# Greek?



## WARRAVEN (Mar 11, 2004)

Is anyone a greek here?I'm currently a pledge somewhere. I can't really say a lot, except that they don't haze at all. What they use to make sure you are ready and capable to joining is a lot of time management tests.At home I was suffering from IBS quite often, and if you remember me from back in the old forums I was on quite a bit here(many family oddities and problems were posted here). Since I left(I'm a freshman now) my IBS has become substantially less bothersome. I sometimes even forget I have this disorder(of course I get my reminders from time to time and I try to stick to my diet, even though when I deviate I get hit, but I recover much faster). And its harder to stick to a diet when its cafeteria food or "hey, lets order pizza"(lactose intolerant).Well, like I said I am pledging. So far its only upset my stomach once or twice. Its definently pushing me, I feel the stress, I geuss it doesn't help me that my pledge-brothers and the brothers comment that my schedule is very... "jam packed" and "difficult". Which sometimes results in lack of sleep(my major is chemical engineering). The reason I am talking about this is that in a week the intensity of the time management tests will be increased, two to three fold for two weeks. And I still havn't told the pledge coordinator that I get ill. And I don't want to seem like I'm trying to get out of it, or that I want special treatment because I don't(I havn't told the university at all about my problem either, when I'm in class I can't admit I'm having an attack, even in high school). The other problem is that once my body was pushed too far and I was hospitalized for dehydration that caused my body to go into a low form of shock(and when I was sick a few months ago with pneumonia my temp reached 103-4 and I lost too much fluids again and was hospitalized). I have pushed myself with time before very far and not had a single problem, but I have pushed very little and had(probably depends on mind set).I should probably tell them. A brother is diabetic, and a recent graduate of the fraternity was IBS as well, but I don't see him or hear from him much anymore(or I forget who). What do you think I should do? If I ever did go back to the hospital there are several pieces of information they would need to know immediatly(a blood condition and a lung condition), but I don't want to be "oh I'm so ill, pity me", because I'm not, I just want to complete this successfully. I'm just worried(which actually is disturbing my stomach a little, but that pizza last night, even tho I had very little doesn't help, I am an idiot). What does everyone think? thanks! RavenP.S. The fraternity is very helpful and cares a great deal about our well being in school, and everything else.


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## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

I don't really understand what you mean by" time management tests".Why are you being tested to join a club? Why do you have to be greek?My advice would be just to tell them, its not a big deal, lots of people of various medical problems.If your brother had diabetes and IBS, and did this club too, ask him how they dealt with him telling them.Nikki xx


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

I don't know if the UK has the same sort of greek system on campus that the US does.Most of them put the people who want to join through a series of tests or activities that are designed to be pretty grueling. It is part of the process of joining the fraternity. I can understand from watching people go through this that one might not want to show any weaknesses during the process.A lot of people join them for social reasons, some because they do often provide help for academics within the house (people who took a particular class will help those taking it now do well) and generally people who were in a particular house will network with other "brothers" or "sisters" when they get out of school so it can be helpful even after you get out of college.I haven't pledged a house so I don't have any specific advice other than make sure you do what you need to do in order to keep yourself healthy. Some people will push themselves too far to get in and you don't want to endanger yourself. You might use the cover of "food allergies" for not eating something you know you can't when people are ordering food. People understand that better than IBS, and a lot of people even without IBS can get GI upset if they over-indulge in something. I might let the coordinator know that I do have some health problems that normally don't interfer with anything, but that sometimes in stressful situations it can cause problems that other people might not have and maybe let them know what symptoms might mean you need to go to the hospital when other people might be OK. I'm sure they don't want to risk you getting seriously ill. Let them know you will go full out and do what it takes, but that you want someone to know that you can get dehydrated more easily than other people so if you do push it too far they know to get you to the hosptial rather than hope you will be OK.It is up to you. If they really do care about your well being they will be understanding about keeping you healthy.Peer pressure can be hard to resist, but you have to also be able to stand up for what you know you need to do to take care of yourself. It may be easier to just go along and get the pizza, but I think they will respect you more if you eat what you need to rather than eat what everyone else is getting and make yourself sick.K.


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## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

I have never heard of a greek system! I went to a pretty normal university-i maybe they don't exist here. Sounds very "public school" to me.Seems like it would just cut out the people it didnt like and make some elite little club of people that think they are better than everyone else? Is that what its like?


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## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

Sorry, that sounded really rude! It wasn't mean to!


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## 18944 (Sep 15, 2005)

It all depends on where you are and who you join. I joined a sorority last fall, and though it was at times stressful, they had no hazing or anything particularly grueling like many other groups do. Mine was really understanding with switching dates when I got really sick last semester. They don't all know that specifically I have IBS, but they know I have stomach problems that aren't always under control. I just wanted to comment on this because I don't want anyone's IBS to keep them from joining, because in my case, I met some of the most wonderful people I know.


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## WARRAVEN (Mar 11, 2004)

Well thats one of the stereotypes that is abound. It is a public school thing. What it really is... is hard to explain. Even as a pledge I understand it to an odd degree. Greeks kind of really help the school. We help set up events, populate events, a lot of alumni are greek(they give money). We make floats for homecoming, we participate in intramurals, there is a week called greek week were the organizations compete(grades, club positions, activities) for a "greek cup". You can get scholarships, we run funraisers and many service projects(my group had the most service hours last semester, which beat the service fraternity ironically). A lot of people are anti-greek nowadays(along with another stereotype of idiot drinking club), and I was until I really met the guys. It's really an organization that makes life in college a little smoother(even if it seems rockier). They help me with my homework, give me rides sometimes, help out whenever I need them. The best times are probably just the stories and experiences, all the times you clean up a party and decide, lets go to denny's, and you have a blast because your with all these great friends. You can get scholarships, sometimes places to live for a semester if resident life messes up your living arrangements. It does seem elitist, but it's not meant to choose the smartest or the dumbest, or to specific. If you want in and really try, you will get in, they just have to make sure your willing to put in to make it work while taking the good things. At my university it is looked down on by some and looked up to by others. It requires a lot of work, and this particular process really makes you learn about every brother, and learn how to do things you didn't think you could. Me and my pledge-brothers are as close as any other group I've been in(magnet program[4 yrs] or scouts [8 yrs]) in a month and a half. Its also the times when you pop into the cafeteria real quick for food after class before the next, thinking your eating alone and bam theres a few brothers and you eat and have a great time.I've got some suspicions about when this program is ending, so I'll tell him if it becomes a problem, I know they won't have a problem. It's not like I tried to hide it, but I didn't go right out and explain it to them. Also like I said, since coming here my nervousness affecting my stomach has been a great deal less, but if I have to push it it is important to note.


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## 13430 (Apr 7, 2006)

Warraven, "time management tests" IS hazing. I don't care about that. I was in a sorority and we were begging to be "hazed"- be made to do fun things, though.







Like get a pumpkin signed by various fraternity brothers, etc.Anyway, I would tell a trusted brother or fellow pledge about your important medical things. I was misdiagnosed with a bleeding disorder and for years I told my closes friends that if we were ever in an accident and I was unconcsious to let the doctor know. Turns out I didn't have it but it was a good strategy. One time I even wrote "I have von Willebrand's disease" on my stomach.







Just in case!The thing is, you MUST be upfront about your limitations and be prepared for teasing or whatever- that is what you boys do! Saying you have food allergies is a great suggestion.I probably don't need to tell you not to over indulge in alcohol because I am sure you have heard about tons of pledges who have died doing this. However, drinking that much water can cause a similar effect and many people have died from that, too. Just keep that in mind!If things are too tough try to privately appeal to one of the brothers and ask for help/advice. The group mentality thing kind of makes people do things they ordinarily wouldn't do on their own so it is helpful to get them alone if you need them.Good luck with pledging!


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