Road to sweetheart..
 

okay so i hang out with Delta Chi a lot. i love hangin out with them and have met most of them, im a freshman tho and just started hanging out with them like the 3rd week of school.. well about a month ago one of the boys made a comment about me being a Sweetheart by sophomore year..at the time i didnt think much of the comment. to be honest neither of my parents were involved in greek life at their colleges so i dont know much about it. well last week one of the other boys told me he was going to nominate me for sweetheart and every now and then he makes mention of it.

well i'm not really sure wat a sweetheart does he just told me that its a girl who helps the fraternity out and i figure i guess if im gonna get nominated i should at least try for it.. so i need some help...

all i kno is that nominations are in like two weeks i brought the boys cookies to their last meeting just before I-week... i thought it might be nice for the pledges to just hang out w/ em and help them study up on their d Chi history and background...

I can't imagine a freshman being a sweetheart at my school. It's an honor you get after CONTINUED support of the fraternity. Quite frankly, a freshman who got it would probably be accused of sleeping her way into it.

Unless they have a sweetheart court, I would honestly tell your friend to chill out and nominate you maybe next year.

I second that. The Delta Chis on my campus don't have a sweetheart, but they basically deemed me their "unofficial" one. But that wasn't until after I had been hanging out with them for almost 2 years. If you just started school 2 months ago, you might make some enemies very quickly if you win.

On the other hand, I can't really see you winning (no offense) if only one or two guys have said this to you.

If, however, you do become their sweetheart, whether it's now or sometime in the future, basically just help them out however you can. My chapter has included in the by-laws what a sweetheart does and what we should consider before voting (Does he help out our new members? Does he assist with things like fundraisers and philanthropies? Does he cheer us on during Greek Week?). Just little guidelines for choosing a good sweatheart. Basically, hang out with them, bring them some food, congratulate members on accomplishments (like induction/initiation), and participate in their fundraisers and/or philathropies.

As stated, what it means to be sweetheart will be different to every chapter at every campus. However, what should generally be the same everywhere is that it is an honor. You will get to wear the fraternity's letters- which means they think you exemplify the values of thier letters and that you will respect thier letters as much as they do- they shouldn't take that lightly.

Honestly, as a freshman, I echo that you should probably ask your friend not to nominate you. Among the numerous reasons (probably the most important the one that 33girl states), I doubt that after only 2 months on a campus you know the fraternity you want to be associated with for the next 3 1/2 years.

Finally, be careful- at my campus, the girls who campaigned for sweetheart were made fun of, and rarely got it. Because it is an honor, the men should recognize you for the everyday things you do, not the cheap gimmicks you do in an attempt to be sweetheart. Girls who openly campaigned for sweetheart were not looked at positively- by the brothers or the other women who associate with them.

It really depends on your campus and its greek culture. On my campus, Seniors were only sweethearts and the honor was given to a woman who has been helpful to the organization for a few years, and is friendly with almost all the members of the fraternity - the senior members especially. Being sweetheart wasn't just making cookies (although that did happen) but it was also a cheerleader during intramurals, a helping hand around parties, a person who was trusted with wearing the fraternities letters.

Before you decide to "run" for sweetheart, find out what year the other sweethearts from other fraternities are. Also, if you can, find out if the other women who are up for nomination from Delta Chi are sorority women. You didn't mention if you are a member of a GLO, and it may not matter on your campus, but it could hurt you if you plan on going through recruitment in the spring. Just a thought.

hmm.. yea oneheart u have a point. it would be weird to like "run" for the nomination. but the delta chi chapter at my school only has about 60 guys including actives and AMs so i got to know the guys pretty quick. but yea i wouldnt be dissappointed if i didnt get voted sweetheart or anything i guess it was just a new idea that i hadnt thought of. but maybe you're right being nominated freshman year could seem sketch to other people..

maggie no im not a member of a GLO im not planning of rushing a sorority its pretty expensive and i get along with guys more than girls. but my friend that talks to me the most about being sweetheart is a senior this year and the girl he thinks will be nominated with me is in a sorority.. honestly there are four girls including me who arent in a sorority that hang out with dx but i get along w/ the sorority girls too. a few of them have tried to recruit me i dont know how that would play into the mix or even if it would.

Coming from a chapter that still does the Sweetheart thing, it's a big deal to the guys and it isn't something a freshman is likely to win. Just continue supporting the guys and be genuine in your efforts.

My chapter's last few sweethearts have always been chosen in their junior or senior year and are girls that have been supporting us for 2-4 years. You're not likely to win now.

Also, when a girl tries to "campaign" and win over the guys (such as baking cookies, making t-shirts saying 'I <3 XYZ', etc), then the guys take notice and see through your insincere attempts.

The Sweetheart title should be an honor to you and not just something you want to do because it'll make you cool.

ETA: You also mentioned that you weren't in a sorority and were'nt planning on joining one. Well to be honest, there are a lot of chapters that would never consider choosing a non-Greek girl as sweetheart. Politics and PR also has some role in the voting of Sweetheart. I know of chapters that would never give the Sweetheart title to a girl who is in XYZ, or isn't greek, etc. Just a thought.

yeah, i hated sweetheart politics, they were worse than pledge politics

This sentence alone makes me think that you're getting ahead of yourself. I was considered a sweetheart after 2 years by a chapter of about 20-30 guys. And it took you 2 months to get to know 60?

Definitely true. I knew one girl who tried sucking up to a chapter, baking them food all the time. The guys saw through it (but they still ate the food.. 'cause they're guys.. and it's food), and they would talk about her sad attempts at gaining approval when she wasn't around.

Just continue supporting them however possible. I know Delta Chis from across the country and I haven't met one that I didn't like. They're a great group of guys. Enjoy your 4 years with them :)