Senior Traditions
 

Hi Guys,

I was wondering if people can share ideas or traditions that their senior members do. We are a new chapter, so this is our first year having seniors who are graduating and we want to start a new tradition or thing that the rest of the senior classes after us will continue to do.

This is for a sorority.

Is this a sorority or fraternity?

sorority

I guess your sorority is a local with no HQ or other chapters to ask?

You can't force traditions. They are things that just happen. Think about what you want the sisters after you to know about the sorority. Being part of a new chapter or a new sorority, if you're local, means that you may miss out on some things but will have the pride of creating others.

Some ideas:
Senior to alumna ceremony
senior last will and testament
senior pass-down: seniors give extra tshirts or sorority flair to younger sisters

We did a senior roast. I got roasted for being my chapter's original web designer and creating animated GIFs for the website. It was the mid 1990s ... LOL.

AEPhi also has a ceremony (Temple Degree) for all actives who are becoming alumnae.

We do Will and Testaments. I'll explain since no one has yet:

During the Will and Testaments, the seniors have a chance to express how much being in our sorority has meant to them and write funny "wills" to others. Some people get called out by name. For example, "Susan and Ellen, I will you eternal laughter whenever remember the 100s of times we got lost on our Spring Break road trip last year." Usually the grade levels/pledge classes get called out in groups so no one feels left out. For example, "To the Juniors, I will you all the fun that we had and more. I hope you have as good a time as we did this senior year." It's not always so clean, but it doesn't have to be dirty. Each senior can choose to write her own Will and Testament that reflects her. There can be physical things that the senior passes on to another member and certain heirlooms are passed down in families.

We have strict time limits because we have so many seniors and we end up having multiple nights due to numbers. If there wasn't a time limit, not everyone could go. Seniors usually partner up for the Will and Testament as well. That makes it more fun for them and it goes by a little quicker.

The other tradition that we have is that the seniors pass on their sorority stuff that they don't want or need anymore.

ADPi has a Jewel Degree.

I agree but at the same time I think that if posters present ideas she might not know about she can present them to the seniors. And if her chapter's seniors are excited about it then they can turn it into a tradition. Greekchat is great for exchanging ideas. :)

We did Senior Wills and of course, Jewel Degree. Jewel Degree is my FAVORITE of our rituals! <>

We also had a Senior Dinner, when the Junior Class made dinner for everyone. It was usually somewhat of a potluck. We had a suite in the sorority dorm, so we didn't have a cook.

Similarly, we had "Senior Goodbyes". We passed down our crafts, gifts and apparel. Our littles also organized skits to make fun of the graduating bigs. The nights ended in so many tears - keeled over from laughing and from having to say goodbye.