Being a part of a fraternity formal is quite a privilege. Two whole days of raging and carefree fun in the sun makes for an awesome weekend — if you do it right. Here are a few pointers on how to make sure your formal experience goes smoothly. It may be too late for some of you, but hey, there’s always next year … that is, if there are any fraternities left.
1) Don’t lie to your teachers about why you’ll be missing class Friday. That sunburn Monday morning will say everything.
2) Don’t procrastinate on your cooler. They take forever, and people will be able to tell if you only gave it half of your effort. If you don’t have enough artistic talent to free hand the Jack Daniels label, make it personal. If you don’t know your date well, Facebook might be helpful.
3) Get your work done before you leave. You may think you’re going to hit up that business center at the hotel, but you won’t.
4) Put your sunscreen on before you pop that cooler open. It may be 10 a.m., but it is safe to bet you will not be thinking about it later. Also, make sure the person applying the sun block on your back is still straight or there are going to be some weird red designs on you back the next day.
5) Remember your beach etiquette: Keep the glass in the coolers. If you are able to swim it is probably best you bring a buddy with you. Do not puke in front of the children. Oh, and be prepared to have an audience. More than 100 college students camped around brightly decorated coolers isn’t something you see everyday.
6) Pace yourself. It’s an intense weekend, and you want to experience as much as you can. Intense day drinking is fine because you can always recover with a six-hour afternoon nap, but passing out early in the evening cuts out late night beach activities and 3 a.m. trips to Whataburger. You also have to wake up early the next day and do it all over again.
7) Watch your date closely. You may not even be that into her, but it really stinks when everyone on the trip knows the worst guy in the fraternity was able to swoop in and take her. It also sucks to wake up with your date and treacherous brother sleeping together on the pullout couch in your hotel room.
8) Pack lightly because God knows you won’t be feeling your best Sunday morning when you have to gather your things and leave.
—Frannie Boyle is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Science. She can be reached at mary.f.boyle@vanderbilt.edu.
