 In 1994, two connected brownstones in the heart of Kenmore Square in Boston became the home for the Zeta Phi chapter. With room for up to sixty-one sisters, a large portion of our sorority has the opportunity to live together, making the house a central part of our chapter. We share dinner prepared by a chef in the dining room five nights a week, hang out on big comfy couches in the TV room during study breaks, and use the large common rooms for study groups or department meetings. Girls enjoy baking together on the weekends in our kitchen that is stocked with breakfast, lunch, and snack foods.
Kenmore square and the surrounding area afford sisters plenty of opportunities to go out together for dinner and shopping. Only three blocks from the Mass Ave bridge or a short ride on the MIT saferide shuttle, our house in Boston allows us to have a break from campus without being too far away.  |  | Aphi Babies posing in front of the house.
| BBQ in front of the house during Alumnae Weekend
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External Social Events... At MIT in particular, it is easy to become completely submerged in academics. It is incredibly important to remember the balance between social life and academic study. In Alpha Phi, we have 3 largely anticipated social events each year as well as various mixers with fraternities and sororities. We try to have events every two to three weeks to make sure sisters have a break from the intense academic atmosphere of MIT. Winter Semi-FormalWinter Semi-Formal celebrates the end of the first semester of each year. It is traditionally held on the last day of classes of the semester. Sisters and their dates get dressed up to have a night of fun before finals begin. This event has been held in the past in places such as the Hyatt and Improv Asylum comedy club. Mister for your SisterMister for your Sister is a blind date event held in the middle of the spring semester. Sisters set each other up with dates and then attend a dinner with their pledge class. Everyone meets at the Alpha Phi house before dinner to find their respective dates. We creatively match people up using things like song lyrics, sports teams, or famous couples. After everyone has found their date, each pledge class departs for their dinner at various classy restaurants in the Boston area. In the past, sisters have dined at Charley’s on Newbury, Boston Beer Works, Bertucci’s, and Vinny T’s.
Bordeaux Bordeaux is our most anticipated social event of the year. This event celebrates not only the end of the semester and of the academic year but also honors our seniors and all the contributions they have made to Alpha Phi throughout their time at MIT. Sisters and their dates dress in fancy attire to dance the night away in some of Boston’s coolest and classiest clubs and lounges. In the past, Bordeaux has been held in places such as Felt and Sanctuary. This year’s will be held at The Estate and Suite. We end the night with a slide show dedicated to our seniors and crown Alpha Phi’s “Bordeaux Beau” and “Best to Wear”. Our Bordeaux Beau is the boy that has helped out the most and positively represented Alpha Phi throughout the year. Our Best to Wear is the sister we think best exemplifies the ideals of Alpha Phi and who we, as a chapter, are most proud to see wearing the APhi letters. All in all, Bordeaux is the biggest event and definitely our most exciting social event of the year. MixersIn between our three main events, we hold various mixers with fraternities and sororities on campus. Our mixer activities range from watching popular TV shows to community service events to BBQs. We try to vary our activities and to keep mixers ideas new and innovative. In the future we plan to go bowling and play lazer tag with different fraternities.
In addition to our variety of external events, we hold many activities throughout they year meant to bring us together as a chapter. Our largest internal event is our annual chapter retreat, held in the fall to celebrate our new member class and kick off the school year. Past retreats have taken us all over the Boston area, from exploring on one of Boston’s Harbor Islands to throwing a sleepover in a local hotel. This year we went apple-picking, enjoying hay rides and caramel apples as well as a day full of bonding activities. Our other internal events include a variety of study breaks and get-togethers, both at our house and on campus. This year, these events have included everything from watching the presidential election together during an election-night study break to enjoying crepes cooked up by one of our sisters as we learned about study abroad options and our sisters who were overseas.
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