Paddle ideas
 

hey guys,

so I recently got a big bro from a fraternity on campus, and it's tradition that the lil sis makes a paddle for her big bro, while the big bro gives his lil sis his letters.

Generally it should have my letters and his, and our names on it.. but I don't know where to go from there, and I have no idea what I want it to look like... do any of ya'll have pictures of the paddles you've made your bigs/lils? Or any ideas for me??

any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

thanks!

search function.

but generally something personal or inside jokes work.

I used the search function and every link I clicked on that was supposed to show an image was outdated.. so I didn't have any luck with that, unfortunately.

I thought lil sis organizations had been banned by most sororities and fraternities.

They have banned.
The paddle I made for my big sis has our names, big sis - lil sis, the name of our sorority, and Fall '08 because that is when we got our big/lils. I put a picture of her favorite celebrity on it and then made the letters really glittery. It turned it super cute and she screamed when she got it.

For a big bro the best paddles that I have seen are EXTREMELY simple. Boys tend to enjoy simplicity.

Google is your friend.

"big bro" "little sis" "paddle"

By the way, aren't little sister programs now banned on a nationwide level (or have most fraternities in the IFC and NIC banned them)?

If you are a member of an NPC, is there a standing rule that you may not participate in any "little (fraternity) sister" capacity? **Not sure about this but I thought I read it somewhere)

Lastly, paddles are going out the window in favor of other items. Paddles, of course, are associated with hazing.

Lastly, are you going to wear someone else's letters? Little sis, girlfriend, etc., or not, I was taught that one didn't wear someone else's stitched or Greek letters (unless a lavalier or the Greek name spelled out).

Can anyone answer any of these questions? I imagine many are chapter or campus-specific, but there seems to be some conformity along these lines.

Gotta love people who think fancy titles are necessary for their friends.

And ree, you're right, no NPC member is allowed to take part in any big brother/little sister program. Of course, these rule breakers cry "it's not a program!" and "it's unofficial!" and still continue to think they're above the policies set forth by their organizations.

Little Sister Programs ARE banned, but some campuses have families who cross chapters.

What the OP is talking about is NOT a little sister ORGANIZATION. That implies a program that is....organized. This is randoms in a fraternity saying randoms in a sorority are their little sisters.

Both are against NPC and NIC rules.

both of our organizations are local and it's a standing tradition in the south.

nah, I don't wear the letters... it's just like a keepsake.. kind of like the paddle

Thanks for the hostility, but there's nothing in our bylaws about big brother organizations because we AREN'T NPC.. nor is the fraternity my big bro is affiliated with a part of IFC or NIC

Well hooray for you. My opinion regarding big brothers/little sisters is what it is. If you think you need special titles for your friends, then good for you. I don't see the point in them, have seen and heard about weird situations because of a big brother/little sister program, and am glad my sorority isn't affiliated with any program of that nature.

My comment regarding the NPC was directed to ree, not you.

And it's a standing tradition in the south? Care to cite your source?

Special titles for relationships? Isn't it just a LITTLE bit hypocritical that you're not okay with big/lil when it's a brother/sister relationship, yet it's perfectly okay to have a big/lil when it's in your own chapter?

I didn't make this post to ask for your opinion or stance on big/lil when its across campus, all I asked for were paddle ideas.

I can understand big/lil relationships with members of your own organization (even though my sorority calls em mom/daughter), but relationships with the opposite sex who aren't obviously in your organization? Two different things.

If you don't want people to chime in with their opinions, you don't belong on Greekchat, toots.

Well if the thread was about your opinions on big/lil bro's and sis's (forgive the grammar) that would be another story, but the thread was for paddle ideas... which was what I was looking for. I understand why NPC and IFC have bans on big bro/lil sis orgs because of the reputation it used to hold... bottom line, I'm not looking to hook up with a big bro, I share a relationship with someone that is very much similar to that with my big sister, except he's a boy. I wasn't cross campus hazed, raped, initiated, or anything... Im just making him a paddle! THAT'S ALL.

Well, to be honest, a lot of people don't know what goes on a big brother paddle or how it's supposed to look like, because many of us were in organizations when the ban was already in place.

I don't really understand this either. I have a "big sis" and I made her a paddle, and I loved doing so! Is that really hazing? Because we have advisors and other people watching us all the time, and I think they would have said something if that were bad.

My big sis has taken me out for sushi a couple times (we love it!) so I made her a paddle with sushi and chopsticks on it. I would find something you have in common, like an iside joke or maybe a sport or something that you both are interested in, or even just if he is interested in.

Could someone even explain to me what this big/little brother/sister dealeo is?

When you join a fraternity, there is a lot of stuff to learn and do as a pledge, you basicaly have to learn how to run the fraternity. Your Marshal (or pledge trainer or whatever) teaches you but after a few weeks you get a big brother who will help you and be your big brother.

You make each other paddles.

A good idea is to go get a boat paddle. Or a paddle ball paddle.

I mean a big/little sister program, like the one being described in this thread.. where the fraternity has "little sisters", I guess? I don't know! haha

Big Brother/Little Sister and/or Big Sister/Little Brother.

Although all the NPHC organizations except for Iota ban the auxilliary unit types of things, I can't say that I've heard of my fraternity having an official position against having a "spec" (short for "special") outside of the fraternity.

In my experience, having a spec is similar to what the original poster described -- a special relationship between two members of different orgs for whatever reason.

Basically, it builds unity between chapters and is an excuse to give gifts. :)

Anyway..... I like my paddles big and guady. The bigger the paddle, the more your love is proven. I don't think all guys think this way, but hey, I do.

The way it works here is simply, you do nice things for the boys, and they, in turn, have your back.. pretty much.


Like, I spend a boat load of time with my big bro... cuz it's just like having a big sis... cept a boy..

one of the sisters jokingly described it as "you make them cookies every once in a while, and they beat up the people who talk shit about you."

while it certainly isn't just that... it is pretty much a brother/sister relationship... for example... Halloween night, I was at a party, and I got a text from my formal date saying some pretty mean things about why he didn't want to go with me.. and he noticed I looked a bit sad, so he asked what was wrong, and then I handed him my phone. After reading the text he said "Where does the d-bag live? No one talks to my little sister like that and gets away with it.."

I guess that pretty much sums it up...

We don't do big bro organizations cuz we're NPC, but a sports theme could be cool. My big sis loves the packers and I'm a patriots fan, so I did half in green/yellow and half in blue/silver... it looked great! and she loved it too! and if it's a boy.. of course he'll love it.. cuz boys love sports. hah

Greek Cutie ... did you ever get any ideas for your big brother's paddle? I need some ideas for my big brother's paddle! :(

No one is saying paddles are hazing. They're saying the whole deal with random fraternity men calling random sorority women their "little sister" is dumb and pointless and creates completely unnecessary drama.

But if you want to make a paddle for this dumb and pointless concept, put the same kind of stuff on that you would your big sister in your sorority's paddle...chapter name, stuff they like, inside jokes etc.

Everyone who has responded to you is wrong. Choosing Rhoda Random to be your little sister for no particular reason does not constitute a little sister program.

A little sister PROGRAM entails a rush (brothers and current little sisters choose who to pledge) just like a sorority, a pledging period just like a sorority, and weekly meetings, dues, etc - just like a sorority. The difference is they do things to support a fraternity. All these groups are banned (officially) by NPC and NPC now.

I think if there's a phrase or words either of you say a lot is a good idea and maybe some random things that reminds people of you guys. Like what you're good at, fav. things, fav. memories... ect...