It’s that time of year again… that’s right, you guessed it! It’s Big/Little Week!
For anyone in the Greek community, this is easily one of the most exciting times of the year for both old and new members alike! The bond between a sorority Big and Little is so strong that it solidifies the meaning of sorority sisterhood. Getting a Big is the most exciting time for Littles, as it is the first step after receiving their bids when they truly feel a part of the sorority they join. Now they are not only a part of a great organization, but they feel as though they are truly part of a family of sisters who love and support each other. For Bigs, getting a Little is one of the most rewarding accomplishments, as they are now able to pass down their sorority knowledge to the next generation of sisters and mentor these young girls throughout their Greek life experience. Regardless if you are getting a Little this semester or thinking about getting one in the future, this article will help you out with everything from what to expect, what to buy, and where to buy it. This is The Ultimate Guide for Bigs Getting Littles.
What to Expect
Big/Little week can vary between sororities, as each sorority tradition is different. In this article, we will explore how Big/Little week happens at Delta Delta Delta sorority chapter at the University of Ottawa. According to members of Tri Delta at uOttawa, this is how the week leading up to Big/Little reveal goes:
“Usually, right after new members receive their bids to join the sorority, we introduce them to their Pearl Pals.”
These are other sorority members who volunteer to be a new member’s “temporary” Big before Bigs are actually revealed to the new members, which is most commonly a week after they receive their Pearl Pals. New members then meet up with their Pearl Pals for coffee dates, food, etc. This is a chance for new members to get to know other members in the sorority, before they receive their Big and officially join their sorority family. Pearl Pals can also be the first line of contact between Bigs and Littles before reveal. Pearl Pals will often give gifts and clues to new members from Bigs to help them learn more about who they are.
During this week, Bigs can also communicate to their Littles by chatting online. Of course, Littles still do not know the identity of their Bigs at this point, so communication is done anonymously.
“During Big/Little week, Bigs communicate with their Littles through our anonymous Facebook account named, Sarah Ida Shaw (after our organization’s founding sister). It’s so fun because Bigs are messaging their Littles through Facebook and the Littles have no idea which sister it could be. They literally could be sitting next to their future Big in class one day and not even know it! All the initiated sisters know who the Big/Little pairings are too, so they like to mess with new members and have a lot of fun during Big/Little week too!”
After this fun-filled week of Littles trying to guess who their Big is, it is finally the moment everyone has been waiting for… Big/Little Reveal!!!
“Each reveal is different. One year, we had Bigs wrapped up in gift wrap with only their feet showing. Littles had to come over to the “present” with their names on it and unwrap their Big to find out who it was.Another year, we had Littles wear a pair of socks from their Big. They would walk into a room where Bigs were behind a large sheet with only their feet showing. They would wear the same socks they gave to their Littles and the Littles would stand in front of the socks that matched their own. The Bigs would countdown, the sheet would drop and the Bigs would be revealed to the Littles!”
This is the day every Little has been waiting for all week! The chance for them to see whether their predictions were correct and finally meet their Big sisters! This day is filled with lots of laughter, screaming, crying and surprises that every member enjoys. After this day, Littles will finally know who has been messaging them all week and meet them in person! Often after the reveal, sorority Bigs and Littles will take a ton of pictures as Big and Little for the first time. Bigs will give their final boxes of gifts to their Littles, and celebrate the newest edition to their family with a celebratory dinner. For many, this is truly the most wonderful time of the year!