Lessons Learned from Formal
For any member of a fraternity, one of the biggest and most important nights of the entire year is the night of the fraternity Formal. For most people in attendance, it is simply one massive party. However, for those who are involved in the planning and production of the big event, it becomes something much greater and more meaningful. This article turns the tables on the event and shows you the more insightful side of Formal by revealing some of the lessons that being a part of the production of Formal can teach you.
Planning an event is hard work
Despite what anyone else tells you, planning a large event is not easy! Every aspect of an event has to be considered and planned for. Bathrooms. Food. Music. Parking. It can takes month of research, scheduling, and finalizing fine details to pull this kind of an event together. When you’re in the midst of dealing with a catering company, suddenly, you find yourself regretting being so nonchalant about parties and events that you have attended in the past, because you realize this is hard work! You’ll learn that delegation is your friend and you really can’t expect positive results without banding together with your fellow members and working towards the shared dream of the perfect Formal.
Details matter, but not that much
Your event could potentially go down in history for providing the best sliders at any Formal at your school, ever. Yet, your Formal won’t go down in history for being the worst ever if there’s a little rain, or you run out of the most popular cocktail. Things will go wrong at your event. That’s something you should realize from the moment that you begin planning, however, it doesn’t mean that your event is doomed. On the other hand, putting careful thought into some of the things that you include in your theme and on your menu could be real successes at the Formal.
Putting work into something is valuable
While you must mentally prepare yourself for the huge time commitment that will be involved in the preparation for the event, at the end of it, you’ll realize that it was all totally worth the effort. While you might be tempted to give up on the project or fall into episodes of either apathy or distress, you will be rewarded for your commitment and work at the end of the day.
It’s so much more than just a party
When you’re surrounded by your friends and fellow members, you will have an ah-hah moment where you realize what all that planning and stress was all about. It was about gathering together with the ones that you care about most. And not just gathering for aimless, reckless fun, but gathering to be involved in bonds, friendship, and camaraderie that will stand the test of time and last a lifetime. This is what the bond of fraternity brothers is all about. And devoting yourself to this intense labor of love will help you realize that it was all worth it in the end.
