What a great thread!

My #1: Respect!

Respect yourselve, your needs, your beliefs, and how you want to be seen by others.

Respect your organization, portray it in the best light possible, and give it the attention and commitment it deserves.

Respect your sisters, they were all pledged by your organization, and they all have something to offer, even if they are not your favorite person in the whole world.

Respect the Greek System, we all have the same ideals and purposes, worded in different ways.

Respect your school and community, they are the reason your organization exists. However you may perceive things that are "non-greek" they serve important functions for many others. Just because someone doesn't belong to a GLO doesn't mean they should take a back seat in your list of priorities.

Excellent words of advice!
I know there's a thread around here somewhere about the best places to buy greek stuff online, can anyone point me to it? I need to buy big sis gifts!!

Even if you are not an arts and crafts queen, you will more than likely get in the mood when you see all the fun things you can make with letters or sorority symbols! These are great to give as gifts to bigs, littles, sorority sisters, Panhellenic sisters, or to keep for yourself!

Here's a great thread:

http://forums.greekchat.com/gcforums...threadid=58354

Some other advice: you will have tons of opportunities to buy letter shirts and event shirts--- so much so that in a few months your whole wardrobe may consist of Greek t-shirts! Hold off on buying them all-- you'll inherit a bunch from graduating seniors!

All of the above is great advice!! But if I may add another...

Take the initiative to get to know some of the "older" sisters. Invite one or two of them to join you for lunch or to go to the gym. They will be flattered that you asked them, and it's a great way to break the ice.

And to repeat one of the best words of wisdom... use a day planner!! It can be the difference between a stress-free NM period and a crazy existence.

Good luck to all of the newest sisters!!

Get to know older sisters, they have the best stories and are so fun!
TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES!
Hang out and spend as much time with everyone as you can
Don't stress yourself out, new member is FUN

Some things for sorority new members from a OB Frat guy
 

I can add a couple things for the sorority new members, on what fraternity members will think of you.

1) While it's more than perfectly okay to make a lot of friends in one fraternity and spend a lot of time hanging with them, don't spend all your time there. Seriously, mix it up, and hang out with another fraternity once in while. That way, in case things go sour with your "favorite" youre not stuck without any friends.

2) If you don't want guys to think youre easy or a slut, don't go around making out with every guy at a party. Common sense I would suppose, but I've seen freshmen girls who have about a 78% completion rate of making out (or hooking up further) with both the sophomore and freshmen pledge classes of a fraternity. You don't want to be that girl that everyone talks about getting her to ride the XYZ train.

3) When at a party house, please please PLEASE respect the owner's who live there and their property. Don't go in to closed rooms, smoke inside, steal stuff, eat food, or anything that you wouldn't want someone to do to your dorm room. Those guys are sticking their necks out for you and your little underage drunkfest...help them out by not doing things that are going to get the party busted or make them not want to have a party again.

My advice for freshmen:

If the most drinks you've ever had in one night is N, you should never drink more than N+1. If N was too many, next time drink N-1.

If you threw up, passed out, or can't remember what happened, that means you drank too many. Don't do it again. There's no excuse for treating your own safety like a punching bag.

Be Safe!
 

In college, alcohol is ever-present. So are parties. So it is no surprise you will be attending parties where alcohol is present and sometimes even drugs--- not-so-nice people can attempt to put something in your soda or beer when you're unaware.

Don't ever leave your drink unattended-- keep your palm over the open end of your cup or bottle when you're not drinking. It's very easy to slip something into a drink and it happens at all kinds of parties and bars.

Don't ever leave a party without the people you came with. Don't rely on that nice stranger you met tonight to drive you home. You don't know him, you don't know how much he has had to drink and you should look out for your safety as well as the safety of the girls you arrived with by having fun and staying together-- as well as making sure you all get home together.

If one of your friends has too much to drink, don't leave her alone to sleep it off--- be there for her in case she chokes or needs to go to the hospital.

To learn more about responsibile alcohol management, get involved with your Greek System's GAMMA unit.

Also, use common sense. Don't walk alone at night-- and if you must, walk in well-lit areas with your keys out.

If you have to walk to your car alone at night, walk fast and in a lit area with your keys out. Immediately get in your car, lock the doors and drive. Don't sit around getting settled. College is a fun environment with nice and safe people, but the occasional bad person can wander onto campus.

Most campuses offer a Self-Defense for Women course. Take it or encourage your chapter to hold a member workshop on self defense. A few common-sense strategies could help save your life or the life of a loved one!

You shouldn't encourage people to be quitters.

-Rudey

bumping for the Fall 2006 new members!

GO TO CLASS!;)

Maybe I would have done better in algebra if they taught it all like this.

Don't live in the house as a pledge.... (2.2 GPA my first semester due to lack of sleep, studying, etc).

AMEN.

Don't immediately join every committee and position available. You may see this as enthusiasm - others may see it as pushy. Plus, if the older sisters are OK fine with someone who's been around for 2.5 seconds doing everything while they sit back - that may signal a problem within the chapter.

There may be older sisters who aren't on campus or around the sorority much because they're last semester seniors, student teaching, studying abroad or have off-campus internships. Get their contact info and take the time to drop them an email or card - even if it's not "required" - introducing yourself (especially if you are in their family line). They will appreciate it more than you know.

Don't talk incessantly about your GLO to your family, friends, boyfriend/girlfriend or even other members of the sorority. "The other day at the house we did so and so" gets tired quickly. Be happy and proud - but not obsessed!!