Many of you may come from towns where there is “nothing to do.” If you thought you were escaping this by moving to Hanover, perhaps you should have visited first.
Before you start filling out your transfer papers, don’t fret. The students here have developed a thriving, eclectic Greek scene that offers a little something for everyone. Below is a brief introduction to all of the Greek organizations on campus. Before bolting out the door to begin your frat-hopping adventures after Homecoming weekend, be sure to put your name in your jacket and slip on some kind of indestructible footwear. Be prepared for both to end up ruined, stolen or left in a random person’s room.
Alpha Chi Alpha (Alpha Chi): If you’ve ever craved succulent, slow-cooked pork and live music on a warm spring day, look no further than Alpha Chi’s Pigstick party. Behind their geometric green house on Webster sits the only beach volleyball court on campus. The brothers host a beach party each winter with real sand to beat those snow-day blues. When you really can’t stand the thought of your Friday 9L, the boys of AXA like to kick off the weekend early with a “So Happy It’s Thursday” event.
Alpha Delta (AD): The famed inspiration for the classic frat-boy film “Animal House,” AD has no trouble drawing in large crowds in spite of its distance from frat row. “The Delta” is popular among soccer, rugby, tennis and squash players. AD sees plenty of Wednesday night traffic and puts its expansive lawn to good use over Green Key weekend, hosting the annual outdoor Lawn Party. They double as both a frat house and an open sewer, so if you’re ever in dire need of a bathroom, their basement is a good place to stop in.
Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA): A historically black sorority, AKA is known for its strong sisterhood. They don’t currently have a house on campus and pledge classes are usually small but close.
Alpha Phi (A Phi): Alpha Phi is Dartmouth’s second newest sorority. You can always count on these ladies for library bake sales when you just can’t eat another KAF muffin. A Phi is known for its love of philanthropy, hosting the annual Red Dress Gala to support the American Heart Association. Their beautiful house on Park Street was completed just in time for rush last year, inspiring plenty of “oohs” and “aahs.”
Alpha Phi Alpha: Dartmouth’s chapter of the historically African-American fraternity. They do not have a house on campus but still host events throughout the year, including the wildly popular Step Show during Green Key.
Alpha Theta: A coed house that hosts weekly Monday night movies, Alpha Theta is located just behind Kemeny Hall. Their Mellows event is a non-alcoholic party with delicious marshmallow desserts for when Foco just isn’t cutting it. Alpha Theta also hosts termly dinners with professors, a wild Seven Deadly Sins Party and DartCon, a must for all serious gamers.
Alpha Xi Delta (AZD): True bastions of the phrase “work hard, play hard,” the sisters of AZD are known for having the highest GPA of any Greek house. The ladies occupy the second newest house on campus just across from the gym. Though their rooms are clean and spacious, their national status prevents the sisters from hosting any open events. Fun fact: they used to be located in Beta’s current house.
Beta Alpha Omega (Beta): Recently rerecognized as a local fraternity, Beta held their first rush in 2008. Beta is your go-to for America-themed parties and country music, and you can always count on these boys to be firing up the grill on warm, Friday afternoons during the spring and summer. In their basement, you can find couches that save you from sitting on sticky, concrete ledges and games of slap-cup are often played alongside (but never in lieu of) pong.
Bones Gate (BG): Known as a more alternative house, BG is known for hosting student and local music acts as well as a costume party on every big weekend. The boys brew a delicious spiked iced tea as well as a mysterious concoction known as Cutter, whose ingredients are rumored to be patent-protected by the brotherhood. Be sure not to flail too much during a pong game here or you’re likely to end up with a cigarette burn on your arm.
Chi Gamma Epsilon (Chi Gam): Formerly known as the lightweight crew house, Chi Gam is located in the heart of Webster Avenue. These charming lads recently bought a hot tub, which passerby can view enviously from the sidewalk. Chi Gam hosts Gammapalooza each year during Green Key Weekend. This year, they brought in Baauer.
Chi Heorot (Heorot): A local fraternity that gives you the pleasure of sweating through your white clothing at their termly Highlighter Party, Heorot is home to many skiiers, hockey players, and most of the baseball team. With multiple bars and raised platforms for seating, Heorot’s basement is arguably one of the best on campus. They once decided to cover the first floor with ice and it collapsed into the basement, but hey, they fixed it up pretty well.
Delta Delta Delta (Tri-Delt): DDD is located in the charming yellow house just off Webster Ave, directly behind the Choates. On the Saturday of Green Key, the ladies host Delta House of Pancakes, with homemade pancakes and an assortment of fresh fruit toppings that rejuvenate tired party-goers. Over the summer, Tri-Delt also organizes Pelta-Delta, a campus-wide dodgeball tournament.
Epsilon Kappa Theta (EKT): As a local sorority, EKT hosts several events throughout the year, many of which include tie-dye and graffiti. The ladies also host Thetaroo, a fun and friendly music festival, on big weekends. Their Victorian-style house is a point of pride for many of its sisters, and it certainly catches the eye amidst the colonial-style houses that populate Webster Ave.
Gamma Delta Chi (GDX): Comprising Dartmouth’s football team, the brothers of GDX could probably out-bench the rest of campus combined. These big guys are known for having even bigger hearts and throwing even bigger parties! Last spring, they mourned the filling of their architecturally-impressive and iconic basement, the “pit,” which hosted a number of pong tournaments. Fire codes simply don’t know a good time when they see one.
Lambda Upsilon Lambda: Historically a Latino affinity organization, this chapter, founded in 1997, also does not have a physical plant on campus. The brothers, called hermanos, affectionately nicknamed their chapter El Norte due to Dartmouth’s northern location.
Kappa Delta (KD): Dartmouth only acquired its chapter of this national sorority in 2009. Construction for a house is set to begin in the fall 2014, pending approval from the Board of Trustees. The sisters currently take residence on the fourth floor of Hitchcock, part of the Gold Coast residential cluster. Each year, the ladies host a Shamrock 5k fun run to raise money and awareness to prevent child abuse.
Kappa Delta Epsilon (KDE): One of the few local sororities, KDE is located in a big white house on Webster Ave, in between Chi Gam and Sig Ep. Girls are known for their athleticism, and many play on the rugby, lacrosse, hockey and volleyball teams. Each term they host “Tackies” during big weekends, encouraging students to “get weird” with their outfits, which include plenty of flair.
Kappa Kappa Gamma (Kappa): Kappa is the furthest house from the center of campus, located past the gym. You’ll know them by their blue bows during pledge term, their Wall Street job offers and their fitted sorority gear. Kappa sisters, while unable to host events at their house due to their national sorority status, can frequently be found participating in philanthropy events, including the Prouty and Relay for Life. The sisters also cook weekly dinners for David’s House, an organization that provides housing for people whose relatives are patients at Dartmouth hospital.
Kappa Kappa Kappa (Tri-Kap): This fraternity is the first house on the corner of Webster, and features a thriving pong scene and a cozy bar-like basement. The brothers pride themselves on their dance parties, which provide a wonderful way to ease yourself into the Greek scene. Tri-Kap is also known for its Monday night Freeze events, a favorite of those of us without 10As.
Phi Delta Alpha (Phi Delt): Phi Delt could be the most beautiful home in Hanover were it not stuck living the life of a frat house. You can also thank them for the constant classic rock blaring on Webster. Venture here for a more relaxed pong scene, bi-termly Reds events and three adorable dogs. Brothers can be found heckling at passerby from their massive porch, which provides a wonderful place to survey their Block Party event during Green Key.
Phi Tau: Another coed frat, Phi-Tau is sometimes viewed as a little eccentric. If I learned anything my freshman year, it is to go to their termly Milque and Cookies party which serves nothing but tables and tables full of homemade cookies and spiced warm milk. Each of these events features a fun theme, such as 10,000 cookies under the sea. Bring a Tupperware — you’re welcome.
Psi Upsilon (Psi U): Currently home to many skiers and water athletes, Psi U is the white house on Wheelock, closest to Collis and Foco. They have a small basement that’s usually filled with games of pong and dice, but they do host the occasional party that packs the house. Good destination if you’re a fan of late night eating, due to their convenient location next to Collis. During the summer, Psi U hosts an exclusive Wimbledon party to celebrate the national tennis championship in style.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): These guys are famous for featuring kiddie pools in their pledging events, but don’t be surprised if you get kicked out of the basement for bringing it up. Other sore spots for the brothers of SAE include: Andrew Lohse, omelets and Rolling Stone. However, members attempt to make up for their tainted history with a strong brotherhood and ridiculously cute dogs.
Sigma Delta (Sigma Delt): The first sorority at Dartmouth, Sigma Delt is now a local chapter that hosts several a cappella shows and events. The sisters, known for their feminism and strong sisterhood, host the Heaven and Hell party and the Last Chance dance in the spring. The women are currently focusing their philanthropy efforts on Women for Women International, an organization that provides female victims of war with rehabilitation.
Sigma Phi Epsilon (Sig Ep): By frat standards, Sig Ep is a fairly nice house with bathrooms that are on par with a suburban McDonald’s. Here you can find the Foam Party, giving you the chance to bathe in all that lovely “frat juice” masked as bubbles that’s been building up on their floor. The brothers are also popular for their termly Pop-Punk party that lets you twerk to your favorite Fall Out Boy songs from middle school.
Sigma Nu (Sig Nu): I only went in Sig Nu once, but there was cold pizza and brownies upstairs, so that makes them all right in my book. Sig Nu is known for its ’90s parties and frequent kegs, and brothers can often be found playing alternative versions of pong, due to their termly cup formation change.
The Tabard: Another coed frat, the Tabard is big on disco, drag and all things that would make your mother uncomfortable. They draw big crowds with their termly Lingerie show that encourages self-liberation, body acceptance and boob tassels. A python was recently released from this fraternity, causing a stir and awarding street cred to this coed.
Theta Delta Chi (TDX): TDX is a common last stop for many students during their nights out. Theta Delt is home to the entirety of the men’s lacrosse roster, and tends to pack the house for its nightly dance parties, although it may be a little bit difficult to actually dance with the amount of people there. Basement temperatures are comparable with those of a hot yoga studio. Not recommended for claustrophobics or sticklers of the fire code.
Zeta Psi (Zete): Zete lives up to their reputation as one of the cleanest fraternities on campus. Their first-floor bathroom is pristine by Greek-standards and provides a wonderful alternative to the facilities of AD and TDX. Zete is best known for their weekly Nectar drinks and frequent “Zeta Psider” event.