‘Live Laugh Love’ and ‘Sip and Strip’ moved to 2021
Written by Dubel Stayndards
“I’m devastated–this was supposed to be the best time of my life,” said a visibly shaken Mary Kate Grace Johnson, ’21.
As Johnson, President of Tau Iota Tau, summed up, this week is particularly difficult for Wofford students. Without the recent interruption of COVID-19, the week of April 13 would have been jam-packed with two brand-new Greek activities, both sponsored by the college and intended to raise money for the organizations’ respective philanthropies.
On Wednesday, Tau Iota Tau was planning to host their brand new ‘Live Laugh Love’ event, intended for all Panhellenic members and those considering recruitment. TIT presented this idea to the college as a “supportive gathering, where female students can practice holding conversations with strangers for longer than 30 minutes,” said Johnson. There are no required topics for discussion; however, Panhellenic determined a few topics to be off-limits: major, hometown, family, any life events before the age of 18, the male population, books, politics, the blue-black or white-gold dress debate, food preference, hobbies and, of course, dr*nking.
The college was quick to offer support for the event, now hoping that it will continue to be offered in future years, despite setbacks this year. According to a public statement from Timothia Biggie, Dean of Greek Life, Wofford “offers unconditional support for all events teaching young women to act like real humans, instead of foregoing their education for partying.”
In an effort to match the school’s goal of raising the Panhellenic GPA above a 3.95 and ensuring post-graduation career acquisition, TIT has required that the dress code for the event be fully professional attire, which includes covering the shoulders, ankles and forearms, fasting for a full 72 hours beforehand to eliminate bloating and forbidding alc*hol within three miles of the house.
Johnson is especially upset because the money raised through the sale of cookies at the event was intended for TIT’s philanthropy, Mono-for-All. MFH is an organization based in Charleston that gives free monogram servicing to the homeless. Over 2,000 homeless people are served every year, giving them the ability to feel stylish in their daily lives.
Sarah Wightman, ’22, added, “It’s really tragic that this pandemic is taking money away from MFH, an organization I hold near and dear to my heart. This is my favorite event of the year, where I can pretend to be someone I’m not and my sisters all support me.”
Similar to this activity is Kappa Epsilon Gamma’s new school-sponsored event, ‘Sip and Strip,’ intended for Friday and open to all current and potential fraternity members.
Kyle Ryan, ’21, head of events for KEG, clarified that “this event was intended to celebrate the powers of brotherhood. We are able to get together and enjoy ourselves without the additional stress of acting in a certain manner to guarantee we aren’t refused a job in the future.”
KEG planned to sell tickets to this event for $20.
In the future, ‘Sip and Strip’ will be hosted in KEG’s house, with complimentary beers handed out at the door, along with a stack of one-dollar bills to be used later in the evening. Brothers will be encouraged to smoke cigars and drink beers during the show, as well as post pictures on their public Instagram profiles. Attendees are welcome to discuss any topics they wish; however, members are forbidden from entering the back room, where cups of random unmeasured liquor are reserved for female guests during weekly parties.
Biggie was among the first to offer her support for the event, saying, “These boys just want to have fun. I believe it is our responsibility to allow them the freedom to enjoy their college years, so that they leave Wofford without the burden of too many restrictions.” Biggie has requested that Ryan and the rest of KEG invite her to one of the ‘Sip and Strip’ events in the next few years.
Jack Schantz, ’22, philanthropy chair, is especially disappointed in the cancellation, because KEG intended to announce their new adopted philanthropy, FJE. FJE, which stands for Free Joe Exotic, is a newer charity, committed to freeing the infamous Tiger King, Joe Exotic, who was charged with murder-for-hire plot and wildlife violations. “I don’t know how we’re going to make up that money we were planning to use from ‘Sip and Strip,’ but either way, we will continue to campaign for this underrepresented organization,” said Schantz.
Despite the campus-wide disappointment regarding the events planned for this week, both Johnson and Ryan are hopeful that next year’s events will garner enough support to engage the entire campus. TIT and KEG ask that you still consider their important philanthropies when choosing donations during this pandemic season.
