Yes, I received Preference invitations from both the Airedales and the Labradors. I have to admit, I was little put off that the Labradors would invite me to their Preference. I figured, if they didn't know who I was, then why were they inviting me? In retrospect, I'm guessing it was my resume (good grades, lots of leadership activities in high school) and the fact that nobody could figure out who I was and they wanted to know. A few may have known me since I hung out with the TKEs so much too. Both invitations were professionally printed, embossed, like wedding invitations. Both had the sorority flowers on them. They were absolutely gorgeous! I knew Pref was a big deal and I had to pick the perfect dress .. but I only had a couple with me.
It was Pref Sunday. We would attend parties in the morning, then sign bid cards and then, in the evening, if we got a bid, bid night activities. I was starting to get nervous now. I was hearing about some girls who didn’t get invitations. I went to Rich and Michael with my fears and they just kept saying “Don’t worry, ALL the sororities would have wanted you”. Wellll, I really wasn’t that confident. But, those Airedales really seemed to like me and I really liked them, especially Sherri.
It was the first weekend in February and probably 10 degrees outside but this was supposed to be formal, so I dressed formally. I decided on a maroon dress with big shoulder pads (it was IN, honest!), an asymmetrical hem with a big wide belt, and the reliable black pumps. I decided to go with pearls for jewelry this time.
The party this time was in one of the oldest buildings on campus. It was also where the Ambassador’s Society was housed and it was beautiful. Starkweather Hall.
As we entered, the ladies took our coats. Sherri took my arm and escorted me into the room. There were no nametags but they all remembered my name. The room was lit with candles (we could use real ones back then) and there were white table clothes over all the tables. She gave me a china plate (with red and buff roses on it) that had a piece of cheesecake on it with my initials in raspberry sauce on top. Wow! There was tea and coffee and I chose tea. The teacup and saucer matched the china plate. Oh! And embossed napkins too! This was really, really elegant. Sherri was talking to me about how much Airedale meant to her. Dawn, the chapter President, came up to me and was talking to me also. She told me that I had made a really good impression on the sisters and that she could see ME being President of their chapter someday (blink.. whoa!.. they like me!!). They gathered us into a circle for a ceremony. Sherri recited a poem that had been written by an Airedale alumna that made me cry. She kept making eye contact with me and smiling as she recited it. There were some other things said by other officers that were all very touching. Each of us were given a pearl and escorted to a wishing well where we told to drop the pearl in and make a wish. We were then presented with a hand sewn felt pin pillow with the sorority letters sewn onto it and we received red and buff roses. They sang the most beautiful song I had ever heard and I got misty eyed again. Sherri kept making eye contact and smiling at me while she was singing. When they were done, they began to escort us out. Sherri and I kept talking and talking and she looked at her watch and said “You had better get to your next party” and I said “I’m not going to any other parties”. She smiled really big and said she was so glad to hear that.
Now yes, all this would’ve been rush infractions in this day and age, but then, I think it was pretty typical. Rules were pretty loose. Other women who had gone to this Preference too included Renee and Libby. Kirsten had only gone to Russian Toy Terrier. Renee was also going to Labrador and she really liked them a lot. Libby was only going to Airedale, like me.
We signed bid cards after the second Prefs were done and, of course, I suicided Airedale. We were told that we would get a phone call by 7 pm if we didn’t get a bid.