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  #31  
Old 06-18-2007, 10:19 PM
ladygreek ladygreek is offline
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These are truly heartwarming stories.

Many years ago, I was a young, unemployed, single parent. I was living off of food stamps and unemployment from my previous job. I never really talked about my situation to my alumnae chapter sorors, but they new. I went to chapter meeting one day and they surprised me with bags of canned foods, frozen meat, vegetables, and a gift certificate to a department store to get new clothes for my child.

That was overwhelming and really reinforced why I pledged my sorority.
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  #32  
Old 06-18-2007, 10:42 PM
sageofages sageofages is offline
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I have mentioned my story before....

In May 2005, following being downsized in mid afternoon, Mr Sageofages suffered a heart attack during the night and as a result experienced something "the drs had never seen before" both high pressure and low pressure acute respiratory failure. Bottom line his lungs filled completely with fluid and he spent 10 days on COMPLETE life support. Ventilator, heart pump assistance everything. The drs told me he was going to die..not *might die*..."going to die, it was between God and Mr Sageofages". I never left his side for all those days (to say he is my world would be not enough). I was terrified to leave. (My parents were with the children)

During those darkest hours, my Phi Mu sisters (on an email list I run) organized a 24hour around the clock prayer vigil where 2 sisters were praying each hour for his well being and recovery, it ended up that they were able to cover 48 hours with the number of sisters who volunteered. (He turned the corner during those 48 hours...still gravely ill but the "will die" became "I think he might make it")

He received more cards and letters and a record number of egreetings through the hospital website (the volunteers brought them up with great curiosity who this person would be).

I was sitting in the lobby on the phone with a dear dear friend (who was also an attorney asking for advice about how to handle things if the worst happened ...we had a severance agreement that had not been signed.. ) when a local chapter president got off the elevator with a care package for me. (I hadn't told any local sisters, who could think?). Apparently another sister on the list living in Columbus OH had called her and alerted my local chapter of what we were living through. I was so surprised to see her, I just burst into tears. She just hugged me while I cried.

Mr Sageofages has pulled through (he remembers nothing OF COURSE..and I suffer some PTSD from the ordeal..dealing with ok). During his recovery, we received gifts of gas cards (remember he was freshly unemployed and I was freelancing which equals little income) to take him to his cardiac rehab, and gifts of delicious home bistro meals so I could not stress and the cards poured in.

To this day, I believe he would not be here without the prayers of those sisters (and greekchat friends..and family) who cared for us. I know I would have not made it through still reasonably sane without them.
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  #33  
Old 06-18-2007, 10:49 PM
AOIIalum AOIIalum is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ladygreek View Post
Many years ago, I was a young, unemployed, single parent. I was living off of food stamps and unemployment from my previous job. I never really talked about my situation to my alumnae chapter sorors, but they new. I went to chapter meeting one day and they surprised me with bags of canned foods, frozen meat, vegetables, and a gift certificate to a department store to get new clothes for my child.
Now, this is beautiful and oh so powerful. Thank you for sharing such a personal story, ladygreek.
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  #34  
Old 06-18-2007, 11:41 PM
ladygreek ladygreek is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sageofages View Post
In May 2005, following being downsized in mid afternoon, Mr Sageofages suffered a heart attack during the night and as a result experienced something "the drs had never seen before" both high pressure and low pressure acute respiratory failure. Bottom line his lungs filled completely with fluid and he spent 10 days on COMPLETE life support. Ventilator, heart pump assistance everything. The drs told me he was going to die..not *might die*..."going to die, it was between God and Mr Sageofages". I never left his side for all those days (to say he is my world would be not enough). I was terrified to leave. (My parents were with the children)

During those darkest hours, my Phi Mu sisters (on an email list I run) organized a 24hour around the clock prayer vigil where 2 sisters were praying each hour for his well being and recovery, it ended up that they were able to cover 48 hours with the number of sisters who volunteered. (He turned the corner during those 48 hours...still gravely ill but the "will die" became "I think he might make it")

He received more cards and letters and a record number of egreetings through the hospital website (the volunteers brought them up with great curiosity who this person would be).

I was sitting in the lobby on the phone with a dear dear friend (who was also an attorney asking for advice about how to handle things if the worst happened ...we had a severance agreement that had not been signed.. ) when a local chapter president got off the elevator with a care package for me. (I hadn't told any local sisters, who could think?). Apparently another sister on the list living in Columbus OH had called her and alerted my local chapter of what we were living through. I was so surprised to see her, I just burst into tears. She just hugged me while I cried.

Mr Sageofages has pulled through (he remembers nothing OF COURSE..and I suffer some PTSD from the ordeal..dealing with ok). During his recovery, we received gifts of gas cards (remember he was freshly unemployed and I was freelancing which equals little income) to take him to his cardiac rehab, and gifts of delicious home bistro meals so I could not stress and the cards poured in.

To this day, I believe he would not be here without the prayers of those sisters (and greekchat friends..and family) who cared for us. I know I would have not made it through still reasonably sane without them.
Ahhhh Pam, I remember when he had the heart attack. And i remember feeling so relieved when he pulled through eventhough I had just started reading non-NPHC threads and didn't e-know any of you. This story just adds to that.
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  #35  
Old 06-18-2007, 11:47 PM
AlethiaSi AlethiaSi is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sageofages View Post
In May 2005, following being downsized in mid afternoon, Mr Sageofages suffered a heart attack during the night and as a result experienced something "the drs had never seen before" both high pressure and low pressure acute respiratory failure. Bottom line his lungs filled completely with fluid and he spent 10 days on COMPLETE life support. Ventilator, heart pump assistance everything. The drs told me he was going to die..not *might die*..."going to die, it was between God and Mr Sageofages". I never left his side for all those days (to say he is my world would be not enough). I was terrified to leave. (My parents were with the children)

During those darkest hours, my Phi Mu sisters (on an email list I run) organized a 24hour around the clock prayer vigil where 2 sisters were praying each hour for his well being and recovery, it ended up that they were able to cover 48 hours with the number of sisters who volunteered. (He turned the corner during those 48 hours...still gravely ill but the "will die" became "I think he might make it")

He received more cards and letters and a record number of egreetings through the hospital website (the volunteers brought them up with great curiosity who this person would be).

I was sitting in the lobby on the phone with a dear dear friend (who was also an attorney asking for advice about how to handle things if the worst happened ...we had a severance agreement that had not been signed.. ) when a local chapter president got off the elevator with a care package for me. (I hadn't told any local sisters, who could think?). Apparently another sister on the list living in Columbus OH had called her and alerted my local chapter of what we were living through. I was so surprised to see her, I just burst into tears. She just hugged me while I cried.

Mr Sageofages has pulled through (he remembers nothing OF COURSE..and I suffer some PTSD from the ordeal..dealing with ok). During his recovery, we received gifts of gas cards (remember he was freshly unemployed and I was freelancing which equals little income) to take him to his cardiac rehab, and gifts of delicious home bistro meals so I could not stress and the cards poured in.

To this day, I believe he would not be here without the prayers of those sisters (and greekchat friends..and family) who cared for us. I know I would have not made it through still reasonably sane without them.
I am writing this as tears hit the keyboard, this story is (and all of the stories are ) so .... amazing.... These stories reinforce everything that we're all already known, that sisterhood is a powerful source of strength, love and support.


I am so glad that everything worked out, and that he is alright.
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  #36  
Old 06-19-2007, 12:04 AM
phisigduchesscv phisigduchesscv is offline
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One of many sisterhood stories

My sisters have been there through so many different things for me as I have been there when needed.

One that sticks out in my mind is when we drove up from Los Angeles to Bakersfield for our Division Conference. A few of us stayed overnight and when we arrived we were hungry so we stopped at a gas station convenience store to grab a snack.

The next morning we head over to the conference and met up with the rest of our chapter and all the other chapters. Just as the conference was starting I got violently ill, no warning whatsoever and I couldn't seem to stop for long. A couple stayed with me in the restroom and called around to see if my HMO had urgent care that weekend close by (Thank goodness they did). These were sisters I didn't even know who stayed with me even with me gettig sick constantly.

My Sapphire Sister (big/lil), Ana, took my car keys and drove me to the hospital. While there, sisters I didn't even know were leaving the conference to come by and check on me. After some strong meds to stop me from getting sick and a diagnosis of Food Poisioning (never eaten fast food from a convenience store since) I was ready to go home. The problem was there was no way I could drive myself and it would have taken my parents over 4 hours to come get me. Then I had the problem of my car.

Ana volunteered to drive me home even though it meant she ended up missing the whole division conference, her last one before graduating, plus having me in the car periodically asking her to pull over while I fought off getting sick.

When we got home for a week or so afterwards I had sisters from all over Caliornia and Oregon calling and emailing to check up on me. Some even sent me get well cards.

It really meant a lot to me that people I didn't know cared enough to check up on me.

Carolyn
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  #37  
Old 06-19-2007, 12:07 AM
AKA_Monet AKA_Monet is offline
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Originally Posted by SoCalGirl View Post
Are these alumnae or undergraduates? When I first saw it my thought was along the lines of "Those junior high girls are gonna get a beat down!" Then I realized if you're posting it they're not perps. They look sooooo young!
Yes, these undergraduates are sooooooo young to me... Ironically, some of their mothers are my age. They do attend the State colleges in the area.




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~

My story: My linesister (a girl in my "pledge class") is my "Back" (the girl who walked behind me while we walking in a straight line/queue) had lost contact over the years. But, last year, she found me and emailed me to say she will "always have my back!"

I know. But that's my story.
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  #38  
Old 06-19-2007, 12:27 AM
UGAalum94 UGAalum94 is offline
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Originally Posted by AKA_Monet View Post
Yes, these undergraduates are sooooooo young to me... Ironically, some of their mothers are my age. They do attend the State colleges in the area.




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~

My story: My linesister (a girl in my "pledge class") is my "Back" (the girl who walked behind me while we walking in a straight line/queue) had lost contact over the years. But, last year, she found me and emailed me to say she will "always have my back!"

I know. But that's my story.
I liked the subtitles for the NPHC impaired. Sincerely, I thought it was thoughtful of you to include the additional explanations.

And it can be really powerful to be reminded that the close relationships you had can carry over in the present even when you have been out of touch.

I can't think of any stories with the depth of the ones here, but they are definitely inspirational.
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  #39  
Old 06-19-2007, 07:06 PM
Ilaria Ame Ilaria Ame is offline
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these stories are beautiful! mine is that while i was in the beginning of my intake process, my grandmother died. i was upset but not devestated, so i tried to minimize the situation to my dean and not miss our meetings the weekend of the funeral. **a little background: we were an expansion group, so weekends were the ONLY meetings we had. i lived far away, so i would have missed the entire weekend and was terrified that i would be dropped for it** however, when i told her what had happened, she didn't want to hear anything about not going--she made me realize that even though sorors were hard on us during our process, they cared about our physical and emotional well-being more than anything. the day of the funeral, i got a zillion text messages and calls from sorors that i'd never even spoken to before, much less met, expressing their sympathy and asking how i was doing. it was perfectly timed because i was feeling like there was no way i could catch up, and all of it just reinforced to me that this was a group of women i HAD to be a part of, no matter how hard our process got. and i did!
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  #40  
Old 06-19-2007, 07:08 PM
bartolomeus bartolomeus is offline
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hello?
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  #41  
Old 06-19-2007, 09:55 PM
Eirbear Eirbear is offline
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I have a couple of stories that stick out in my head...

Thanksgiving break of my Freshman year, which was just before I was initiated, I went with the marching band to Italy. Part of our trip was taking a bus down to, and then back from, the Amalfi Coast. The problem about taking a bus to and from Amalfi is that it's at the bottom of a mountain, so the trip is really curvy and a lot of the band started feeling motion sickness on the way back, including me. In fact, I felt it so bad that I started gagging, our director had to stop the bus so I could get off. My Big was sitting at the back of my bus, and as soon as she realized that the bus was stopping so I could get sick (which was about two seconds after I walked off), she ran outside to help. Our director even got back on the bus after she came out, because he knew she would help. When we got back on the bus, my Big went to incredible lengths to make sure if I felt sick again, I wouldn't have to worry--she found a bag and a thing of tissues. I was really touched that she was taking such good care of me.

Another story I can think of just happened this past fall. A pledge brother of our Sig Ep chapter died in a car accident and everyone in the Greek system was quite shocked. There were only a few of our sisters who knew him personally and were close friends with him. The brothers held a candlelight vigil and, even though most of us never knew him, almost our entire chapter turned out to not only support the brothers through their tragedy, but to support our sisters who were close to him. The second we all got there, we went and gave our sisters hugs, and at the end of the vigil, the sisters who knew him cried on the rest of our shoulders.

And the last story I can think of...Our house gets incredibly hot, especially during ceremonies, because we keep the windows closed and there are candles and it's a small chapter room for the size of our chapter. This past spring, during the Initiation ceremony for the spring class, the heat started getting to one of our sisters. I guess she started swaying a little (I wasn't standing near her, so I'm just going on what I heard later), and a couple other sisters noticed. Without so much of a word to anyone else in the room, two sisters helped her walk out of the room and up the stairs. They stayed there, gave her a chance for some air, some water, and to lie down. She was really grateful, because she couldn't leave the room on her own and seemed worried that she would have passed out if she hadn't gotten out of there.
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  #42  
Old 06-19-2007, 10:48 PM
AngelPhiSig AngelPhiSig is offline
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So I have a few...

This one is really my two-little's (my little's little) but I love it!

Her senior year she was going to El Salvador for the summer to do a study abroad thing. She was flying down with a few kids from our school and other state colleges in the area. When they got to the airport in E.S. they found out that their luggage had been lost. So here is Jen in another country where she doesnt speak the language (very well) and knows NO ONE. She's just standing there b.s.ing with a few people from the trip and a woman approaches her and asks if she was from the states. Jen says yes and they continue to talk and they find out that they're both from PA. Well the lady asks what college Jen is from and she says Clarion. Turns out, thats where the lady went! She then asks Jen if she was in a sorority. Jen says that she's a Phi Sig and pulls out her laviler. The lady was in one of the first pledge classes that our chapter took! Jen has a knack for finding Phi Sigs in the oddest places!

Heres one from college for me:
I was finishing up my pre-student teaching and I was working on my unit plan that we did with a partner. I had to edit the entire thing and she didnt get her part to me until really late. I had stayed up for over 24 hours (I have only ever done that one time... I NEED sleep) I then get to class (our first one in three weeks, we were teaching during that time) to turn in my unit and I find a letter saying that I cant student teach until I have taken my praxis II test. Which was crap because when I entered the Dpt of Ed I didnt have to take it until I was already student teaching. So I didnt get my placement like everyone else. So I was freaked out and on NO sleep... looking great in my BIG YELLOW Phi Sig jacket. I marched down the hall to the dean of field services to find out whats going on... I go in and she and I start talking. She tells me that they didnt change the req. like they should so it effected everyone... blah blah blah. But then she says... "You can take it in January and here is your placement list..." she was a founder of the local that became Phi Sig. She says she didnt do it just because of that, but we did talk for a LONG time. She pledged the Phi Sig chapter, but had to leave due to personal reasons. She was never initiated. She pulled out her pledge pin, which she kept in her desk. We eventually initiated her after I graduated, but even if some sisters didnt like her, she always had a special place in my heart!

I also owe my job to a Phi Sig! I was the pledge mom to my current roomie back in 2001. She and I student taught at the same time and became pretty close. She moved to VA in 2004, but I was stubborn and stayed in PA. She and I kept in touch and she kept trying to get me down there. Last summer she and her principal helped me get a lot of interviews, then a job opened up at HER school. I eventually got the job and we now live together. I am so thankful for the whole thing!

Also, I was on our field trip this year and talking about parades and such on the hay wagon (we took the kids to a pumpkin patch!) and I mentioned that I was a Beta Sigma Phi, the one teacher looks at me and smiles and says "I AM YOUR SISTER!!!!" We talked BSP for a long time and its been great knowing we have that bond! Ive gone to her chapter meetings and it was great!

Thats all folks!
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  #43  
Old 06-20-2007, 01:10 AM
AlexMack AlexMack is offline
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Mine's little but it still means a lot to me personally.

The summer of 2005 was really hard on me emotionally. I had met a sister from BU through livejournal. At my darkest, weakest point, I was suicidal, but her emails and livejournal messages kept me up and got me through it. Without her I'm not sure what I would have done.
It's amazing what someone who you've never physically met but share a bond with can do for you mentally and emotionally.
Also my big-I talked with her a lot and she helped me through the tough stuff as well.

I feel like this is the thread you should print out and hand to people who are skeptical about the greek system. My mum is still dubious but I'm winning her over. I've asked her to do the memory walk with me in September which I plan to do with local alums, (it's one of Sigma Kappa's biggest philanthropy events) and she's agreed to do it, as long as I get her a Sigma Kappa Mom t-shirt!
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  #44  
Old 06-20-2007, 02:02 AM
Brita Brita is offline
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Originally Posted by centaur532 View Post
Mine's little but it still means a lot to me personally.

That is not little...that is a GREAT story!!
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  #45  
Old 06-20-2007, 09:24 AM
kathykd2005 kathykd2005 is offline
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KD Sisterhood

When I was growing up, I lived in a foster home. My grandmother, my former guardian, died when I was 11 and my mother died when I was 14, so I always missed having strong women to look up to. When I joined Kappa Delta, I found true female role models, as well as a kind of family that would never go away.

When I got married two years ago, I had no family members at my wedding, due to an argument I had with my brother. However, I had my sisters there to support me, and that meant more to me than anything. My husband suffered a severe heart attack last year, and my sisters were the only "family" who called, emailed, and offered to help me through the two months he was in the hospital (two weeks of which he was in a coma). They were the only ones who truly got me through the ordeal. When I think about all that my sisterhood has given me, words cannot even describe it. I'm so happy to be able to experience what true friendship means. Thank you to Kappa Delta, but thank you, as well, to the entire Greek Community.
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