Typically new fraternity and sorority pledges mean one thing this time of year – “kiss night.” However, this January Wake Forest students are kissing the annual Greek-life tradition goodbye due to the issues caused by the event just a year ago. Instead of cramming hundreds of students into Millennium downtown and hoping for the best, Wake Forest will be hosting the new (and improved, TBD) “pledge night” this upcoming Friday January 21st for both Greek and non-Greek students. The school will be funding the event, with the help of a small payment from each Greek organization, to be located in Reynolda, both in the Mag and Green Rooms, and under a tent on the patio where there will be a beer garden for those of age.
Ladies, remember this is not another Seize the Quad: be sure to leave your chucks and sorority shirts at home because the event will be semi-formal attire – a change that may discourage the (ahem) kissing activities that have gone down for so many years. Or maybe not. What is most striking about the new (and improved, TBD) “pledge night” is the lack of information circulated around campus. Information seems to be scarce, and the final plans for the event were only announced a few days ago, giving students reason to believe that changes are being kept hush-hush on purpose. Who would want to hype up an event that the school so badly wants to quiet?
Freshmen seem especially saddened to see a time-honored tradition left behind. A freshman and brand new sorority member* reacts to the school’s new changes: “It is so nice that the school is paying for the party, and it is completely understandable that they are trying to prevent what happened last year. However, I still feel like my class is missing out on a tradition.”
With the campus buzzing with talk of the new “pledge night,” opposing opinions have also surfaced on the matter. An older sorority member* who experienced “kiss night” for the past two years reacts to the school’s change: “I will be interested to see how this turns out. I hope people do not treat it as a Seize the Quad and just go into [fraternity] lounges. It will be a more fun party if all the organizations join together and celebrate in Reynolda.” She continues: “But I also think a huge party in Reynolda might turn out just like ‘kiss night,’ just in a different location.”
A non-Greek affiliated boy* offers another perspective: “I hope the new ‘pledge night’ is a success. It would be great if people, especially fraternities, wanted to have more events on campus.”
Stay tuned. The success of the new and improved ‘pledge night’ is yet to be determined.
*= wished to remain anonymous
Leave your comments below because Her Campus Wake Forest would love to hear from you on this very controversial issue. Do you think a newly-designed event will change the nature of “pledge night”? We’re curious.