Greek Families

[DubaiSis]

I originally read it like 1stPhiDeltaAlpha did. I'd like to learn more about this as well. I get the families within chapters; that goes back forever, although the naming convention of daughter, mother, grandmother, aunt etc. has been change to little and big. But cross chapters? That's new. I wonder if that serves to foster Greek unity on campus and what purpose it serves.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

I get the families within chapters; that goes back forever . . . .

I don't know that it goes back forever -- I'd never heard of it in any GLO until GC. We had big/little brothers, but we had no concept of families, grand-bigs/littles, etc. I don't remember any friends in other fraternities or in sororities talking in terms of families either. Always possible, of course, that they were doing the family thing and I just didn't hear about it or it didn't register with me.

I was talking with a collegiate brother in my chapter recently, and he asked about my big brother and about family. He seemed a little surprised when I said we didn't do families then.

This cross-chapter family thing sounds like it must be related to the idea of fraternity members having little sisters and sorority members having little brothers.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

This cross-chapter family thing sounds like it must be related to the idea of fraternity chapters having little sisters and sorority chapters having little brothers.

Yes, in the same way that root beer is related to actual beer. FYP BTW.

[Mevara]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

This cross-chapter family thing sounds like it must be related to the idea of fraternity members having little sisters and sorority members having little brothers.

It is this exactly. On my campus I have just recently (2-3 years noticed that they do this. I don't know how it came about because when I graduated it wasn't like that at all.

[melindawarren]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

I originally read it like 1stPhiDeltaAlpha did. I'd like to learn more about this as well. I get the families within chapters; that goes back forever, although the naming convention of daughter, mother, grandmother, aunt etc. has been change to little and big. But cross chapters? That's new. I wonder if that serves to foster Greek unity on campus and what purpose it serves.

It's news to me, too. If it's happening on my campus, I've never been told.