Your Pref Memories
 

With all these fabulous, descriptive stories we've been reading about prefs, I'd like to hear about what you remember from your very own pref experiences!

In my case: the Pi Phi chapter room (like the Kappa room that MollyUF described) was swathed in white and the president sat on a platform in the middle of a "garden" of wine carnations. We each received a carnation and an arrow necklace.

The rushees sat in a semi-circle with the sisters behind us.The girl who preffed me had icy-cold hands that she kept putting on my bare shoulders!:eek: (This was also the girl whose veil caught on fire at her wedding but I digress.)

Anyway--who else has beautiful memories?

My Prefs...
 

I went through formal rush in Jan. 2000. We were allowed to visit a max of 2 houses on Pref Night, and I visited Kappa Alpha Theta and Chi Omega.

First I went to the Chi-O party. All the sisters were wearing black dresses. I remember standing in a big circle while the sisters recited their "Symphony" (I think?) and a few spoke about what their sorority meant to them. I think some of them cried. Then each rushee was instructed to step forward (one girl at a time) and put her carnation in a "well" and make a wish.

Second was Theta. Again, all the sisters wore black dresses. A group of them stood before the group and recited their Pref Night poem. Each rushee walked forward and placed a wildflower in a vase at the front of the room. The finished bouquet of a variety of types of flowers was to symbolize individuals coming together to make a beautiful whole. They told us to look around as this was going on to see who might be in our pledge class. After that, they showed us a short video, which was just words on the TV screen set to the music from Forrest Gump (the feather part...). That was really cool.

Anyway, I am a Theta. :D

I think I am a lot more "touched" by our pref ceremony now, than I was when I was rushing.

Oh my wonderful Pref Night! It seems like such a long time ago although it wasn't even a year ago! LOL :)

(Sorry for the repetition..I accidentally posted before I was done and I can't delete my first msg. :()

Oh my wonderful Pref Night! It seems like such a long time ago although it wasn't even a year ago that I preffed Pi Phi! LOL :)

Anyway, the formal room was decorated in silver and white. It was so beautiful! We watched a slide show, and then we went upstairs to the girls room. Then the actives read us this poem called "If you become my sister", and during this time we were handed a flower. Afterwards we went back downstairs to the formal and formed a circle. We heard some speeches and then we put our flower into a pot to symbolize how although we are all unique like a flower we can still be a group (like a bouquet).

Hehe. We also had this candle lighting ceremony where I managed to burn my hand on wax!

At the Chi Omega pref ceremony I had a little candle that would NOT stay lit after several tries. I was so upset b/c I was convinced that the sisters would not like that or be mad at me and I wouldn't get a bid b/c my candle wasn't lit (yes, I was a bit emotional/dramatic at this point). One of the other rushies (and my rusher) took my candle and relit it, I thought that was so sweet! Even though the rushie didn't end up as one of my sisters, we still got to be really good friends.

The pref ceremony I went to at D Phi E was gorgeous. All of the sisters were all dressed up. A newly initiated sister, a middle sister and a senior all made speeches about sisterhood at each point of their lives. It was really neat. Then, we each got an iris which we put into this vase and to show that the flowers come together to form a beautiful bouquet. Finally, we each got a pearl that we dropped into the "wishing well" and made our wish. I know mine came true :) I love pref ceremonies.

pref night 2001
 

I'm a Pi Phi of the West Virginia Alpha Chapter. This was my first year as a sister "on the other side", and I had a good time rushing girls. On pref. night we all wear the same style black dress, our room is white, there is a pool in the middle, there are candles everywhere and twinkle lights, white and silver balloons fill the top of the ceiling...it looks like prom!!!
But first round of pref. I get my candle lite from the previous rushee and then a few mins later I get burned from wax and drop my candle...my rushee gave me this look like "oh my god she's gonna burn the place down"
But it's cool, she is now a new pledge!!!