It is almost that time again when the OSU sorority women invade Stillwater 4 weeks before classes start… Are they just anxious to get all their books used? (We all know the new books are way too expensive!) Or perhaps they want to take on a couple philanthropy projects before the hubbub of school begins? (Slip in Slide for Sickle Cell Anemia or a Lemonade Stand for Leukemia?) Well, you’d be wrong on both accounts. They are actually locking themselves into their house for a week, and then the following week they will be using all their time and energy to convince 800 incoming freshman girls to go Greek. But not just any greek house! Specifically, Tappa Kappa slash whatever house they belong to… (I always wanted to be in a house called Tappa Kappa for some reason, but I don’t think Tappa is actually a greek letter, so another dream crushed).
Yes. 14 days dedicated to the glorious event called RECRUITMENT! Now you all should be fairly familiar with the actual week of recruitment if you have been keeping up with the blog. (If not, go back and read it! It’s a treat). Work week (the week before) is a WHOLE different ball game. I have been asked if I will try and update during work week… No promises, but I will try to jot down some interesting and funny stories if they happen to occur. But again, don’t hold your breath!
This year my sorority has decided to rename work week. ‘They’ thought ‘work’ had a negative connotation. ‘They’ would be National Headquarters who basically rules all things in my house. So, ‘they’ commanded our Recruitment Chairs to dub the week before recruitment… (drum roll, please) SPIRIT WEEK!!!! Like we are all, like about to, like cheer on our sisters to, like get pumped for, like RECRUITMENT!!! YAY! (That last sentence should be read in a kind of high-pitched, dumb, valley girl voice). I have no idea why the name Spirit Week would invoke more positivity, but we are going to try it out this year.
I have gone through this side of recruitment twice already. Both times were VASTLY different. My freshman year we had a Nazi Recruitment chair who scared the pee out of me. Last year we had 2 Recruitment chairs who were so laid back, sometimes I wondered if our Recruitment would actually be a success. Both years we had different results on Bid day in terms of the girls we wanted, which leads me to wonder what the 3rd year will have in store.
In order to get ready for this year’s recruitment, I had very little shopping to do. Every day of recruitment calls for a different outfit, and it can get quite specific. Luckily, the day outfits didn’t change much and I didn’t gain too much weight, so last year’s wardrobe can be used again. When I looked over my checklist, most of the things I was missing were for Spirit Week. Wait.. What?! Work Week usually has nothing on the checklist except money to go out and eat and house decorations for house tour day. This year, apparently, Spirit requires more crap because we will be doing less work and more positive things. Cool. So, I guess I will be taking a trip to the dollar store tomorrow.
The MOST confusing request on my checklist consists of two words. Or one word depending on how you roll. No girl EVER wants to willingly wear this, so why is it on our “Bring” list? I know I wouldn’t even own one right now if it hadn’t been for my trip to Destin in June. Yeah, you probably guessed it by now. Number 15 on the list is a swimsuit. A swimsuit. FOR WHAT??! After consulting with a couple sisters, they mentioned the possibility of going to the Colvin for a swim as a sisterhood activity. That is a good possibility, but let me tell you this. I, PERSONALLY, loathe the guy who decided that water should be swum in. Not only did they decide water should be swum in, but they thought the appropriate attire was really tight and small articles of clothing with things like strings securing it to the body.
I don’t like swimming in public. Public meaning anyone besides my family and 3 close friends. Swimming with my entire sorority does not sound relaxing… It sounds like stress and judgment. Stressing that I look ridiculous and judging people who I thought were judging me AKA paranoia. Listen, the women in my sorority are GORGEOUS!!! Petite, skinny, very good looking girls. And all the power to them! If I was 30 pounds lighter, I would DEFINITELY be rocking my little-bitty-teeny-weeny-yellow-polka-dot-bikini. Until that happens, I will be in the modest-mommy-who-just-had-sextuplets-one-piece-black-bathing-suit with rouching in all the right places feeling super uncomfortable. I hope that there is an alternative activity to the one where a bathing suit is required. Maybe a board game? Scrabble perhaps? Where the appropriate attire is shorts and a t-shirt? Sign me up for that!
I will keep you posted on the swimsuit situation. Who knows, maybe we are actually going to start a bonfire with them in an effigy to our “Stand Up! Stand Out!” philanthropy where every woman is beautiful no matter what! A girl can only hope for such an event…
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
matchmaker.osugreek.com
I always love to think that matchmaker.com would work for me… Well, I mean I use to until I met my current boyfriend! But back in the single days, it always seemed like putting a form up on the internet would be much more efficient then actually socializing. The quality may not have always be top notch, but the quantity would help even out the odds of finding a respectable option. The first week of school I found out that the Greeks had their own version of matchmaker.com.
It came as somewhat of a shock to me when I found out that nights blocked off for “Coke Dates” on the calendar actually meant a real DATE! Yeah. A fraternity would send over their freshmen pledge class (which could have freshmen to seniors in it) to the house in a straight line with enough flowers for each freshman girl in the sorority. The girls would line up inside the house shortest to tallest. This was so the tallest girl would hopefully not get stuck with the shortest guy… Heaven forbid, right? So both groups are lined up, and then you pair off. One guy to one girl. Well, that is until the end. The boy pledge classes were usually smaller resulting in 2 girls and sometimes 3 girls per 1 boy. Don’t worry though… Those double and triple dates were usually 95% a blessing in disguise. It meant you had a wing-woman to endure the next 30 minutes to an hour with if the guy turned out to be pig-headed or an absolute nerd. Did I mention the older sisters in the house would watch the whole ordeal from the porch, or jokingly harass you in the house right before! It was definitely a right-of-passage event.
This might be completely false, but this is how I like to think that someone came up with the whole “Coke Dating” scheme…. It starts at a house party or in a bar on the strip. There are a couple of Greeks enjoying a little alcohol. They are talking about the all important issues of course. How can they get rid of GDI’s? Why didn’t they name a building after the Greeks, like Greek Hall? When would there be a “Greek Row” constructed where all the sororities and frats have a granite block with their letters on it? And most importantly, how can the baby (freshmen) Greeks get more involved with the opposite sex baby Greeks? Parties were fine, and had worked up until this point, but there had to be a better, quicker, and entirely easier way to make the freshmen frats and sorority pledge classes mingle. After all, good Greek house relationships begin early and Follies and Homecoming only expose the freshmen to two houses… Hmmm, what to do, what to do? I am sure a few ideas were passed around, too vulgar to even mention, but soon a senior girl (because what guy would have willingly said he’d want to pay for coke dates??) mentioned the idea of Greek Speed Dating. What a novel idea! Houses could pair up on nights and the boys could come get the girls and go do something cute and date-y. The girl that proposed it was so gorgeous and well liked that the idea caught on, and is now basically Greek law today at Oklahoma State University.
I vividly remember hearing a story from our social SET chair that made me want to gag… APPARENTLY sometime back in the day (1970’s-1980’s) there was a girl in our sorority who ended up marrying her 1st coke date… What a fairytale dream right? OR it was a sneaky ploy to convince us that we needed to be looking our very best just in case Mr. Right came to pick us up for a coke date. AKA don’t be the ugly pledge class that no frat wants to hang out with.
I never really thought about the coke date from the frat’s point of view, though, until I met my boyfriend. He expressed to me the hurt that was put on his wallet every time a coke date was set up with a sorority. Because he was taller, he was in the back. Remember the boy pledge classes are notoriously smaller, so he ended up having to take out 2 or 3 girls. Since the males are so chivalrous and kind, they would pay for whatever date we went on. Usually it was kept pretty simple. Cokes, candy, maybe ice cream… But if you were taking out 2 girls once or twice a week… Let’s be honest. Those bills begin to add up. And not to mention the budget that has to be side aside for flowers! It is crazy the hoops that are jumped (for both the sororities and fraternities) so a “coke date” can take place. I just want to give a shout out thanks to all the men who shelled out the money to take me on the awkward dates. It gave me an awesome blog topic, and some good memories, too. And for the women who went on every date (showered and pretty), AND kept a smile, even when you felt like punching your date in the face… I commend your strength and patience. All in the name of Greek Socializing.
It came as somewhat of a shock to me when I found out that nights blocked off for “Coke Dates” on the calendar actually meant a real DATE! Yeah. A fraternity would send over their freshmen pledge class (which could have freshmen to seniors in it) to the house in a straight line with enough flowers for each freshman girl in the sorority. The girls would line up inside the house shortest to tallest. This was so the tallest girl would hopefully not get stuck with the shortest guy… Heaven forbid, right? So both groups are lined up, and then you pair off. One guy to one girl. Well, that is until the end. The boy pledge classes were usually smaller resulting in 2 girls and sometimes 3 girls per 1 boy. Don’t worry though… Those double and triple dates were usually 95% a blessing in disguise. It meant you had a wing-woman to endure the next 30 minutes to an hour with if the guy turned out to be pig-headed or an absolute nerd. Did I mention the older sisters in the house would watch the whole ordeal from the porch, or jokingly harass you in the house right before! It was definitely a right-of-passage event.
This might be completely false, but this is how I like to think that someone came up with the whole “Coke Dating” scheme…. It starts at a house party or in a bar on the strip. There are a couple of Greeks enjoying a little alcohol. They are talking about the all important issues of course. How can they get rid of GDI’s? Why didn’t they name a building after the Greeks, like Greek Hall? When would there be a “Greek Row” constructed where all the sororities and frats have a granite block with their letters on it? And most importantly, how can the baby (freshmen) Greeks get more involved with the opposite sex baby Greeks? Parties were fine, and had worked up until this point, but there had to be a better, quicker, and entirely easier way to make the freshmen frats and sorority pledge classes mingle. After all, good Greek house relationships begin early and Follies and Homecoming only expose the freshmen to two houses… Hmmm, what to do, what to do? I am sure a few ideas were passed around, too vulgar to even mention, but soon a senior girl (because what guy would have willingly said he’d want to pay for coke dates??) mentioned the idea of Greek Speed Dating. What a novel idea! Houses could pair up on nights and the boys could come get the girls and go do something cute and date-y. The girl that proposed it was so gorgeous and well liked that the idea caught on, and is now basically Greek law today at Oklahoma State University.
I vividly remember hearing a story from our social SET chair that made me want to gag… APPARENTLY sometime back in the day (1970’s-1980’s) there was a girl in our sorority who ended up marrying her 1st coke date… What a fairytale dream right? OR it was a sneaky ploy to convince us that we needed to be looking our very best just in case Mr. Right came to pick us up for a coke date. AKA don’t be the ugly pledge class that no frat wants to hang out with.
I never really thought about the coke date from the frat’s point of view, though, until I met my boyfriend. He expressed to me the hurt that was put on his wallet every time a coke date was set up with a sorority. Because he was taller, he was in the back. Remember the boy pledge classes are notoriously smaller, so he ended up having to take out 2 or 3 girls. Since the males are so chivalrous and kind, they would pay for whatever date we went on. Usually it was kept pretty simple. Cokes, candy, maybe ice cream… But if you were taking out 2 girls once or twice a week… Let’s be honest. Those bills begin to add up. And not to mention the budget that has to be side aside for flowers! It is crazy the hoops that are jumped (for both the sororities and fraternities) so a “coke date” can take place. I just want to give a shout out thanks to all the men who shelled out the money to take me on the awkward dates. It gave me an awesome blog topic, and some good memories, too. And for the women who went on every date (showered and pretty), AND kept a smile, even when you felt like punching your date in the face… I commend your strength and patience. All in the name of Greek Socializing.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Home Sweet Home
Okay, so I am sorry it has been a LONG time! But I am on summer time, which means things get done at a lot slower pace. I have had "UPDATE YOUR BLOG!!!" on my to-do list since May, and it is middle of July when I finally log in to actually write. I do apologize, and hope to get my act together... But if you think about it, all things fun usually disappear in summer-- Like TV shows. So let's just assume my blog was a TV show and took some time off, but is now back for a new season!
Bid Day. 6 letters. 2 words. 1 lifetime commitment.
My favorite part about this day was SLEEPING IN! We got some "me time" before the fateful cards were delivered to us. I went ahead and picked out today’s wardrobe… Jeans, boots and a tank top. We would be getting our first shirts with our letters on them today when we met as a group, so the Gamma Chis encouraged us to wear as little as possible on top so the shirt would pull on over it without getting too bulky. I was just happy to be back in some familiar duds to be honest!
The card was slipped under my door, and surprise, surprise it was my mom’s sorority. It was my top pick so I was kind of excited but not shocked. I signed the card, slid it back under the door, and prepared for the chaos and frilly nonsense that was about to take over my afternoon.
When we met up as a group, I noticed we were again short a few more bodies. I guess some girls didn’t have that great of a morning… The Gamma Chis passed out our shirts and I noticed there was only one other girl in my group who would be my “life-long” sister. I had no clue who she was, but was happy to have someone to cling to. We, of course, had to take a million pictures and hug and congratulate one another on getting their house crush. I didn’t really take part in this, but instead examined my shirt. It was a themed shirt… Any guesses as to what theme? Flowers? Nope. Butterflies? Nope. Animal print? Nope. Glitter or even OSU theme? No sir-e-bob. Gambling… Yes… Casinos and gambling was the theme ladies and gents. How peculiar… My parents would be thrilled because they always loved them some Riverwind, but Doli and Joe are hardly the average parents to base anything off of. Well, let’s just say I safely assumed my new sorority knew how to have fun!
The next event they herded us off to was the big reveal of the Gamma Chis. See, this whole time we didn’t know what sorority our Gamma Chis belonged to… So we went to the student union and met up with the senior classes from all the houses and all the other girls who just pledged. It was SOOOO overwhelming. There were old girls who looked like they were 25, and then there were young girls who looked like they were 12. I was smiling and trying to pretend like I didn’t mind everyone hugging me and saying how we would all be best friends… But listen. We were not best friends. I didn’t even know these chicks’ names, so we were CERTAINLY not on hugging terms, but I gritted my teeth and continued on. PS- there MUST have been a memo that stated no jeans today, because not one other soul in the room was rocking out in jeans… or boots. I was soon going to find out why.
After the reveal, there was an event that can only be described as cruel and unusual punishment. “Running of the Girls.” This was where your new pledge class, the old seniors, and the revealed Gamma Chis of your house alllllllll RAN to your sorority. Yes. It was 103 degrees. Yes. It was Oklahoma humid. Yes. I was in jeans and boots. And yes. I did run the entire way. And, oh yeah. I was last. Real cool. Oh well, too late! They already extended me an invitation, and surely knew that I was not the girl who would be the Colvin Gym guru.
My house was not the farthest house, but it was a few blocks. By the time I saw my whole family standing there waiting for me, I was in a mini-asthma attack, sweat was soaking through my tank top AND my shirt, and my hair was a matted mess. Again, hugs (at least I knew these people!) and pictures. We were shuffled into the house and the most amazing thing happened…. We (the new members) were greeted with PRESENTS! Presents for the sorority, presents from my family, and presents from people I didn’t even know. Those people turned out to be my mom’s sorority sisters, but it was AWESOME. Some of the gifts I still use today while others were perhaps thrown away after my first semester. Either way it was a great great great surprise and welcome.
I tried to meet some new people, but it was hard. There were so many people around! Families, alumni, members, new members. The only way I could distinguish between them all was by their attire. Apparently every member and alumni (minus seniors) were rocking the casino themed t-shirt. Finally our parents were carted away to find out what kind of damage had just been done to their check book, while us new members were welcomed by our new SET team and New member educator. As we introduced ourselves, I could feel myself judging the girls. I knew I shouldn’t be, but it was something that couldn’t be stopped. By the time we had finished, I had come to the conclusion that we couldn’t have put together a more diverse and rag-tag team of girls. I hoped that’s how it always started…. Boring meeting stuff took place and we were given a calendar with events plastered all over it. At the time I don’t think that it even registered to me the time commitments on the piece of paper. I was slowly coming down from the running and present high. I was ready to leave sorority land and prepare for college classes.
Soon enough we were dismissed. I gathered all my new presents and family, and we headed for my dorm. I could not remember one girl in my new pledge class. I could barely remember where the darn house was located. I had never been so happy for it to all be over. Doli was jabbering the whole way about the Parents Club and how she had met so many lovely parents, and how I would just have an amazing time. I took her word for it and crossed my fingers that her words were true. The next 4 years would be amazing… Sometimes.
Bid Day. 6 letters. 2 words. 1 lifetime commitment.
My favorite part about this day was SLEEPING IN! We got some "me time" before the fateful cards were delivered to us. I went ahead and picked out today’s wardrobe… Jeans, boots and a tank top. We would be getting our first shirts with our letters on them today when we met as a group, so the Gamma Chis encouraged us to wear as little as possible on top so the shirt would pull on over it without getting too bulky. I was just happy to be back in some familiar duds to be honest!
The card was slipped under my door, and surprise, surprise it was my mom’s sorority. It was my top pick so I was kind of excited but not shocked. I signed the card, slid it back under the door, and prepared for the chaos and frilly nonsense that was about to take over my afternoon.
When we met up as a group, I noticed we were again short a few more bodies. I guess some girls didn’t have that great of a morning… The Gamma Chis passed out our shirts and I noticed there was only one other girl in my group who would be my “life-long” sister. I had no clue who she was, but was happy to have someone to cling to. We, of course, had to take a million pictures and hug and congratulate one another on getting their house crush. I didn’t really take part in this, but instead examined my shirt. It was a themed shirt… Any guesses as to what theme? Flowers? Nope. Butterflies? Nope. Animal print? Nope. Glitter or even OSU theme? No sir-e-bob. Gambling… Yes… Casinos and gambling was the theme ladies and gents. How peculiar… My parents would be thrilled because they always loved them some Riverwind, but Doli and Joe are hardly the average parents to base anything off of. Well, let’s just say I safely assumed my new sorority knew how to have fun!
The next event they herded us off to was the big reveal of the Gamma Chis. See, this whole time we didn’t know what sorority our Gamma Chis belonged to… So we went to the student union and met up with the senior classes from all the houses and all the other girls who just pledged. It was SOOOO overwhelming. There were old girls who looked like they were 25, and then there were young girls who looked like they were 12. I was smiling and trying to pretend like I didn’t mind everyone hugging me and saying how we would all be best friends… But listen. We were not best friends. I didn’t even know these chicks’ names, so we were CERTAINLY not on hugging terms, but I gritted my teeth and continued on. PS- there MUST have been a memo that stated no jeans today, because not one other soul in the room was rocking out in jeans… or boots. I was soon going to find out why.
After the reveal, there was an event that can only be described as cruel and unusual punishment. “Running of the Girls.” This was where your new pledge class, the old seniors, and the revealed Gamma Chis of your house alllllllll RAN to your sorority. Yes. It was 103 degrees. Yes. It was Oklahoma humid. Yes. I was in jeans and boots. And yes. I did run the entire way. And, oh yeah. I was last. Real cool. Oh well, too late! They already extended me an invitation, and surely knew that I was not the girl who would be the Colvin Gym guru.
My house was not the farthest house, but it was a few blocks. By the time I saw my whole family standing there waiting for me, I was in a mini-asthma attack, sweat was soaking through my tank top AND my shirt, and my hair was a matted mess. Again, hugs (at least I knew these people!) and pictures. We were shuffled into the house and the most amazing thing happened…. We (the new members) were greeted with PRESENTS! Presents for the sorority, presents from my family, and presents from people I didn’t even know. Those people turned out to be my mom’s sorority sisters, but it was AWESOME. Some of the gifts I still use today while others were perhaps thrown away after my first semester. Either way it was a great great great surprise and welcome.
I tried to meet some new people, but it was hard. There were so many people around! Families, alumni, members, new members. The only way I could distinguish between them all was by their attire. Apparently every member and alumni (minus seniors) were rocking the casino themed t-shirt. Finally our parents were carted away to find out what kind of damage had just been done to their check book, while us new members were welcomed by our new SET team and New member educator. As we introduced ourselves, I could feel myself judging the girls. I knew I shouldn’t be, but it was something that couldn’t be stopped. By the time we had finished, I had come to the conclusion that we couldn’t have put together a more diverse and rag-tag team of girls. I hoped that’s how it always started…. Boring meeting stuff took place and we were given a calendar with events plastered all over it. At the time I don’t think that it even registered to me the time commitments on the piece of paper. I was slowly coming down from the running and present high. I was ready to leave sorority land and prepare for college classes.
Soon enough we were dismissed. I gathered all my new presents and family, and we headed for my dorm. I could not remember one girl in my new pledge class. I could barely remember where the darn house was located. I had never been so happy for it to all be over. Doli was jabbering the whole way about the Parents Club and how she had met so many lovely parents, and how I would just have an amazing time. I took her word for it and crossed my fingers that her words were true. The next 4 years would be amazing… Sometimes.
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