Social Media Following
My girl has a question she would like me to ask about Social Media, specifically, Instagram.
She noticed that several girls she met at orientation follow some of the sororities on the campus. She wants to know if she should as well. Rush begins in about 3 weeks. My advice was to either follow all or follow none with the understanding they will not follow back right now. What are everyone's thoughts? FYI: Her Instagram account is open right now and has nothing she wouldn't mind having on the front page of a newspaper. Thanks, ladies! |
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I'm assuming she's taking part in formal recruitment. Therefore, she's going to meet all of the chapters and wants to stay as neutral as possible going in. She doesn't want to even accidentally appear as though she's favoring one chapter over another, and social media can make it appear this way, even if she follows all of them. Also, the last thing she'd want is an Instagram page subconsciously pushing her one way or the other and influencing her decisions during recruitment. And keep in mind: not every potential member will be following the chapters on Instagram. I'd argue that most of them won't. It might appear after orientation that nearly everyone is following them, but I'd put money on the fact that it's not the case. I don't know the membership selection criteria for these chapters, but I'm willing to bet they're not making decisions based on whether or not a potential member is following their social media pages. Better safe than sorry! |
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I say don't follow and the more I think about it, since posting here, the more I agree with my instincts. (Just like my instincts about a particular dress she wanted for one of the rounds. ha! ha!) Thanks so much! |
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I have a different opinion. I follow my several sorority Instagrams from the same campus (my chapter as well as my daughter and niece's sororities). The posts throughout these summer months are clearly intended to appeal to PNMs and I believe they are effective in showing off many of the attributes and the culture of the different chapters. I have learned a lot about each of these sororities through their Instagram posts and believe that a PNM could benefit from what they see and read here.
I do agree that your daughter should follow all of the chapters (that's a lot of posts!!!) or none of the chapters and I wouldn't rule out Instagram as an quick introduction to sorority life. |
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My daughter got followed by a lot of girls (and possibly houses?) from different sororities after she joined some social media things for incoming students. She had no idea what to do, but she did add them back. They don't really talk or anything, but they have apparently liked things she posed on Instagram.
Was she not supposed to do that? She didn't follow anyone who didn't send her a request first. |
She did the right thing, but it is critical that she be very careful what she posts, because they are checking her out. One inappropriate post can tank a PNM.
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I guess I'm still seeing more downsides to following each sorority's page rather than the benefits. But perhaps I could be convinced otherwise. |
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I’m 110% team “Follow ALL” - and do it now. It shows your daughter is very interested in becoming a sorority woman. |
Most of the posts that I am seeing from the sororities focus on "Sisterhood" which I think is often the part of being in a sorority that is the hardest to describe or appreciate until you have been a part of it. There have been brief interviews between a big and her little and stories about homesickness and how new sisters helped through those early, new college days. The posts show pride in their sister's accomplishments - academic, athletic, leadership...
Of course everyone posts their best pictures on social media, and these posts are no different, but they are images of real young women with captions written by real young women that present a positive, genuine image of sorority life. |
Thanks so much, everyone! We really appreciate your input!
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If this is true, great! But again, I don't want to think that a PNM's experience is negatively affected because it's incorrectly perceived that she's following one sorority's page over another. Also, consider KSUviolet's latest post, which considers what happens when recruitment is over: http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...d.php?t=244367 |
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Actives and chapters will also follow PNMs as part of the overall recruiting of your DD. Sometimes these follows and comments mean she is a PNM the chapter is really interested in, and sometimes it's part of their general PR campaign prior to recruitment. There's no way to know without having inside chapter knowledge, but no matter what they want her to associate the good vibes of a insta follow or comment with their sorority so she will rank them higher. Chapters, especially at big schools, also use social media as a way to further differentiate PNMs. If a PNM doesn't know anyone in the house well, but has good grades, got in recs, was involved in stuff in HS, then the chapter will look at your social media and say "is there anything questionable here? does she seem like I'd want to hang out with her? are there things she may have in common with some sisters?" At big schools, especially since RFM, the first round cuts can be sizable and social media is another way to winnow down the list of PNMs you only talked to for 20 minutes. On the follow back side, it's fine with individual actives to follow those that follow you. For chapters, I agree that you either follow all or none. |
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