78 of 81 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A very good read- part "novel," part "research", April 19, 2004
I began college as intensely opposed to sororities and the idea of "buying" my friends. Then, in my sophomore year of college, I met some girls in a sorority on campus, became friends with them, and eventually joined the sorority- an NPC group at a large state university.
It was one of the best decisions I ever made- I made great friends and developed so much as a person. I think many sorority girls would say the same thing. It was a great experience.
Had I read this book as a collegian, or recent graduate, I probably would have reacted the same as many of the sorority women's postings- "that is NOT true," "that never happens," etc. However, being removed from the situation by about five years gives you a different perspective.
I am not blind enough to sit here and say " I have NEVER seen any of these things Ms. Robbins talks about going on." That is simply not true. The alcohol, the parties, the date rape, the eating disorders- it's all there. Maybe it wasn't a part of my sorority, or yours, but it's been a part of someone's. Every chapter, on every campus, is different. One of my sorority's chapters at a major university was closed due to hazing. Yet, I was never once hazed in any way. It all depends where you are and the people who are there with you.
I didn't read this book thinking that Ms. Robbins was exposing "sororities everywhere." But I do think she provides a good depiction of how MANY sorority chapters operate. I think she also remained very objective in her writing. And, just think back to junior high or high school- the same catty girls, pressure to conform, etc. It's not all that different. The problem is there isn't really any other group comparable to a sorority-where 100+ girls can live together, attend the same meetings, share a common ritual, etc. You are thrown together much like real-life sisters live.
Yes, "pledge" is an outdated term. But not that outdated- only a few years. And many chapters still use it. Don't use things like this to try to prove the author didn't truly research. Alcohol has forever been banned in sorority houses- but it's always there. Paddles were banned- at least in my sorority- but people still buy them.
I really believe there are chapters out there who do emphasize scholarship, service, sisterhood, and the like. Mine was one of them, at least when I was there. Equally, there are chapters that do not. Several years before I joined, my chapter was completely different. It all depends on who is there at that particular time.
I hope that people won't use this book to determine whether or not to go Greek, but I would definitely recommend that everyone read it. If nothing else, it brings up things you will experience in college, whether in a sorority or not. It isn't fair to assume that these four girls' experience will be the same for you. It won't be. Yours may be better, it may be worse. I will recommend to my future daughters to rush and I would hope they had an experience like mine. However, if they ended up in a chapter that did not treat them with true sisterly values, I would also recommend that they leave.
The bottom line is that the experience you have depends on the school, the chapter, and the girls who are there with you. There is no "blanket" way to describe the Greek experience.
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28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Book is too good to write a bad review., April 20, 2004
By A Customer
A sister of mine I hadn't spoken with in a while asked me to write a negative review for this book. So I read the book figuring, from all my sister's fussing, that it would be easy to pan. But there was a problem. The very sister who is angry about this book did many of the same things listed in the book -- hazing, drinking, partying a little too closely with a specific group of "hot" fraternity boys. I know, because I did it too. Look, not everything in this book jives with my college experience, but enough does. It's actually not a bad book, either.
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's not only about being Greek, it's about being female, May 28, 2004
As Alexandra noted in the end - it's not a book merely about the sororities, it's a book about women treating women. Yes, there is hazning in other organizations, clubs and such, but since they're not exclusively female they wouldn't be so helpful in analyzing the group dynamics. I've been working with the Greek houses on a state school campus for a while, and The book is very true. I can see how someone who's Greek could be offended by it, - maybe you don't see the bigger picture? I personally didn't even think the book was to critisize the Greeks - just give an overview of a group often overlooked.
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