Photo by wethepvblic
Frat Lapping is a sacred tradition that has been passed down for generations, from one class of college women to the next. Some of us were taught by our mothers, some of us by our sorority sisters, and some of us learned on the fly. Here are the commandments of the Frat Lap:
1. Thou shall have a game plan
Map out your night by having a generalized timeline of where you are going to go and when.
2. Thou shall use the buddy system
Never walk between parties alone, never walk home alone, really never go anywhere alone. There is safety in numbers and someone has to rescue your roommate from the over talkative guy from her econ class.
3. Thou shall take trophies
This one is an optional commandment. Take t-shirts, small composites, and other general “trophy” like items from frat houses. Don’t taking anything big or noticeable. Charters, national awards, and anything that might be of actual value are always a no go.
4. Thou shalt never rob the frat thy rat at
If you spend a lot of time at one fraternity in particular, whether because your boyfriend is in it, all of your friends go there, or you’re just close with the guys, you are now a “rat” of that house. You should never take trophies from the house you’re a rat at.
5. Thou shall bring snacks
Frat lapping takes a lot of energy, carry a snack in your bra or pocket. I’m not kidding.
6. Thou shall have Uber, Lyft, etc., on thy phone
There is no excuse for drunk driving after a night out. You put yourself and everyone else in danger of harm or death if you get behind the wheel after drinking. Ride share apps aren’t too expensive and the $7 is worth guaranteeing everyone lives.
7. Thou shall watch the “bartender”
It’s okay to drink, but only if you watch whoever is making the drinks. Do not drink anything someone has handed to you unless you watched them make it. This also gives you the opportunity to drink something other than beer or punch.
8. Thou shalt keep thy phone on
Keep your phone on you, don’t set it down, charge it before you go out, and have your ringer on. If you separate from your group or buddy, you can find them a lot easier with a phone.
9. Thou shalt not leave without the clothes thy came in
Homegirl how did you lose your pants?
10. Thou shalt not skip class the next day
This is the final and one of them most important commandments. If you go out on a weeknight, you MUST go to class the next day. Hungover or not you’re here for your education first. Even if you have to puke and rally during class, you are in college for your degree, not your completion certificate of the frat lap.