Posted by: chadrock on: November 9, 2009
Friendship & sisterhood.
These are two key words which define the Greek experience, two key words which each woman in Greek letters is seeking each day.
Friendship & sisterhood should come from shared experiences (i.e. the Ritual, Initiation), not through forced ones, not through the formation of cliques, not through drama which who knows how many sisters don’t want any part of.
Think about it: Greek life has its share of ups & downs, its good & bad times. The Greek experience should be an occasion where character is built & strengthened not just through life’s brightest moments but also through adversity. Drama, sugarcoating around, or forcing friendships in any way, shape or form aren’t the means by which true sisterhood can be found – to tell you the honest truth, sorority life was never meant to be lived as such.
Think about it: when it comes to promoting true friendship & sisterhood, are we sending the right messages across? Or are we allowing negative elements like drama & cliques to overpower the messages which our Founders sent generation after generation of sisters to guard well – this one included?
True friendship & sisterhood comes about with women living along the lines of the Founders, women living the values the Founders promoted & held most dear, women living the ideals the Founders highly approved of.
And it is here where drama, where negativity of any kind is unwelcome.
Posted by: chadrock on: November 9, 2009
A day to remember.
One highlight for who knows how many ladies in the Greek community comes around when they get a Lil Sis. For some, it’s an event they’d much rather forget or block out of their memory but for the vast majority it’s an event they’ll cherish, one which they’ll always remember & hold dearly.
As a Big Sis, it is on each woman to be a positive role model, a mentor to the younger ladies so to speak. It’s on each woman to show how much they care, to show their true colors as far as quality friendship & sincere sisterhood is concerned. It’s on each woman to give their Lils a shoulder to cry on, to lend these ladies support when the going gets tough.
In short, a Big Sis is the perfect example of a woman who lives, believes & loves her sisterhood & is willing to pass on that love, that commitment & dedication to her Lil & future sisters in the family tree. Any Big who doesn’t believe in doing this is missing the whole point; worse, she’s a letdown as well.
For every Lil Sis out there, getting to know the various aspects of chapter & sorority life can be a challenge; in such situations, it’s a good feeling to know that her Big is around to lend an ear (not to sugarcoat around, not to say what she wants to hear, but speak the honest truth). And for this, among other reasons, the Big/Lil reveal night for many proves to be an ultimate highlight of sorority life & the collegiate experience.
Posted by: chadrock on: November 5, 2009
Looking on the outside, it’d be hard to figure out what makes women in Greek letters such forces to be reckoned with on campus. Duders & doubters can stop & stare all they want; they can continue asking question after question in hopes of discovering the secret to these ladies’ success. But no dice.
It doesn’t matter which letters these women wear boldly & ever fervently: there’s something about these ladies these men wished they could copy but can’t. It’s written not just in their walk, not just in how they present themselves from day to day – it’s also written in their hearts as well.
What could it be? You’re probably wondering & asking yourself by now. Actually, it’s so much more than one thing alone.
The values, ideals & principles of the organizations which these ladies represent. The purposes/mission statements of their Sororities/women’s Fraternities. The Creeds of these women’s organizations.
All of the above items I just mentioned are fuel for the fire, what make these women fearless leaders for their chapters & on campus. They are what make these women stand out in more ways than you could think of, what make these ladies so amazing & awesome to begin with.
These women are fearless leaders, walking the walk & talking the talk, living the values & ideals which their organizations’ Founders brought into being from the first day AOII, DZ, etc. began.
Posted by: chadrock on: November 5, 2009
Sisterhood is one of the most beautiful things that could happen to any woman who decides to go Greek. Not only does she get a chance to expand her horizons: she also has the opportunity to gain more confidence & self-esteem – at the same time, gaining her identity as a person & as a member of the Greek community.
No matter which letters women in the Greek system wear, they all have these things in common: they’re aiming high, they’re driven to achieve, they’re driven to get involved for their chapters & various campus organizations. Simply put, they’re reaching for new heights.
Whether they’re in the classroom, whether they’re engaged in a philanthropic event, whether they’re performing community service, or whether they’re involved as chapter officers, they’re reaching for new heights. These ladies are about transcending, exceeding expecations, & if need be going above & beyond the call of duty. No doubt, these women love their organizations with a passion & are proud to say so in all that they do.
Reaching for new heights: each day, women in Greek letters are doing just that & so much more – they’re out to prove sororities/women’s Fraternities are truly committed to their ideals, values & principles.
Posted by: chadrock on: November 3, 2009
Chris Harris, aka DJ $crilla, as everyone well knows by now, is all about creating timeless music with a heartfelt, positive message, especially for the Greek community. Whether it’s sending shoutouts to the brothers of SigEp or busting out paeans of sisterhood to the ladies of Delta Zeta, Chi O or AOII (among others), his customized Greek songs never fail to amaze, never cease to wow the listener.
I already mentioned the “AOII Anthem” (also known as “AOII My AOII”) in an earlier post & how much I dig that song – even now, still do. Now it’s on to another of my favorite $crilla Greek songs, “Delta Zeta.”
As always, this song has got a catchy beat & you can sing along to it with the windows down. But that’s not the only/primary reason why ”Delta Zeta” is one of my favorite custom Greek tunes by DJ $crilla & for that matter who knows how many DZs out there.
Another reason why this track is so awesome in the first place comes down to one of $crilla’s strengths: not just simple namechecking but putting the homework he learned about DZ into powerful, effective use lyrically. And does he ever!!
Harris keeps it heartfelt & honest when it comes to praising DZ – when it comes to delivering timeless messages to the Greek community, $crilla definitely shines brightly in showing his love & appreciation for whoever (e.g. SigEp, KD, etc.) like none other around. On “Delta Zeta,” his mission statement is no different: it’s a paean to those who have got love for DZ, those who rally round the rose & green, an ultimate ode to show much love to sisterhood – timeless & so true.
When it comes to DZs showing the world what they’re working with – the Sorority’s values & every beautiful word Dorothy Mumford Williams penned as the Delta Zeta Creed several decades ago, $crilla has delivered another upbeat, positive message which you can move & sing along to. And for who knows how many DZs out there who know the man & his music, that is truly a wonderful & beautiful thing, proof that the Sorority has been “…holding it down since Miami 1902.“
& of course, having more fun than most.
Posted by: chadrock on: November 3, 2009
Chi Omega has made its mark as a premier women’s Fraternity, providing countless opportunities for fun & friendship during college & after graduation. Through the Fraternity’s six purposes, Chi Os everywhere can flourish, achieve success, grow, thrive & expand their horizons.
It must also be said that these six purposes have defined Chi Omega from the very start, & these are purposes each sister is steadfastly committed to:
1. Friendship. It’s the tie that binds, a source of support, self-esteem, affection & fun. For Chi Omega, friendship spans generations as much as it does geography – that’s how highly sisterhood is valued & emphasized.
2. High standards of personnel. Chi Os always make it a point to be women of integrity & good character; not only that, these ladies also have high expectations for themselves & their sisters. In all that they do & say, they reflect everything the Chi Omega Symphony states.
3. Scholarship. Academics holds high priority for the Fraternity & rightly so. Learning is one of the key aspects of the Greek experience & Chi Omega has recognized this from the beginning.
4. Community service. Chi Omega has always taken community service to heart, whether it be through their contributions to the Make-A-Wish Foundation or various philanthropic events on campus (among other occasions). Making a difference on campus & in their communities, Chi Os confirm time & time again how extending a helping hand can make one a better person as well as making the world a better place.
5. Campus activities. Chi Omegas gain different points of view, different perspectives & develop outside interests by getting involved in various organizations on campus. If there is an organization that helps its membership become more well-rounded, Chi O has met those needs in more ways than one through this fifth purpose.
6. Career development. Chi Os get prepared for life’s work through networking & communication skills. These women are given the chance to thrive & flourish through the various opportunities the Fraternity provides – & what better place to begin developing those skills than taking an office for your chapter.
Chi Omega’s six purposes have defined the Fraternity ever since its inception & they were meant to last a lifetime. Even now, they’re still powerful & relevant, purposes which could best describe Chi Os all over the place.
Posted by: chadrock on: November 2, 2009
Founders’ Day: It may have come & gone but an event of this magnitude in the history of Delta Zeta should help us remember a few things & then some.
First of all, let’s keep the Sorority’s purpose in mind as well as the variety of ways in which DZ has enriched our lives. Whether we’re undergraduates, alumnae, or Baby Turtles, Delta Zeta has shaped our lives in more ways than one & in response you’re enriching the world around us with the ideals the Founders valued & took to heart. Even now, DZ is still enriching the lives of its membership; take a look around you & you’ll see just how much the Sorority can transform women through its values, ideals & principles.
Secondly, let’s keep wearing the colors of rose & green steadfastly as a reminder of who you are, who made you the women you are today as well as providing additional evidence in how dedicated you are to the Sorority, how much you love DZ.
From six women to roughly 206,000 strong: a week after Founders’ Day, Delta Zeta still shines its lamp brightly for all to see, a fact the Founders would delight in & appreciate.
AWWW DZ!! AWWW DZ!!
Posted by: chadrock on: November 2, 2009
For sororities/women’s fraternities everywhere, searching for quality membership is not the only pressing issue which stands out during Recruitment Week. It’s also about finding women who will chip in, do their part, roll up their sleeves, answer the call & get involved for their chapters in so many ways.
The next question is, “Where do we begin our search for quality membership?”
Our search can’t be limited to a small circle of friends nor can it be limited to a certain number of women we feel would be the perfect candidates for chapter membership. We need to go further than this in hopes of finding prospective recruits for sisterhood.
We may know women who are friends of friends of Greeks, or are good friends with Greeks; they want to join but can’t seem to break it to themselves to take the leap into Sorority Recruitment. We may know women who are non-Greek & really have good things to say about Greeks in general but aren’t so sure if Greek life’s really their cup of tea. We may know ladies who want to join a sorority/women’s fraternity but have plenty of questions to ask along the way. In any of these cases, one thing is clear: we need to get the word out to these women about sisterhood, about sorority life, about the benefits which come with being Greek. While we’re at it, we need to demonstrate why our chapters stand out like they do in the Panhellenic community, why we’re at the top of our class in the Greek system.
Finding quality membership for AOII, DZ, A-Phi, misc. goes far beyond a small circle of friends. It’s a yearly process & the number of women who would be the perfect candidates for sisterhood are endless. So before Recruitment Week even begins, ask around. Get the word out. The search for quality sisterhood begins then & there.
Posted by: chadrock on: October 30, 2009
“You should never look down on a sister except to pick her up.“
When it comes to showing my heartfelt love & appreciation for women in the Greek community, my joy & enthusiasm don’t know any bounds. Likewise, I don’t show any partiality when it comes to whose sisterhood is the best – I have much respect for each woman out there wearing Greek letters & I speak the honest truth.
What gets to me the most when men, both Greek & non-Greeks, go out & talk trash about this sorority/women’s fraternity or that as if they don’t deserve to be praised. Worse yet, they’ll go on the record & say hasty things about these ladies which are wrong & inappropriate in so many ways. And if there’s one thing I don’t stand for, it’s what I just mentioned.
These women deserve better treatment. Or should I say, far better. To get to where they are today, they’ve done the little things right: dedicating 110% & nothing less than this in all that they do. In community service, philanthropy, the classroom & in the Greek community, they’re getting things done & are showing no signs of letting up. For their hard work, for their commitment to their organizations’ vision/purpose/mission statement, these ladies deserve not solely a round of applause but so much more: praise, congratulations, someone saying that they are always supported, loved & appreciated.
When it comes to encouraging women in Greek letters, never look down on them or the hard work that they do. Show your love & appreciation to these ladies by delivering a positive message that will brighten their days for sure, even through the little things that you do for your favorite sisters.
Posted by: chadrock on: October 29, 2009
Serenades. Cheers. Songs to celebrate sisterhood.
You just can’t enough of this heartfelt music – nor can the women who sing such beautiful paeans for one & all to hear.
Music is what makes the world go round for who knows how many women’s Fraternities/Sororities; it’s one of the more exciting – & not to forget, one of the most beautiful – aspects of chapter (& with that, sorority) life.
For those chapters who don’t do singing serenades, cheers, etc. as much, (either because there aren’t many songs in your chapter songbook repertoire to work with or because your chapter just got installed on campus) there’s always hope. There’s always room for inspiration, opportunities to go out & spread the message of love, friendship & sisterhood for those who will hear. With that in mind, here’s some advice for those chapters who’d love to get out & make music from the heart more often:
Finding the right words to say out loud, let alone write down, can indeed be a challenge – at any rate, keep the themes of friendship, sisterhood & love ever present. These themes work wonders & they’re the stuff of which your organizations are made!! (Additional inspiration & sparks to sing about AOII, DZ, etc. can be found in the International Sorority songbooks so draw from those points of reference as well.)
Once you’ve wrote the words, melodies & other whatnot down, show them to your chapter; teach these ladies the new chapter tunes as you go along. (FYI: let the song leaders in on the new additions to the chapter songbook & see what they think, if these new songs will win their approval.)
Music is what makes the life of many women in Greek letters go round, what makes them truly proud to show their pride around campus. And it works wonders for any given occasion – serenading other Fraternities, sorority recruitment cheers, Greek sings, & so on. It’s surely a beautiful & powerful force you can’t forget when it comes to celebrating sisterhood.
Give it a go – here’s your chance to sing more heartfelt songs, deliver the message of friendship & love for those who will hear. You’ll be glad you did.
