Grab a date

[BSCKt]

My friends go to a school where they have grab-a-dates a lot. And my chapter doesn't have them very much because officers have expressed that they don't like grab-a-dates.

Due to that fact, I have never had a grab-a-date. Are they really as awful as my officers are making them out to be? Or are they just a scheduling nightmare?

[Xidelt]

Why would they be any different or harder to schedule than any other social event?

[ForeverRoses]

did they say why they don't like grab-a-dates?

My chapter had them and it usually meant that we would be told the day before or morning of that we had one and we had the day to find a date. It was a nice inexpensive way to include non-greek friends or boyfriends (as opposed to a date party or formal). We even would have grab-a-friends where we could invite non-greek female friends-- and many times those women ended up as part of our next pledge class.

Some of our grab-a-dates included midnight screenings at the movie theater in addition to the usual meet at xyz bar.

[Zillini]

My members love Grab-a-Date parties! I think it's the excitement of the last minute scramble and knowing they'll have fun on a random night they thought nothing was going on. Scheduling isn't any harder than any other event. If anything it's easier because they aren't typically as fancy or themed like a usual date party. The only problem is keeping it secret ahead of time.

The only complaint I've ever heard is from those who have no idea who to call or they're embarrased asking a guy out. That's when your sisters can help out. A lot of members bring guy friends. It's not uncommon for members to go "stag" as a group if they couldn't find anyone who was free at the last minute.

[annabella]

Is it your chapter officers who don't like them, or is it your campus Panhellenic officers? Some risk management policies require chapters to submit a comprehensive list of all attendees in advance.

[JohnnyCash]

Hmmm.. Grab-a-dates are different on my campus, it usually consists of a day where your organization travels to Central Florida and you spend a day in an amusement park (Disney, Islands of Adventure, etc.) with your dates.

[BSCKt]

They just said they don't like them because they are too haphazard. But, they know from the start, so I don't see why THEY would make such complaints. I can see members saying that.

I don't mean to sound like a crass greek-ist snob, but I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that our president dates a non-greek. Not that it's a bad thing, I mean, I have taken non-greeks to my parties. But she always gets a little twinge of jealousy at our candlelightings for pinnings and stuff. And I think it plays a part (but, that's just my opinion, it is in no way confirmed).