Two Questions....

CUnightowl82 · #1 09-09-2005, 11:38 PM

I had 2 topics I wanted to ask others about

1. Does your chapter participate in "big sis/little sis." If so
how does that work for your chapter?

My chapter keeps the identity of the big sis secret all
through MC education. Each week bigs give their little
gifts.

2. Sister Activation traditions

Does your chapter have any traditions you take part in,
on the day/night when MCs become sisters?

For example, do you require the MC's to wear white? Do
you give letters t-shirts, pin, or certificate after they
become a sister? Does the alumni chapter do anything
special?

I was just wondering what other chapters do

Thanks!!

annamariek · #2 09-12-2005, 12:44 AM

At the Beta Chapter at Purdue we do several things....

The MCs don't choose or pick their big sis until about a week or two before activation. That way the girls can get to know each sister and pick which one is best for them. At Activation, the big sis presents the little sis with a bag with the Sigma Alpha letters and little presents e.g. photo albums, frames, candy, stuffed animals etc. Also the big sis paints or decorates the little sis's paddle and the little sis makes a paddle for the big sis.

For activation, (we have initiation when they become MCs) we have the girls go on a scavenger hunt and on the hunt, they receive little prizes like their paddles to decorate for the big sis, Sigma Alpha sweatshirts (the pledge classes pick the design and colors weeks before), a mum (our flower), and other interesting things. Then we meet back at the house. Then the girls are blind folded and taken to a chapel nearby where we hold activation. Afterwards the new sisters are presented with their bags from their big sis and presents from their pledge mom. The alumni at our chapter are great! They gave all the people in my pledge class a dry erase door hanger with Sigma Alpha on it and a really cute picture frame.

As for the pins and certificates, we have to wait until we get them from the company we order them from so a lot of times the girls don't get them when they get activated.

Hope this helps you out a bunch!

Sigma Alpha Luv,
Anna Koester

CUnightowl82 · #3 09-13-2005, 12:57 AM

I'm always curious to see how other Sigma Alpha chapters make those times special for MCs, sisters, and alumni (if there are any)

Sharing might provide other chapters with ideas they might not have thought of, if they are looking to mix things up. Some times it is nice to try something new... ya know.

I am a bit embarrassed to ask but... what are the paddles all about? I mean I know what they are but not really. I have only seen social sororities/fraternities members with them. It is not something we do... but we arent part of our school's panhellenic association, if that has something to do with it.

Thanks for the input!!

annamariek · #4 09-13-2005, 09:15 AM

The paddles don't have anything to do with Panhel, if I'm not mistaken. Cooperative also use them and they aren't in the IFC or Panhel.

The paddles for us are a little different than those from social sororities. Each MC is required to get a signature from every girl in the house including the advisors and Senior Actives. Before activation, they turn in their completed paddles to their MC educator. (They have a deadline.) During that time is usually when they choose their big sis by making a list of their top three choices for a big sis. The MC educator will then look at their choices and tell the actives who will be a big sis and for whom. Then the big sis will get the paddle that is already signed by everyone. (These are just undecorated except for the signatures.) So the big sis can decorate the paddle however they want. I've seen some with plastic farm animals on them. Some are sparkly. Some have cute sayings. But all have "Big Sis (name) and Lil Sis (name) along with the Sigma Alpha Crest, in sticker form. Some girls get really creative. I personally love it because you will always have that paddle and when you become a big sis your lil sis will make you one, it isn't signed. So you will have paddles for your activation and paddles for the number of lil sisters you have.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. I like to talk about Sigma Alpha stuff, have you noticed?

Allie · #5 09-14-2005, 08:55 AM

1. Does your chapter participate in "big sis/little sis." If so
how does that work for your chapter?

Gamma has a fabulous Big/Lil set up. During the MC period each MC is given a Big for the week. The Big is supposed to spend some one on one time with the MC, answer any Sigma Alpha questions, help the MC study for the weekly quiz, etc. We also do signature paddles, but each MC class votes if they want to do this. A week or two before activation the MC's submitt their top 3 lists of Bigs and they are matched up with actives who filed a Big Application.

2. Sister Activation traditions...Does your chapter have any traditions you take part in, on the day/night when MCs become sisters?

Our MC"S have I week and the 2nd VP usually schedules the activities. One day is always wear your Bigs letters for the day. It's always cool to see the MC's get to wear letter for the first time. Each night we have a fun activity planned from movies, to taco night, or karoke. Each family in our chapter has their own traditions. Most families have the tradtion to give you a set of letters (most commonly a hoodie) Mostly these are exchanged at Big/Lil reveal a few days before activation. That leaves things a little more organized for activation

CUnightowl82 · #6 09-14-2005, 09:20 PM

LOL I like talking about Sigma Alpha stuff too, so no worries

Ahhhhh ok

I like how you all do that.

When I was a MC, I had to get the sisters' signatures too but all we had to do was interview every sister. Dont get me wrong I liked interviewing every one but, I would have much rather made something like that. I love doing little crafty things. The paddles must make great keepsakes

--------
I hope by following the lead of some of the other chapters... my chapter can provide an even BETTER mc experience for sister and mc alike. Until now I wasnt really sure how we could improve the whole mc process

It has been really kind of you guys to mention what you all do!

THANKS

tcblair · #7 09-30-2005, 07:54 PM

I forgot that you guys didn't do paddles at clemson- but I did think the interview process was good- when done correctly- not rushed like on semester I remember. I hope things are going well there and that you guys can implement some of these suggestions. I do like the "fun" stuff the MC classes do ie songs etc. It is always interesting to see how each chapter makes their own traditions. I think this was a good post idea especially for the new beta epsilon chapter to have a look at as they create their traditions.

annamariek · #8 09-30-2005, 10:13 PM

I forgot to mention other things involving the paddles...they also have a string attached to the hole at the top. To become an active the MCs must each have 35-50 beads on that thread. They get 5 beads for getting all their signatures, 5 for getting 20 interviews (this includes the ones they get from their pledge class), 5 for serenades, 2 for doing their housing project and philantrophy and the list goes on. They get some for getting A's on tests and doing well and also for going to study tables, which they have to attend once every week for quizzes and such.

The paddles are really great! I wish I had a digital camera to show you some. They are really neat and every one is different.

CUnightowl82 · #9 10-09-2005, 09:53 PM

Oh I wish you had a digital camera also

It would be nice to show the EC what the paddles look like. I think they are interested (??) in starting this at our chapter... maybe in the spring.

If anyone else has any additional ideas please keep them coming...

THANKS !!!

annamariek · #10 01-12-2006, 12:33 AM

Everyone has very interesting ideas that will help out the newer chapters!

ALPHAZETA86 · #11 01-27-2006, 05:36 PM

I have a few paddles I can share with you just email me at St_jcarroll@tarleton.edu and I will email pics. When the girls are activated they give their big a paddle and the actives give their little a pillow that they have embroidered with both their names. It is called "pillow/paddle exchange"

The Alpha Zeta chapter leaves assigning big/little to the 2nd VP and Rush Chair. During the MC process the MCs are assigned a different active to be their "Bull Buddy" for that week. This gives the actives and MCs a chance to bond; usually they go out to eat together or just study in the library.

Bigs and Littles are assigned about a week before activation then revealed at activation. We use to allow the MCs to write down their top three choices for a big sister and the active write down their top three choices for a little. This caused some issues when the majority of the MCs wrote down the same actives and vice versa. So now we assign them by personality, career goals and things like that. Sometimes we feel it is best to put people together that normally would not have chosen each other. This way they get a chance to spend time with someone outside of their normal clique.

For our activation ceremony we blind fold the girls and take them to a secret spot, usually an old cow barn or open field. Remember the policy about asking the girl’s whether they are comfortable being blind folded. We dress all our active members up in robes and wear them throughout the ceremony. The new girls are given sigma alpha themed gifts by their bigs after the ceremony and the chapter gives all the new girls a EA shirt.

RRRastani · #12 03-07-2006, 05:36 PM

Does your chapter participate in "big sis/little sis." If so, how does that work for your chapter?

At the Eta chapter (Univ of Conn), we kept the identity secret for 1 wk, and the big sis did anonymous things throughout the week- like decorating doors or giving little gifts to the little sis. Then little sis gives the big sis a paddle at the end of the MC period.

2. Sister Activation traditions
Does your chapter have any traditions you take part in, on the day/night when MCs become sisters?

The MC cermony was professional dress, and yes, blind-folding occurred during it. Pinning took place afterwards, as well as a big celebration (dinner and cake).