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A retro midwest recruitment
I have had so much fun reading other retro stories that I decided to post my own- I hope that pnms today can find a little relevant advice and some humor- remember this is 1983, so I am using that vocabulary- I don’t remember much about clothes except espadrilles were mentioned in the rush guide, and one afternoon, I wore a pink, low waist dress with matching pink keds and my sister said I looked like a Blue (see below)- Iowa State had sixteen sororities then. I named them by color because I am not creative-
Yellow Brown Orange Red Pink Teal Seafoam Taupe White Purple Green Gray Fuchsia Navy Blue Burgandy In the fall of 1983, I headed off to Iowa State with a slightly askew home life. During the summers, I lived with my dad, so didn’t really do much rush preparation with my mom (a Phi Mu) or sister. Mistake number one-- my sister was in a sorority at the University of Iowa and knew things; instead (Mistake number two) I chose to listen to my boyfriend (now husband) who based his thoughts on his view of the sororities from six years before. He didn’t want me to join a sorority, so I had negative thoughts. Add to that intense “home” sickness- my mom took a new job and moved. So I was homesick for a home that no longer existed. However, pre-boyfriend, I had always wanted to be in a big, classy, sorority. Based on knowledge (from I seriously don’t know where), I dreamed of being a Blue. So, my advice on the houses was that Gray and Blue were bad from my boyfriend—and my sister added that Blue were snooty. I had also done a little work and had recs to several houses- In addition, my grandmother had been a Navy, while my sister was a Teal. |
Yay for an Iowa State story!
I have a really good friend who goes there and is in a frat! |
Wow, you had several connections to different chapters! Should make for an interesting story!
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I'm looking forward to this one! Glad I caught a retro thread from the beginning.
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Day One
Back then, Iowa State housed all of the rushees in Maple because of the air conditioning, and you received a rush roommate. My roommate, Linda, came from Edina, MN, and was awesome. Then, to my surprise, Karen, an old basketball rival from “the town next door,” was housed next door. We dropped the “rival” status and quickly became friends, too. We also suffered from “miss our boyfriends syndrome.” I don’t remember the other girls in my rush group, but do remember my rush counselor was a peppy, brunette. Iowa State had 16 party day, 12 party day, 8 party day, 5 party day and Preference. The first day was 16 house tours and my rush counselor told us to try to write something- such as the color of the carpet- to distinguish the houses.
Day One-- Talk about coincidence or fate. My first party was at Blue. I was absolutely floored when at exactly 9:00, women came pouring out of the house- singing, cheering, smiling. It was truly electrifying and I was got unawares (maybe I should have asked my sister more questions). The house was beautiful and had new blue carpet (I wrote it in my book). My tour guide was nice and as nervous as I was- her first rush on the other side. The rest of the day is a blur of memories: cold air dorms, phone duty, an open courtyard, cramped and hot…until the last house, Purple. Karen and I were exhausted and decided we were tired of playing the game. We walked into the house like we had been there before. We sat and laughed and joked and relaxed with the ladies. The house wasn’t popular and we had little in common except that we had a great time. The ladies let us take charge, and we both would say the party was one of our most refreshing memories. |
Yay for an Iowa State story! It'll be interesting to see what rush was like 14 years before I went through at Iowa State. :D
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Results and Invites
The next morning the rush counselors handed out our computerized invitation list; I was lucky and received invites back to all the houses. I had to cut; The first cut was easy- my boyfriend had warned me about Gray, and the second and third were easy too- I hadn’t been impressed with Seafoam and had felt claustrophobic at Green (ironically my daughter’s house). But the last choice—I have a terrible conscience. I knew it should be Purple, but I felt like I owed them a second visit. So instead, I cut my dream house because of the things my husband and others had said. I hope most of you are saying grow up and think for yourself- don’t worry, I have- but I hope pnms reading this realize the choice is ultimately about you and what you have to live with.
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A blur
The next days blend together: We moved into our own dorms- for me out of air-conditioned Maple and into old and hot Oak- One of my new roommates was quite a bit different than me- She had started rush, but had no invites after the first day- We didn't really click- I remember not being able to even take a napkin out of a house; not to ask to use the restroom; our rush counselors sat on blankets in front of each of the houses- guarding purses that you couldn’t take inside. I remember being rushed by a member of the pom squad (Navy) , the golden girl (twirler) (Fuchsia) , a former basketball rival (Red) —all in houses that I really liked. I see girls faces still-- I remember a girl “pardoning” herself from our conversation because the tone sounded and she needed to sing (Pink) Kind of a negative. Two had strong home town ties- one the town my mom had just left and one, the town where I grew up and lived until my parents divorced (Teal and Yellow); it was nice to have people call me by name.That is probably one of the things I most enjoyed- leaving a house and having girls call your name- I'm not sure that is "legal" now--My ranking of houses was Navy, and Red, then Taupe and Fuchsia, ,and the two hometown ties. One of my sister’s classmates was the rush chair for Taupe.
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Keep going. I love the speed. I can follow the story better.
I am so amazed by the people that can remember every detail of rush. My memories are more like yours, scattered random tidbits. Cold air dorms and phone duty, oh how I miss college.:( |
Closer to the end
My next clear memory is sprinting to houses after lunch one day because the computer had messed up, but we couldn’t be late to a party. For Iowa Staters, I sprinted from the Memorial Union to the Red house- a house on the south side of sorority circle. I remember the cute Pink Panther and trench coat opening at the Navy house—and unfortunately, I remember not clicking with the girl who rushed me at the party—the pom girl came in (probably some kind of signal that I didn't learn about until I was on the other side of rush) but I think it was too late. (A little side bar: I truly enjoyed rush; however, as I said earlier, I was home sick for my boyfriend and not sure that I wanted to join- I probably talked about him too much—in addition, my sister was not only Teal- but during this time she was the rush chair for Teal at the University of Iowa; she tried to support me, but at the same time, she was- shall I say, a little stressed).
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Preference Night
Notice- I'm for speed; otherwise, my old age will kick in again-- (I did wish that I had at least a napkin reminder from all 16 houses)-- And- a late memory- I remember as the parties narrowed, we received themed name tags and each house and could not take them with us- I think one girl accidentally walked out with one and it was a big ta-do--
When we received invites for preferences, I had to cut from four to two. At this point in my “in love eighteen year old mind,” I made my choices based on the fact that I was going to get married and transfer schools, so I would make other people happy. I went to the two home town connection houses. I remember flowers, tears, hugs, and candles—and, of course, home town girls were paired with me. I believe yellow was in long black and Teal was in long matching blue. My friend, Karen, also had the same choices- she went with me to the first preference and then went to Fuchsia (who I cut) for the second. I did not have a “I know the house I want” feeling following preference- I even toyed with not listing a house and seeing if I would receive a snap bid. I was the last one in my rush group to turn in my card. |
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Do you think that might have come from the fact that you were choosing chapters during rush to please other people's preferences rather than going with your own gut instincts all along? (I know that some PNMs never get that definite "feeling," but I'd imagine that in your circumstance it made it even less likely.) |
Glad to see a midwestern thread! My sister went to Drake, my dd is at UNL and I was at Kearney State - now University Nebraska Kearney. My mom always wanted someone to go to Iowa State - not sure why she was obsessed about that but no one did. Not even her!
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The Houses
I totally agree that my attitude had much to do with my lack of a connection-
The houses at Iowa State in 1983: Alpha Phi Alpha Chi Omega Alpha Delta Pi Alpha Gamma Delta Alpha Omicron Pi Alpha Xi Delta Chi Omega Delta Zeta Delta Delta Delta Gamma Phi Beta Kappa Kappa Gamma Kappa Delta Kappa Alpha Theta Pi Beta Phi Sigma Kappa Zeta Tau Alpha |
Bid Day
Because I'm not a big one for waiting--
Bid Day-- I received a bid to my first choice, Teal. Our rush counselor revealed that she was an Orange- and we headed to the union to meet our sisters to run back to the house- Unfortunately, I knew NONE of the other girls who joined Teal. I had my first circle dance, was welcomed by several of the actives, received a great blue and gold bid day shirt, was serendaded by my sister’s Iowa State TKE boyfriend as part of my first serenade, and (remember 1983) was taken by my big sis to the bid night parties- where all the pledges were in their new tees-- My sister, of course, sent me great welcome gifts, including my first pink rose bowl (the craze in the 80’s). Still, I had missed the advice about look at who is going back to the houses where you are going. Teal had a poor rush that year, and I believe was the beginning of a downhill slide for the house. I want to add that my sister and one of her sisters had to come to Iowa State to do some “intense rushing” because two of us blood little sisters were dissatisfied with Teal- and, unfortunately, it wasn’t our actives, but our pledge sisters. I truly love the Teal sisters that I became close with over my two years in the house (I did get married and transfer). I loved joining several Teals from different universities as we serenaded my sister’s husband at her wedding-- My advice-- As my sister said she had her rush group when she was a rush counselor guess which house she was in after each party day- After they placed her in all of the houses on campus, several times- she told them that each house a unique make up of several different women—and to be open minded- (side bar)—Teal, yellow, and purple are no longer at Iowa State. Never did I hear anything negative about Gray- and they have a beautiful house--; Karen went fushcia- Most of my college friends were all in different sororites at Iowa State-- And, I think it is sad that the house tours have moved on party days- If a pnm is cut, she doesn’t have a chance to see a great history and tradition of the Greek system. |
Are you an active alumnae for Teal now?
Do you think you would have had a better Greek life if you went by what you felt rather then others? |
Wait, what chapter was which? So confused...
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Would you mind revealing who was who? I figured out a few.
I think they moved house tours strictly for timing reasons. Even with only 13 NPC organizations on campus, it's still a daunting rush. While I did miss not being able to tour all the chapter houses, from having friends in various chapters and being on CPC, I eventually got to see them all. :) |
Who's Who
If anyone has a chance to check out chapter web sites, I believe that Iowa State has some beautiful sorority houses--
Yellow- Alpha Phi Brown- Gamma Phi Beta Orange- Alpha Chi Omega Red- Alpha Delta Pi Pink- Alpha Omicron Pi Teal- Alpha Xi Delta Seafoam- Alpha Gamma Delta (Linda, my rush roommate pledged here) Taupe- Pi Beta Phi (one of my best friends from my dorm floor pledged here) White- Kappa Alpha Theta Purple- Zeta Tau Alpha Green- Kappa Delta Gray- Sigma Kappa Fuchsia- Delta Zeta (besides Karen, another dorm floor friend went DZ) Navy- Chi Omega Blue- Tri Delta Burgandy- Kappa Kappa Gamma (ISUKappa- I remember the garden style dining room being awesome in this house!!!) A last thing I remember is that one of the fraternities published a1983 New faces- The guys escorted all the pledge classes to their house for pictures, and put together a book: New Faces-- Just think, the start of Facebook:) Hope you enjoyed a flash back to the 80's- |
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And Phi Kappa Theta was still doing the New Faces book when I was a freshman. :) I really need to find my box of stuff from that year, it would be a riot to look through now. |
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oldrusheenowmom - When ISUKappa and I went through Rush in 1997, ZTA was no longer on campus, where was their chapter house located? |
Great thread. I like that it was to short and sweet! However, we might not make it to August if they are too short! :)
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Oh, maybe it had been reconfigured for the Alpha Sigs, but the building never seemed that big to me. Some of my sisters rented an apartment from the Alpha Sigs one summer.
/end hijack |
I just Googled the Iowa State greek site, and found this cool video and article:
http://www.bejane.com/sorority_video It's very cool, I think, that this chapter wanted to make its own renovations to its house. I'm not familiar with the organization/group that came in and taught the women how to use all the tools...does anyone else? I imagine it could be very empowering for a chapter, and they're skills that every woman should know. I have my own cordless drill, and it is kinda cool :) |
Great Story! I was at Nebraska in the early 80's, and the more I read these stories, the more I realize that I barely remember a thing! I didn't keep notes at all because I was an upperclassman, already knew somebody in every house and didn't need help to keep things straight.
Iowa State's Zetas came to help with rush in 1980 but they ended up closing the house that year anyway. :( |
The Zeta House
Exactly right on the location- and definitely NOT a big house-- Hope ISU and all the midwest schools have a great recruitment!!
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Great story! Congrats!!!
I love Alpha Xi Delta, neat girls. Love that quill, so chill. I am still so wired and not used to the time change and can't sleep. But reading these has really been great. Kinda getting me to have to go and do a recruitment. I loved it last year getting to miss it, but there will be a WHOLE house full of girls I don't know. I will be a total geek. Kinda weird, I need coffe. I on on a roll!
Even though long ago, loved it and happy, happy for you! LOL |
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