Sorority Secrets Blog Response From Blogger

#1 08-13-2008, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sororityblogger

Hello everyone! It's me... the "brat" from *****. I have read the thread regarding my blog and just wanted to respond to all of the criticisms and concerns.

1. I am a real person in a real sorority. All of those pictures you see of girls? Yes they are mine taken from my camera. The other pictures on the site are taken from google images and are linked to accordingly. So please relax on the picture swiping talk... it sort of hurts my feelings.

2. I deleted the page about the recommendations and legacies and all that business. I am certain that what I wrote on that page is the protocol at my particular university but I never realized so many people would freak out over getting information that was different from their own. My apologies. I write this blog only to help. Also, why would I waste my time writing about a sorority if I weren't in one?

3. I appreciate all of your concerns so please feel free to email me directly or post comments on my blog. If I am misinformed about something... enlighten me! I am more than happy to hear your feedback directly on my blog... not on some forum. Your information is important to me.

4. I wrote this on my blog a number of times but I shall reiterate it once again. I am writing this blog as a member of a sorority- not an adviser or rush coach or anything like that. I love giving advice to my friends at home on college and rush and life in general so I figured... why not blog about it? I write this blog as if i were giving this advice to my little sister.. so please please keep this in mind when reading. Thanks so much. I hope everyone is still as excited for rush as I am!! YAY!

It figures you don't want feedback here because at your blog, you can control what gets seen and what doesn't!

There are many who 'perp being in a sorority, and we've seen several over here.

While I do understand some things are done a certain way on your campus, you were greatly misinformed with much of your recruitment information, especially the info regarding legacies and recs. People weren't freaking out because it was "different from their own"...there's an NPC standard all sororities need to follow. What you posted was just wayyyy out there.

Also, who is your blog targeted to? PNMs? Rec writers?

Quote:

another-sorority-letter-of-recommendation

28Jul08

I have noticed that many of you have enjoyed my sample sorority letter of recommendation. Here is another template you can use to write a fool proof letter of rec that will knock the socks off of any VP recruitment. I give you full permission to plagiarize as much as you would like.

Dear Sisters of __________,
I am a member of the delta delta chapter of Delta Nu from UC Pasadena class of 2009. I am writing this letter on behalf of Kate Smith, who has been a very close (friend/sister/cousin) of mine for the past (5/10/15) years. Kate Smith is a wonderful woman who exemplifies everything a Delta Nu should be. She was very involved in high school and was Ms. Pasadena her junior year of high school. She was also on the Volley ball team and was very active in Student government as well. She was on the prom planning committee and was involved in the gifted student’s program at her high school. Kate is not only a fantastic student, but one of the nicest and most vivacious girls I know. She is always there for her friends and is very well liked amongst her peers. She is a very loyal person and brings light and life to any social situation. She has a good head on her shoulders which is why I am certain she will make an excellent addition to your chapter. Kate Smith is an outstanding young woman and I am positive she will wear the letters of Delta Nu with loyalty and pride. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
You.

I'm not sure why you have a Letter Template out there when the rest of your blog seems like it's directed to PNMs. Rec writers have the forms they need, usually at their sorority's website.

Also...

Quote:

Do not miss a day of rush. It doesn’t matter if you have class or other obligations, rush is priority number one and if you can’t make that exception for one day, then you probably don’t have the time to join a sorority anyway. The world will not end if you miss one day of class.

Um, no. This is terrible advice. At some campuses, PNMs are IMMEDIATELY DROPPED from recruitment if it's discovered that they missed a class to attend recruitment events.

nittanyalum · #2 08-13-2008, 01:18 PM

At least she (if it really is a her) seems to have deleted her own rush story (if it was real) that put the other chapters on blast and what she did and didn't like about them.

Love the picture of the guys with all the pitchers of beer. Yes, doing much to improve the impression of greeks out there.

33girl · #3 08-13-2008, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sororityblogger

I write this blog as if i were giving this advice to my little sister.. so please please keep this in mind when reading.

Is she 8?

SOPi_Jawbreaker · #4 08-13-2008, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl

Is she 8?

The little sister or the blogger?

aopirose · #5 08-13-2008, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOPi_Jawbreaker

The little sister or the blogger?

Bah dump bump

KSUViolet06 · #6 08-13-2008, 01:51 PM

Well I don't know where you went to school, but at some of the biggest recruitments in the country (LSU, Bama, Ole Miss, etc.) your advice about recs is dead wrong.

Why? Because at schools like Bama and Ole Miss, 99% of the girls have recs. The sororities can't possibly invite back every single girl who has one (as ladies here can attest to). Girls with recs get cut all the time. So your advice is wrong.

carbonbeach81 · #7 08-13-2008, 01:52 PM

It seems to me the blogger is prepping to write a book, or at least solicit traffic for a profitable blog site. I have no clue why else she would post on GC.

violetpretty · #8 08-13-2008, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Well I don't know where you went to school, but at some of the biggest recruitments in the country (LSU, Bama, Ole Miss, etc.) your advice about recs is dead wrong.

Why? Because at schools like Bama and Ole Miss, 99% of the girls have recs. The sororities can't possibly invite back every single girl who has one (as ladies here can attest to). Girls with recs get cut all the time. So your advice is wrong.

AND you don't know that you don't have a "no-rec" at a chapter. Granted, most alumnae won't write a no-rec unless there is something really objectionable about you. See this thread.

SWTXBelle · #9 08-13-2008, 01:57 PM

I think it is always a bit of a caution to have an active giving advice on topics which they may not have much experience with - i.e. recommendations. The fact of the matter is, in NPC sororities, it is the alumnae who are responsible for almost every aspect of recommendations until they reach the hands of the actives. The average active (there are exceptions, I am sure) don't really need to or have the practical knowledge of all the behind the scenes actions alumnae take with recs.
She should focus her advice on what she personally has experience with, and then only if it does not conflict with NPC UAs.
Just because you are in a sorority does not mean you are qualified as an "expert" in recruitment matters.

33girl · #10 08-13-2008, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by violetpretty

AND you don't know that you don't have a "no-rec" at a chapter. Granted, most alumnae won't write a no-rec unless there is something really objectionable about you. See this thread.

Can we write a "no-rec" for sororitysecrets and send it to the general blogosphere?

Angels&Arrows · #11 08-13-2008, 02:00 PM

If you are going to post publically than you need to expect support and criticism. Not everyone shares your beliefs, opinions, or experiences. If you believe in what you are blogging, don't erase it, don't change it, stand tall. Erasing or changing something you have written as your experience/opinion (right or wrong), only strengthens your oppositions stance (unless, you are stating something that is against policy for a Sorority or NPC).

Example:
You stated, Do not miss a day of rush. It doesn’t matter if you have class or other obligations, rush is priority number one and if you can’t make that exception for one day, then you probably don’t have the time to join a sorority anyway. The world will not end if you miss one day of class.

OTW stated, Um, no. This is terrible advice. At some campuses, PNMs are IMMEDIATELY DROPPED from recruitment if it's discovered that they missed a class to attend recruitment events.

Though I rarely disagree with OTW (her statement is correct); the flip side unfortunately is at many of the campuses I am familiar with a PNMs chances are reduced if they miss a recruitment party (no one in the chapter will tell you officially that is the case, but when you have a substantial number of PNMs, a chapter can vote on the girls they meet, instead of taking chances on someone they have not met).

If someone disagrees with you, they can start their own blog. That said, coming into the lion’s den and attempting to explain yourself (if you get upset by the opposite opinion) is only going to make you more upset

carbonbeach81 · #12 08-13-2008, 02:08 PM

Wow, on the blogger's site there are Flickr photos and one says "Housepic." It's the Alpha Phi house at Northwestern University....I know because i'm an alum of NU and recognize the building (confirmed it on Google). She also has a photo titled Kappa and I can't recognize that building...not any of the Kappa houses at NU. It's hard to believe any of the girls in those photos might be NU students....they don't look intelligent or classy, both of which are the norm at NU Greek or not. The blogger must post photos from various sororities.

nittanyalum · #13 08-13-2008, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carbonbeach81

Wow, on the blogger's site there are Flickr photos and one says "Housepic." It's the Alpha Phi house at Northwestern University....I know because i'm an alum of NU and recognize the building (confirmed it on Google). She also has a photo titled Kappa and I can't recognize that building...not any of the Kappa houses at NU. It's hard to believe any of the girls in those photos might be NU students....they don't look intelligent or classy, both of which are the norm at NU Greek or not. The blogger must post photos from various sororities.

I thought she was supposed to be as UCSB? And yes, why the picture of Kappas and the picture of girls in fatigues with PKAs appear to be AChiOs?

The picture of the girls in a kitchen with liquor bottles in the background and every one of them holding red solo cups is classy with a capital 'k' too.

fantASTic · #14 08-13-2008, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sororityblogger

Hello everyone.

Jeez... let's all calm down and take a chill pill. I am targeting who ever wants to read what I write. Take it or leave it. I'm not trying to offend anyone. If you don't enjoy my blog, don't read it. I'm going to keep posting because I have gotten some positive responses from people who are actually being helped. It's only a silly little blog... I happen to think it's kind of funny ( if I do say so myself). Don't act like you didn't at least giggle at it... A little bit? No? ok fine. Thank you for visiting... whether it is good or bad or whatever... more visits for me! weeeee!!!!

No, you have gotten positive responses from people who don't know better, and are being taken advantage of in that sense. I hope you don't screw up too many girls' recruitments.

NinjaPoodle · #15 08-13-2008, 02:53 PM

Hello everyone,
I closed this thread and banned the user because Greekchat is a PRO-Greek site. There are other websites that allow anti-greek spam. Greekchat.com is not it.

If a person has had a negative experience and wants to share, that's fine but advertising a site specific to sharing (accurate or not) fraternity and sorority secrets is not acceptable.

NP.