Sorority seniors savor costume tradition
By Devin Kelly
June 6, 2010 10:07 p.m.
A Batman outfit.
Sparkling dresses with shoulder pads.
A giant grape costume.
After four years of costume parties and social events, a senior in a sorority can find herself with a lot of ““ there’s no other word for it ““ stuff. With graduation approaching, a tradition in some sororities allows seniors to give new life to beloved items.
Known as “Senior Wills Night,” the event consists of seniors bringing out clothing, costumes and funny items from closets and passing them down to younger members of the house. June 1 marked the date for the 12 seniors of Kappa Delta to “will” away their collections.
Instead of a written will, each senior gave a short verbal history of a costume, sorority T-shirt or item as she held it up, fourth-year communications student Annie Geffroy said.
Seniors modeled some of the more exciting costumes, Geffroy added.
“The spirit of it is that when we graduate, we’re not going to wear the crazy costumes or Greek letters anymore,” said Kate Jaffe, former Alphi Phi president and fourth-year math and economics student.
Colleen Meseck, president of Kappa Delta, said the items willed by her sorority are mainly clothing-related, such as homemade costumes, dresses and “crazy hats.”
Memorable, recognizable items make up part of the fun of the night, said Meseck, a third-year anthropology student. A “will” often includes a staple costume that a senior is famous for.
Alpha Phi president Rachel Lieberstein said when her time comes next year, the giant red M&M costume she wears when supervising events will be in the mix.
“When I get to law school, really, do I want to have an M&M costume?” Lieberstein said.
While Lieberstein’s costume is her own, some outfits have been “in the family” for years.
Kappa Kappa Gamma member Brenna Krugman said she believes one of her favorite pieces, a blue 1980s UCLA jumpsuit worn to all of the football games, has been passed down at least six consecutive times.
“I’m excited and sad to pass it on,” said Krugman, a fourth-year biology student.
Members of the sororities say the tradition itself is the “as-long-as-anybody-can-remember” kind. Greek advisor Troy Bartels said senior wills have been around as long as sororities have had graduating members.
When Kappa Kappa Gamma member Emma Trim arrived at Senior Wills Night on May 19, she said the first thing she saw was saw bags and bags of clothing.
“The seniors have so many costumes it’s ridiculous,” said Trim, a first-year art student.
Trim walked away with a moo-moo dress and a rainbow afro, as well as a Boy Scout outfit to match those received by her three close friendsÂ. Four seniors willed the outfits down to the freshmen.
The tradition is mainly for the younger sorority members. Seniors either leave items specifically to underclassmen or put an item up for grabs to the entire group.
“Freshmen love anything to do with Alpha Phi,” Lieberstein said. And graduating seniors have drawers of it ““ like sorority T-shirts from 2007 with the letters and Twister games.
Other “willed” items might just be between friends. Rianne MacInnes, a fourth-year history and European studies student and Kappa Delta member, passed down a French poster to a little sister in the house who also speaks French. Jaffe said she plans to give Lieberstein chocolate sauce ““ an inside joke from several years back.
The night left Krugman with an empty Tupperware box and a bittersweet feeling. But all of the seniors walk away with a sense of accomplishment.
“It’s up to you to pass it on and keep the fun alive,” Krugman said.
