How To Buy Your Way To Friendship Sigma Kappa, Delta Delta Delta, Phi Mu, and myriad combinations of Greek letters are the lifeblood of many college students’ lives. Greek Life is something that is part of almost every college campus in one form or another. Greek Life exists to form communities of brothers and sisters and to create long-lasting friendships. The belief is also widely held that by earning Greek letters, doors to jobs and networking opportunities will magically open. That the chapter’s extensive alumni network will get you to your dream job in one way or another. In fact, a lot of sorority girls seem to believe they are entitled to special treatment simply because they are in a sorority. Many people assumed I would jump at the …show more content…
“I love my Big! She’s the best!” is a phrase I have heard from every sorority girl that I know. These days, just by scrolling through Instagram, you will see at least 10 different photos or videos of some girl at her Big Little Reveal. I look at these girls and I pity them. I pity that they seem to lack the skills to actually make friends on their own. That their only option was to join a sorority and buy their way into a fake ‘family’ in order to feel accepted at Elon. I pity them because all these girls are paying upwards of $700 per semester to join a sorority. The Bigs also spend hundreds of dollars on their Littles. Showering them in decorated wooden Greek letters, water bottles, T-shirts, and even sometimes coffee and bedtime stories delivered by a handsome bachelor in a suit. (Yes, this actually does happen. Fraternity boys are allowed into these girls’ dorm rooms and commissioned to suit up, feed them, and read them children’s stories.) For weeks these girls are showered with material gifts and delude themselves into believing that these material items are founding lifelong
While reading Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities, I learned more about the inner workings of Greek Life. I learned that the odds of me finding a sorority are so slim due to my independent and different personality. While I am not good at sticking up for myself, something this book has made me feel is crucial to blend in and conform to an ideal to fit into a sorority, I am too opinionated. There are not many sororities (at least shown in Pledged) that welcome girls who are different, preferring to stay similar. For example, each pledge class would soon like identical within a few months of pledging. Another thing I learned about is the careful planning and manipulation that occurs throughout sororities,
At a young age I knew as an African American woman through activism, educational autonomy, and community service, I can thrive through the wake of extreme poverty and turmoil faced by the people of my neighborhood of East New York. My interest in Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc., would be based solely on their ethical standards, history, and values they are founded upon. The ladies of this organization exude exemplary character who excel in sisterhood, respect, honesty, accountability, and integrity. Throughout my life I always encouraged myself to have these ideal characteristics without knowing that one day I would be pursuing membership in a prestigious organization, whom upheld the key principles “greater service, greater progress. The first
One of the many forms of dangerous pressures girls face from their membership in a sorority is body image. Being a member of an organization with typically 100 women opens the door for pressure to conform to a certain ideal look. Forms of hazing often would include activities that brought down the girls’ self-confidence. “During circle the fat, pledges undress and, one by one, stand in front of the entire sorority membership. The sisters (or, in some chapters, fraternity brothers) then use thick black markers to circle the fat or cellulite on a pledge’s body....For many sororities, thinness, as the pledges discover, is a priority” (Robbins 259). These types of activities are not uncommon for sororities. From day one of pledging, the idea of having a perfect body is obsessed over. Even girls with healthy, fit bodies are criticized just as much for the sake of the upper classmen to break them down, so they could build them back up they way they want. Its manipulating and confusing. The pressure to be accepted by the sorority was a common outcome from the priority of perfection, which could also lead to eating disorders. A study was done and found that “the most consistent finding was...
Day in and day out we hear about high school and college students wanting to pursue a sorority and/or a fraternity based on the stereotypes these organizations uphold, well I chose to differ. I told myself if I ever decided to become a member of a sorority it would be based solely on their ethical standards, history, and values they are founded upon. Alpha Kappa Alpha, Incorporated consists of ladies of distinction and exemplary character who excel in scholarship, leadership, and service, which are qualities I have chosen to uphold. From my perspective, I encourage myself to maintain a respectable appearance and reputation which doing so inspires me to embrace my self-concept; which helps me confidently excel academically and professionally as a “lady of distinction” and “exemplary character.” Most importantly, I continuously remain involved in community service, being involved allows me the opportunity to learn and understand the lives and circumstances of others by opening my mind, heart, and soul. Overall these qualities strengthen my passion to be a member of the prestigious Alp...
The founders paved the way for future sorority members to take into heed and have an example of what to go by. The Women’s Suffrage is one of the many struggles the founders had to face. To face a problem within your community of this magnitude shows not only Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated strength, but how diligent the founders were. The founders of this sorority believed in a cause and stressed the importance of overcoming the barrier that was set before them. There are sorority members who continue to surpass and help solve the struggles within our community, such as getting our young people to vote and making sure African Americans are aware of their HIV status. These contributions say more about the women of this sorority than any other. This sorority is very diligent regarding the various events that they host. Time, quality, and effort are the traits I notice in the events that I have attended. The positive actions that the members of this sorority continue to produce, does not go unnoticed. The time and conscientiousness that these Delta women put in gives me great knowledge on how I should portray myself at all times as a future Delta woman. I aspire to be a member of a sorority that is fully committed in the sisterhood, community service, as well as being diligent leader in the sorority as well as outside the sorority. I aspire to be a member of the illustrious Delta Sigma Theta Sorority,
Additionally, analyzing the overall structure of the Greek System will allow me to understand why students feel inclined to become a member of these organizations, while others don’t. In order to comprehend this student subculture, however, it is imperative to define what the Greek System really is and what core values they are based on. The Greek System, composed of different fraternity and sorority communities, are organizations that focus on academic, social, and professional support.... ... middle of paper ... ...
The mission of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated is to cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards, promote unity and genuine friendships among college women, aid in issues concerning girls and women in order to come up with solutions to eliminate or ease the circumstances they may face, maintain an ongoing interest in college life, while also being of service to all mankind. This sorority has not only empowered women to help others, but it
Walking into college, I always wanted to join a brotherhood. But, it was hard to find the one for me at first. After striking out on a few other fraternities at SEMO, I didn’t know if Greek Life was for me. But after talking one night with Brian Smith, I would give my one last shot to Sigma Nu. Looking back, I couldn’t have been happier with my decision. Over the past few months I have grown into a better person and have achieved goals I wouldn’t have even thought about being able to achieve. Looking back throughout my candidate process I can say I have strived for Love, Truth, and Honor.
Some of the career advantages of being Greek come from the leadership opportunities given when in a sorority or fraternity. “If you can be the new member educator for 30 women, I’m probably going to hire you,” American University Greek life coordinator Curtis Burrill said in an interview with USA Today. Another great career advantage of joining a fraternity or sorority is networking. You’ll have so many opportunities to meet people who may benefit your future.
Greek organizations are debatably the most undervalued and misconceived aspect of college campuses. Most people don’t see the benefits that fraternities and sororities bring to college campuses and their communities. Some see these organizations as large beneficial clubs and others see them as potential problems. Many of the allegations put forth by individuals that discredit the benefits and good deeds done by Greek organizations are weak justifications for their removal from college campuses. Greek organizations provide campus communities with academically responsible students, philanthropic activities and increase community involvement.
Before the eighteenth century, one would not even know what a sorority was; let alone what a sorority meant to the community. Today, everyone is familiar what sorority mean and what they accomplish for the community. The American Heritage Student Dictionary’s definition of sorority is “a chiefly social organization of women students at a college or university; an association of women” (882). The dictionary’s definition gives the impression of a general sorority. Lawrence Ross defines sorority as more than the wearing of letters, or...
In my thesis essay topic I will discuss how art in the Greek culture has change drastically since making it first appearance, in my essay topic I hope to showcase knowledgeable information on the subject while providing supporting details. This topic was interesting to me because beforehand even though I have taken many art classes, this class gave me a little more insight to the world of art and has influence my taste since traveling. I am amaze at how much Greek art has influence modern day culture. Greek culture has also paved the way for many other forms of culture forms and exhibits. So what did this essay mean to me? It was away for me to study and review what I thought was most significant about Greek times and the art pieces that stood out to me the most. I also like that I get to get my personal reflection on key pieces that lead to the new era of classical and non-classical art. In my essay, I will show how ancient Greece was a very unique culture that went through great efforts to produce high class art.
The Anglo-Saxon’s had a habit of treating women as inferior to men. However, sororities are women fraternities, so they are all-girl. They believe in helping young women become just as successful as men. The Anglo-Saxon’s value music and poetry, whereas sororities do not put any value, as a whole group, on those. In college sorority life, a student is pledged in as a member and pays a monthly fee in order to stay in the sorority. One of the main goals of sororities is community service. The sororities want to give back to the community in order to play a positive role in society. The Anglo-Saxon’s were not a private
Most people visualize sorority girls as snobby, disciplined, and intelligent. This image of them is frequently seen in movies and television shows. My friend Lisa is much friendlier and barely gets involve in house activities or conforms to their regulations. Snobbery is simply one aspect of the sorority girl image they accomplish this task by interacting with a selective crowd. Which consists of girls from the house, fraternity boys, and possibly family. The frat boys serve as potential dates; usually there is a variety of dates to chose from. A sorority girl would never think of picking up a man on the street, on the other hand, theirs my friend Lisa. It’s obvious that she’s friendly to just about everyone that’s how she met her current
I constantly had to battle people who thought that I had nothing better to offer than the general stereotypes. I once had a professor that said to me “For being a sorority girl I expected less but you have surprised me.” A positive yet back handed comment, I took it graciously. Though I could not help but to be on the defensive. What people outside of Greek life do not seem to understand is that Greek life holds a high expectation of excellence. Though for those that could handle the responsibilities of this accepted expectation it was an