Cat's Litterbox: Week 13: Maylone

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Week 13: Maylone

When I was in college, I was involved in Phi Sigma Phi Co-Ed Honors Fraternity. I loved being with like-minded individuals and being coed, there were both males and females in the group. I loved everything that PSP stood for, and felt so honored to be a member. I became the president of the fraternity and held the position for two years. While I LOVED being a member and took my role as president very seriously, I longed for more from my collegiate experience. I decided that while I'd stay as involved in PSP as I was, I also wanted to join a sorority.

Now, most people who think of sorority girls probably don't think of anything positive. It's sad, and most people probably think of drunk girls at fraternity parties (fraternity parties allow non-Greeks to attend BTW and not all drunk girls in college are in a sorority). I have friends (non-Greek) who have told me that they will NEVER allow their daughter(s) to join a sorority in college. Again... this is sad.

I bet most people who feel this way weren't in a sorority. Maybe some, but I bet the majority of negativity comes from miseducation and the use of stereo-types. When I told my now ex-husband that I wanted to join a sorority, he said, "You're just paying for your friends." That's the most common statement that non-Greeks make about paying to join an organization. "Buying friends" is a joke. It's used so much that it's actually funny to me now.

So what I will say is that I am a proud member of Alpha Gamma Delta. My friend Kate was in Phi Sigma Pi with me. She started school at EMU and joined PSP and then transferred to CMU (Central Michigan University) and stated the PSP chapter there. While there, she also joined Alpha Gamma Delta. She then transferred back to EMU. She didn't want to go alumnae at CMU for AGD to join the chapter at EMU, so she just did things with PSP at EMU. She and I were talking about sororities one day and she told me that she'd go with me to an AGD open recruitment event.

I never went through "Open Rush" at EMU. I'd like to think that if I did, I'd still be an AGD. When I went to the open recruitment event, there were a ton of girls (AGDs) and a few potential new members (PNMs). I met so many people that names and faces blurred, but I do remember meeting Shauna Brown (one of my good friends to this day). I liked what I saw, and felt at home with the group. In a nutshell, I joined.

So after joining (spring semester), the semester ended, summer came, and then when the fall came, it was time to plan for "rush." The sororities at EMU (there are seven I believe) all participate in Open Recruitment and the goal is to get as many PNMs as possible. Girls learn about all seven sororities on campus and visit and narrow down their choices and eventually pick the one that they feel most connected to. The OR always gets at least five, upwards to 25 new girls. The goal is to get as many girls in the fall so that you don't have to keep having COR (continuous open recruitment) events (like the one I attended). You have to have so many girls in your chapter in order to keep your standing on campus.

Anyway... the group that came in after me was full of incredible women, and I am still friends with almost all of them. My very good friend Aimee was in this group, as was my friend Melissa Brown, and Amy Maylone.

When I went through my divorce... Aimee was there to go shopping with me. Melissa Brown was there to make me smile, and Maylone was there to take me out and get my mind off my ex. All three were very good friends of mine, and at one point, they all three lived together.

Anyway, I became really close with Amy Maylone (now married and Brauer) post-divorce. I went out with her every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, sometimes Sunday, and Monday night. I lived with her (and Beckie) for a year and it was incredible. She is one of the funniest people that I know and I have too many funny stories to even begin... I should write a separate blog with some of my favorite Maylone stories!!

This girl always knew how to make me laugh, she always made me smile, and she was always open and honest with me. The best qualities that you'd want in a friend were contained within her. All the money I spent to join AGD was nothing compared to the worth and value of the friendships that I got from joining.

If I ever have a daughter, I HOPE she'll join a sorority and have the same collegiate experience that I had because of it. It gave me the chance to form relationships with women, it provided leadership opportunities, as well as unique social events (Greek Week anyone?). I made friendships that have lasted for many years after graduation and that can't be said about a lot of people. My college years were so rich because of my involvement in both PSP and AGD.

So I chose to send this week's letter to Amy. She's in MI and lives on the other side of the state with her husband Danny and son Charlie. I haven't seen her since we moved to NC... she got married in June of 2007 just a few weeks after we moved down here. I miss her and cannot wait to see her again!!! I'm hoping that we can see her when we head north this next trip in May/June.

Amy and Aimee are best friends. They joined AGD together and bonded through their pledge period and then beyond. I love them both separately, but together, they're insane. I can't be around them without my face and stomach hurting from laughing. I am so very blessed...