As a member of a Greek organization, I’ve encountered various stereotypes about Greek Life since I first went through recruitment (also known as rush). These range from the understandable to the completely absurd, and I’ll get to those later. What really irks me is that many of these stereotypes are started and perpetuated by things such as the media or one person’s experience, things that can be radically different from what going Greek is really about. In my opinion, this fact can lead members of Greek life to subconsciously embody these stereotypes, simply because it seems like that’s what sorority and fraternity life is supposed to be.

House parties, mixers, hazing, drinking, sex…what seems to be forgotten are the positive facts about going Greek, and there are many. A whole article could be dedicated to someone’s opinion on why going Greek is amazing, but I’m not here to write specifically about that. What I am here to write about are the most common stereotypes that apply to sororities in particular and why these stereotypes are not always truth. (It’s also worth mentioning that  stereotypes can vary from campus-to-campus and person-to-person, depending on individual experiences.) Read More »

No one’s perfect, not even the quintessential sorority girl. We all make mistakes, do dumb things, have regrets, and that’s only exacerbated when you’ve got an abundance of alcohol, estrogen and strong opinions. But which of those faux pas are forgotten by the time breakfast rolls around and which will forever ruin our reputations?

I reached out to our panel of sorority women to weigh in on that very question. They’ve been to a lot of events, parties and chapter meetings. They’ve seen it all, so they know what they’re talkin’ about. You new to a sorority? Thinking about joining? An older member with an exec board position? Listen up – we can all learn a little something from these ladies. Read More »

So yesterday was Valentine’s Day. Not that you needed that (brutal) reminder; the aisles at CVS said it all. If you were one of the lucky few of us (not me) that were whisked away on some romantic fairytale-like evening… well, good for you. But I don’t wanna hear about it.

Romantic holidays and birthdays are literally zero fun around the sorority house. When you’re single, it seems like everyone else (all 60 of them!) have serious significant others. And for some reason, they’re all Prince Charmings who bring the girls flower and chocolates and jewelry before taking them out to the fancy on-campus restaurants I only get to enjoy when my parents are in town.

Every year, like clockwork, I ask for all the juicy deets about what’s on their night’s agenda, but secretly I’m either a) vomiting inside or b) weeping green tears of jealously. And that combo ain’t pretty. Trust me.

Don’t get me wrong, obvi I’m happy for them, but seriously… Where the hell is my Prince Charming?! (Hell, I’ll even take Prince Not-A-Doucebag!) Read More »

I made a lot of mistakes my first year of college (and based on some of the Morning After stories I’ve been reading on here, I know I’m not alone). But of all the dumb things I did – hooking up with my next door neighbor during Welcome Week, setting my alarm wrong for my first midterm, gorging myself on Indian Night in the caf (ugh) – my biggest regret involves sorority rush.

Actually, my 2 biggest regrets:

1. Thinking my hair would stay straight as I walked from one house to the next in a monsoon. Hellooooo, frizzy mullet!
2. Trying to be who I thought the girls in the houses wanted me to be and totally losing myself in the process.

Granted, I ended up in a great house with girls who are now my best friends, but I look back at myself during rush and I just want to smack that girl. Hard. (And buy her a flat iron – my god!) I wouldn’t want that fake girl in my house and I totally get why lots of other girls didn’t want me in theirs. I’m just grateful that there was a chapter out there that was full of girls just like me so I could actually be myself and fit in perfectly.

I’ve learned a lot about myself and sorority life since that fateful month my Freshman year and I think now, when so many young ladies are in the throes of rush, is the perfect time for me and my panel of Panhellenic women to share what we now know with this new crop of sorority sistahs. So to all you PNMs shuffling from house to house right now, take our advice and not only will you make the most of your experience, but you won’t be looking back 2 years from now wishing you’d done something differently. Read More »

Like most things, the Internet is a haven for sorority girls. And I’m not talking about online shopping or Facebook stalking. Well, not totally. I mean, clearly my sisters and I are all huge fans (to the point of being broke and creepy) of those two lovely Internet pastimes.

What I’m referring to is a slew of sites and online resources that can help keep sororities organized and on track. Or in the loop. Or decked out in the latest, cutest chapter gear. Are you on your executive board? Want to save time, help your chapter and get even more accomplished on a weekly basis?  Well lookie here, I’ve got your back. Read More »

Back in the day when I was a wee freshman just starting the rush process, I was scared. Scared of talking to all those older girls, scared of rowdy fraternity boys throwing water balloons at me as I walked from house to house (wet, frizzy hair? OH THE HORROR), scared of not even getting into a house….

Most of all though, I was scared of what being in a sorority would do to the rest of my life. I had watched many older friends go through the whole sorority process and I knew about all the activities, meetings, date parties, social events, etc. that come with it. Would I be able to handle it all? Would my GPA?

I think a lot of people (like my parents) have the same concern: is it possible to juggle everything successfully? The answer: YES. It may not be easy, but it doesn’t take long to figure out a way to balance out friends and exams, roommates and papers, tailgates and gym dates, and this week our panel of sorority sisters is going to share their secrets for making it all happen. (Here’s a hint: it starts with “plan” and ends with “ner.”) Read More »

This week’s Greek Speak is powered by our pals at GreekGear.com. Whether you wanna stock up on new sweats for yourself or some new flippy floppies for your big sis, they’ve got all the latest and greatest Greek goodies. And right now you can get it all for 10% off by entering “Candy10″ at checkout!

Ahhh, finals are over… we can all take a sigh of relief, right? Wrong. For the last two years, going home over holiday breaks has been brutally bittersweet. My parentals are still in the middle of building a house that, in the mean time, leaves me roomless, bedless, and no-space-to-myselfless. I’ve literally been moved out of my chapter house for plus or minus 72 hours and I feel like my life may be coming to an end. I am not going to pretend like I am in the worst situation possible… I am in the worst situation possible.

The nightmare begins pretty much from the moment I pull onto the street where we temporary reside until the new house is finished. I look at the driveway- where the hell am I supposed to park? The garage is jam-packed full of our belongings, and the driveway is occupied. Looks like the snowy, unplowed street for me. Can you say VIP? At my chapter house I have my very own space in a parking lot just steps from the front door… not to mention our maintenance man plows the lot every morning before I even bother to wake up. Just sayin’… Read More »

This week’s Greek Speak is powered by our pals at GreekGear.com. Whether you wanna stock up on new sweats for yourself or get an adorable iPhone case for your big sis, they’ve got all the latest and greatest Greek goodies. They even have fraternity poker chips for the BF. And right now you can get it all for 10% off by entering “Candy10″ at checkout!

It’s finals week and snowing here in the Midwest; what a lovely combination. I can’t think of a better way to take a study break than to snuggle up by the fireplace with a few pledge sisters and talk about our upcoming winter formal… the reason why I return to school second semester every year… the highlight of January!

Woof.
Who am I kidding? Faking it is not something I’m great at so I won’t even try.

Winter break is days away and that means literally only one thing for a sorority girl (OK, besides presents): winter freaking formal. It’s what every sorority girl looks forward to, right? What she spends her winter break thinking about and shopping for. The sorority event. The night that every potential new member dreams about and counts down to. The stuff sorority life is made of.

I guess.
I’m not going to candy-coat it: I kind of hate this time of year, and since we’re supposed to be getting in the spirit of the Christmas, I guess you could call me the Grinch of Holiday Formals. Ugh. Read More »

This week’s Greek Speak is powered by our pals at GreekGear.com. Whether you wanna stock up on new sweats for yourself or get an adorable iPhone case for your big sis, they’ve got all the latest and greatest Greek goodies. They even have fraternity poker chips for the BF. And right now you can get it all for 10% off by entering “Candy10″ at checkout!

If you have been keeping up on your Greek Speak reading, then you know that last week I let it slip that sometimes there might possibly be teensy, weensy, little bitty cat fights between pledge classes. No big deal and nothing we can’t keep under control. BUT, I might have left out a somewhat important detail; a reason why these catfights happen….

Let’s face it. Sometimes you get a bid to a house and it’s just not a good fit. Hanging out at the house feels uncomfortable, you and your new pledge class just aren’t clicking, you realize Greek life isn’t for you. Bottom line: you hate it and you want out. NOW.

To put you in the stickiest situation, I am going to assume you are a pledge who is not been initiated but has paid your dues (because those often come during the pledge process, when you are part of the house but not officially IN it yet). You’re in an uncomfortable situation… SO uncomfortable you feel like you have drop out. Get over the fact that you’ve been brutally robbed of all the new member fees; those won’t be coming back to you so just forget it and move on. At this point, what you need to be thinking about is how to bow out gracefully, sans a drama-filled and unnecessary scene. Read More »

No matter the size of the school or the type of environment, every student wants to find her place: lifelong friends, fun activities, and a sense of belonging in a brand new setting away from protective parents and high school stereotypes. But is such a prize worth the price?

…is there a price?

For some, it could be drinking excessively to prove you can keep up with your pledge class. Or maybe it is participating in embarrassing or humiliating acts around campus, to show your dedication to a new group. Kidnappings and road trips? Sure. Taking nude pictures? Alright, if you say so.

It’s true. This semester, new sorority girls at schools across the Southeast found themselves targeted on Facebook by a Lexie Hillbrenner, an alum of their chapter who handpicked them as potential future leaders of their sororities – what great news for any new pledge!

After hours of chatting about majors and backgrounds, Lexie felt as welcoming and friendly as any other sister…so when she asked girls to complete random tasks ranging from reporting the distance between their dorm and the sorority house to what color underwear they were wearing, it didn’t hit too far from home. It’s college and they probably thought, “we’re Greek, and this is just part of getting into the house!”

Read More »