Sororities-past & now

[Mr. Bloom]

Mimi, they are not just about drinking.

Even at 'party' schools schools it wasn't all about drinking and parties. In fact, the degree of partying can be directly correlated to the school's academic rigors. I'll assure you that in my day, we did not have 'frats'. We were a 'fraternity' and never used the frat word.

Some of my best preparation for life - organizing groups, negotiation, reading people - came from both the good and bad aspects of the Greek experience

Sorry for the highjack.

[Mistie]

I went to Longwood College (now University). We were really small. I was in a sorority. At first, I felt that the hazing was a little extreme (I went in before the hazing laws), but I managed. After I became a sister, I loved it. We recently got together and it was really fun.

[tulip]

Mr. Silver, c'mon! I was in college in "your day" and the term "frat" was used extensively, by those in fraternities and independents. Granted, we went to different schools, but big public basketball schools still. Nothing wrong with "frat" as a term, it's just shorter is all!

I didn't join a sorority, but I had friends who were in them and they liked them alot. My freshman roomate was totally into it, and she needed that structure. Yes, she partied, but she also studied hard because if she didn't make the grades, she would be on probation with the sorority. It was good for her. I was just rebelling against the dominant culture at the time. Ah, Youth!

[Mr. Bloom]

Mr. Silver, c'mon! I was in college in "your day" and the term "frat" was used extensively, by those in fraternities and independents. Granted, we went to different schools, but big public basketball schools still. Nothing wrong with "frat" as a term, it's just shorter is all

Not challenging your observation, just stating fact. The phrase was only used by the anti-Greek movement...usually as "frat rat". . Greeks at Alabama cringed at the sound

Like trisk's son's experience, at that time, the organizations were struggling to be more than a drinking club and to provide support to round out the experience.

As silver pointed out to me recently, sorority living was actually cheaper than dorm or apartment living...the extra expense came in the unofficial 'social requirements'

[Tuckervill]

Mr. Silver, c'mon! I was in college in "your day" and the term "frat" was used extensively, by those in fraternities and independents. Granted, we went to different schools, but big public basketball schools still. Nothing wrong with "frat" as a term, it's just shorter is all!

I didn't join a sorority, but I had friends who were in them and they liked them alot. My freshman roomate was totally into it, and she needed that structure. Yes, she partied, but she also studied hard because if she didn't make the grades, she would be on probation with the sorority. It was good for her. I was just rebelling against the dominant culture at the time. Ah, Youth!

Yes, my best friend's daughter is in her freshman year at U of Arkansas, which is near me and I know a lot of people who work and attend there. She uses the word "caf" to describe the cafeteria. We thought she was talking about something exotic. I think each generation makes up their own words or revives old ones or eschews tradition in their own way. I don't think it is meant to insult.

Karen