new member period
 

After reading all these rush-threads I've become very curious about the new member period. I realise that most of what goes on is between the organisation and the new member, but will someone please start an anonimous thread about this? I'm soooo curious... (maybe you could PM me?)

NM ed.
 

Basically during the new member period, you learn the history of the organization, get to know the actives and your pledge class really well, and you learn rituals and stuff. I'm in my 3rd week and its been awesome.

Edited to add:

oh yeah, u have weekly meetings and house responsibilities.......although requirements to go to these things varies during your nm period. required things can considered hazing.

sounds really awesome. so how do you learn all these things? do you play games to learn these things and get to know eachother or is it more like a classroom thing? have you made friends in your new member class or with your new sisters yet? is it scarry, meeting all those new people?
good luck and have fun!

dutchgirl

I think it's a little of both, dutchgirl. My Phi class plays games and has little outings and special events, but we also have a study hour each week to learn about the founders, the history, the symbols, etc. I think that your pledge class gets to know each other pretty well in a hurry, and we are having a NM Retreat (aka slumber party ;)) to reinforce those bonds. As far as meeting new sisters, that's exciting. I am trying to meet and get to know some of the sisters that I didn't get a chance to talk to during recruitment. I think that all the NMs are also trying to find that special girl that they want to be their Big. It's a fun experience so far... plus you get presents all the time :D

If you want a taste of what a New Member Program is like, visit this site:

http://www.deltagamma.org/new_member_pursuit.html

We tried to start a pledge forum but to no avail.

There isn't (or shouldn't be) ANYTHING secret about the new member period. If an NPC group is being secretive, well, I'd wonder what kind of hazing they are doing, sadly.

New member periods generally consist of weekly meetings, held at the same time as chapter meetings; a retreat; attending general sorority functions such as mixers, dances and philanthropy events; getting gifts from your big sister (and finding out who she is); and maybe working on a pledge class project that will benefit the chapter. During meetings you'll learn about your national and local history, your songs, your symbols, the other Greeks on campus, and other non-secret things. You'll meet the older sisters and bond with them.

What happens in initiation is secret, but if your pledge period has been done right, you'll feel, "Oh! This is what ABC stands for," and it should feel like a natural culmination of what you learned during your pledge period.

thanks
 

thank you all for giving me more info about this subject, it really sounds like loads of fun and makes me long for the days when I just joined my own (dutch) fraternity ;) .
Where does this tradition of giving you little sister presents come from?

greetings to you all
(a curious) dutchgirl

Hi dutchgirl!

I'm going to guess that the tradition stemmed out from a desire to help the newest members feel welcome. It also could be so that the new members could have things with the sorority's name, letters, mascot, whatever--again, so she would feel a part of the sisterhood. It's so much fun to be able to wear a sweatshirt given to you from your big sister :) Some of it is tradition. Gifts are never supposed to overshadow the real reason we have big sisters/mothers/sister-moms/sponsors though. The big sister is there to be a friend to the new member, the person she can come to with any questions or anything at all. The big helps her little through her new member education and ensures she's learned everything she needs to be a fully initiated member of the sorority. It's a bond that can honestly last a lifetime!

HTH,
Christin

The new member period is a time for you to meet all the sisters and learn about the sorority so that you can make sure its the one for you. We have weekly new member education 'classes' where we learn about the sorority and its history and stuff. Its just an introduction to the sorority basically. Its fun and Im about done with my new member period...less than 2 weeks to go!