Competitive Philanthropy Breaks into War

The campus is tense as November approaches. A battle has broken out into a gruesome and bloody scene as Texas A&M prepares for Chi Omega Songfest™. This event pairs men’s and women’s organizations from across campus to compete in an epic two-night show of choreographed dance, pep, and theatrics.

Chi O recently announced that if participating groups sell 300 Songfest shirts, they will be awarded extra points for the competition. This is critical, as winning Songfest is the sole factor in determining an organization’s worth. Samantha Bluth, Songfest Chair for Better Christian Aggies and Delta Nu, agrees that the importance of reaching this quota cannot be understated.

“When Chi Omega announced the opportunity for extra points, I knew I would do whatever it took to sell the shirts,” Bluth said. “I’ve already bought shirts for myself, my boyfriend, my parents, my roommates, and my academic advisor. If we look bad in this competition it affects our ranking on the row. Looking bad at Songfest ruins your reputation and affects your ability to function as a credible organization.”

The push to sell 300 shirts has started to affect friendships as well. Over 12 groups will participate in Songfest, meaning that close to 4,000 shirts should be sold. The A&M bubble can only hold so many involved students, therefore friends have become a battleground for those participating in songfest. Tommy Funke, a GDI and non-Songfest participator, says he has lost some friends from this tricky situation.

“I couldn’t keep track of all of the Facebook Event notifications,” Funke said. “Almost all of my friends are participating in Songfest and they each expect me to buy a shirt to support them.  I deactivated my Facebook account this week to avoid the drama of it all.”

As the battle ends and the smoke clears, one thing can be made clear. This is Songfest. Return with your shield or on it. Sell your shirts. Prepare for Glory!
-5K for Yell