Sorority 'perspective' + backstory

[AGDAlum]

I thought GCers would like this story of “Greek conversion.”

Our weekly newspaper has a column called “My Perspective,” with essays by guest contributors. The week before last the column was by “Liza,” a woman who is now a sophomore at Eastern Illinois. She began, “About this time last year I was 100% anti-Greek life. However, a few months ago that all changed when I joined my sorority, Alpha Sigma Alpha.”

She continues, “I think television and movies have done an excellent job” of creating and perpetuating stereotypes of sorority life. “These are things I hear from people, that I know they are judging me on when I tell them I am a woman of Alpha Sigma Alpha…..I feel I am very lucky to know I am in a sorority that is anti-hazing….My advice to any girl who wants to join a sorority is this: they need you more than you need them….Sororities are NOT all the same, even if it’s the same sorority. My chapter is different than, say, the Northern Illinois University chapter. ….My advice would be that you get to know the girls...”

“I have a good group of friends who care about my general well-being and I know that they are all behind me if and when I need them.”

THE BACKSTORY: I know Liza slightly. I know her parents, “Ray” and “Linda,” somewhat better because we have participated in civic and other community events. I saw Ray at a meeting last week and said how much I liked Liza’s column. He chuckled and said that Linda was very anti-Greek (she went to U of I in the 70’s) and he was clueless (enlisted Navy, no college). Liza’s computer-assigned roommate and suitemates went through formal recruitment and pledged ASA. Liza wasn’t going to have anything to do with Greek life – but the roomies were having such a great time with ASA! Liza pledged in the spring. Ray went down for Dad’s Weekend. “So, how was the pub crawl?” Linda asked when he got home. He explained that it wasn’t that way at all, that the girls were all very nice, and Liza had made a good choice. In fact, Liza has gotten into the chapter’s philanthropy (Ray and Linda have a strong service ethic) and she told her dad she wants to be chapter president.

ASA, you have a winning sister!

[33girl]

Thank you so much for posting this, AGDAlum!!