I'll say this and I'm speaking generally, not talking about or referring to any specific person.If you want to know if an organization is for you, get the basics first. A lot of folk will say "I want something other than information on a website from their National Headquarters, they don't tell you everything! I want the real stuff!" Huh?! The websites tell you all you need to know to join an organization; BASIC history, their mission and membership requirements. The only thing the websites don't have are campus requirements and those vary, you can get that info by contacting your respective school, normally the Office of Student Affairs. Want to know more? Read the history book of the organization(s) that you're interested in. Reading "The Divine Nine" by Lawrence Ross will also give you a good start. All of these books can be found in a library.Once you have those basics, get some personal perspective, talk to a member of an org, ANY ORG, and see if they are willing to offer any words of advice in becoming a member of the greek family. Don't wait for someone to approach you b/c we don't know everyone who's interested. You don't have to broadcast your affinity or dislike for an organization to the public, just pull somebody to the side and have a conversation.If you're on campus and are interested in a particular organization, attend their events. You don't have to be all in their faces about it, "I'M HERE!! It's me! Remember me?!" Speaking when passing is good enough. They don't have to know your name, but let them see your face. Asking questions, lending a hand, participating, etc. And lastly, no one that you've just met can tell you which org is right for you. Sure, we can talk up our respective organization, making it sound like the best thing since sliced bread and tell you "XYZ is for you! " But you have to make that final decision. It is a lifelong committment and someone else shouldn't be dictating it for you.It's not that greeks have an elitist attitude(though some individual members do), think everything is secret and/or don't want to share our knowledge. It's just that we've put in the work to get where we are and expect you to do the same.That's my .06 cents, take it how you want!"Can you get on my level?"
Work = Keeping your grades up, getting your community service in, getting involved in something positive and of course knowing your history. You can't get an 'A' in a course if you don't put in work! So you can't expect to get into a BGLO if you don't put in your work. It isn't too much for a college educated person to handle.If ANY BGLO member that joined after 1990 tells you about their experience of being "on line", it's from illegal activity so it can't be trusted. Going back to 1990, none of the 9 organizations have allowed hazing within their ranks. They all came together as the Council of Presidents and agreed upon that. Not only is it illegal within the organizations, most states have anti-hazing laws. What aspirants go through now is called a Membership Intake Process(MIP) and not a pledge line. I'm not totally sure how each organization handles theirs but for Alpha, it's 2 consecutive weekends of learning history, interacting with brothers, participating in community service and learning fraternity policy. If you participate in any unsanctioned activities anytime before MIP begins or in between weekends, you put yourself at risk of being banned from joining the organization and you'll put the respective chapter in jeopardy of being suspended or having their charter revoked. And of course any form of hazing before MIP and/or from the beginning to the end of the MIP is illegal. Please note how I separated "activities" and "hazing". They're separated because it's illegal for brothers to even call the aspirants together to study in between MIP weekends. Why? Because anything can get misconstrued.Looking from the inside out, I beg to differ on talking to someone as being unwise. No matter when the next intake proccess is, if you make it through, that member you were hesitant to talk to will still be your sister/brother. It doesn't matter when you come up to us, we're ALWAYS watching. We know who the riff-raff is, we know who's involved in what and who's not, we even know who's been naughty or nice! We're like Santa Claus but better because my suit is Black & Gold. Another key point in this post...DON'T SUBJECT YOURSELF TO HAZING!Nothing good will come of it. 'Keeping it real', a member may say "You have to..." but if it isn't during one of the MIP weekends, you can get in trouble for it. Yeah they can twist words to try and convince you but just ask them if it's ok to verify their request with their national office. If the conversation ends then you know it wasn't legit. "But what if they decide to not let me join if I don't go along with it?" Then you have to ask yourself if you want to wait to join that chapter or wait until you graduate and join an alumni chapter. It's guaranteed that you won't like all of the members in your organization, you'll have your nice guys and your idiots. And that's being real.Last but not least since I started it with work, I'm going to end it with work. It's always said and it DEFINITELY holds true, "Getting in is the easy part, once you're in, the real work begins!" Greek life isn't like how it is in "Stomp The Yard", that's just one aspect of it. They didn't show any of the 'work'.
So you didn't get hazed at all when you were involved in the MIP process? I know that they go over the history and other information during MIP, but there is always the few that get hazed. That is why there is always a rift between the girls that get hazed and those who don't. They claim that they are the real ones if they got hazed. I don't agree with hazing, and even though it is considered illegal by nationals it still goes on. Yeah, I know that it is supposed to be an MIP process but there is still "lines" that go on at many schools including Grad chapters. Men still get hazed in Grad Chapter with Kappa Alpha Psi. I don't know about Alphas or Omegas, but it goes on with the Kappas and I know that for fact. Very rarely, you will find a Kappa that hasn't been hazed. If they skipped the process of being hazed or being "pledged" undergrad, they will get rehazed by older members or they won't be respected. That is including Graduate chapter. So pretty much they can't skip that process. That is why Kappa's are off the yard at most schools.
Also, your statement about going up to them talking to them is coming from a male's perspective. Men are a lot different than women, when it comes to the Greek stuff. There have been many instances where guys are approached with pledging a particular org by it's members. Very rarely will you find sorority members approaching an individual about joining their org. Also, guys aren't going to act funny with other guys about asking questions. Females act different in that area. The reason I say that Cnels, is because I have experienced it ,as a woman, going to a table of the org I was interested in, and the girl acted real funny. So as I said before, it is best to approach them when it is closer to the time of them having a line. Also, I have a friend who is Greek who said the same thing. She said she waited until the semester before to be involved with that org and talking to some of the girls. She said the same thing, that it isn't wise to do it way before they have a line. This is coming from a females point of view. I know that you might think it is okay, because you are a male and guys act different.
What do you mean by that? Cnels was giving information about Greek life and I had a question and I also gave a response. That is what the thread is about! This is a conversation between me and Cnels. The last time I checked, I didn't quote a response from Jamaican Shawty, Cnels was quoted. So don't come on this board trying to start a bunch of strife! If you don't have anything positive to say or anything informative just keep the foolishness to your self! You bring a bunch of unnecessary strife. When noone is referring to you in a discussion, you still find a way to have something rude to say. I guess you are starved for attention.
The purpose of this thread was to give some non-biased Greek advice to help folk out if you're trying to decide if Greek life is for you. Some people felt that alot of the basic knowledge that others have given is spread out amongst different threads and/or buried deep under years of responses. This thread is not a "conversation" between me and any person. If someone asks a question and I feel that everyone will benefit from the answer, I'll post. If it's not beneficial to the body as a whole, I won't be responding. My PM inbox works fine for any direct questions for me. Like I say all the time, "Take the meat and leave the bones." If you believe that what I'm saying won't help you, then talk to someone you believe can help you. Don't make it harder than it really is.
The purpose of this thread was to give some non-biased Greek advice to help folk out if you're trying to decide if Greek life is for you. Some people felt that alot of the basic knowledge that others have given is spread out amongst different threads and/or buried deep under years of responses. This thread is not a "conversation" between me and any person. If someone asks a question and I feel that everyone will benefit from the answer, I'll post. If it's not beneficial to the body as a whole, I won't be responding. My PM inbox works fine for any direct questions for me. Like I say all the time, "Take the meat and leave the bones." If you believe that what I'm saying won't help you, then talk to someone you believe can help you. Don't make it harder than it really is.
Well, I consider it a "conversation" when I quote a person and they respond back to the quote. LOL Its just a conversation out in the open for everyone to read instead of a PM (private message).
Huh?! The websites tell you all you need to know to join an organization; BASIC history, their mission and membership requirements. The only thing the websites don't have are campus requirements and those vary, you can get that info by contacting your respective school, normally the Office of Student Affairs. Want to know more? Read the history book of the organization(s) that you're interested in. Reading "The Divine Nine" by Lawrence Ross will also give you a good start. All of these books can be found in a library.
It's me! Remember me?!" Speaking when passing is good enough. They don't have to know your name, but let them see your face. Asking questions, lending a hand, participating, etc. 
" But you have to make that final decision. It is a lifelong committment and someone else shouldn't be dictating it for you.
but better because my suit is Black & Gold. 
