Where you greek in College?

[wsu12]

Anybody want to give a shout out to the sorority/fraternity? I also, wanted to see if I had any Alpha Delta Pi sisters on Pricescope?

 

[Kaleigh]

I was a Tri Delt, and a Phi Kappa Psi little sister. My DD is a Tri Delt . I gave her my pledge pin when she joined.

 

[Upgradable]

Kaleigh, me too! Whoop, whoop, whoop!!!

 

[Catmom]

I was a Phi Kappa Epsilon little sister.

 

[MagsyMay]

Alpha Chi Omega here

Never though I would have rushed, but met a wonderful group of girls and had a blast!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I was in a sorority

 

[D2B]

OK,
to an aussie, can anyone please explain the sorority thing to me, and the names? but what are the benefits, are they college specific, how do you get in, why do you join etc. Really curious, the names are great.......always wanted to know what it was all about.
thanks heaps

db

 

[wsu12]

D2B,
I chose to join a sorority due to the fact that I attended a rather large state university (35,000 Undergrads at the time I was enrolled) and wanted to be part of a smaller organization within this large community. I also immensely enjoyed all of the activities that my sorority provided. Ranging from sitting together at football games, formals, IM sports, Charity Work (Our philanthropy is the Ronald McDonald House)....

Cheers!

 

[wsu12]

Just noticed I spelled my post title "Where you greek..." Oops! In my mind I intended to write "Were you greek in college?" That''s embarrassing

 

[GoingCrazy29]

I was a Kappa Alpha Theta at Purdue University. Great times had by all

 

[justginger]

MM, I was an Alpha Chi Omega as well. Loved it 99% of the time, hated the 1% that got caught up in silly rules. Wouldn''t have changed it for the world - such a great group of women!

D2B, now that I live in Australia, I often have to try to explain the sorority/fraternity thing to people. I am usually very long winded, so will summarize this the best I can.

In modern terms, sororities are for women, fraternities are for men. Each can only have members of their respective sex. Once you fully join one (as in, are initiated), you can''t ever join another. Each frat/sorority has its own traditions, its own values, its own rules, its own history, its own symbols, its own charity work, etc. They are independent organizations from the actual university with which they are affilitated. My sorority, Alpha Chi Omega (AXO), has 135 chapters across the country, so they''re established in 135 different unis. Each chapter will vary in size, mine had 65 girls at capacity. That number is determined by a variety of factors, including the actual capacity of the organization''s house (that you live in), the size of the uni, the number of women who choose to join a Greek organization, etc.

These organizations have been established in the States for years upon years. I can only speak based on mine, because that''s obviously all I''m familar with. AXO was founded in 1885, originally as a music-based organization (hilarious, when you hear the my Alpha Chis trying to sing!). My opinion of sororities'' purpose is to bring women together to a) support one another, b) support the community, and c) achieve personal growth. Each sorority has a different motto, but I would imagine they would all fit into that scheme somewhere (our''s was "together let us seek the heights").

As an organization, we took care of each other (personal tutors, study hours for those will unacceptable grades, a "sober sister" for the evening hours when you''ve had too much to drink, gifts or trinkets for people having a difficult time in life, recognition for good work in school, etc) - we took care of the community (food drives for a local women''s shelter, Take Back the Night marches to raise awareness of domestic violence, free and safe Halloween activities for children from the local community projects, roadside cleanup around the town, a philanthropy-based activities week to benefit a charity of choice [fsu''s was Ronald McDonald House, our''s was the Coalition Against Rape and Domestic Violence], etc), - and through those things you achieve so much personal growth. It is often the way many people learn about "life" in college, instead of just grades alone. In the States, higher education is more about experience than pure academics (which is primarily what I''ve found down under).

So I hope that wasn''t too much of a novel. I just know that most Aussies don''t understand more than what Old School sorta teaches you!

 

[luv2sparkle]

Tri Sigma!

 

[meresal]

fsu- I'm an ADPI!

luv2sparkle- My ex's mom was a Tri Sigma. I've never met any others. The closest I ever got was my mom, because she went to the womens' college where Zeta, Tri Sigma, and Chi-O were established.

 

[sba771]

KD and my FI is a Phi Delt...he took it EXTREMELY seriously and was very hardcore at college, his frat was intense from the stories he tells me.

 

[Kay]

Magsy and Ginger, I was an Alpha Chi Omega too. Unfortunately, I don''t remember the secret handshake anymore.

 

[blondebunny]

Im an ADPi as well

 

[D2B]

Fsu and justginer, thanks heaps for your explanation. sounds great

db

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I''m a Delta Zeta, Kappa Epsilon Chapter.

 

[kittybean]

I was (still am, actually!) a Chi Omega. I was the philanthropy chair (our official charity is Make A Wish Foundation).

For the non-US folk, this is the "Chi Omega Symphony," which gives an idea of the purpose of my sorority:

"To live constantly above snobbery of word or deed; to place scholarship before social obligations and character before appearances; to be, in the best sense, democratic rather than 'exclusive' and lovable rather than 'popular'; to work earnestly, to speak kindly, to act sincerely, to choose thoughtfully that course which occasion and conscience demand; to be womanly always; to be discouraged never; in a word, to be loyal under any and all circumstances to my Fraternity and her highest teachings and to have her welfare ever at heart that she may be a symphony of high purpose and helpfulness in which there is no discordant note."
Written by Ethel Switzer-Howard, 1904, Xi Chapter

luv2sparkle, my cousin was a Tri-Sig!

 

[OUpearlgirl]

Date: 10/4/2009 9:16:21 PM
Author: GoingCrazy29
I was a Kappa Alpha Theta at Purdue University. Great times had by all

I was a Theta too!

Our chapter just celebrated 100 years on campus this weekend!

 

[musey]

Date: 10/4/2009 5:14:31 PM
Author:fsu1227
Where you greek in College?

No, but it was huge at my school. Most of the people I knew were part of the greek system. It wasn't my thing personally, but I can see the appeal!

I always thought it was funny to hear peoples' stereotypes of each house. They seemed to be self-fulfilling prophecies at my school, so the divisions were very clear. I spent very little time on the row, but a lot of my friends were involved and the labels were hard to escape. I'd love to hear what peoples' houses were known as at their school!

At my school...
Pi Beta Phi - the hot girls who had a bit of drug trouble
Gamma Phi Beta - the girls who loooooooved themselves a keg
Tri Delt - normal girls
Kappa Kappa Gamma - pretty girls who were very serious about school
Alpha Chi Omega and Alpha Delta Pi - the girls who didn't party much (if at all)
Alpha Phi - the NICEST girls on the row
Kappa Alpha Theta - the hottest girls on the row
Delta Gamma - second only to KAT in hotness

Kappa Sigma - hottest guys on the row
Lambda Chi - the metrosexual guys
Alpha Tau Omega - the "date rape frat"

(I wish I were making this up, that's actually what they were called)
Sigma Chi - the PARTY frat
Zeta Beta Tau - the NICEST guys on the row

 

[indecisive]

Date: 10/6/2009 1:34:37 PM
Author: kittybean
I was (still am, actually!) a Chi Omega. I was the philanthropy chair (our official charity is Make A Wish Foundation).


For the non-US folk, this is the ''Chi Omega Symphony,'' which gives an idea of the purpose of my sorority:


''To live constantly above snobbery of word or deed; to place scholarship before social obligations and character before appearances; to be, in the best sense, democratic rather than ''exclusive'' and lovable rather than ''popular''; to work earnestly, to speak kindly, to act sincerely, to choose thoughtfully that course which occasion and conscience demand; to be womanly always; to be discouraged never; in a word, to be loyal under any and all circumstances to my Fraternity and her highest teachings and to have her welfare ever at heart that she may be a symphony of high purpose and helpfulness in which there is no discordant note.''

Written by Ethel Switzer-Howard, 1904, Xi Chapter



luv2sparkle, my cousin was a Tri-Sig!

I am a Chi O too!! My mom is an Alpha Chi Omega and my husband is a ZBT. I always loved our symphony

 

[Haven]

The Greek system was huge at my college, but it just wasn't my thing so I was a very proud GDI.

I went through rush because it looked like fun even though I wasn't super interested, and I ended up getting really turned off because a couple older girls from my high school called me during the rush period to try to get me to join their sororities. Apparently this was something that was super illegal in the sorority system, and the whole thing was very strange. They were bad mouthing other houses and telling me that I was too cool/pretty/awesome to join xyz house.

It was really bizarre, and just something that I couldn't see myself being a part of. (I didn't even know the girls who called me, they called a handful of girls from my class to try to get them to join their houses. So creepy.)

My sisters joined the same sorority (at my college) when they were there together and loved it. I enjoyed going to barn dances and canoe trips and such with my friends and sisters, that was enough for me!

 

[indypitty]

Date: 10/4/2009 9:16:21 PM
Author: GoingCrazy29
I was a Kappa Alpha Theta at Purdue University. Great times had by all

Me, too! Crazy! When were you there? I was from 94 - 98.

 

[marcy]

I was. My mom and sister were KD so that is what I pledged but I hung out with Pi Phis most of the time.

 

[justginger]

Kittybean - I almost went ChiO and I really loved the girls there as well. The AXO and XO girls did all of their philanthropy and other events together at my college. That''s a kickin'' symphony, very well spoken.

Our symphony was: "To see beauty even in the common things of life. To shed the light of love and friendship round me. To keep my life in tune with the world that I shall make no discords in the harmony of life. To strike on the lyre of the universe only the notes of happiness, of joy, of peace. To appreciate every little service rendered. To see and appreciate all that is noble in another, be her badge what it may. And to let my lyre send forth the chords of love, unselfishness, sincerity. This is to be my symphony."

Very music-based, obviously. I reckon the XO one is better!

Musey, it''s funny how the stereotypes begin and then seem to attract people of that nature, and it just perpetuates itself. Our Sigma Chis were crazy partiers too!

 

[Lauren8211]

Date: 10/6/2009 7:59:51 PM
Author: musey

Date: 10/4/2009 5:14:31 PM
Author:fsu1227
Where you greek in College?

No, but it was huge at my school. Most of the people I knew were part of the greek system. It wasn''t my thing personally, but I can see the appeal!

I always thought it was funny to hear peoples'' stereotypes of each house. They seemed to be self-fulfilling prophecies at my school, so the divisions were very clear. I spent very little time on the row, but a lot of my friends were involved and the labels were hard to escape. I''d love to hear what peoples'' houses were known as at their school!

At my school...
Pi Beta Phi - the hot girls who had a bit of drug trouble
Gamma Phi Beta - the girls who loooooooved themselves a keg
Tri Delt - normal girls
Kappa Kappa Gamma - pretty girls who were very serious about school
Alpha Chi Omega and Alpha Delta Pi - the girls who didn''t party much (if at all)
Alpha Phi - the NICEST girls on the row
Kappa Alpha Theta - the hottest girls on the row
Delta Gamma - second only to KAT in hotness

Kappa Sigma - hottest guys on the row
Lambda Chi - the metrosexual guys
Alpha Tau Omega - the ''date rape frat''

(I wish I were making this up, that''s actually what they were called)
Sigma Chi - the PARTY frat
Zeta Beta Tau - the NICEST guys on the row

What the heck? They were the date-rapers at my school too!

 

[iwannaprettyone]

Date: 10/6/2009 1:00:02 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
I''m a Delta Zeta, Kappa Epsilon Chapter.

me too! Zeta Psi

 

[musey]

Date: 10/7/2009 7:58:47 AM
Author: justginger

Musey, it''s funny how the stereotypes begin and then seem to attract people of that nature, and it just perpetuates itself. Our Sigma Chis were crazy partiers too!

Isn''t it?? I thought people were just being mean/judgmental... but no, the stereotypes were almost spot-on for the houses as a whole. Of course, there were always the sisters/brothers who didn''t line up with everyone else, but the exception proves the rule - right?

 

[musey]

Date: 10/7/2009 8:50:41 AM
Author: elledizzy5

Date: 10/6/2009 7:59:51 PM
Author: musey

Date: 10/4/2009 5:14:31 PM
Author:fsu1227
Where you greek in College?

Alpha Tau Omega - the ''date rape frat''

(I wish I were making this up, that''s actually what they were called)

What the heck? They were the date-rapers at my school too!

NO WAY!!!! It must be in their constitution or whatever...