'Zeta Is' post

[carnation]

I clicked on this because I saw a user reading it. It's wonderful. Substitute your sorority's name and symbols and...it's all of us, it's why we go Greek and stay Greek I have copied and pasted it; does it ring a bell for you?

BSCzeta BSCzeta is offline
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Zeta is...
After pref night this year, after bid session, when we were all at wits' end and ready to strangle each other after weeks of Rush practice, our chapter advisor, Lynn, read this to us. I don't think there was a single one of us that didn't have tears in our eyes. I just wanted to share this with y'all.

\^^^/ \^^^/ \^^^/ \^^^/ \^^^/


Zeta Tau Alpha is not entirely
a white violet
a national convention
a crested honor ring
a song to Themis
a five pointed crown
a long silver chain
or
a pin in the shape of a shield.

And it's not entirely
an institution
a Creed
a legacy
an obligation
or
a "Model for Life"

If we must insist that it's something,
Maybe Zeta Tau Alpha is
moving in for the first time and slowly
learning that all the beautiful people
have cellulite and use mouthwash, too.
Or
Maybe it's just long, tired eternities
of stuffing greenery into lattice
of drinking coffee
and eating junk food during exams
when you still can't remember the Renaissance architects
or the bone structure of some creature.
Perhaps it's borrowing a skirt from Laura
and a shirt from Rachel
and shoes from Kelli
and passing it all off as your own.

And sometimes..
It's just sitting and listening
in utter helplessness
because one of your Zeta sisters is lost.
and she's lonely.
and it seems the whole world
just fell into little pieces.

And it's
Coming in late one night, and closing the door
to tell a special Zeta sister who's seen you through
the hardest year of your life
that you're happy now,
and you got accepted to your number one grad school choice.

And Zeta is, I suppose, a kind of evaluation.
you grow up inside those chapter room walls.
And perhaps you do learn more of the
circus we call life than if you had
spent your time somewhere else.

You learn that no matter where you came from,
or who took you there, you've still got to find
that one small acre that belongs to you.
by yourself.
You learn that the world is made up of people you're
not going to like, and you live with them anyway.

You learn that there's still a lot left
to believe in.
and a whole lot more to hope for.
You learn that love has never been easy.
And that it's a long time coming, but through
Zeta Tau Alpha
You learn that "Love is the greatest of all things."
And if you're very smart
or very lucky
You learn that no matter how big
or how messy the world becomes
what is precious
and what is permanent
is always the same.
And in the very end
You come to realize
Zeta Tau Alpha is, indeed.
a better way
to stumble down the back steps
and out the front door of life.

[ZTA72]

Wonderful and so Beautiful, thank you!

[TriDeltaSallie]

I haven't seen that in probably 25 years. I have a copy of it somewhere that is a Panhellenic version and not sorority specific.

[TriDeltaSallie]

Found a copy of the one I remember

--------------------------------------------

What Is A Sorority?

If it's really anything at all,

A sorority is not entirely
a flower, national conventions, monogrammed rings, worn-out songs, bylaws, membership standards, or a golden pen.

And it is not entirely
an institution, a creed, a legacy, an obligation, or a way of life.

If you're going to insist that it is something,
A sorority is only

Moving in for the first time and slowly learning that all beautiful people have fat legs and use mouthwash and wear last year's coats,

Sitting next to an alum you don't particularly like and being nice because maybe it all means something to her,

Long, tired eternities of black coffee and exam snacks when you can't remember the Renaissance architects or the stages of photosynthesis or respiration,

Sitting on the back steps and listening with all your helplessness because she's lost and she's lonely and it seems the whole world just fell into ugly pieces.

And it's coming in very late one night and closing the door to tell someone who's seen you through the hardest years of your life that you're happy now, and you're getting married.

And a sorority is, I suppose, a kind of evaluation.

You grow up inside these elegant halls

And perhaps you do learn more about this grizzly, ungrateful circus we call life than if you had lived it somewhere else.

You learn that a football player is sometimes just shoulder pads and that skinny arms sometimes hide a great man.

You learn that some lecture halls are just watery echos and that there are silent rooms for deeper rivers.

You learn that no matter where you come from or who took you there, you've still got to find that one small acre that belongs to you, by yourself.

You learn to wait, because chance is slow and change isn't always right.

You learn that there's still a lot left to believe in and a whole lot more to hope for.

You learn that love has never been easy, and it's a long time coming.

And if you're very smart, or very lucky, you learn that no matter how big or how messy the world becomes, what is precious and what is permanent is always the same.

And in the very end

A sorority can only be a better way to stumble down the back steps and out the front door.

[AZTheta]

carnation, thank you for sharing this. Ring a bell? More like set off fireworks. TriDeltaSallie, your version is amazing and touched me deeply as well. These two posts showed up at the most perfect time today, when the world seemed to crash and burn (long long story and no, don't even ask, not talking about it). I am once more reminded that I am a part of something much bigger than myself, with roots going back to 1870 (or even further, for some of our NPC sisters. Yeah, I'm looking at you Pi Phi, ADPi, and Phi Mu!).

Those essays pretty much sum up my collegiate and alumnae experiences in Theta. FWIW I'm still in contact with my Theta big sister and most of my pledge class. We went through trying times. Valuable life lessons were learned back then that have helped me negotiate life on life's terms.

This kite flyer sends love and respect to all her Panhellenic sisters here on GC, and IRL too.

[honeychile]

LOVING both versions - thank you, carnation and TriDeltaSally! I'm feeling all sorts of warm fuzzies right now! I just shared it with my ADPi chapter's Centennial committee, and I hope we will be using it in the festivities!