Quote:
Originally Posted by TLLK
Having listened to my chapter sisters accounts regarding their own daughters' new member period, IMO there is too much emphasis upon the gift giving and less on learning about the history and goals of our fraternity.
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There's also another trend I've heard of - not sure it's everywhere, but it is at some Greek-intensive SEC schools: Rush Gifts. Literally multiple times during the week. And not just little gifts, but really nice things. And for bid day? It's the norm to buy a Bid Day Basket. My knowledge is that they start at $100 and go upwards rather quickly. A friend's daughter went through rush last fall at Ole Miss and she spent a small fortune on these gifts. My friend - not from the South - was stunned to learn about them and said she felt like she "had to" buy the gifts since everyone was getting them.
Call me old fashioned, but this type of stuff just seems to coddle girls, as if they can't deal with the stress and frustration that is part of rush; even my friend said her daughter said "the gifts are a pick-me-up to get through the week". And it plays into the constant gift-giving the girls get once they've pledged, it's as if they need constant reassurance.
EDITED TO CLARIFY that the gifts are from the PARENTS, not from actives. Pick-me-up gifts to "keep going", it seems.
