Letters on Bid Day???

SthrnZeta · #1 09-17-2007, 02:12 PM

In my chapter, it was unofficially known that we didn't wear letters until after initiation - it was usually a pledge class vote whether or not to do it and traditionally we didn't. But, I'm seeing pics of some orgs of pledge classes who receive letters on bid day or at least are wearing them during their pledge period. What orgs do this (just out of curiosity) and what is the reasoning behind it? It seems to me, it'd be like wearing a french quote on your shirt and not knowing what it means...

KSUViolet06 · #2 09-17-2007, 02:21 PM

There are only a few sororities in the NPC with national rules against new members wearing letters before initiation (Pi Beta Phi, Kappa Alpha Theta, and I think Alpha Epsilon Phi).

So if the new girls want to wear letters at any time during their NM period, it's against most groups' national policy to forbid them.

I know that it varies by campus whether or not the new members choose to wear them, but unless your sorority has a national rule against it, they aren't breaking any rules if they wear them. It just seems 'weird' if you were someone who went to a school where NMs didn't get letters until initiation.

Chapters on my campus tradititionally give out letters for bid day. If not a lettered shirt, they get a lettered tote or something. I personally enjoyed being able to wear letters as a new member, but to each her own.

AlphaFrog · #3 09-17-2007, 02:24 PM

I noticed the same thing, SthrnZeta.

We were allowed to wear letters (block/stitched) during NM period (and that was a rather recent development in my chapter...the Jrs and Srs when I pledged were not allowed to wear letters when they pledged)....BUT we had to at least wait until after the Phoenix Degree (pledging ceremony).

33girl · #4 09-17-2007, 02:28 PM

I know that my org has an open motto that corresponds to our letters in Greek and English, so we would know what they mean. Well, at least one thing.

We've talked about this quite a bit on GC. Here's a thread:

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ad.php?t=14452

Here's another thread:

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=1320

Oh, and for a lot of older alums, this whole distinction between the "kinds" of letters (i.e. stitched block vs screened on t-shirts or sweatshirts) was a moot point as block letters weren't always available. I never heard about that until I came to GC.

SthrnZeta · #5 09-17-2007, 02:39 PM

Thanks for posting those, sorry to reiterate a thread!

NutBrnHair · #6 09-17-2007, 02:43 PM

In Chi Omega, the pledges/new members wear the Greek letters on their pledge/new member pin, so why not on a shirt.

I'm all for wearing the letters from the beginning.

SthrnZeta · #7 09-17-2007, 02:46 PM

I know in ZTA, it's in the bylaws that we can't wear the crest but letters have a lot of meaning too, so I believed (along with the rest of my pledge class) that we shouldn't wear them and we actually were upset with other chapters on campus for allowing their NMs to wear them. I also feel very strongly that you shouldn't get those little lettered booty shorts because you're essentially sitting on your letters. Maybe I feel strongly about this since I was Ritual Chair...

AlphaFrog · #8 09-17-2007, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SthrnZeta

I know in ZTA, it's in the bylaws that we can't wear the crest but letters have a lot of meaning too, so I believed (along with the rest of my pledge class) that we shouldn't wear them and we actually were upset with other chapters on campus for allowing their NMs to wear them. I also feel very strongly that you shouldn't get those little lettered booty shorts because you're essentially sitting on your letters. Maybe I feel strongly about this since I was Ritual Chair...

I agree about the buttshorts, but you can't hold another org to your standards. As 33girl said, ASA has FOUR meanings...one open, and three closed. Since pledges already know the open one, I don't think it's fair to say that they don't know what the letters mean, and shouldn't wear them.

SthrnZeta · #9 09-17-2007, 02:57 PM

It's not just about the literal meaning of the letters, it's about everything those letters stand for, what it means in general to be a member of that org. You're representing that organization by wearing those letters. It wasn't that we disliked other chapters or anything like that, just that we knew the letters held meaning that they didn't fully understand and it seemed inappropriate to wear them - we felt we should earn them. I guess the letters weren't as big a deal as other symbols to that org, and I understand that (our crest and crown weren't allowed to be worn by anyone but initiated sisters).

NutBrnHair · #10 09-17-2007, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SthrnZeta

... just that we knew the letters held meaning that they didn't fully understand and it seemed inappropriate to wear them - we felt we should earn them. I guess the letters weren't as big a deal as other symbols to that org, and I understand that (our crest and crown weren't allowed to be worn by anyone but initiated sisters).

Ya know...in reality, a group of new members don't come together and all feel that way without the advice - guidance - prodding - coaxing of a couple of older members.

I never liked the phrase "you should 'EARN' the letters." I think you "learn" sisterhood -- you don't "earn" it.

SthrnZeta · #11 09-17-2007, 03:06 PM

By earn, I meant learn the history of our fraternity and truly feel the honor of being a Zeta. I don't feel that you really understand it until you've learned something about the org and been through initation, that's all. Not that we were hazed or that we had to make the sisters like us or anything catty like that. I agree with your sentiment, Nut.

Senusret I · #12 09-17-2007, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

As 33girl said, ASA has FOUR meanings...one open, and three closed.

Dang, stop hogging ALL the secrets! LOL

FSUZeta · #13 09-17-2007, 03:15 PM

it may be a tradition of your chapter that new members wait to wear letters, but zta does not have a national policy that prohibits new members from wearing them. one of my proudest moments was being given my big sisters zta jersey to wear until the ones my pledge sisters and i ordered came in. back in my day, if you could not wear letters, you had nothing to wear until after initiation-this was way before the t shirt phenom. happening nowadays.

you are correct that uninitiated members cannot possess the zta crest.

AlphaFrog · #14 09-17-2007, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Dang, stop hogging ALL the secrets! LOL

It's a FOUR thing, you know.

Four meanings.
Four Exemplars.
Four colors.
Four aims.

SthrnZeta · #15 09-17-2007, 03:20 PM

FSU, I know there's nothing official about wearing letters, it was definitely a chapter thing, and I stress again it was a pledge class vote. Alpha Phi class (my class) just chose to go with tradition was all. We had plenty of other Zeta stuff to wear, just not the stitched letters. We got tons of shirts from our Crown, Strawberry, and Bunny sisters before we got our big and then our big gave us stuff too.

And my family tradition was to give our family letters to sisters at initiation, along with the crest afghan (something I started, my big gave me chapter letters which they later changed the colors of, but oh well).