Never said that. Thanks though.

I'm sorry...I didn't realize I wrote that macallan25 said "Yes, PT is an essential part of brotherhood.".

Oh wait, I didn't.

Whatever.

I really wish that my GLO allowed REAL candles and just promoted good fire safety tips. We have to use stupid battery powered ones that only work right 70% of the time. Bleh! :(

This will date me
 

I miss the actual walk songs, when we poured out of the house on to the sidewalk and sang to the rushees (yes I miss those terms too, and I think you are right that people don't use the PC terms). I can't imagine being stuck in the house and singing through the door.

Candles
 

I can't imagine trying to sing "Pass it on" now - "It only takes a battery, to get a candle going, and soon all those around, can't warm up in its glowing. . . "!!!

We dont' have a house and have to hold our rush parties in our Student Union rooms... but we usually get some other sort of room for Pref because they check to make sure there are no candles in the union rooms.. but other places on campus don't check. :p

bejazd - what a great idea. I'd like to pass that on for our Founders Day celebration. Thanks!

Tess

I've quit supporting the Greek system - though I support the ideals, the national philanthropy, and the local alumnae chapter because you can't do it from the outside.

I miss RUSH.
I miss PLEDGES. Frankly, when I invite a new sister, I want here to know that she is pledging her honor. Not necessarily to initiation, though if we didn't think she knew what she was getting in to, we wouldn't have invited her. I want her to understand the seriousness of it. AAA has new members, fraternities/sororities should have pledges.
I miss getting to know the rushees. What is this with "Rho Chi"? What a crock!. NPC would like you to believe every house is just like every other, just with different colors and badges. Had I not gotten to know the house's culture first, I would not have joined. The summer before freshman year, all the incoming freshman women were contacted by a summer Big Sister - a member of one of the sororities. I got a nice letter, and answers to mine, a frank discussion of Greek life and of other social, fraternal, academic, and entertainment options on campus, and a sense of what to expect.

I miss the opportunity for leadership. Today's collegians are expected to conform. "Go along to get along" should have no place in the Greek system.

I miss longer pledge education periods. More time to learn the history, policies and procedures, and to learn about each other. Being required to make grades gives you a greater appreciation for achieving initiation.

DITTO and DITTO (harmless pranks, of course).

I miss collegians standing when alumnae walk in the room (we even used to stand for seniors!).

I miss pledge class "bolts". Did anyone else do those? The pledge class would plan a secret out-of-town trip, prank the sisters somehow before we left (toilet paper the hallway, leave a mess in the suite, lock their doors from the outside, mess with the showers or toilets in the bathroom, etc.), grab a few seniors and our Pledge Master out of their beds with no notice and BOLT! Best weekend of our lives! :)

We are one of the only states (Texas) that still does frills. This was my first year going through from the inside and it was SO exhausting, but so worth it when we got all our new girls. We do everything except the food, and it's awesome! I'm sure we'll catch up with everyone else eventually, but I love all the frills too!!

I just though about this. Since we do still use real candles, one of the houses' curtains caught on fire last year. No one got hurt thank goodness, but it was kind of scary and they had to finish pref at the student center. I'm really surprised we're still allowed to use real candles after that.

When I graduated, my chapter still observed this and I heard that a few others on my campus did as well. I thought it was really nice. When I was at GA State day a couple years ago, everyone stood for National Officers and I think they stood when the alumnae chapters entered as well, but I'm not sure. Very nice tradition indeed!