A Different Mother/Daughter(s) Story
With all the postings about helicopter parents and disappointed young women who were released from rush, I thought I might share a this mother/daughters story from a different perspective.
My cousin's family live in Dixie. His wife -- I'll call her Kay -- was very active in sorority life when she was in college. Kay continues to be involved with her sorority as an alumna. Kay and her husband have three daughters, who I will call Katie, Kathy and Kitty. Kay always expected her daughters to follow her footsteps into Greek life, but the best laid plans of mice and women ...
Katie was a top student, involved in lots of school and community activities. She is attractive and has a great personality. While we all thought that Katie would go to her mother's alma mater, she decided to go to a college that had no Greek system. Strike one to Kay.
Like her sisters, Kathy was bright, attractive, personable and involved. She was accepted into engineering school at a university with a large Greek system. However, Kathy told Kay that she need time study (her major was difficult and she had to work at her grades unlike Katie). Kathy said that she also needed her sleep. Kathy told her mother that between studying and sleeping she didnt have the time for sorority activities and therefore wasn't going to rush a sorority. Strike two to Kay
Kitty attended her mother's alma mater, the flagship university in her state and a university noted for its Greek system. Although slightly quieter than her sisters, Kitty was smart, witty and active. Unlike her sisters, she did sign up for rush at her school. However, as rush progressed Kitty decided that Greek life wasn't for her. Kitty told her mother that if Kay wanted her to pledge she would. Kay said that if her heart wasn't into it, not to bother. Strike three to Kay.
Katie finished her pre-med studies and was accepted into medical school. Kathy graduated with her degree and works as an engineer. Kitty is an honors student in college and is thinking about law school.
Kay and my cousin are proud of all three girls. I asked Kay if she had any regrets that none of her daughter joined a sorority. Kay said deep down there are pangs of envy, not regret. She wishes that her daughters could have had the same positive experiences in Greek life that she did. She said that she had once hoped that the Greek experience would have been something that she and her daughters could have shared.
Kay said that Katie would have been a natural leader in a sorority had she been able to join one. Still Katie had a very positive experience in college and Kay said her oldest was very happy about her choice.
As for Kathy, Kay said her middle daughter would have been a great asset to a sorority, but she understood grades came first. Maybe had Kathy been in a less stressful program or at another school, things might have different. Kay also noted that Kathy has an edge to her personality that might have made fitting into a sorority a bit difficult. Still, Kathy graduated with honors and has a great job.
And for Kitty, Kay said that at a less competatiive school her youngest might have enjoyed and benefitted from the Greek experience. Kitty is a low key personalty, unlike her sisters, and Kay thinks that Kitty would have been a tremendous asset to any sorority had she chose to join.
I told Kay that any future granddaughters could follow in her footsteps. Kay said she is in no hurry to be a grandmother.
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