Mysterious crafting guru clad in purple and yellow exposes dark secrets of sorority crafts
Twas the night before Bid Day, when all through the dorms, not a single girl was sleeping, despite potential storms. Their tutus were hung by their mirrors with care, in hopes that new members soon would be there. The girls were covered in paint and glitter, as they crafted items for the little that would best befit her.
In the months leading up to Bid Day, members of Greek Life sought new participants to join their beloved organizations by enduring countless rush dates, informal events and formal events with near-strangers. Regardless of whether you were an Alpha Chi slipping and falling on your face in a roller-rink, or you were a Sigma donning your best animal print, chances are the thoughts of finding your perfect little likely filled your head. Now that we’re a week into pledging, chances are, you’ve already gotten your little or you’re in the process of figuring out which member of your club’s newest active class will join your line.
As one of my sorority’s many self-appointed “Pinterest Queens”, I began crafting for a potential little as soon as I got my hands on some acrylic paints this summer. I made enough to fill a bin for one perfect little, but shortly before Bid Day, I realized my heart was set on having, not one, but two girls. Suddenly, I found myself scrambling at the last minute to craft the prettiest paddles and swankiest bubba kegs possible for another girl. So, if you’re anything like me, struggling to craft something you know another girl will love for the sake of your sorority, you might benefit from three key pieces of advice handed down to me from sorority experts across campus.
- Craft with your sisters
We’re all in this together after all, right? A couple of weeks before Bid Day, members of my sorority, Alpha Chi Lambda, organized craft nights for actives to attend. We’d put on the cheesiest movie available on Netflix, pool our Bonus Bucks to buy the guiltiest pleasures and swap colors to create the cutest crafts we could think of. Hanging out with my sisters is always fun, but when we’re all grouped together, I had access to way more paints and tools than my personal craft bin could offer. We also were able to enlist the help of each other; some girls can’t draw sunflowers, our symbol, for the life of them, but others can. These craft nights helped immensely, and I already can’t wait for our next one.
- Don’t craft for a specific person
Although some organizations have already determined which girls will be paired together, others haven’t. If you’re still waiting anxiously to see which new member you’ll call your little, try to avoid getting your heart set on crafting for a specific person. It can be difficult to tell which girl will end up with an active, and if the girl you think you’ll get ends up in a different line or sorority entirely, it could be awkward for your little to receive a bunch of items that had been specifically made to impress someone else. If you craft a little more generically – using your sorority’s colors, symbols and motto – you’ll also create sentimental items your little may eventually be able to will-down to someone special to her next year.
- Avoid glitter
I knew I wanted to make a tutu for Bid Day almost immediately after I joined Alpha Chi; seeing my new sisters and members of other organizations running around in these crazy hoops looked so silly; I had to join in. I started crafting my tutu during winter break, and I mistakenly only used glitter tulle. In addition to the glitter I dusted some of my canvasses with, it was only a matter of time before my kitchen floors were covered in specks of purple and gold. Transporting the items only made my crafts shed even more, and now my dorm’s carpet is covered in a permanent layer of ugly, evil sparkles.
If I could go back in time, I’d put back the sparkling tulle and jars of glitter, opting to use plain colors instead. Rumor has it that the combination of shed glitter from all of the Alpha Chi’s outfits has stained Coates permanently as well; while I’m glad we left our mark on campus, I think we could have found more positive, less messy ways to impact Trinity.
We have about 358 days until the next group of girls comes running up Cardiac Hill, excited for their new sisters, but painfully unaware of the commitment they’ll make to orientation; the least we can do to encourage their excitement and reassure them about their dedication to sisterhood is greet them with ridiculously pretty paddles, colorful canvases and impressive sets of wooden letters. Here’s to all of us getting started on crafting way more in advance than we actually did, and here’s to a glitter-free Bid Day 2018.
