Pros and Cons of Joining a Sorority?

[Daizey 0]

Serious question, what do you think are the pros and cons of joining a sorority?

A new chapter of a sorority is being brought to my campus. I had never really thought about joining one before-I never really thought I was the sorority-type girl, but this new one looks interesting and a few of my friends are interested in joining and trying to get me to too.

Up until recently, when i thought about sororities i thought of horrible pledging processes, parties, stupid rules, and girls who I wouldnt normally hang out with. I think my thoughts on sororities come mostly from what Ive seen on tv and in movies so I'm interested in hearing what the real thing is like.

Lately some of the things I have heard is that they teach you a lot about discipline and the bond of sisterhood. Also that you forever have a connection with a great group of people and that its a life changing experience. It's these things that are making me want to think about it a little more...

Any thoughts or experiences would be greatly appreciated!

*daizey*

[jtval 0]

stick to skydiving.
now read youyr last paragraph

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[Daizey 0]

skydiving is nice, dont get me wrong, I love the community and all, but i dont want it to be my only community....and i wouldnt want the sorority to be my only community either.

*daizey*

[jtval 0]

wassamatter? you cant make friends?

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[Ncrowe 0]

Cons - Being lumped into a group of people whom you wouldn't normally associate with.

Pros - Late night pillow fights in nothing but bras and panties that may lead to full on girl on girl orgy.

I say join and get video,

"Don't Mess Around With the Guy in Shades- Oh No!!! "

[EricaH 0]

I wish I'd been able to join one - none @ my school. They certainly can be helpful w/ connections in the future. esp for finding work right out of college.

in addition to skydiving, you'd be hooked up all over the place! why not join is the real ?.

There is no can't. Only lack of knowledge or fear. Only you can fix your fear.

PMS #227 (just like the TV show)

[VanillaSkyGirl 6]

I was perusing the forums in stealth mode all morning, but when I read this post, I thought:

"Daizey...NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

I agree with what JT wrote. Daizey, you are a unqiue person ~ an individual with your own ideas and points of views. It seems that being in a sorority may somehow subtly influence your views of certain people or experiences that you may otherwise be open to. Personally, at your age, I would want more freedom to find out who I am and what I like, rather than have my vision or judgment colored by sorority friends. Good luck with your decision.
Edited: Actually, like Erica H wrote, I also have read that they can be good to join for career networking. I hope that my post is not too negative towards Sororities and Fraternaties. My apologies in advance to anyone whom I may have offended.

[Daizey 0]

no problems with that whatsoever, if you noticed I said a few of my friends are asking me to join with them

Im not saying Im definitely joining-and I dont want anyone to attack me for thinking of joining, I'm just looking for information on people's experiences....and the pros and cons to joing such an organization....

*daizey*

[jtval 0]

lol.

david koresh(SP?) asked a few of his friends to join also! LOL


I know it seems I am polar opposite of college sorority/frat etc.

I don't kno wall of them and I am not assuming that I know your situation. the only thing I can go on is my personal experience with people who were in frats/sor's.

it is DEFINITELY not for me. so, in drawing from that i give you my opinioin

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[Rdy2skydive 0]

I joined a sorority in college for many of the same reasons you are thinking about. After a ridiculous pledge process where many of the "sisters" went on a huge power trip, I ended up with a bad case of mono and failed two classes that semester.

Once pledging was over, I immediately went inactive. In fact, if I wasn't so sick on Hell Night I would have quit right then and there. I didn't need to be bullied and submissive to have friends. I only chose to attend certain events. After all, I never figured out the relevance of marching around Newark airport in a diaper wearing leopard ears with drunken "sisters" screaming at you. How does that build a lifelong bond of trust and friendship?

I don't like being told what to wear, how to act and who to be friends with so I guess being in a sorority wasn't really right for me. Fifteen years later, I am not in touch with any of my "sisters" but I still have many of the good friends I made in college prior to pledging.

Friends are people who like you for who who are and not for the level of bullshit you are willing to tolerate as a means of proving yourself worthy.

Like JT says - stick to skydiving and find some other passions. You will make friends that way. Good Luck!!

[white_falcon 0]

wish i'd a got asked to join a SOROITY when I was in college.



Scott

edit: sorry but I couldn't resist that.

[PhreeZone 20]

Having a group to bond with is important. Expecially since Skydivers tend to be fair-weather friends. Get hurt and most of them don't came around as much any more. Quit jumping and they quit talking to you. Seen it happen a lot, and I've quit talking to people that quit coming to the DZ before so don't anyone deny that it happens.

Go out and join if you want to

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And tomorrow is a mystery

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[peregrinerose 0]

I did not join a sorority. The biggest two advantages of being GDI is that you are exposed to a LOT more people on a regular basis than those in your sorority. With sorority functions and sisters, etc, it does make you closer to them, but distances you from others to some degree. Sorority sisters from the experiences I had in college tend to be pretty independant individuals the first year, but the farther in school the more cliquish they became, they lost a little of their own unique identities.

No right or wrong on it, just decide for yourself what works best for your personality. My choice was to be GDI. I'm far too independent and tomboyish to fit in with a sorority, they would have driven me up a wall. And I probably would have done the same to them. That doesn't mean I think there's a darn thing wrong with them, it just wasn't right for me.

Jen

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[Casurf1978 0]

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...and i wouldnt want the sorority to be my only community either.

Pledging will pretty much dominate your entire life. At my school it was a semester of it. I lasted three weeks, it just wasnt me. Too much BS cliquish only hang with us deal. Plus all I really had in common with them was that I liked to party and drink. Look at clubs at your school, I was on the surfing club and swim team. I had a blast with them too. Just an idea but how about starting a skydiving club? I wish my school wouldve had one when I went there.

[Daizey 0]

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It seems that being in a sorority may somehow subtly influence your views of certain people or experiences that you may otherwise be open to

I can assure you of one thing...noone will ever tell me what to believe or what I can or cannot do. I am my own person and joinging a sorority wouldn't change that.

As for finding freedom, isnt expanding the things you do in life exploring your freedom? Isnt getting to know more people in different environments going to help with this as well?

As for what JT said, I love ya and all cuz, but i greatly disagree with what ya said...skydiving is a great community, but there is more to life...that isnt meant to be offensive to anyone...it just means I want to experience a variety of things as well as a variety of people...amke sense?

Erica, theres never been any on this campus that interested me, but a girl just tranferred here form another school and she wants to start a chapter of the sorority she joined...the cool thing would be that there isnt much of a rushing/pledging process...I have heard it gives you great connections and it also looks good on a resume...not sure how much truth there is to that, but its an interesting pro.

*daizey*

[Jib 0]

How big is Greek life where you are? At some schools, it makes up a ridiculous portion of the social life and opens some social doors. At others, it more of another club or group of people. If you don't care about the social aspects (mixers or formals), go jump!

--------------------------------------------------
the depth of his depravity sickens me.
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[jtval 0]

well eric,
I kinda agree with you, and disagree.
the fair weather thing BC i have stopped talknig to people who dont go to the dz. thing is they werent really friends, they were acquaintences through the dz. these are people i never did anything but skydive with. sure we were friendly but i didnt know much else about them other then their skydive skills.etc

I have a friend (whuffo) who says its hard to be friends with a skydiver, not b/c we are assholes, but b/c we spend so much time at the dz.

dont feel bad if you stop seeing a person who stops going to the dz, unless that person is your friend.

I have made a few hospital visits to acqaintances just to show support and hoped to help them have a good day but those that can not or will not jump anymore arent shunned by me. its jsut that i spend ALL of my time at the dz.

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[Kramer 0]

Cons: I'll disown you as a friend. (Do what ya want...Greek life just isn't my deal).

The FAKE KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMER!!!!!!!!!

[tigra 0]

Well, I did join one in college and I'm not and wasn't then a typical "sorority girl". The thing is, my closest friends were NOT a part of the sorority. Plus, I became heavily involved in the theatre department my freshman year, ended up majoring in it, and my involvement in the theatre took up most of my free time straight through graduation.

The one plus to being in a sorority was that I had something to do outside the theatre department sometimes. So, it gave my college experience some balance, I guess. One the other hand, I didn't really have the time to put into sorority activities between my classes, my job (in the theatre department) and my involvement in the shows that were going on. That caused some problems since the sorority had some expectations.

And future connections and lifelong bonds of sisterhood? Nope! And so much of what they have you do is just plain cheesy!

Still, I don't think it would hurt to go to a few of the "rush" parties and see for yourself if you like the people or if its something you see yourself doing!

Good luck and whatever you do, make the most of your time at school!

maura

[champu 1]

The biggest downside to joining a sorority is you will then be in a sorority.

[unformed 0]

Well, I joined a fraternity; it was the best decision of my life. Also one nobody could believe I made.

I came to school knowing I was not going to join a fraternity. I didn't want to be told what to do or how to act, or have to pay for my friends. My boss at the time even asked me: "So, are you going to join a fraternity?" ... My answer was a curt "Hell no!".

Well, I was hanging out with a few people and they seemed pretty cool. Eventually I realized they were all in the same fraternity. I got a bid from them. I thought about whether or not to join. My primary reason was "I'm not a fraternity type of person." But then I realized, hasn't my entire life been about trying new things? I decided, "Fuck it, I'll see what it's all about; if I don't like it, I'll leave." You can't force somebody to do something they don't really want to do anyways.

So I pledged. I made some great friends, people I will stay in contact with for the rest of my life. I also met a wide variety of people, and became friends with people I could not have ever imagined even talking to.

Then again, my fraternity isn't your typical fraternity, and we have probably one of the strongest chapters in the state. Of course, it's also good for networking. You could graduate, call an alumni, and almost have a job given to you. They remain in contact with the brothers 10-15 years after graduating and are helping them out.

I'd say, if you have friends that are thinking about it, why not try it out? If it's a new chapter, you would also be one of the founding members (or at least right up there) which would be cool in and of iteself. You'll learn a lot about leadership, running an organization, dealing with people, you'll have some good times. Also, since it's just starting new, you would also have a voice in how pledging is done, and you could prevent it from going in negative directions.

All in all, if you don't like it, fuck it. You don't have to lose all of your other friends because you joined a sorority. But you should at least try it out to see if you would like it.

One thing, though, it will take up quite a bit of your time, but then again, being in almost any school club takes up a lot of time.

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[jtval 0]

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I can assure you of one thing...noone will ever tell me what to believe or what I can or cannot do. I am my own person and joinging a sorority wouldn't change that.

if none will ever tell you what to do then why are you asking? bc we are your friends and your "SOROITY" if you will allow me to use that temr loosely.

now when you get a group of friends who have idealistic views on how things SHOULD BE and you ask an opinion they will try to pressure/bully you into making the decisoin THEY like.
remember when you were a kid and you stopped liking one of your friends' and they calle dyou a flat leaver. LOL smae type of thing older group of idiots.


now to be fiar you can take that whole thing i typed and apply it to your skydive community. thing is we come from ALL WALKS OF LIFE I've seen cops jump with potheads. I've seen lawyers jump with criminals. etc. its all cool at the dz

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As for finding freedom, isnt expanding the things you do in life exploring your freedom? Isnt getting to know more people in different environments going to help with this as well?

trying new things will give you the experience know what YOU LIKE. in our I.M. i siad I am not saying you shouldnt try it but keep your eyes open,l its a learning experience

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As for what JT said, I love ya and all cuz, but i greatly disagree with what ya said...skydiving is a great community, but there is more to life...that isnt meant to be offensive to anyone...it just means I want to experience a variety of things as well as a variety of people...amke sense?

you will never disagree with me in public. DO YOU HEAR ME SQUID. NOW GE ON THE GROUND AND SHOW ME BACON!

thats the type of shit you may expect from a sisterhood lolever see a movie?

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Erica, theres never been any on this campus that interested me, but a girl just tranferred here form another school and she wants to start a chapter of the sorority she joined...the cool thing would be that there isnt much of a rushing/pledging process...I have heard it gives you great connections and it also looks good on a resume...not sure how much truth there is to that, but its an interesting pro.

just think maybe you can be the founding sister and introduce them to skydiving

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[jtval 0]

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The biggest downside to joining a sorority is you will then be in a sorority.

HAHAH!

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[EricaH 0]

Prob by getting in w/ the initial group would be a good thing. you can help set the mood of the soriority.
no one can force you to think/act/dress in a certain way. perhaps by living in the house it's easier to give in to peer pressure. but peer pressure is just that. and if you don't give into it you'll be yourself in a more strong sense.

i know 5 people who where hired because of a fraternity listing (i'm in finance where there's not many girls). There are also general fraternities that aren't just for boys. they can be a good ref too.

it all depends how strong you are, you can be part of the group but not "of the group". Just like the bible says christians are in the world but not of the world. live/play/participate, but don't let it rule you. you can only benefit.

i've know some really cool girls that were in soritoities & i'm most def not one of "those kind" of women and neither are they; they just have better connections.

There is no can't. Only lack of knowledge or fear. Only you can fix your fear.

PMS #227 (just like the TV show)

[PhreeZone 20]

Skydivers may be a great social group on the weekends, but having friends and people you live with that share a common purpose are there for you the other 5 out of 7 days a week.

Kristi, don't let anyone here or even me make this decision for you. Talk to the girls at school that are in other greek's and see what benifit they are getting out of them.

There are some Frat's and Soroities out there that are unlike the ones you are probally thinking of JT. Check out Alpha Phi Omega for example. I've had dealings with a lot of people that have been involved at some point with this fraternity, they are a frat that redefines a typical frat.

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And tomorrow is a mystery

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