Cigar event for rush?
 

I've seen my rush calendar a couple days ago. I've noticed they have a "Cigar and poker" rush event. Not quite sure what it is, the Recruit Chair was sorta cryptic when I asked him about the event.

I don't smoke or anything, in fact, I get kinda pissed when I smell smokes or see a smoker. But this is actually a required rush event...so idk?

You won't be required to smoke. If you are offered a cigar, just politely say "No, thank you." I guarantee there will be actives there who aren't smoking.

As for getting "pissed" when you see or smell smoking, you've got to decide how important is joining this group to you? If it's important, suck it up and deal with the smoke for one night. (While I don't get pissed about it, I also prefer not to be around smoking.)

Cigars =/= cigarettes.

(:rolleyes: that I have to explain this to a college aged man.)

That's good advice from LaneSig. A "smoking" and "gambling" rush event doesn't send a powerfully positive PR message, but I'd go and see what you think. It might be fairly tame, and a good chance to talk with brothers while you're playing poker. Hopefully, you're rushing other fraternities, too, because if it turns out you're not comfortable here, you'll want to have other options.

Just an fyi: Some IFCs still refer to the last event before bid day as "Smokers". I guess it harkens back to the days when many of the undergrads did smoke cigars or cigarettes.

Ah, if it's right before Bid Day, that may explain why the info. is "cryptic" and why the event is required. Thanks for the info.!

I had that same thought and wondered if this might be a riff on that. We still have smokers.

Back in the day (like 100 years ago, before cigarettes really became popular), a "smoker" was a social gathering of men -- essentially the male equivalent of a "tea" -- featuring pipe tobacco and cigars, along with food, drink and, of course, conversation and perhaps entertainment. They were a common component of rush. The name has survived even though the tobacco is often gone.

I hope that might be the case here, for the OP's sake. I find cigar smoke much more unpleasant to be around than cigarette smoke. But if it's not, LaneSig and Sciencewoman give good advice.

This was my thought when I first saw this thread. I have also been told it is a good thing if you are invited to one, though not a guaranteed for a bid.

Was there a picture of President Clinton in any of the promotional material?

By the way, since you're in college, I wanted to let you know that your professors will dock your work pretty badly if you use periods incorrectly. Exclamation points can strongly stand on their own and don't need the help of a preceding period. Also, when you abbreviate the word "information," don't worry about the period; "info" in an accepted, non-punctuated, and shortened form of the word.

:)

pshsx1, Sciencewoman is at a college, but I don't think she's a student. I'm pretty sure you just schooled a college professor on when professors will dock work. And I'm betting that the ".!" was just a typo. ;)

LOL! Now you incited me to pull out my style guide and research this on a Friday night!

I wouldn't expect to see info. or info in a formal paper. I'd tell the student to write out information. Since I used info., I was compelled to research my possible error.

From the Chicago Manual of Style:

Finally, an abbreviation ending with a period that is immediately followed by a question mark or exclamation point requires both marks (Q.E.D.!).

Now I would like to find a definite resource on the info./info choice. I couldn't find anything in the style guides or on the internet. I've always used info. in informal writing and e-mails. I'm thinking that could go either way.

Not at all unusual to encounter a cigar event during fraternity rush. I know that at least one fraternity at USC hosts an event at a cigar bar in Los Angeles. Also, at U of Oregon one of the houses hosts a cigar and poker evening.

No pressure to smoke. But if you do, don't inhale!!

Over half the chapters at UOregon have a cigar night. I want to say all, but I know eight for sure have had cigar and ____ (poker, steak, pool etc) night in the last six years.

My boyfriend's says that usually half the people smoked while the other half just hung around either outside smoking or chilling/playing inside. From him "God, no we wouldn't make anyone smoke. Why would we make them? Making them would be hazing!"

If it's a required event, I assumed the OP was already a brother, not a PNM. I figured he wasn't happy about being required to attend an event where he could be exposed to second hand smoke.