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my campus
GreekSC:
On my campus as an undergraduate....laveliering was indeed a very big deal (I think it remains that way on many campuses!)
Regardelss, when a fraternity men laveliers a woman it is seen as a symbol of their "steady" relationship status, i.e. I'm just dating this person. A lavelier is usually a monogram of the man's fraternity letters worn on a chain as a necklace.
On my campus this could be a very public thing (at formals, a social function, or other greek even) or in a private setting betweent the two people.
Generally the male always tried to keep it from his brothers as long as possible, because they would generally give him a hard time, and perform whatever their chapter custom is at that time.
I believe in the women's orgs on my campus they generally held a candlelight. This is a ceremony where the women are only told that someone has an announcement, and the announcement or person isn't revealed as a way to build suspense.
The women might stand around in a circle and pass a lit candle from one member to the next to build suspense, until the woman who was laveliered (or has a special announcement), blows it out and makes the announcement. I'm sure the custom varies from campus to campus...but that's how it happened on my campus.
Generally a blurb would follow in the campus newspaper under the classifieds in the announcments or greek section. Something like, "Congratulatins to Becky from Alpha Beta Gamma for being laveliered to Joey from Delta Epsilon Zeta."
A similar situation occurs with "pinings" which is when a male gives his fraternity badge to his girlfriend...this was seen as a pre-engagement type event on my campus...where as the laveliering is just the announcement of a serious steady relationship.
On a related note, but kind of off the topic. I know on my undergrad campus the fraternity men didn't wear laveliers around their neck (their own org's letters) but I actually have been to several campuses where they do wear them.....anyone else do that on their campus?
Thanks for listening.
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