[kathykd2005]

The whole point of "ice water," "teas," or "lemonade," are, as I understood it, to make recruitment fair for all of the houses and PNMs. If one house has great food, great decorations, and more members, some PNMs might be more impressed with it than the other houses. My school also had only four NPC houses, but then again, my school was also located in North Carolina, so it was most likely quite different than yours. The main difference, I think, between your experience and many others is due to the fact that you don't have "houses." There is pretty much an even playing field when PNMs only see the people in the chapters, and not their decorations, or anything else.