Students may notice their fellow classmates in the Greek community sporting their fraternity or sorority’s letters more often on Wednesdays.

This may have something to do with the recent announcement from the National Pan-Hellenic Council of the University offering free Red Bull energy drinks and other prizes to students who wear their letters each Wednesday. But a sudden spike in numbers brings up a real query: Why do students wear their letters in the first place?

“Free stuff, I guess,” said sophomore Keelan Johns, a Sigma Chi fraternity member. “Why not throw on one of my many T-shirts labeled with our Greek letters and get a free drink? Who could pass that up?”

Some students seem encouraged by the promise of a free Red Bull, which is not necessarily the intention of the Pan-Hellenic Council, an organization made up of nine international Greek letter sororities and fraternities.

“I think, at least for me, that it has something to do with house pride,” said freshman Chris Schafbuch, a member of Phi Kappa Psi. “When I put on my letters it’s usually to [represent] the house, maybe for rushing reasons or just because I feel like it. It’s good PR, and sometimes people say, ‘Wow, I didn’t know he was in a fraternity.’”

Like Schafbuch, many UW students feel that donning the Greek letters of their fraternities and sororities is a valuable public relations tactic. Noticing that certain members of the student body are members of the Greek community helps others to consider participating in rush, Schafbuch said.

“A lot of the guys in my house have their own reasons for wearing the letters, “ Schafbuch said. “I’m sure some of them want in on the free Red Bull. But other guys, more peculiar members of the house, they love hearing other people’s reactions when they see that they’re fraternity boys.”

Schafbuch said that the reasons behind Greek members sporting their letters varies from person to person.

“The Greek system isn’t the same thing it used to be, you know, a bunch of rich white guys plotting to destroy the world,” he said. “It’s a very diverse community, full of colorful characters and wacky individuals.”

Whatever the reason is, houses seem to be corroborating that this new Wednesday trend of letter-sporting will work.

“I see a lot of potential for this,” said Mike Rossi, a junior from Phi Psi. “The Greeks, they’re already steeped in tradition. Most houses do their chapter meetings on Mondays, and for anyone in and outside the Greek system, Thursday night is party night. So wearing letters on Wednesday will probably be a welcome routine.”

[Reach reporter Guy Keltner at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]