BMC Pledge night is a night to be remembered. Pledges gather at the MLB auditorium to prepare for their entry into one of our campus’s time-honored societies. Each society is different and attracts different types of people.
As dusk falls, the pledges prepare to declare their choice. Nerves and excitement are plentiful as they edge up to the decision. The women choose between the Eunomian, Euzelian, and Modenian societies. The men choose between the Berean or Macedonian societies. After pledging, the new members become part of a family, one that will stay with them long after their years at BMC. New members meet the old members, and each society passes down its traditions on to the next generation.
One of the most famous of these traditions is done every year after pledge night and belongs to the Eunomians. “[T]he [Eunomian] fountain walk[.] Legend has it, that if you walk around the fountain three times, the first guy you see, you will marry,” says Carys Easterling, President of the Eunomian society. She adds, “I don’t really think it’s ever worked before, but there is always a chance!”
The men’s societies also have their share of traditions. One in particular is the Berean’s “statue of [their] mascot Mikey,” commented the Berean President Nathan Bennett. He greets the new pledges to the Bereans, as do the “Berean Brew,” and “Pledge book,” which is prominent at Pledge night.
Similarly, each of the other societies have a signature punch which they usually fix for their events, especially pledge night. Each society also has a “book” where new members sign their names to become part of the society. After signing the book, they become a member of the society for life, and cannot switch memberships.
But pledge night has more to offer than just rituals. It is a special time where people consider where they fit into our larger BMC community. Each person who pledges finds a place where they belong.
When asked why he thought people decided to pledge Berean, Bennett said, “I think people join our society for the same reason people join other societies: because it is a fun group of [like-minded]people […].” Similarly, Easterling stated, “I think that our girls choose our society because they see something special that they want to be a part of.”
Josslyn White, a new member of the Euzelian society, summed it up well. “Pledge night meant to me joining a [sisterhood] forever.” And that is the heart of pledge night—finding a group of people that call to you.
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