What is the hardest thing.....

Diamond Delta · #1 08-01-2004, 04:45 PM

What is the hardest thing you have experienced as a result of being in a sorority or frternity? Is it the time committment, attention to detail needed to get things done, inspiring the troops, recruiting decent members, retaining decent members, organizaing philanthropy, organizing paper work and deadlines (MY personal problem!!!), staying positive, reputations, what???

I need to feel I am not alone here!

KSUViolet06 · #2 08-01-2004, 04:53 PM

It's challenging to be a new member and learn about your sisterhood while keeping a Dean's List GPA, but it can be done. Just takes a little commitment and time management, that's all.

ADqtPiMel · #3 08-01-2004, 05:10 PM

Paying dues on time.

_Lisa_ · #4 08-01-2004, 05:34 PM

The biggest problem I had was working full time, going to school full time, & finding time for my sisters.

Shima-Mizu · #5 08-01-2004, 06:43 PM

Balancing 12 hours a week of work, 16 credits of classes, 3 days a week of karate, vice president stuff with japanese club, church during the middle of the week, and finding time for the non-greek friends and boyfriend...

And I chose to rush knowing I was doing all that? Yup.

Busy, busy, busy, but I loved every moment of it.

I've got another busy looking schedule awaiting me this fall too, but I'm looking forward to it.

CarolinaCutie · #6 08-01-2004, 07:02 PM

I'd say overlooking the negativity and drama that can sometimes occur, particularly being on Exec. I'm a pretty negative, dramatic person, so I think I suffer even more than others. But it always comes and goes in waves- sometimes I have to work pretty hard to see all the good, and other times it just feels like everything is great.

HotDamnImAPhiMu · #7 08-01-2004, 07:51 PM

paying bills. Definately.

when my mom got sick, my grades slipped, and I got sick....

all I can say is, I have the most patient sorority sisters EVER.

Rudey · #8 08-01-2004, 07:52 PM

I think back in the day it was all the hazing, alcohol, drugs and sex.

-Rudey

Munchkin03 · #9 08-01-2004, 07:54 PM

Getting people to pay their dues. I had to suspend all reimbursements and put half the chapter on financial suspension once. Being VP-Finance often makes you the heavy.

As a result, I had a rule where I would only discuss financials for an hour after chapter each week. If I hadn't done that, it would have taken over my life.

KillarneyRose · #10 08-01-2004, 07:58 PM

No question, learning to juggle was the hardest part of being a collegiate member. Class + work+ sorority+ studying = not much spare time!

But, I'll tell ya. It definitely forced me to become very organized and I've managed to keep that to this day.

AZSigKap · #11 08-01-2004, 09:53 PM

I would say my very first semester in my sorority was the hardest...having to balance 20+ hours of work a week, 4 classes, new member education, all the activities to get to know people, and deal with a boyfriend (I actually ended up dumping him the nite of initiation cuz I couldn't deal with his negative attitude anymore) who could not possibly understand why I joined a sorority was all very hard. But, I got through it and am now very happy!

AZSigKap

astroAPhi · #12 08-01-2004, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CarolinaCutie
I'd say overlooking the negativity and drama that can sometimes occur...

I'd agree with that. But for me that was the ONLY hard thing. But a big part of the reason I joined a sorority was because I needed to learn how to deal with women, and I've learned that when you get that much estrogen in one place, drama is bound to happen.

If anything, dealing with TEH DRAMA gave me a better attitude because I couldn't let it get me down.

aephi alum · #13 08-01-2004, 11:23 PM

It's tough to put my finger on just one thing. Being a part of any organization is a challenge.

When I was a rho chi, I had to explain to my new (non-greek) boyfriend that I had to pretty much disappear for a week for rush because I had to be available for my PNMs and "on duty" during parties. He didn't quite get that just because I wasn't squirreled away in a rush room didn't mean that I could hang out with him any time.

It was also tough deaffiliating and being unable to speak to any of my sisters or any non-freshman women on my dorm's floor (pretty much all the women on my floor were in sororities).

The year after I graduated, I came back to help with rush, and was treated very badly by some of the actives. I didn't have anything to do with my chapter, or AEPhi at all, for some years afterwards.

Probably the toughest thing of all was watching my chapter go through a reorganization. I was an alum, but I was still around for grad school. Some of my dearest sisters were asked to take early alum status; others deaffiliated outright (by their choice). My little was among them.

The chapter is stronger now than it was then, but it was still painful to watch.

Imperial1 · #14 08-02-2004, 03:13 AM

Dues! ESPECIALLY when you move from undergrad to grad/alumni chapters!

Imperial1

CarolinaCutie · #15 08-02-2004, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Imperial1
Dues! ESPECIALLY when you move from undergrad to grad/alumni chapters!

Imperial1

Interesting... so your grad/alumnae dues are more? Sorry if that's a nosy question. It is the complete opposite for my sorority (and most NPC sororities, I'd assume).