Thoughts for Thursday: Sororities

I am currently reading a really interesting book called Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities.  I have never had a very favorable impression of the whole Greek system, but never really knew a whole lot about it, which is why I bought the book in the first place.

The author of the book went undercover at a university to get most of her information, but also interviewed sorority girls at big universities all over the country.  She tells of some very interesting things about sororities in this book and let me just tell you, it has book has done nothing but reaffirmed everything I believed about sororities from the very beginning. Scary stuff to an independent woman like myself!

Apparently in the South and on the East Coast, Sororities are a VERY BIG DEAL.  Thank God it was not like that at all at the University I attended.  Unless you were a member at one of our 3 sororities/ 3 fraternities on campus, you probably wouldn't have a clue about anything Greek.  From what I have read in this book, if you attend college in the south or at a big university and you aren't a sister in one of the big sororities on campus, you are a nobody.
I just can't imagine living a life where your every move is watched: How you wear your hair (even hair color is important in most sororities), what clothes you wear and how you wear them, what you eat (don't dare gain any weight!), who you associate with, who you date, etc.  Just ridiculous.
Its hard for me to relate to the girls who are so willing to conform to a  particular Sorority's  standards that they  lose part of themselves.  Why would anyone want to be part of an organization  that  tries to cover up bad things that happen to their girls? There is a ton of sexual assault, binge drinking, drug use, eating disorders that takes place.  Did anyone ever watch Sorority Life on MTV?  It was taken off the air because the national sorority associations believed it portrayed sororities in a negative light. In fact, most of what you saw was realistic.  Adfter the show was pulled, most sorority girls were told they must never speak to the media about the inside secrets of a sorority.  Hmmmm.  Too much to hide?
The author did not have only bad things to say about sororities, she also told of the charity work and community service that is required of most sororities.  It just seems like this is on the back-burner compared to the social aspect.

I could go on and on, but instead I encourage you to read this book for yourselves if you're interested.  It really is eye-opening.

So my questions for today are:
What is your impression of sororities?
Were sororities a big deal at the university you attended?
Were you ever part of a sorority? What was your overall experience?

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Other TFT participants this week:

Jessica on how many blogs you read

Denise on teaching your children stranger danger

April on organic vs. ordinary

Jenny on when to have a baby

Michann on the definition of home

Robyn on plastic (recycling and pollution)

Comments

[Denise H.]

I don't think that the Sororities are that big of a deal where I live. I have friends who were in sororities who have had nothing bad to say about them. Although, I have heard other horror stories, seen movies and read articles that beg to differ. It must be the East Coast and South that are big on it.

Although, I don't think that I would do well in a sorority. I would have been kicked out for not being exactly like everyone else. I am who I am and I don't change for anyone. If someone doesn't like me for me than I have one less friend.

Great subject. I will have to get that book.

[jessica]

it's my impression that sororities are like high school cliques. i didn't go to a college with one... but i would hate to feel like i was in h.s. again!

[Robyn]

They weren't a huge deal where I went. I know a girl on my floor just about died when she wasn't accepted, I couldn't stand her, but I felt bad for her since she did all this crap to be accepted. My whole theory on the thing, and I got slammed on scrapjazz for saying so, is I don't think anyone should have to buy friends or have to be degraded in such a way to be "accepted". I understand the whole networking thing about them, so if one wants to justify the dues as the same as Rotary or whatever fine, it's just wasn't for me and I hope my daughter want join one either.

[jenny]

sororities. huh. i was never in one and the only impression i have of them is from the news/media/movies. like jess said - they seem like an extension of the high school clique.

[kim]

i read that book too! :)

i still don't really have an opinion either way. i know that sexual assualt/binge drinking/drug use/eating disorders all happened on my college campus anyway, and we had no sororities/fraternities to speak of. you will see many of the same rituals when it comes to sports teams and other groups. you could even have these same issues simply depending on who your friends are (what you wear, what you eat, etc). i think when it comes down to it, most people just want to feel like they belong, and that may lead to them doing things they wouldn't normally do, know what i mean? i'm not coming down on their side here, just saying i can see where they are coming from.

[michelle]

Yeah, I'm not a fan either. I really think it's ridiculous how "conformed" you need to be to join. I'm all about finding a place to belong, but really you should find friends who love you for you, not for who you pretend to be. We didn't have them at my school, thank goodness. If they did, I wouldn't have joined. That book seems interesting, wish I had time to read!

[Rolana]

I was born, raised, and still live in the South and yes, sororities are a huge deal here. I was never a member of a sorority. My mother was in a sorority and has really fond memories of it from college. One of my aunts was in a sorority and is still active in her sorority. I don't really have an opinion one way or the other, but I think more in the past, than now, sororities used to stand for sisterhood and helping others.

[amy]

Though I don't know that much about them, they just seem so caddy. I wouldn't have wanted to be part of that sort of thing. My college didn't have them, though they are popular around here.