Go Greek or not.....

It is my turn to wish Marley congrats on her dual releases! Marley has spun two adorable tales based on the lives of a trio of sorority girls. Marley is an expert on her subject matter since she was/still is a Alpha Xi Delta at the University of Alabama. Being a Lambda Chi Alpha little sister, Marley knows the in's and out's of Greek life like the back of her hand. Her college days were filled with barn dances, formals and mixers. She got pinned and ended up marrying her college sweetheart, Mike. In my opinion, she had the storybook college experience, which makes me jealous, but only in a good way.



Once upon a time (okay, it was 1992) there lived a nineteen-year-old girl who attended Southern Illinois University. She arrived on campus with stars (and lots of purple eyeliner) in her eyes. She couldn't wait to experience all that college had to offer. But the thing she wanted most in the world was to join a sorority. She made some great friends who tried to dissuade her from rushing, saying she was only paying for friends. But the girl didn't listen. She maxed out her one credit card with the very low(thank goodness)credit limit on the coolest outfits she could find. She spent hours on her makeup and hair so it would look just right. She boarded the bus, not knowing a soul, and headed off to the sorority houses. Back then there were only four sororities at SIU, so it was pretty cut-throat.



The girl had a hard time mingling and stood mostly on the fringes of others conversations. The time came to pick which house the girl felt most comfortable with and hope that they would pick her. The phone call that they didn't came hours later. The girl sobbed her eyes out, convinced that her life was over. Her friends at the dorm tried to console her by taking her out to a local bar, but no one could convince her that her life hadn't just taken a serious detour. The girl had a certain life map that she was traveling on and it didn't include a stopover to GDI-ville.



The girl was me. It was the first time that the plan I had for my life didn't go my way. It drove me crazy that these girls didn't think I was good enough for their sorority. Didn't they notice my outfit, or my hair? I'm pretty sure I went through all five grieving steps. I went through my mental Tivo list of rush memories looking for the answer.



And then I remembered how awkward I was at the rush parties. I probably only met two sisters in all four houses. I was so shy that I probably came off as a total snot. Why would they want a girl like that? I had focused on my looks instead of my conversational skills. I was the one to blame, not the sisters.



I would love to say that I've gotten over it....but considering I spend my days writing books about girls in sororities. Not so much. But I still believe I'm a sorority girl at heart. So if anybody out there wants to give a thirty-something girl an honorary bid, I'd take it in a heartbeat!



Was there something important you lost out on?



Congrats to Marley and don't forget to pick up, Zeta or Omega and The New Sisters (under the pen name of Kate Harmon). Marley is also doing a live online interview today. Stop by and see what she has to say. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bookbitesforkids She'll be there at 2pm (Central Time).



xo,

Steph

www.stephaniehale.com