<p>I am a third year student at UVA who has followed this board on and off since I applied a few years ago because I found it to be incredibly informative about all aspects of UVA. I have never really found it necessary to post or register because I never had a personal question which hadn't been previously answered and I only come check out the site about once a month these days. However, I have finally found tenniscraze's attacks on the greek system to be so obnoxious that I am taking the time to register and post. </p>
<p>Tenniscraze's dislike of the greek system is not something new (although I would guess it's the result of a 100 series anthropology class in his first year) nor is it something inappropriate at its most basic level. The greek system is not for everyone, nor does everyone agree with it. However, for about 30 percent of the students at UVA its benefits ARE positive, and my guess would be that for much of the 70 percent of people not involved in greek life, its presence is not detrimental, or it could even be positive! I didn't ever really have a problem with tenniscraze deriding the greek system in a constructive manner which was at least respectful. However, recently, his attacks have become increasingly aggressive and disrespectful, as he characterizes thetas as "fat wannabe kappas," or is railing against the system claiming it will steal your soul. He seems to have a special hatred for the "top tier" frats and sororities (please don't get on me for this classification, it was used in a previous thread) my guess would be that he wanted to be in one of these frats and was balled or has a crush on a kappa or theta who rejected him despite the claims that people begged him to rush (yeah right). So tenniscraze, we get it, you think that the greek system is pathetic as is everybody involved, many people would disagree including me and my family. I have two sisters, both at UVA, one a theta and one a kappa, so I take special offense to your comments, while I am in one of the "top southern" fraternities you seem to hate so much. </p>
<p>Your posts about greeks no longer serve any constructive purpose and you should really stop and think about how these posts make you look. Rather than making you look like somebody who is "above" the greek system or one who respectfully objects/abstains as I'm sure is what you want to look like, you end up looking like a pathetic loser with an agenda most likely caused by rejection. I'm sure that one of the other regular posters on this board knows your real life persona and could perhaps speak to you and I would implore whoever that is to do so. Your posts make the entire university look bad to prospective students who may look on this board for information as I once did and that is why I think you should refrain from posting on greek threads, as it is clearly far too personal an issue for you to comment objectively or constructively and gives those who don't know about the school or greek system an unrealistic impression. </p>
<p>See everyone in Charlottesville the next couple of days, come on over to rugby or madison and see for yourself that tenniscraze is wrong, the scene might not be your thing but the people aren't soulless monsters. and if anybody has questions about the greek system, feel free to pm.</p>
<p>Tenniscraze never would have rushed in 1,000 years. Nor has he been rejected by any sorority sisters. They’re not his type. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. A girl in Brown went through the rush process last year (I don’t know what sorority she joined but I think she’s living with them next year) and she brought up so many of the points that tennis regularly brings up. Obviously she found a group of girls who she really liked enough to join their sorority (she already lives in Brown, she had no need to join one obviously, her parents made her rush) so it’s not all bad but you shouldn’t put everything he says off immediately because some of his points are valid. Tennis has his own gripes with Brown college too (we brought it up briefly last night at dinner) so don’t think he restricts himself to the Greek system… On the other hand, his most recent post went a little far…</p>
<p>My issue is with the personal and frankly disrespectful attacks. As I said, many disagree with the system and this is completely legitimate. However, I feel you would probably understand how I feel if I went into every thread about brown college and said “brown is for weirdos, dorks, homosexuals” whatever, as this is similar to what he does on many threads where legit questions about the greek system are asked. And frankly, knowing one person who has gone through rush is not exactly indicative of the system as a whole and speaks to the fact that many are just ignorant of the greek system. (which is completely fine, as I said, it’s not everybody’s scene) I would say tennis’ hostility is borne more out of not knowing as much about the system as he thinks rather than rejection, I was admittedly trying to insult him personally which is immature but hey, I’m in college and I have been reading about him calling me and all my friends morons for a while. I doubt he actually knows any kappas or thetas well personally. (don’t think any live in brown, correct me if I’m wrong, but its not exactly a bastion of greek life).</p>
<p>It pretty obvious that some of what Tenniscraze says is valid about certain fraternities and sororities, but those points are obscured with how he presents himself in any thread with “fraternity,” “sorority,” and “greek” in the title. It was so annoying that I began to ignore Tenniscraze all together. I slowly realized that he is not worst dissenter of the Greek system out there. He is entitled to his opinion and is not changing it anytime soon. Just let it go. I know I did a while back.</p>
<p>There are four posts on the top of the first page by tenniscraze…hahaha. i’m surprised he hasn’t responded to this one yet.</p>
<p>I agree though, that Greek Life is a choice, and it’s good for some, but others it’s not. As is always true, you can make judgments about people, so long as you remain objective.</p>
<p>Melli,
I really don’t want to give Tenniscraze a single second of my life and thoughts.
I’m rushing this week and I’m really excited! I don’t have any letters of recommendation. But I have nice outfits picked out, and have nice name cards printed out and a name tag.
Do rushing candidates really need LOR’s? I don’t think so, but I thought I’d ask since you seem to be in the know!
Any words of wisdom as the week begins?!!
Thanks</p>
<p>Is the rushing process at UVA that serious? I mean if I transfer there, I’ll probably check out the chapter of my national fraternity, see if I like the guys or not, and decide how active a role I am going to take. I guess it’s a girl/sorority thing?</p>
<p>I can’t speak for all sororities, but I didn’t need one. They’re certainly not as important as they might be in the deep South schools. Don’t stress, enjoy yourself and keep warm! I hear it’s going to rain throughout the week – ew.</p>
<p>To be honest, if you are trying to rush kappa, theta, tri-delt, or pi phi (maybe alpha phi) you’re gonna need letters, although this is less necessary for the last two. Other than that you’re probably fine.</p>
<p>I don’t have any letters, because somehow I thought they were optional. Should I contact people like today, and have them send it as an attachment and bring the letters with me to rush?
Or should my sources e-mail the sororities directly. I think I could get a few people to write letters for me?
I want to keep all my options open, so I’d appreciate your advice. Thanks.</p>
<p>Letters of recommendation are written by an alumna member of that sorority.
(Not necessarily someone who went to UVa.)</p>
<p>You do not need to bring recs with you when you go thru rush. If you have recs, they are sent beforehand.</p>
<p>I have a friend who was recruitment chairman at her sorority and she said that if they needed a rec for someone, they had an alum who would write it.<br>
(during the recruitment process.)</p>
<p>In 1992, the National Panhellenic Conference passed a resolution addressing letters of recommendation. The resolution, in part, states: “The responsibility of providing letters of recommendation for potential members rests with the members of NPC fraternities and recruitment information distributed through College and Alumnae Panhellenics shall contain nothing that infers letters of recommendation must be secured by the potential member.” </p>
<p>Relax, have fun and be yourself.<br>
If you have any other questions, please pm me.</p>
<p>I concur with meredesfilles. I, too, have spoken with the recruitment chair of one of the recently mentioned sororities..and letters are not needed in that sorority. IF the house gets information about a potential member prior to rush, the info will be passed on and will perhaps ring a familiar bell when the girls actually meet the potential member. However, at least in D’s sorority, she said the only huge determining factor is if the girls feel a positive connection. If a letter is still needed (as a formality) for someone that the sorority likes, the sorority will handle it.</p>
<p>Remember, the girls are trying to choose friends that they look forward to socializing with, living with, bonding with…etc. The days of choosing future buddies dependent on a stranger’s word in a LOR has, as meredes said, for the most part, disappeared. However, I would guess (and I am just GUESSING) that there might be one or two sororities at UVa that would consider a LOR with more interest than most…and, there may be sororities in the south that still consider them seriously.</p>
<p>The important thing is to be yourself. You will feel differences between the houses–they are very different. You choose the girls who make you most comfortable, and they do the same. The system is bulky and superficial and sometimes a bit traumatic. But until someone comes up with a better system…it lives on. And oddly enough, most often it works.</p>
<p>Have fun with it. Be confident. Don’t talk badly about other sororities or frats. You never know who you are talking to… Take notes afterwards. Try to remember names–everyone loves to be remembered.</p>
<p>Would love to hear initial impressions from you girls going thru…realizing of course that you need to stay anonymous and that you are stating first impressions only—opinion-not fact.</p>
<p>“The system is bulky”–what do you mean? I understand superficial and traumatic, but what part is bulky?
Thanks for your advice, and again, I’m so relieved not to need LOR’s. I came to the same conclusion that you outline above: the girls are basically trying to find a fit that works for everyone. I’m very excited!!
I’ll post my first impressions!</p>
<p>Nothing too deep meant by “bulky”. Just that sorority recruitment, especially at a school like UVa with a large Greek system, calls for a lot of girls to be moved through a lot of houses to meet a lot of people and to make a lot of decisions..very quickly. I’ve always liked the system used by fraternities better (son’s school had rush all summer for interested incoming students), but there are advantages with condensing the process also. And that is the way it has always been. And it seems to work remarkably well, despite the obvious drawbacks.</p>