorority she dropped earlier.

scrapcat · #15 08-23-2011, 05:39 PM

I've started the countdown to rush... Thursday is the "opening ceremony". Should be a wild ride. I think the info on gc is fantastic. I feel for the girls going through SEC recruitment. I don't think I could keep myself together! I already told my daughter I require updates in order to breathe! (Just kidding!) I've gathered enough knowledge to assist her through the process. I actaully think I understand "mutual selection!" My older daughter said it best "girls have to want to be in the greek system when they go through recruitment. They shouldn't fall in love with one house, but the entire system" (if that were true, some houses wouldn't have to close their doors)