Fraternities at Miami fortunately have the privilege of a weekend get away for their annual spring formals. Most go to Gatlinburg, TN or Lake Cumberland, KY. Each fraternity guy gets to ask one lucky lady to formal for what they hope to be a rowdy weekend away from school. As a senior, I have been to three formals over the past three years. Some of these formals have been an absolute blast, while others have been a bit of a bust to say the least. I’m no expert on the in’s and out’s of Gatlinburg, but I would say I have just about mastered the art of successfully surviving a formal weekend. With these tips, I hope you are able to do the same, and have the time of your life, as well.
- Don’t ask anyone to be your date if you aren’t close with them (i.e. close friend or boyfriend/girlfriend). A random date can lead to a very awkward formal experience – like the whole “sharing a bed” part… You’re not going to want to sleep next to someone who don’t know or spent an entire weekend with them if you don’t know them well already.
- After freshman year, making a cooler is not necessary. Guys – don’t expect the girls to do it every year. It is A LOT of work and takes SO much time. Many end up looking like crap anyway and the paint eventually chips off. As for the ladies, if you need tips on how to paint a cooler, click here.
- Plan your outfits beforehand and try not to forget your actual “formal attire.” The weekend usually includes a dinner or formal event of some sort – make sure you plan out your outfit beforehand so you know exactly what to change into. It’ll make getting ready in a house full of 30 people so much easier and way less time consuming.
- Respect your date. LADIES – the guys are spending a lot of money to go on this trip and they are taking you AS THEIR GUEST. Now, this does not mean you are subject to their commands all weekend but respect each other. Party together and have some fun.
- Take a ton of pictures. You can weed out the bad ones when you get back, but you’re going to want to document all of your drunken adventures. Formal weekends are some of my greatest memories from college. Nothing beats looking back at the photos, even if it was just a year ago.
- Say Thank You. As I mentioned before, you are a guest on this get away. Make sure you extend some gratitude to your date. They could’ve taken anyone, but they chose to take you! While you are (obviously) fabulous, they deserve your appreciation after financially supporting your weekend and spending so much time with you.
- When it’s time to go home, take some melatonin and PTFO. You had a long weekend and it’s time for a long nap. You deserve a night (or two) of solid sleep. So go to bed early and rest easy, kids.
When it’s all said and done, give yourself a pat on the back for getting through the weekend. You deserve it! If you’re not a senior, get excited for next year!