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UGA Panhellenic recently voted to have each sorority annually raise a minimum of $10 per member for Habitat for Humanity; This fundraising is more or less mandatory and will be in addition to the money every chapter already raises for its national philanthropy.
Sororities can raise the money, which will be approximately $2,000 per chapter, any way they want. They can hold events to work for the overall total, or each member personally can be responsible for her $10.
At first I thought this additional mandatory fundraising was unnecessary. It is time consuming enough to host the two philanthropies my sorority holds annually with the busy schedules of sisters. Why should panhellenic mandate even more of something that already is in place successfully?
However, when all of this money is raised it will be able to fund a house for a family in Athens. Ideally, Panhellenic would love to also be able to provide some furniture for this family. If we only were working as individual sororities we would not be able to accomplish this, but working together we can give a home and a new start to a family in need.
The InterFraternity Council as well as several Multicultural Greek organizations also are involved in the effort to raise money for the same Habitat house. So in addition to uniting sororities, this effort will be bringint together several Greek organizations.
Next semester, chapter members will be able to sign up to help build this Habitat house. With the poverty and housing issues facing Athens-Clarke County today, I think Panhellenic voted wisely when making this fundraiser mandatory.
Since the lack of sufficient University child care has become a hot topic on campus, the UGA Panhellenic Council stepped up to the plate on Friday and offered free babysitting in Tate reception hall.
Whether or not a great deal of faculty took advantage of this opportunity, I think that it was a noteworthy gesture from this organization.
The child care situation at Georgia truly is upsetting, but I realize it is one that needs unavailable funds to correct. Sororities and fraternities should continue to take this dilema as an opportunity to give back to the University community. Maybe this could become a regular service project that would allow hard-working faculty members to have the night off.
To those who love to leave oh-so-eloquent comments wondering why anyone possible could care about what I write here … you may be confused. This actually isn’t CNN.com. I’m not here to deliver earth-shattering news. And I am just as aware as anyone else that Greek life does not make the world go round.
Yes — there are numerous issues facing our country today. A fight against terrorism, a looming presidential election and dying soldiers are just a few. So if you compare the inner working of a sorority to these complex problems, then you are right. Who cares? But that is not my purpose.
If, after reading these posts, you think you are wasting your time, then this site isn’t for you. It is written for those who DO care, are NOT apathetic and maybe are curious about something 20 percent of the student body is involved in. I’m here simply to educate, inform and discuss with those who have devoted energy to membership in a Greek organizations, as well as with those who wonder what we are all about.
I have no interest in making these organizations “seem more important” than they really are. Greek life is what it is — a community of social organizations who interact with one another and attempt to do a little good along the way. Nothing more, and definitely nothing less.
So, if anyone would like to let stereotypes rule their thoughts on Greek life, then that is their choice. If not, maybe I can shine a little light on this “unimportant” subject.
Elections are right around the corner, and I don’t mean the kind that involve millions of dollars and political affiliations.
Sororities, and many fraternities, are about to change hands. Many old members of executive boards will be moving out, having served their time on Milledge faithfully, and fresh faces are preparing to lead their chapters with new ideas for 2008. The University’s Panhellenic council also is taking on the challenge of finding the new leader of the pack.
Although Reese Witherspoon is one of my favs, her Legally Blonde legacy doesn’t quite do justice to the time and energy it takes to run an organization of 200 women and/or men. Running for president of a Greek organization, or even just a member of the executive board, can be a full-time committment. The president is responsible (legally!) for everything that goes on for an entire year. He or she would represent their organization in a court of law should anything ever go wrong, serves as face of the organization to any outside parties, is responsible for any internal problems chapters face, and ultimately is responsible for the overall success of his or her organization.
Yes, at the end of the day it is “just” a sorority. Children still are starving in Africa, and no, despite our best philanthropic efforts, we most likely will not achieve world peace by the end of the year. But these are not positions to be taken lightly, and often I feel that they are under appreciated.
Electing these new officials, at least within my chapter, is not a simple process. It spans a month and begins with straw balloting in week one, a “pledge class caucus” discussion in week two and leads to a selection of the “slate” — one person for each position whom the chapter feels would be best — in week three. Members then can run against this slate in formal elections at the beginning of week four.
This process can be a controversial time for chapters. We laugh, we cry, friends run against friends, members are disappointed because of positions they aren’t elected to and people aren’t always happy with elections results. But so is the way with any form of elections, and life on Milledge always goes on.
Good luck to all those running in 2008 elections, and may the best “sorostitutes” and “frattiest” frat boys win!
Most of us don’t think twice about getting into a taxi after a fun night downtown in A-town. We think we are being good and staying safe — we aren’t getting behind the wheel, and we aren’t taking a risky walk. Generally this is a safe bet, and you will end up safe and warm in your bed at home.
But taking what appeared to be a “safe ride” has had devastating consequences for University women during recent weeks. According to The Red & Black, a man in a white passenger van has been attacking, or attempting to attack, women after luring them into his van with offers of rides home from downtown Athens.
As a college-aged woman, this news completely is disturbing. Although my girlfriends and I always try and keep track of one another, I have friends who have taken cabs home by themselves on multiple occasions and usually think nothing of it. It is upsetting that what should be considered a fail-safe means of transportation suddenly could have terrifying consequences.
This obviously is an issue for ALL women, not just sorority women, but my plea to anyone who happens to stumble across this site is to step it up a notch when it comes to the safety of yourself and your friends.
To the wonderful new members who recently have joined sororities all over Milledge, the season of socials and datenights is in full swing. Wednesday and Thursday night gatherings are a fantastic way to become closer with your sisters and meet a plethora of boys. But don’t let yourself get caught up in the mayhem of costumes and forget to watch out for your new best friends.
To those of you, like me, who are social and datenight veterans, you’ve seen it all and heard it all when it comes to crazy stories from nights like these. Don’t let yourself become too accustomed to everything and let your roommate/pledge sister/big sis run off alone, even if she’s done it all before and always ends up “fine.” Now, like always, is not the time to let her take off and hope everything works out.
To our fratty male counterparts, we know you all aren’t scary like this crazy cab-driving creeper. Do you part and look after your female friends. Even if we whine and complain like we love to do, we promise to forgive you in the morning when we wake up safe.
Clearly I’m not the first person to emphasize the importance of women’s safety, using “the buddy system” and watching out for your friends. But now more than ever is the time to make sure no one else falls victim to this terrible situation, as the dangers of the real world have penetrated the Athens bubble we call home.
For those of you who can’t help but keep up with the latest trends, Pepperface.com offers the latest in women’s safety technology. Buy the women in your life pepper spray with a twist– it’s unique, matches any outfit and potentially can save a life!
To me, one of the most important aspects of Greek life is tradition. Without the rituals chapter members pass down throughout decades, we are no different than any other organization on campus.
One of my favorite sorority traditions my chapter has continued through the years is the annual big sister hunt. When any new member joins most any sorority they are paired with a big sister, one way or another. Their big sister has her big sister, and before you know it a family is born!
Thursday night, dozens of new members showed up at the sorority house wearing a crazy costume that matched or complemented the costume of their big-sis-to-be. (My personal favorite…the girl who was a goose. Her two big sisters were duck…and duck.)
The identity of the older sister is a secret until the younger one finds her way along a string that has been wound throughout the house to her new big sis waiting on the other end.
This may seem like just another “crazy” thing that Greek people do, but a big sister is someone to look up to on a crazy campus that at times may seem just a little too big. She is someone who has been there, done that and probably gotten most of the T-shirts. What’s not to love about someone who already knows where the best parties will be, which guys you shouldn’t take to datenights and how exactly to score an A in the ridiculous lecture class you have to take?
My crazy family grew on Thursday ( I now have a grand-little … I’m so old!) and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have one more person to look out for on campus and have “family dinners” with.
I never had a older sister growing up, but now I don’t know how I ever got by without one!
It’s that time of year again. Tate is swarming with students giving out free ice pops, fliers by the dozen and the occasional sky diving cow. We walk through this campus center, head down, trying not to make eye contact with the people trying to attract us to whatever organization they represent, but every so often — oops!– they catch us. “Sign up for Dance Marathon! Definately be a UGA Hero. And, also, you really should try out Relay for Life.” Georgia has no lack of organizations kicking off the ‘07-’08 school year and seeking fresh, new philanthropists.
This means to me that those of us here at this University have no excuse for not giving a little something back. Next time you’re walking through Tate, stop and talk to whoever is standing there instead of rushing by. Let’s be honest, you really aren’t that eager to get to your chemistry lecture.
Check out UGA Heros, Dance Marathon and Relay for Life on their Web sites to find out what they are all about. Applications, registration information and much more is right at your fingertips.
I realize this is a Greek life blog, and I also realize these organizations are in no way exclusive to the Greek community. But I’m proud of the fact that many Greek students DO take part in these philanthropies, and I encourage everyone to keep up the amazing work, whether it be For The Kids, For a Cure or for the quality of life of a child with AIDS.
If these three organizations aren’t quite your thing, go and find one of the dozens of other fantastic philanthropies present at the University and get involved. Join a committee, help put up fliers, and who knows? Maybe one day soon you’ll be one of those people standing in Tate, trying to catch the eye of the unassuming passerby.
Also, keep an eye out for these annual Greek events that are quickly approaching:
Pi Kappa Phi’s War of the Roses
Delta Sigma Phi’s Miss Sorority Row
Gamma Phi Beta’s Chili Cook-off
Delta Zeta’s Wing Bash
Dates and more information coming soon!
Today is a red-letter day for people all over Milledge. Thanks to The Greek Telephone Directory company, the guys who publish the handly little book allowing you to contact anyone you ever could possible wish to call in any sorority or fraternity, we are all now CARD carrying members of the Greek Community.
Because of my affiliation with my sorority, I now get a pretty little card giving me 10 percent off of my manicure at LV Nails, 10 percent off at Doc Cheys or free entrance to Tuesday shows at Tasty World, with no limit to the number of uses! This is only a few of the dozens of Athens locations offering similar discounts. Representatives droppped off these hot little discount cards at chapter meetings Monday. What college kid can resist a good bargain? Not me. Let the savings begin.
Check out the rest of the Athens locations where my new favorite GTD card can save you dollars and cents at http://www.thegtd.com/discount.
On a more serious note, Greek students have landed themselves on the front page again. I empathize with the ladies of this local sorority, as I’m certain the majority of members had nothing to do with the crime committed, yet the event truely is news in our community. This student faces multiple felony charges for her mistakes and, unfortunately, has handed her sorority some bad PR.
This is something those of us in Greek organizations, or any organization for that matter, have had to face again and again. When someone representing a body of people ends up in the spotlight, so do the members of the organization being represented. Whether the coverage is just or unjust, it seriously can damage chapter morale. In some cases, reputations can be damaged permanently.
So how do organizations overcome such an event? Many, including the ladies of Xi Delta, choose not to comment and continue on doing the best they can to represent their organization with heads held high. If we in the Greek community continue to take things in stride, maybe we eventually will earn some well-deserved positive press.
Having a philanthropy event in the near future? E-mail the The Red & Black variety editor Whitney Kessler at variety@randb.com and tell her what’s up! Many great events fail to get any press because reporters just haven’t heard about them.
So let’s be the change, as our main man Corey Smith likes to say, and let all of us here know what great stuff your organization is up to!
“From the outside looking in you could never understand it … From the inside looking out you could never explain it.”
We, here in the Greek community here at the University, know we can be a little crazy. Some of us are more aware of this than others, but, for the most part, we know we do things that seem a little strange.
What event other than sorority recruitment, formerly known as “rush,” could possibly make more than 1,000 girls put on dresses and heels and brave August heat in Georgia, starting in the wee hours of the morning and not stopping until the sun is blazing high in the sky? Yet every year, just that happens, and every year, the number of girls wanting to start out college with sorority letters increases. On bid night, guys cruise down Milledge Avenue in packs, cramming as many people as possible into the back of a pick-up truck, wanting a little peak at the insanity that is Formal Recruitment.
Then there are the dozens of socials throughout the year that pull sorority girls and frat guys out of dorm rooms and Milledge homes to downtown Athens, crowding the streets in togas, secretary outfits, tennis skirts and any other occasionally revealing outfit that can be deemed a costume.
Most every week, our male counterparts toss up makeshift trashbag walls, hire garage bands, throw some Everclear into a trashcan and manage to attract hundreds of girls to their current abode; the “good” parties are a necessary stop for any freshman girl who’s anyone … or at least that’s what some of us think.
This past year, the Atlanta Journal Constitution picked up on the buzz about formal recruitment, deeming it worthy of the front page of a Sunday paper. The article goes into detail about the mechanics of recruitment, or at least as much detail as the reporter could find. After all, those of us in the Greek community love our secrets and rituals.
We’ve become notorious on campus for making the front page of The Red & Black repeatedly, sometimes for making mistakes hundreds of other students have made, simply because we ARE Greek. Bad decisions put us in the spotlight, yet our positive contributions — hosting philanthropic events, having leaders on campus or having GPAs above the campus average — rarely are deemed newsworthy.
It seems the University we continuously support loves to make fun of us those of us sporting Greek letters on our T-shirts. But I guess this is something the thousands of Greeks at Georgia just will have to deal with and, eventually, hope to overcome.
So what’s a sorority girl to do when do when working at a newspaper often known on campus as being anti-Greek? She starts a Greek life blog. Who would ever guess that there are MULTIPLE students with Greek affiliations that climb Baxter street to go to work every day?
We know we aren’t perfect. Sometimes recruitment gets messy, and not everyone finds their “perfect fit.” Sometimes we say or do things that offend others on campus. And sometimes, we even get arrested.
But we also have found lasting relationships (even if we may have “paid for them”) in our Milledge homes. We often successfully maintain the high GPAs many of us are proud of (even though sometimes socials get in the way of studying). And we do our best to give back to the community, whether it be through hosting a benefit concert or visiting a homeless shelter downtown.
Maybe here I can offer insight to those who question our motives and activities. Maybe eventually I even will tell you which sorority I call home. But for now, that’s all I have time for…I’ve gotta go get ready for my social.
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