Wear letters at a bar??

[OneHeartOneWay]

I won't claim to know our national policy 100%, but I actually don't think it addresses drinking alcohol in our letters. However, every chapter I advise does address the issue to some degree in their chapter's Code of Conduct, which does allow for more variation due to campus climate. I know at least one chapter with which I work has rules in thier COC about smoking cigarettes in thier letters, too.

It's a debate between some other advisors with which I work, but from an alumna perspective, I fall on the side of modeling responsible behavior. If I'm wearing my letters and we all decide to go get dinner or something, I don't see a problem with having a glass of wine with my meal. It's like the others said- I believe there is a big difference between simply drinking in my letters, and getting drunk in my letters.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by OneHeartOneWay

I know at least one chapter with which I work has rules in thier COC about smoking cigarettes in thier letters, too.

Ours did. We had to hold it between two fingers (not let it hang from our mouths) and cross our legs.

I wish I were kidding. Our chapter's code of standards was SUPER old. We used to joke about that rule all the time.

[fantASTic]

Originally Posted by alphagamzetagam

Ours did. We had to hold it between two fingers (not let it hang from our mouths) and cross our legs.

I wish I were kidding. Our chapter's code of standards was SUPER old. We used to joke about that rule all the time.

I can top that.

Our official etiquette manual says that we should go home with the date we came with.

My question is...do you have to go home with him? Or can he just drop you off at your place?

[SWTXBelle]

We were also instructed as pledges that a lady (and of course all Gamma Phis are ladies) never smokes while walking. In fact, we were to be seated if smoking. No one in my pledge class smoked, so it was simply a quaint left-over from the 60s. It is mentioned in The Southern Belle Primer as a rule southern women have long followed - Princess Margaret apparently broke it on a trip to Dallas, and was DISCUSSED.

[SthrnZeta]

Originally Posted by OneHeartOneWay

I won't claim to know our national policy 100%, but I actually don't think it addresses drinking alcohol in our letters. However, every chapter I advise does address the issue to some degree in their chapter's Code of Conduct, which does allow for more variation due to campus climate. I know at least one chapter with which I work has rules in thier COC about smoking cigarettes in thier letters, too.

It's a debate between some other advisors with which I work, but from an alumna perspective, I fall on the side of modeling responsible behavior. If I'm wearing my letters and we all decide to go get dinner or something, I don't see a problem with having a glass of wine with my meal. It's like the others said- I believe there is a big difference between simply drinking in my letters, and getting drunk in my letters.

For me, I think the difference would be the context of the situation. If I got a glass of wine with a meal, that's one thing. Going to a bar to get a beer with a friend regardless of whether I become intoxicated or not, not ok in letters IMO.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by SthrnZeta

For me, I think the difference would be the context of the situation. If I got a glass of wine with a meal, that's one thing. Going to a bar to get a beer with a friend regardless of whether I become intoxicated or not, not ok in letters IMO.

I can see this more easily than a blanket ban. There is a difference between a bar on one hand and a nice dinner (or wedding reception) on the other hand.

[SWTXBelle]

FWIW - At our alumnae chapter's Founders' Day luncheon we could have wine. Everyone wore her badge, and we had a former International President in attendance. BUT we weren't in letters per se.

[AlphaFrog]

I think most NPC women would be shocked to learn that a good amount of NPCs don't actually have alcohol policies in their Inter/National policies. It seems to have become a pretty common CHAPTER rule, and most people don't know which are chapter rules and national rules. I was told as an undergrad that ASA had national "Drinking in letters" rules, but there are none. Even Dolly Purvis Lloyd (a National VP) conceded that fact at District Days D4 last year - although if it were up to her, there would be.

[WinniBug]

Originally Posted by OneHeartOneWay

I won't claim to know our national policy 100%, but I actually don't think it addresses drinking alcohol in our letters. However, every chapter I advise does address the issue to some degree in their chapter's Code of Conduct, which does allow for more variation due to campus climate. I know at least one chapter with which I work has rules in thier COC about smoking cigarettes in thier letters, too.

It's a debate between some other advisors with which I work, but from an alumna perspective, I fall on the side of modeling responsible behavior. If I'm wearing my letters and we all decide to go get dinner or something, I don't see a problem with having a glass of wine with my meal. It's like the others said- I believe there is a big difference between simply drinking in my letters, and getting drunk in my letters.

In my chapter, it's ok for alumnae to meet up for dinner and a drink and have letters on (A drink, not GET drunk)....undergrads are not allowed to drink in letters.
We're not allowed to smoke in our letters, either. If you're wearing an ASA shirt and want a cigarette, you should change shirts first. One org. on campus allows their members to smoke in letters, but they can't smoke and walk, because that increases the chances that you'll end up upsetting someone you walk past by blowing smoke on them. (I think that's their reasoning)

[AOII Angel]

We weren't allowed to smoke in public, but at the back door of the AOII dorm, there was a bush that was known as the "Smoking Bush" because all the sisters who smoked would sit in the bush and smoke since they technically weren't in public.

[TSteven]

Is this official "no drinking in letters" thing some what recent for NPCs?

When I was an undergrad at Kentucky last century (late 1970s), one of the "top" fraternities had an All Greek Beer Blast. To get in, you were suppose to wear your letters. The reason being that only Greeks would be wearing letters. And because they were a "top" chapter, you bet every sorority was out in force, in their letters, with an ice cold beer in hand. Unless they were doing shots of bourbon!

For what it is worth, this was one of the best All Greek parties. It was normally held on a Friday (often before a home football game) and had live bands and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of kegs. House Mothers had a reserved area where they were given priority treatment. The Dean of Students, Greek Life Advisors for NPC, NPHC and IFC, as well as chapter advisors etc. would all be in attendance. It was so popular that around my senior year, so many Greeks from other campuses would crash it that they started to require - in addition to letters - a current UK ID to get in.

Also "way back when", there were certain nights when a chapter would wear their letters out to the bars for what ever reason.

And this was not just restricted to UK. I experienced it at other Kentucky, SEC and Big XII campuses. Also at Indiana and Maryland while away attending football games. Frankly, there were lots of sorority women wearing their letters and tailgating (i.e. drinking).

[ASTalumna06]

I know that on our website, in at least one place it says:

"No Alpha Sigma Tau insignia or associated symbols of the Sorority shall appear at any activity or function in which the abuse of alcohol is the outstandingly noticeable function or at an establishment that is primarily for drinking alcohol."

As for anything further, I'd have to search for it.

As has been said, if I'm having a glass of wine with dinner, that's one thing. If I'm at the bar, at a party, at a mixer, etc., then I'm not going to wear my letters.

When we were on line we were told that greeks were not drink or smoke while wearing their letters. I thought that was universal but I guess not. I dont think its appropriate to wear your letters in a bar because some people will say, "the ***** are a bunch of alchoholics, I saw them in a bar drinking."

If people know you are a ****, and you have on a plain white tee in a bar drinking then that is different, but NO, I dont think its appropriate to wear your letters in a bar.