Behind the events of Tap Night 2020
All photos by Sydney Pressley.
Tap Night is the anxiously-awaited tradition at Lee when new students are inducted into Greek clubs. It is held at the start of every semester, and this weekend’s events began Thursday at 5 p.m.
For current members, the night started with a quick briefing from the president before members were released to various parts of campus to take pictures and greet one another.
The enthusiasm stayed strong as the night continued. The clubs walked around campus to pick up new members waiting in specific locations or street corners.
Around 5:30 p.m., the Greek clubs began their walk around campus. To those not involved in Greek life, this is an entertaining part of Tap Night. New members eagerly wait, holding suitcases, pillows and backpacks at their assigned location. Each club spends this time differently, but all keep their traditions and methods secret. As new members’ emotions run high, current members also use this time to reflect on their memories from Tap Night.
“I was nervous! I was shaking because I was so nervous,” said Tyler Hughes, a member of Tau Kappa Omega (TKO). “I didn’t know what to expect, and I didn’t know what was going to happen.”
After the clubs collected their new students, they made their way to the Deacon Jones Dining Hall. Just before 9 p.m., all of the Greek clubs and their new tap members lined up outside, waiting to go in. The excitement and nervous energy filled the air as they waited for the doors to open.
The new tap members typically stand behind current members with their own set of rules for the night. These rules differ for each club, but it is common to see new tap members staring at the ground and keeping to themselves. However, despite any secretive rules these new members may have to follow, it is also clear they are brimming with excitement.
“I think it’s a super unique and interesting night because you just see all these people you’ve never seen before. We’re all welcoming [new members] into the Greek community as a whole, but also into our own individual Greek families within each club,” said Weston Barnes, a member of TKO and Omega Alpha Phi (OAP).
As the doors to the Caf open at 9 p.m., members of each club excitedly filed into the building with smiles on their faces. Inside, returning alumni waited to welcome new faces into their Greek communities.
“I love the history [of Tap Night]. The alumni come back, and it’s so cool to see all of the traditions still going,” said Abby Stone, a current member of OAP.
During this part of Tap Night, Greek clubs have the opportunity to tap Sweethearts and Big Brothers into their clubs; this is an exciting and emotional time for current members in the clubs.
“The unifying of different clubs by tapping Little Sisters and Big Brothers is just really cool and super unique. You don’t find that a lot of other places,” said Barnes.
As new Big Brothers and Sweethearts are tapped into their new clubs, enthusiastic cheers filled the air of the Caf. “Put it on!” was chanted as new members were gifted new jerseys and a warm welcome.
The night of celebration ends as induction weekend begins. Other than club members, no one truly knows what happens during induction. However, one thing remains clear — Tap Night is an integral part of Lee’s campus and the night remains filled with celebration and new beginnings for many students on campus.
