One of my sorority chapter advisers said it best: “Recruitment is 24/7.”
Everything you do — from what you wear to what you say on your Facebook wall — reflects upon the organization you’re involved in.
While this certainly holds true for those who participate in Greek Life, this doesn’t stop there. You can also apply this to your image and how you project yourself to the world.
This is especially true on college campuses where social and professional lines are constantly blurred. You don’t know who’s friends with who and when you’ll see someone pop up in a professional setting. That’s why wearing your “shacking” outfit to class is not only inappropriate but could bite you in the butt later.
How you dress and what you say in public affects how you are viewed by others, whether you like it or not. Yes, the Internet is included in this.
Here’s some advice to keep your reputation in tact:
- Don’t post anything on your Facebook/Twitter/Tumblr/etc. that you wouldn’t be comfortable with your grandmother reading. If your Mawmaw would be offended, don’t post it!
- Don’t talk badly about anyone online. Not only is it immature, but it reflects poorly on you.
- Don’t discuss private details (including drunken escapades) in public. You never know who may be listening.
- Be polite to everyone you encounter. Just because you’ve had a bad day doesn’t give you the right to be rude to someone who had nothing to do with it. You never know who is watching.
- Don’t swear in a loud voice where others can easily hear. It’s straight up rude to do this in front of children.
- Untag or delete pictures where you look visibly intoxicated or have alcohol in them.
- When wearing anything that has your organization’s name on it, be extra careful.
While it’s definitely hard to stay calm and collected at all times, remember your reputation is always at stake. While you might not care about it now, it could haunt you later in life.
