Wearing letters

[amgn253]

I've always been curious about this....

When can your organization's new members start wearing letters? As soon as they sign their bid card or after initiation? Or somewhere in between?

For example, pledges in Beta Sigma Phi can wear letters as soon as they sign their pledge agreement.

[33girl]

This is different for every GLO.

[SiKeS]

Ya know I was also wondering this... I'm considered a pledge, and I'd love to start supporting AKL, but in fear of breaking some rule of not wearing letters, I stay clear of sporting any gear whether it is the letters or just spells out the name...

However, if anyone knows whether or not AKL has a rule about this, please let me know... I'd ask one of the guys but its not really that big of a deal. I figure i'll find out sooner or later.

-Matt

[AlphaFrog]

As 33girl said, this is different for every GLO....

And, possibly each indivdual chapter of each GLO.

You're only way to know is to ask each spesific orginization.

Alpha Sigma Alpha, Beta Kappa Chapter was allowed to wear screen print/spelled out letters as soon as the bid was signed and block letters after the first ceramony, offically begining your pledging.

[polarpi]

I'm pretty sure (about 95% or so) that ADPis can wear letters as soon as they've signed their bid card (our bid day shirts had the Greek letters on them, not Alpha Delta Pi spelled out, and we got a set of block letters at bid day that we were encouraged to wear the next day to classes), and I know that my first ceremony wasn't until the day after Bid Day.

[mommag2]

GAO doesn't allow pledges, or as we call them PA's, to wear letters stitched, blocked, screen-printed until activation. As a PA you can only wear GAO or Gamma Alpha Omega until activation. That's on a National not just chapter level.

The only exception to this rule is Charters Groups. Those ladies that have been granted charter status during their process of becoming a Chapter can wear screenprinted or blocked, but not stitched. Stitched letters are reserved for activation and recieving Chapter status.

[AUDeltaGam]

Our new girls can wear any types of letters right away!!

[SiKeS]

why wouldn't you be allowed to wear letters or the name spelled out? you'd think they'd encourage it. After all, wearing letters to class IS a form of advertising since potential greeks may see them and remember them when going through rush.

[aephi alum]

As others have said - depends on the org.

My sorority does not allow anyone except initiated sisters to wear the Greek letters. New members, boyfriends, moms, etc. can wear "AEPhi" or "Alpha Epsilon Phi" spelled out. That's set on a national level.

However, we are more than happy to have our new members sporting their new affiliation as long as it's spelled out.

In Alpha Gamma Delta, new members are allowed to wear our letters (in Greek and spelled out) as soon as Bid Day/Night.

The only things they are forbidden from wearing are our Badge and our Armorial Bearings (better known as a crest or coat of arms for some orgs.).

Originally posted by Sikes
why wouldn't you be allowed to wear letters or the name spelled out? you'd think they'd encourage it. After all, wearing letters to class IS a form of advertising since potential greeks may see them and remember them when going through rush.

Again, this is just AGD's new member policy. Other sororities do not allow their new members to wear their letters simply because they will not know the meaning and the secrecy of their letters until Initiation day.

[Cardinal026]

When I was a new member, we were "strongly discouraged" from wearing letters. Even though our nationals said it was okay, my particular chapter, like every chapter at my school, had adopted the practice of waiting until initiation. None of us had a problem with this, since that was the same w/ all GLO on my campus, so we didn't question it. But the same week I got initiated, our headquarters told us how much they disliked that we prevented us from letting our new members wear them, so we encouraged the class after mine to do so. It's hard, because no one else on campus does it, and some older sisters resented it, but its actually allowed us to have new members focus on more important things after initiation - like wearing our crest.

[ChiOKateO]

yeah, we're all about wearing letters, but i'm not sure how it was in the past? hmm i'll ask someone.

Originally posted by Cardinal026
When I was a new member, we were "strongly discouraged" from wearing letters. Even though our nationals said it was okay, my particular chapter, like every chapter at my school, had adopted the practice of waiting until initiation. None of us had a problem with this, since that was the same w/ all GLO on my campus, so we didn't question it. But the same week I got initiated, our headquarters told us how much they disliked that we prevented us from letting our new members wear them, so we encouraged the class after mine to do so. It's hard, because no one else on campus does it, and some older sisters resented it, but its actually allowed us to have new members focus on more important things after initiation - like wearing our crest.

[newbabysquirrel]

Hello-
I'm in Alpha Gamma Delta and my chapter does not allow new members to wear the greek letters until after Intiation, but we can wear the AGD letters and "Alpha Gamma Delta" and things like that before Intiation. However, as others have said, it varies from chapter to chapter. I think the other chapters in my state allow the new members to wear letters right away. It didn't really matter with my pledge class because we bought our shirts and what not and just didn't wear the one or two until later.

Originally posted by newbabysquirrel
Hello-
I'm in Alpha Gamma Delta and my chapter does not allow new members to wear the greek letters until after Intiation, but we can wear the AGD letters and "Alpha Gamma Delta" and things like that before Intiation. However, as others have said, it varies from chapter to chapter. I think the other chapters in my state allow the new members to wear letters right away. It didn't really matter with my pledge class because we bought our shirts and what not and just didn't wear the one or two until later.

While I see the benefits of waiting till after Initiation to wear letters and being allowed to wear letters prior to that, I have a problem with chapters not keeping things uniform and adhering to NM policy set forth by IHQ.

In my "pledge manual" (since it was called that then), it said that we were "encouraged to show your pride in your chosen Fraternity by displaying the name of Alpha Gamma Delta. Pledges may wear our Greek letters on clothing and jewelry."

I think it's wrong for a chapter's rules to supercede the rules IHQ enforces.

Thoughts?

[Sister Havana]

We were not allowed to wear Alpha Phi Omega letters until we were initiated...the only exception was our pledge pin.