Old Paraphanelia
 

Here's a question for anyone: What do you do with your greek paraphanelia that is old or worn out? I have items like this and I feel it's inappropriate for me to throw them in the trash (it would feel like I am throwing out my letters). I don't want to donate them to Goodwill because then a non-member can end up wearing them. If it was a matter of an item being too big/too small, I would just give it to a sister that fits it, but what do you do with worn out t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc.?

One of our sisters mom took her letters and tees with designs on the back, cut them out carefully around the design, and sewed them all back into a quilt for her. She used our colors for the fabric backing. It was such a cool idea!

Yes, if you give them to Goodwill, they will surface - a kid at my camp a few years ago showed up in Phi Mu letters!

At my school, during the last month we hold Senior Wills where the seniors "will" away their stuff to the younger girls. Usually there is a funny story to be told with each will about why someone is getting what they're getting. People even will away non-AXO stuff like framed pictures, cups and anything else that they've been holding onto for 4 years but don't feel like keeping. We have a few "legacy" items which are things that have been passed down from the first pledge class and are really ugly, but it's too funny to stop passing them.

All of the other sororities and fraternities hold wills also. It is looked forward to all year! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

You don't were perry in you sorority after you graduate? or did I misunderstand your posting

Huh? Who's Perry?

Perry= paraphanelia

So is spelling. grammAr.

[This message has been edited by thatgirl (edited August 04, 2000).]

Preppie- Was your comment really necessary? At least have your spelling correct before you critique someone else. It looks like the doctor needs some healing herself!!

ZetaAce

SPELLING, TOO...Grammer, it's GRAMMAR!!!!!

that healing should be hanging, ZetaAce... http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

the little smart alec has sumthin' to say all the time... http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/mad.gif

Hey all!!!

Zeta Ace, you are too funny as always and Soror Buddha you know you are a nut.

Just wanted everyone to know that paraphernalia is spelled paraphERnAlia NOT paraphAnElia.

Don't you hate me for re-hashing the language/vocabulary/spelling/grammar issue BACK up after 33 girl so effectively squashed it?

Gosh I am so nervous about making mistakes now. I am really stressed... I need some KavaKava or something...whoo!

PEACE

There is a very cool website that has ideas for this. It is listed in the cool websites forum.

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Don't look to the future
or dwell in the past
But live for the moment
and long it will last

Thank you for the proper spelling!
Another word that I often forget is:
weird or wierd (it is the first one, but I often hesitate).

BTW, here is the memory quilt website: http://home.austin.rr.com/marklyn/me...mory_quilt.htm

Have a nice weekend everybody. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

We were told by our advisors that they'd rather we burn it than have it end up at Goodwill. Now, before someone freaks out about it...that's the same policy for worn out or stained US flags.

Donate them to the nearest undergrad chapter. That's what I did. That way a girl who may not be able to afford to get new letters can have some. I also donated nick-nack items: pencils, bumper stickers, buttons, shoelaces,shot glasses, etc..

**LOL @ Zeta & Mama*** Ok, Ok... Everything's been sitting in my drawer. Ladies, you know how clothes, eh hem..., sometimes shrink! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif I love the quilt idea.

Mine seem to be shrinking too....must be the sachets in my drawers http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

Help! The Language Usage Police have arrived! (scary isn’t it – that sounds like an actual college office! hee hee)

Anyway, to answer the question – I see a lot more out-of-college BGLO members with the license plates, wearing sweatshirts, etc. I think it’s awesome. A lot of NPC/IFC members seem to look on wearing letters as a “college thing” and depending what part of the country you’re in you might get some weird looks if you did. I’ve heard of the “willing” of items, and it’s not necessarily everything you own, just some things that might have been passed down in your family tree.

What a timely topic, though – I just happened to wear my lavalier to work today! 

MAMABuddha- I know, I saw that after I posted and thought what the heck, I'll leave it because irony is always fun! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif However, I didn't spell anything wrong. LOL!

33Girl- I also have on 'nalia (paraphernalia, pari, perry, whatever!) today. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

ZetaAce




[This message has been edited by ZetaAce (edited August 04, 2000).]

blu_theatrics:
I think the original poster does wear perry (i.e. paraphenalia) after graduating. I think she is referring to stuff that is plum worn out, frayed, stained and generally worn out, and unwearable but not wanting to throw it in the garbage, either. I like the letters sewn into a quilt idea myself.

not to bring back up the grammer issue, but since i started it let me clarify.

Para and perry are "slang" terms that we use on my campus and around the area were i live instead of the longer word paraphernalia.

I'm sorry for not realizing that these terms are not universal

I have also heard the term 'nalia used as opposed to para or perry. It must be a campus or regional thing as to which specific term is used.

Is it true that the NIC and NPC greeks use the term "regalia" when describing Greek clothing or items. I can only speak for Alpha Phi Omega, who uses such a term. I don't know about the others.

One more thing. I still haven't got a really good answer to what is the best way to dispose of old, worn, tattered Greek clothing. I have resolved to myself upon initiation to burn such items since the US Flag is done in such a way once it gets old. But maybe some BGL Fraternity members might give me some insight on this. I am really curious.

Da Rain Man

Sorry, I don't know how to do the whole quote thing, but this is in response to blu_theatric's question. (I'm computer illiterate http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif )

Anyway, I was one of the few people who kept actual letter shirts after Senior Wills. Lots of us kept our formal, spirit, and greek week t-shirts, but most give all their letters away. Which, to answer Rain Man's question, is what we call paraphernalia in my school. Shirts that just have the big greek letters on them are called "letters" or "letter shirts". A few of my friends from other schools call it that too, but I can't speak for all the NPC. Oh, also, my roommate was a member of Alpha Phi Omega and they didn't use the term "regalia", they called them "letters" also. Maybe it's a school by school thing..........

I don't really wear my letter shirts when I go out, but I do wear my spirit shirts ALL THE TIME! Almost every day actually since I work in a camp and have to wear a t-shirt daily.

I don't know about the rest of the NPC, but I know in my school, we pretty much will away all of our letters and most of our spirit shirts. That way they are kept in use, especially for people who can't afford to buy their own.

Don't know if this had much of a point, but I wanted to answer blu_theatric's question! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

Thanks that di answer some of my question,
and just so you will know in the future all you have to do is click the last icon on the top line of the post you are replying to (it is a pic of a letter with an right pointing arrow.)

THANKS SO Much!!! i've been trying to figure that out for ages! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

About paraphanalia, 'nalia, perry, or regalia...

I think most of the people at my school just called their shirts (and other wearable stuff) 'letters'.. kind of a slang term.

But I know that a lot of chapters referred to this stuff as regalia, also. (Mine did a lot). Like you woud hear the chapter prez say "Don't forget to wear your regalia on Tuesday" or something like that.

I never heard of perry or 'nalia until I started visiting here http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

I think it probably is just a regional thing. So, for the record, my school was in Columbus, OH. We had locals and a few PFA chapters. (There were some city-wide chapters of NPHC orgs, although I don't know what terms they used).

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SilverTurtle@greekchat.com
Phi Beta Fraternity
Phi chapter

Never heard of perry, have heard of nalia. If the shirts are just old, can't you wear them around the house or as night shirts? I can't see giving somebody else your faded or torn shirt, but maybe its just me. The quilt idea sounds pretty good. i still can't get over the fact that some sororities give most of their stuff away after they graduate and don't wear it after.