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I graduated a long time ago, but my chapter used letters, and I think they were effective. I think our letters generally worked for several reasons. First, we didn’t start the night off with the letters. We did a meal first, so it gave the PNMs time to get comfortable before they received the letter. Second, we avoided the bore factor by taking the PNMs to our rooms to present the letters so they didn’t have to sit and listen to everyone else’s letters. (We were careful to avoid hot-boxing.) Third, we tried to make sure the letters did not read like form letters and were not too cheesey. Fourth, to the best of my recollection, the person preferencing the PNM did not write a letter. Instead, she talked to the PNM. The letters, instead, came from the actives who met the PNM throughout the week but did not pref the PNM- it was a way for them to make sure the PNM knew they liked her, even if they weren’t preferencing her. I just think it would be uncomfortable and cheesy for a PNM to sit there, in front of the active who is preferencing her, and read a letter from her. Finally, we ended with a group ceremony, so if the letter thing was a miss for some of the PNMs, then at least we weren’t ending on that note.
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