Finding Your Big Through Family Feud and More

Writer: Kaitlyn O. / Editors: Grace C. and Savannah T. / Graphic Designer: Savannah T. / Photos submitted by chapter

Delta Zeta is working hard to make this semester seem as normal as possible while still abiding by COVID-19 guidelines. Delta Zeta is a chapter that embodies and values sisterhood and bonding, so it can be challenging to implement those same kinds of personal bonds through the virtual platforms. Philia sat down with Isy T, Delta Zeta’s Vice President of Programing and Samantha R., Delta Zeta’s Sisterhood chair to discuss their plan to create virtual sisterhood events that are just as engaging as the in person ones, so that their sisters can continue to create these lifelong memories that they value so much.

“It is really difficult to go from seeing sisters at meals and events in the house every day to really not seeing them at all.  Our virtual events give us a way to engage and just see each other’s faces while respecting everyone's boundaries in regard to COVID-19 and while following proper social distancing guidelines and event sizes,” says Isy.

Every month, the committee meets to discuss their goals for that particular month. This month, it was all about getting active sisters and their new members involved, because coming back to campus can be daunting with all of these changes. With that goal in mind, Isy had  the wonderful idea to implement a virtual Family Feud sisterhood event. 

“We thought, well, there are big/little families within our chapter, so why don’t we do Family Feud!” states Samantha. 

Prior to the event, Delta Zeta sisters received a questionnaire filled with the survey questions that would potentially be used in the Family Feud game. They ranged from questions about Florida State’s history, Delta Zeta’s Chapter history and even some inside jokes. Sisters would then weigh in their opinions on the top survey answers and submit the answers that they thought worked the best for each topic. About a week later, Isy and Samantha compiled all of the answers into the top five for each topic being presented. 

Of course, with any game show there has to be a prize for the winner. On the real Family Feud show, contestants can win a car but in Delta Zeta’s version, the winning team got a gift card to a restaurant of their choice, and the runner up team got a Starbucks gift card. Even the prize encourages bonding, because the winning teams could continue to bond and go out to dinner or coffee together.

With their eyes on the prize, the sisters of Delta Zeta started signing up in their teams and excitedly awaiting the big game show. Anticipation filled the Zoom room, as sisters started logging on and preparing for the game. The competitive nature between the teams was like no other.

Of course, this was a classic Family Feud. Isy and Samantha set up the game as authentically as they possibly could. The theme song was blaring, contestants were buzzing in and Steve Harvey was even there, well, more like Isy dressed up in a blazer and the classic Steve Harvey moustache. This authenticity really got members laughing and having a lot of fun! 

Zoom and PowerPoint were great platforms for this event. With any virtual event, there can be technical difficulties- such as slow WIFI - but after about 15 minutes of sorting out these technical difficulties, the event ran smoothly. Instead of smacking a buzzer, the sisters used the clapping hands zoom feature to “buzz” in, but the visuals were almost identical, including both the “Survey Says” questions and the classic sound effects. Isy and Samantha were both Co-hosts on zoom and were able to share their screen and worked hard to figure out the logistics of this behind the scenes. 

Events like this one, especially in these virtual times, really stimulate the bonding value that Delta Zeta encapsulates. There was a lot of positive feedback from sisters who attended the event who voiced that they would love to continue this game night theme and make it a monthly tradition. Sisterhood events encourage Delta Zeta sisters to meet and interact with each other. This is essential during this time because when sisters are able to gather together back at the house, they will be looking for the familiar faces of the friends that they were able to make connections with online. 

“Family Feud was super fun and definitely gave me the opportunity to bond with sisters who are now part of my fam! Most things just aren’t the same over zoom, but this event still felt just as fun as it would have been in person,” reflects Abigail B., a sister who attended the event.

In these trying times, the Delta Zeta sisters appreciate the times that they have together even more. Through their sisterhood, it is apparent that Delta Zeta sisters truly care about one another. Events like Family Feud bring out the best in the sisters. They can laugh, be competitive, and destress from all of their work. Knowing that these events are still going on in this virtual world help to continue the connections between sisters that are extremely essential. In addition to their Family Fued event, Delta Zeta has also hosted a remote tie-dying shirts and friendship braclets events as well as a mocktail event on their front porch. These events have helped strengthen their sisterhood through these uncertain time and have allowed new members to connect with older sisters who would eventually become their bigs. The little moments are what counts, and sometimes all that matters are the little moments like Family Feud that can really stick as a memory in a sister’s mind.