Drinking in Letters

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

I'm with you. Solo cups and being trashed is not the same as being of age and drinking responsibly.

.. which I can agree with, as well. The problem is always that gray area in between. Let's face it... a night out for one or two drinks can easily turn into a night you don’t remember, especially when you’re young.

Or.. let’s say your organization decides that alumnae can drink in their letters, but collegiate members can’t, and a girl transfers to another campus but doesn’t affiliate with the chapter there… now she’s still in college, around her sisters, and she can drink but they can’t? Or does it depend on whether or not you're taking classes?

Or maybe some alumni are out at the bar wearing their letters, and they're pretty drunk (not all alumni drink responsibly ALL the time), and the active brothers don't see why they can't wear their letters while drinking. Either that, or they become upset because their alumni members are making them look bad in front of other fraternities on campus.

I think that for these national organizations, it has to be all or nothing. To say you can do it sometimes but not others would probably cause more trouble than it's worth.

[preciousjeni]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Serious, not-trying-to-pick-a-fight question: Why do you find it tacky and disrespectful?

I can see having a problem with people getting trashed in letters. But, assuming there's no other issue at play (like underage drinking), why would it be tacky and disrespectful to have a glass of wine with dinner while simultaneously wearing your letters?

Not quite the same, but still relevant...we don't do it because we don't want alcohol/cigarettes/sex/what-have-you associated with the Sorority. All of our events are dry, although there are certain limited exceptions that require contracts, insurance polices and the like.

I know I don't want anyone to associate alcohol with us in any way shape or form.

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

.. which I can agree with, as well. The problem is always that gray area in between. Let's face it... a night out for one or two drinks can easily turn into a night you don’t remember, especially when you’re young.

Or.. let’s say your organization decides that alumnae can drink in their letters, but collegiate members can’t, and a girl transfers to another campus but doesn’t affiliate with the chapter there… now she’s still in college, around her sisters, and she can drink but they can’t? Or does it depend on whether or not you're taking classes?

Or maybe some alumni are out at the bar wearing their letters, and they're pretty drunk (not all alumni drink responsibly ALL the time), and the active brothers don't see why they can't wear their letters while drinking. Either that, or they become upset because their alumni members are making them look bad in front of other fraternities on campus.

I think that for these national organizations, it has to be all or nothing. To say you can do it sometimes but not others would probably cause more trouble than it's worth.

Yes, ma'am.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

I think that for these national organizations, it has to be all or nothing. To say you can do it sometimes but not others would probably cause more trouble than its worth.

I think you may be right. (I personally also think that's a shame.)

But if that's the case, then drinking in letters is prohibited as a risk management issue, not because it's inherently disrespectful, right? It's the feeling that drinking in letters is disrespectful that I'm trying to get a handle on.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

.. which I can agree with, as well. The problem is always that gray area in between. Let's face it... a night out for one or two drinks can easily turn into a night you don’t remember, especially when you’re young.

Or.. let’s say your organization decides that alumnae can drink in their letters, but collegiate members can’t, and a girl transfers to another campus but doesn’t affiliate with the chapter there… now she’s still in college, around her sisters, and she can drink but they can’t? Or does it depend on whether or not you're taking classes?

Or maybe some alumni are out at the bar wearing their letters, and they're pretty drunk (not all alumni drink responsibly ALL the time), and the active brothers don't see why they can't wear their letters while drinking. Either that, or they become upset because their alumni members are making them look bad in front of other fraternities on campus.

I think that for these national organizations, it has to be all or nothing. To say you can do it sometimes but not others would probably cause more trouble than it's worth.

Thing is we've shown that this ban on alcohol in letters is, for most if not all NPC orgs, done on a campus by campus basis and not a national thing at all. And it seems to work out just fine.

[Optimus Prime]

Letter shirts, party shirts and/or lavaliers are a big no no at parties even if you aren't drinking (just to be on the safe side!). My chapter also doesn't allow sweatpants/leggings/athletic shorts to be worn with letters so you can imagine how it would be if we were caught drinking in our letters.

[Psi U MC Vito]

^^^ You are also a member of a fraternity that is dry nationally right?

[DrPhil]

This topic again? LOL.

Before people run around correcting members, they need to understand the difference between a norm or accepted practice versus an official policy and procedure. Find out whether all collegiate and graduate chapters are expected to abide by it. If it's on a chapter-by-chapter basis, it isn't something to get bent out of shape over.

More importantly, only concern yourself with your letters and your GLO. Do not go around worrying about and trying to correct what members of other GLOs are doing in their letters. That applies to college campuses and at the graduate level. I respect the NPHC but don't give a damn what other NPHCers do in their letters. I might notice it and joke about it if it's someone I know, but I'm not laying down the law on others' letters. Mindayadamnbidness.

[adpiucf]

Originally Posted by BraveMaroon

To this day, if I have a drink in my hand at a party, my first reflex is to put the solo cup, wine glass, etc. behind my back when the cameras come out.

I'm 36.

Me, too!

[KKGCaroline]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Serious, not-trying-to-pick-a-fight question: Why do you find it tacky and disrespectful?

I can see having a problem with people getting trashed in letters. But, assuming there's no other issue at play (like underage drinking), why would it be tacky and disrespectful to have a glass of wine with dinner while simultaneously wearing your letters?

I just reread my post and I didn't make myself clear at all. Sorry

When the OP mentioned that she had seen girls in letters smashed out of their faces, this is what I thought was tacky and disrespectful.

I totally agree that a wine with dinner (as long as its in moderation) is perfectly acceptable, its something that we were allowed to partake in for things like formal dinners/special occasions.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by KKGCaroline

When the OP mentioned that she had seen girls in letters smashed out of their faces, this is what I thought was tacky and disrespectful.

Gotcha. Thanks.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by FleurGirl

While I was on vacation, it seemed like EVERYONE was drinking in shirts from their sororities... and even in some cases stitched letters.

This is the thing that kills me nowadays. Letters are letters. I don't know when the fact that some of them are one piece of fabric stitched onto another piece of fabric gave them Holy Virgin Mary status.

As for this whole discussion, that tired old chestnut "you are always wearing your letters" is actually useful here, only sort of in reverse. If (insert behaviour here) is tacky/disrespectful/RM risk, why on earth does it matter whether you're in letters or not? You shouldn't be doing it at all.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by 33girl

This is the thing that kills me nowadays. Letters are letters. I don't know when the fact that some of them are one piece of fabric stitched onto another piece of fabric gave them Holy Virgin Mary status.

As for this whole discussion, that tired old chestnut "you are always wearing your letters" is actually useful here, only sort of in reverse. If (insert behaviour here) is tacky/disrespectful/RM risk, why on earth does it matter whether you're in letters or not? You shouldn't be doing it at all.

Best post of the week.

[BemoreLXA]

I never drink in LXA letters, when I drink its in Theta Kappa Nu letters haha

[aephi alum]

In my sorority, drinking while wearing letters is not allowed, even if the sister is of legal drinking age. Alcohol is forbidden in chapter houses, even if the sister who has it is of legal drinking age. Sisters and new members are expected to abide by all applicable laws regarding alcohol, i.e. no drinking at all until you're of legal age. Violation = a little chat with the standards board.

That said, if I were dressed up and wearing my badge and went out to dinner and wanted a glass of wine, I wouldn't fall apart and say "OMG I can't have this glass of wine because I'm wearing my badge!" The idea isn't to forbid a sister from having a glass of wine with her dinner, it's to prevent sisters from getting falling-down-drunk while wearing anything that would identify them as AEPhis. So I have zero problem with having a beer or glass of wine while wearing my badge, but that's A beer or glass of wine, and then I stop. (There are practical reasons too. You have to drive to get ANYWHERE in this damn state. So even if I'm not a designated driver, I still won't get falling-down-drunk.)

[Optimus Prime]

Originally Posted by Psi U MC Vito

^^^ You are also a member of a fraternity that is dry nationally right?

Actually after thinking about it, I guess we could be considered dry because we aren't allowed to have drinking at our events or in our house. Are all NPC considered dry? I've never really asked before.