stereotypical greeks

tld221 · #1 07-17-2007, 02:35 PM

Ok i know we all get in a hissy fit the minute someone gets to yapping about "stereotypical sorority girl" and "typical frat guy." The whole "we're not ALL like that, etc."

My question is, are we really ALL "not like that?" I find it a little hard to believe that every greek on GC is opposite the stereotype.

I know this doesnt warrant a full thread but i would like some feedback. And i do realize that one's "stereotypical" is another's "what's the big deal about that?" (between ppl's comfort zones, campus cultures, between difference councils...) but really, there's gotta be some "yup i'm definitely in a sorority/fraternity because i _______________."

Senusret I · #2 07-17-2007, 02:50 PM

Oh yeah..... a LOT of people here are stereotypical, lol....but I have friends here, so I will stop now.

33girl · #3 07-17-2007, 02:50 PM

One stereotype that's definitely true: fraternity guys have stupid nicknames.

I think we females all do a little of the being shallow and judgemental and cliquey at times - however, I don't think it's exclusive to sororities. The same thing probably happens on campuses without Greeks - all the rich girls hang out at so & so dorm, all the smart girls join a certain club, etc.

AlexMack · #4 07-17-2007, 03:09 PM

Is it awful of me to say that I think anyone who joined a GLO at an SEC school is pretty much a stereotype? That's really where it stems from so...I mean you kind of have to be. Lily Pulitzer, beauty pageants, etc etc.

We don't do that up north and we don't need to. Am I wrong here?

1908Revelations · #5 07-17-2007, 03:21 PM

Senusret1 is definitely an Alpha because he is a smarty pants!

SWTXBelle · #6 07-17-2007, 03:22 PM

I can't speak to the SEC. . .but as far as the south goes, I think you will find some members and some chapters that fit aspects of the stereotype you mentioned, but just as many if not more that do not. Also, in my many years of living in New Jersey I found plenty of snobby people.(!)
Human beings are human beings. Name an aspect of human nature, good, bad or indifferent, and you can find examples of it in ANY group you care to name, be it the PTA, the Elks, or the Safety Patrol.
The problem witih stereotypes is not that there may not be SOME truth to it - it is that they are not the whole picture. Gross generalizations are always going to fall short of reality.

gtdxeric · #7 07-17-2007, 03:23 PM

One thing that I think is so fundamental to fraternity/sorority life that it's often overlooked by members: if you're in a fraternity, you have to enjoy, at least on some level, a lot of interaction with a lot of different men. Similarly, I have female friends who could never be in a sorority, simply because they couldn't handle that many girls in one place, and the drama would just outweigh the benefits of sisterhood to them. This manifests itself as the stereotype of the "frat guy" who is always hanging out with six to seven other guys, and the "sorority girl" who never goes anywhere without a cloud of her girls in her wake. Does this make sense?

Senusret I · #8 07-17-2007, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1908Revelations

Senusret1 is definitely an Alpha because he is a smarty pants!

LOL....yup.

1908Revelations · #9 07-17-2007, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senusret I

LOL....yup.

I knew you would like that steroeotype!

rhoyaltempest · #10 07-17-2007, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtdxeric

One thing that I think is so fundamental to fraternity/sorority life that it's often overlooked by members: if you're in a fraternity, you have to enjoy, at least on some level, a lot of interaction with a lot of different men. Similarly, I have female friends who could never be in a sorority, simply because they couldn't handle that many girls in one place, and the drama would just outweigh the benefits of sisterhood to them. This manifests itself as the stereotype of the "frat guy" who is always hanging out with six to seven other guys, and the "sorority girl" who never goes anywhere without a cloud of her girls in her wake. Does this make sense?

This is exactly what people thought about me and what I thought about myself for a long time but Sigma Gamma Rho proved me wrong. One of our stereotypes (that we encourage) is about us being so individual and encouraging individuality, and I have to say that of most of the sorors I've met, this rings true. Many of the ones I've met did not even seriously consider greek life until finding out about Sigma Gamma Rho because they thought that they wouldn't be able to be themselves. Because the Sigma women on my campus were so individual (had lots of non-greek friends and were a part of other clubs) even though they were in a sorority, I felt that I could still be myself and I didn't have to be around them 24/7. I'm naturally a loner (well, part of me is) and I have lots of guy friends, but I found that I can be around a group of girls when I want to or to achieve something. My sorors respect that sometimes I need to be a loner or to be around others and they are cool with that. They know that when I'm ready to be with the group, I'll come around and they can count on me to do whatever I signed up to do or what they need for me to do. So my personality definitely doesn't fit the stereotype and I was even one of those who once said that they would never join a sorority and complained about how women just can't get along. So go figure.

macallan25 · #11 07-17-2007, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porkfriedrice

Is it awful of me to say that I think anyone who joined a GLO at an SEC school is pretty much a stereotype? That's really where it stems from so...I mean you kind of have to be. Lily Pulitzer, beauty pageants, etc etc.

We don't do that up north and we don't need to. Am I wrong here?

Generally if you are going to be in a strong fraternity or sorority at an SEC school, or Texas/SMU/TCU/W&L, etc. etc. etc. you are going to have to fit the mold, so to speak. Sure, there are some exceptions, but for the most part that's the way it is.

There are definitely chapters at all of these schools that don't fit the image at all.

.......also, I'd replace "beauty pageant" with deb balls. I think most Southern fraternity women would agree that beauty pageants are a bit sleazy.

FuzzieAlum · #12 07-17-2007, 04:26 PM

I think you'll find a wider spectrum of members on a campus where people who had never thought about being Greek decide they want to be a part of it after seeing it firsthand than on a campus where lots of people who have dreamed of it since they were knee-high to a grasshopper are cut.

It's a self-perpetuating thing, I think. Once Greek life is seen as very exclusive, some potentially excellent members are turned off to it, and those who aspire to it are more concerned about being in the "right" kind of chapter.

Which isn't meant to sound negative only about super-competitive systems. It's possible to go too far in breaking stereotypes, as I think most of our organizations are supposed to aspire to excellence. Some stereotypes, such as decent grades or good hygience, I would rather see upheld.

_Lisa_ · #13 07-17-2007, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porkfriedrice

Is it awful of me to say that I think anyone who joined a GLO at an SEC school is pretty much a stereotype? That's really where it stems from so...I mean you kind of have to be. Lily Pulitzer, beauty pageants, etc etc.

We don't do that up north and we don't need to. Am I wrong here?

From the inside looking out, I don't see the same old stereotypes at UK, but we're probably one of less competitive SEC schools as far as recruitment goes.

Tom Earp · #14 07-17-2007, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porkfriedrice

Is it awful of me to say that I think anyone who joined a GLO at an SEC school is pretty much a stereotype? That's really where it stems from so...I mean you kind of have to be. Lily Pulitzer, beauty pageants, etc etc.

We don't do that up north and we don't need to. Am I wrong here?

Not really up for Your Definition of doing anythig with any Conference of either A GLO or a school grouping!

You scare me!

UGAalum94 · #15 07-17-2007, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porkfriedrice

Is it awful of me to say that I think anyone who joined a GLO at an SEC school is pretty much a stereotype? That's really where it stems from so...I mean you kind of have to be. Lily Pulitzer, beauty pageants, etc etc.

We don't do that up north and we don't need to. Am I wrong here?

I'm trying to ignore the gauntlet you've throw down there.

It's nice bait, but surely, you are kidding, right?

ETA: Going with the idea you aren't, I think it's fair to say that SEC rush is goofy and it may keep a lot of good people from participating in the system who might in a different region (not that they get cut; just that they won't do it).

And there may be a certain strata of groups, like the ones Macallen25 probably has in mind, where looking at pictures of the groups, you'd think maybe of the Barbie stereotype, but when you actually interact with the group members, the attitudes and behaviors are down to earth and normal and really gracious. One might want to believe that they are too good to be true so they must be catty behind people's backs, but they aren't particularly. They have authentically good manners and are as likely to be truly friendly and kind as any other group of people. (I mean, surely you don't think the SECers have cornered the market on catty on GreekChat, do you?)

I think you hear the horror stories on here and because recruitment is bizarre in the SEC, I understand that reading about it here might make you think that everyone willing to do must really must buy in, but they don't.

Also, when I think of stereotypical images of sorority girls, they suggest kind of dumb, mean, and materialistic (like the recruitment twin story) but the reality is that nobody (or almost nobody) is actually like that, even at SEC schools.