Even though the Greek community only makes up about 15 percent of the student body, it has a huge presence on campus. Almost everybody knows someone in a sorority or fraternity. Members of all four of the Greek councils at UF can be seen sporting letters on a daily basis. Greeks at UF have come to form their own community, and with this sense of community comes traditions. There are quite a few pastimes that many UF Greeks have come to know and love.
1. Canceling everything for Chicken Wing Charity Thing
Chicken Wing Charity Thing is sort of a holiday at UF. Each year, the Interfraternity Council holds an event where each IFC chapter makes a batch of 600 chicken wings to be judged on. It’s basically chicken wing heaven. The event is so popular that most sorority houses even shut down dinner for the event. All of the proceeds raised at the event go to Dance Marathon.
2. Witnessing Panhellenic recruitment week
Whether you’re participating in recruitment or not, you know it’s going on. It isn’t every day you see thousands of girls roaming sorority row braving the August heat in heels. Pi Chis can be seen throughout the week wearing crazy hats and dabbing the faces of sweaty potential new members with torn-up coffee filters. If you are taking part in recruitment, you know it is one of the craziest weeks you will ever experience. However, nothing can quite compare to running to your new home on bid day.
3. Monday night chapter
Chapter is something almost every Greek participates in. Love it or hate it, you still have to go. Monday nights seem to be the traditional night to have chapter for most UF organizations. On chapter nights, you’ll rarely find parking on or near sorority or fraternity row. Sorority and fraternity members are, for once, seen wearing something besides a T-shirt and Nike shorts.
4. Class reveals in Turlington Plaza
Class reveals are done within the Multicultural Greek Council and National Pan-Hellenic Council at UF. New members are not able to speak of their experience pledging, so no one knows they have joined one of these organizations. This is their time to show off their letters with pride for the first time. During a reveal, you can find new members of their respected fraternity and sororities in Turlington. They typically wear masks and can be seen stepping or dancing as part of their organization’s ritual. At the end, they reveal their identity to the school and take off their masks. It’s energetic and really special for the members of the chapters.
5. Waking up at 7 a.m. for noon games
Noon games in the Swamp might be awful, but that doesn’t stop you from waking up in the wee hours in the morning for it. The game might start at noon, but for Florida Greeks, the fun starts way earlier. No matter if you’re tailgating with your brothers and sisters on campus or paired with a fraternity or a sorority; you’re doing something to prep for cheering on the Gators.
6. Rainy days in your anorak
Some might be sad to look outside and find it raining. However, members of the Florida Greek community smile, knowing they can pull on their trusty Charles River anorak. Anoraks bearing your Greek letters are a staple on campus. Even when it isn’t raining, you can almost always find someone wearing the iconic navy jacket.
7. Announcing at dinner
A favorite pastime for many Greek organizations is announcing or being announced to at dinner. Nothing quite beats having a cookie cake delivered to your house or being serenaded by an a capella group during your meal. It allows you to see other people you don’t normally see and really brings together a variety of organizations.
8. Going crazy FTK
Dance Marathon is a huge deal for Greek chapters at UF. All year, members from every Greek council participate in spirit check-ins and hospitality nights. At any time of day, you can always count on a brother or sister for a “DM ride.” On the day of Dance Marathon, sorority and fraternity houses are basically empty because so many members are either participating in the event or visiting someone who is.
No matter what Greek council you are a member of, you are a part of a community at UF. You all share traditions that are unlike what some other students may experience.
Photo Credit: Delta Zeta at the University of Florida Facebook