Fraternities and sororities in the U.S. have some rather bizarre customs that go beyond the usual parties & social events. In fact, these traditions confuse most outsiders because they’re just so darn strange—including watermelon smashing and weird pageants! Here are eleven of the oddest traditions in American fraternities & sororities. We’re not judging anyone for taking part in these but you can’t deny that they’re weird and rather wild, too.
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Lambda Chi Alpha’s Watermelon Bust
Lambda Chi Alpha has a rather sticky yet fun tradition called the Watermelon Bust where, every year, the brothers get together for a day full of watermelon-themed games. This involves seed spitting contests, watermelon relays—even tossing watermelons around, which makes for quite a messy affair! But that’s part of the charm and they also use the event to raise money for charity, bringing everyone together for a good cause.
Phi Gamma Delta’s Norris Pig Dinner
Phi Gamma Delta, or FIJI, throws an annual event called the Norris Pig Dinner that’s essentially a big banquet where they serve up a roast pig with plenty of fanfare. Rather than a normal dinner, it’s the longest-running, chapter-based graduate event among fraternities. Both current and alumni members come together to share stories and enjoy a hearty meal, celebrating their bond over a plate of roast pork.
Sigma Chi’s Derby Days
Sigma Chi’s Derby Days is quite an important event on campus and includes all sorts of oddball competitions—such as relay races & dance-offs—that get everyone laughing! Some of the sororities join in on the fun and each day has a different theme, which keeps everyone on their toes. The main goal is to raise money for charity, making for an unconventional way to do some good where everyone gets to let loose a bit.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s Paddy Murphy Week
Sigma Alpha Epsilon celebrates Paddy Murphy Week with a mix of fun & folklore as the week includes numerous themed events and challenges. Each one pays tribute to the legendary Paddy Murphy—some brothers might dress up in costumes & put on skits! They’ll all take part in activities that bring the story to life and engage with their history while also supporting charitable causes.
Delta Zeta’s Turtle Tug
Delta Zeta’s Turtle Tug is a tug-of-war like no other because instead of solid ground, teams face off over a pit filled with mud or gelatin—the goal is to pull the other side into the messy middle! It’s as slippery and hilarious as it sounds, giving the crowd a kick out of watching contestants struggle not to fall in. Best of all, the event raises money for the sorority’s chosen charities and that somehow makes the muddy fun worthwhile for everyone involved.
Zeta Tau Alpha’s Big Man on Campus
Zeta Tau Alpha puts on Big Man on Campus, which is a kind of pageant where guys get to strut their stuff in categories like formal wear. All the while, they have to ham it up for the crowd and the audience enjoys seeing a different side to their classmates! Best of all, the event raises money for breast cancer awareness so bringing everyone together for a great cause makes this odd pageant a highlight of the year.
Alpha Tau Omega’s Bed Races
Alpha Tau Omega has a special tradition called Bed Races where teams build & decorate beds on wheels—and then race them down a course as fast as they can! These rolling beds are usually decked out in all sorts of themes to show off the teams’ creativity and you really don’t know how wild it is to see beds speeding along until you do it! Many spectators line up to watch the action so it’s a memorable event for everyone who gets to witness it.
Theta Tau’s Rube Goldberg Machines
The members of Theta Tau love building Rube Goldberg machines and that makes sense since they’re an engineering fraternity. They create elaborate contraptions where they do a simple task through a chain of complex steps—the goal is to use your creativity & technical know-how to make something spectacular. Seeing them unveil their machines is quite a treat because you get to watch the domino effect of gadgets and gizmos in action.
Pi Kappa Alpha’s Fireman’s Challenge
Pi Kappa Alpha hosts the Fireman’s Challenge that involves putting participants through the paces of firefighter-like tasks and competitions include obstacle courses & bucket brigades. Let’s not forget the hose relays! All of these are designed to mimic real firefighting activities and while it might be tough work, it’s all for a good cause because it honors the hard work of firefighters while also raising money for related charities.
Kappa Delta’s Shamrock ‘War of the Roses’
Kappa Delta’s Shamrock event includes the War of the Roses where fraternity teams compete in medieval-themed challenges like jousting and relay races—all of which are done safely, of course. Both participants & the audience have a blast celebrating days of yore and the event also raises money for charity. You really don’t know fun and fundraising until you’ve experienced this!
Delta Gamma’s Anchor Splash
Delta Gamma has an annual tradition called the Anchor Splash event that features swimming competitions, with teams taking part in races, synchronized swimming & even belly flop contests! It’s as entertaining as it sounds which is why it draws so many crowds, cheering on their friends making a splash. The Splash is all for a good cause because it supports Service for Sight, their national philanthropy—it’s a great mix of water antics and fundraising!
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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