Big/ Little ideas

[cusagirl]

Our chapter is currently seeking new ideas for the big/ little sister program. We have had declining interest in the program over the last few semesters and I thought that changing the way it is done now could renew interest in it and really make our sisters and MCs more excited about the whole rush/ MC education experience. Right now, we assign bigs to littles after bid night and then the bigs get their littles a gift every week and a special gift for activation. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

[annamariek]

You were looking for some ideas...the post about "two questions" quite a while ago and has lots of info for the MC education program. You can read a lot about it there.

As for the Beta chapter, we have pledge mom and pops who will lead the MC through their education. The pledge moms support their pledge by listening and checking up on them. We let the MCs pick their big sis which may make it more exciting for the MC because they actually pick the person instead of being assigned them. Maybe they don't have as much in common as their big if they are assigned instead of chosen, etc. Plus it becomes an honor for an active to be chosen as a big sister.

I would suggest this system if yours isn't working as well as the past...the pledge moms at the Beta chapter don't really get the MCs gifts every week, however the MCs DO recieve gifts from their pledge moms at initiation and gifts from their big sis and pledge moms at activation. These gifts tend to be more expensive such as an embroidered Sigma Alpha bag, picture frames etc.

Good luck with everything and let me know how things turn out.

[Allie]

Gamma chapter at Michigan State uses a system where MC are assigned a different active as an Emerald Sister for the week. They spend some time together (ice cream, shopping, studying for the MC quiz, movie, dinner, etc) and at the end of the MC period, each MC gets to rank her top 3 Emerald Sisters as her choice for her Big.

Potential Bigs fill out big apps and MC's also fill out an interest sheet and the 2nd VP matches them up based on requests of the MC's and some general good 'ol judgement.

Our system has worked out great! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

[ALPHAZETA86]

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. It also led to a lot of actives having more than one little sister and some not having any.
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

[uofkyashley]

At the University of Kentucky, AOII uses the few weeks of a new memeber's pledgeship as their acclimation to our actives. We assign every active a new member as their rose buddy on bid day. After a week, the actives get a new new member called their Panda Pal. The next week you get an Alpha Sis, and then the next week is Big/Little night. This way, the New members have had plenty of opportunities to hang out with the actives and the actives have gotten a feel for who they want their little sis to be. Before big/little night, the actives give the new member educator a list of their top 3 new members, and the new members rank the actives as well. Their all paired up so everyone's happy and we incorp. them into the chaper more easily.

University of Kentucky
Kappa Omega Chapter
Alpha Omicron Pi

[cdcogdill]

When I was in school, my chapter (Rho at Texas Tech) had the Big Sis pick out their Little Sis. The morning of the new MC ceremony, we had a kidnap breakfast - the Big sisters kidnapped the little sisters (yes we let them put on clothes but did not let them "get ready") and took them to breakfast. Usually it was like The Kettle, Pancake House or a couple of times we had it at an active's house and had OJ, milk and doughnuts and hung out, watched cartoons/movies, etc for a couple of hours. We had a lot of fun and I miss it terribly!!!
Hope that gives ya'll some ideas!! Good luck!!

Charla
TTU - Rho chapter