APO Spirit
 

I have an interesting situation that I wonder what other people’s thoughts would be. I just transferred from a HBCU to a primarily white school. I pledged APO while I was attending the white school and the chapter here has nowhere near as much spirit as I thought they would have. They don’t wear a lot of ‘nailia and they didn’t even get jackets once they crossed. I feel almost as if I’m missing out on a full APO experience. Should I wear a lot of ‘nalia and stuff and hope they follow by example? I’m actually not sure what to do about this one!

sounds like youve been hit by the culture shock. i wouldnt question their spirit though. they probably love "APO" just as much as you. seems to that youre in a different world that will take some getting used to.

at HBCU's, i know our greeks will wear 'nalia every day of the week, so that EVERYONE can know that we're frat, but on a predominately white campus, maybe thats just not as important.

either way, it aint where youre from, its where youre at. maybe instead of trying to "change" them, you can do as the romans do.

x

Re: APO Spirit
 

Do what makes you feel comfortable. There are plenty of Brothers from your chapter who are just as spirited. PM me if you want.

Buffalo Soldier
9-Mu Alpha-Spring 99

Frat there is nothing wrong with you sporting your paraphanelia on campus. Do whatever it is that makes you comfortable.

I say wear your 'nalia. Nothing wrong with being proud of your letters! :)

I know how you feel. I pledged at a predominantly white school. My brother have a loooot of love for the frat, it's just that they show it in different ways. They go and make sweatshirts and make the letters in different patterns and colors. They wear the para, just not in the HBCU fashion (making crossing jackets, stepping, etc). They didn't even give us line numbers. We just have chapter numbers (as you'll see in my signature). As long as they love the frat and handle their biz, you do you, let them do them.

Over at Tau Mu, we have one girl who tattooed her name on her neck and her number on her wrist. Said she is trying to decide on where to tattoo the letters. Some people take things to the extreme. This girl matches her name perfectly though (Too Much) and it is great someone has so much love to do something permanent to themselves. Personally, when I get the money, I will get a crossing jacket and I am at a PWI... I just have wanted a jacket and almost joined a cultural sorority so I got history. Everyone is different, and we all show love differently. I wouldn't ever get letters that are pink or something like that but that is just me.

OK...That girl is "too much". I could never see myself tattooing letters on myself. That is taking things entirely too far.

"They didn't even give us line numbers".

The use of lines is something that comes from BGLOs. Only those APO chapters that were influenced by these traditions use lines (and the rest). Most chapters aren't, so most wouldn't understand them. (I certainly don't)

That's said, I DO like to see chapter members wearing letter shirts and pins. I get a bit disappointed when I go to a chapter meeting and don't even see pins worn.

Not just BGLOs
 

Mu Alpha chapter uses lines and keep track of order within lines and it is not at a HBCU and the school certainly didn't have any BGLOs when the chapter startered. I would love to get more information on the reason for that. It may have been a cross fertilization with Morgan State University's chapter (Mu Gamma) which chartered on the same day at the same place. (At University of Maryland College Park)

Within my active chapter (Kappa @ Carnegie-Mellon) were brothers who only got letters in some combination of blue, gold and occasionally white and then there were some who looked like they had gotten help from quilters. It didn't help that Carnegie-Mellon's school colors are a specific plaid!

For myself, the jury's still out on pants with the letters across the buttocks, and tattoos and brands are right out.

OTOH, I have scarring from an APO initiation. Does that count? Because I don't have anything else right now that shows my membership. I stopped using my APO lanyard for my badges because it wore out, I don't wear my service pin to work. :)

Re: Not just BGLOs
 

It was my understanding (based on previous posting), that Mu Alpha's use of lines was due to the fact that their Big Brother Chapter used them. Uncertain if said chapter was APQ or just a HBCU-influenced chapter.

My chapter has a tradition of the Fall pledge class choicing a color choice for their first letter shirt, which is also used for the Spring class. After that, we expect them to get traditional colored letter shirts (gold & white letters on blue shirts).

I've worn APO polo shirts to work, and wear my LM pin (don't bother wearing the service pin since I became a LM) to work if I'm going to a APO event afterwards. I also wear my LM pin on my scout uniform.

A Mu Alpha History Lesson
 

Mu Alpha's use of lines did not in any way come from BGLO's.

Our charter Brothers were all members of Delta Phi Epsilon Professional Service Fraternity, which had used lines for decades before Mu Alpha was chartered. They still use lines to this day, as do their sisters of Delta Phi Epsilon Professional Foreign Service Sorority.

Our Big Brother Chapter is Epsilon Mu, University of Maryland, and Mu Alpha has no recorded interaction with Mu Gamma Chapter at Morgan.

Mu Alpha was chartered in 1956, the first BGLO did not come to campus until 1977.

Re: A Mu Alpha History Lesson
 

Ok. Thanks for the clarification.

Then I guess the question would be, what is the origin of the use of lines within Delta Phi Epsilon?

Re: Re: A Mu Alpha History Lesson
 

I don't know for certain. If I run into a member any time soon, I will ask.

Re: A Mu Alpha History Lesson
 

I'm still trying to research with the National Office whether Mu Alpha and Mu Gamma chartered at a single ceremony at University of Maryland College Park. They both chartered the same day and given that Mu Alpha chartered so far from home, it is reasonable to think that the Board member presenting the charter asked UMCP to be host to both chartering ceremonies.

Randy