[oncegreek]

Day 2 of Open Houses rolled around. I wore a blue and white striped shirt dress, with a contrasting collar. The sleeves were short and puffy, and made of the same material as the collar. (Note: puffy was popular in 1981. Remember Princess Di’s wedding dress?) Shoes: trusty blue espadrilles. (Also big in 1981) Today, there would be skits that told a little bit about the houses. I do not clearly remember all of the details of the day, but I will post the highlights.

Members Only was first on the agenda again. Lots of enthusiastic, beautiful girls spilled forth again. I was paired with an active who was friendly and funny, and sat down to enjoy the skit. The Members Only skit had a “Gidget” theme, and was really funny. One of the members complimented me on my dress as I left. I hoped to be invited back.

Berlin came next. These girls were not as polished in their presentation, but they seemed real, and their sisterhood was genuine. I enjoyed talking to the girl I was paired with. I wanted to return there also!

Nancy Reagan was after that. I don’t remember all of the details of their skit, but I do remember that it specifically referred to a potential member “having enough money to buy a Nancy Reagan badge.” (I can’t say what the badge is without giving away the name of the group) I didn’t think I would be returning here.

The Big Chill was amazing, again. I talked to a transfer student from up north, and had a great conversation. This was a very prestigious house, but I knew that I did not fit in here. (In hindsight, I should not have been intimidated. I just did not see myself as attractive, but looking at pictures of myself from those days, I looked adorable! Live and learn, I suppose!)


I don’t remember specifics of Pat Benatar, Billy Squier and Diana from day 2, but I remember enjoying myself at all three places.

I thoroughly enjoyed Endless Love, but I no longer recall the details of their skit. These girls were friendly, and seemed to have a great sisterhood. I wanted to come back here. Endless Love was a place that I could see myself.

Izod was the last stop, again. Their skit was touching, and related to their philanthropy. One of the sisters told me that they had been taught how to sit on the floor wearing skirts. For some reason, I found that to be off-putting. I thought that figuring out how to sit properly in a skirt was common sense, not something one had to be taught! This chapter struck me as being aloof and unfriendly, although their sisterhood was genuine, and they had a great reputation. I suspected that I would not be returning.


Day 3…. Drumroll… Rush counselors came to your room if you did not receive any invites. There was no knock at the door, so I set out to collect my invitations for the day, which was house tours.We could attend a maximum of seven parties.
I was invited to five houses:

Billy Squier
Pat Benatar
Endless Love
Berlin
Diana

I was happy with my invites. The only one of these five that I was unsure about was Diana. For today’s round, I wore my favorite sundress. The fabric was a sort of jungle print of leaves of leaves and palms, in shades of gold and green, and the straps laced up the back. The skirt was long and swirly. Shoes: beige espadrille sandals that laced up the calf.

First stop was Billy Squier. The house was beautiful. The girl I was paired with explained how their Big Sister program was structured, which I thought sounded like lots of fun. The house also had a deck, which I liked. I hoped to be invited back to Billy Squier.

Endless Love came next. The girls were warm and friendly, and I got a sense that they really cared for one another. The house, too, was magnificent. Their stairway was in the shape of one of their letters. I clicked with the active I was paired with, and had a good conversation. The individual rooms were spacious and nicely decorated. My tour guide pointed out that they stored all of their formals in a large walk- in closet. (This detail stands out in my memory, because I did not own any formals….I was also insecure because I did not come from an affluent background) Nonetheless, Endless Love emerged as my favorite after this round.


Pat Benatar came next. I remember very little from this house, but the girls were friendly, and very put together. The house was nice, and had three stories. I thought that I could fit in here, too.


Diana came next. This house was not my favorite, but I was still happy to have been invited back. I was paired with another rushee, and an active. After the tour, we sat down, and treats were offered. Yay! I was hungry, and happily accepted some M and M’s. Next, some cheese treats were passed around. Hey, I liked those, too, and happily chowed down. Big mistake. The active made a face, and said something along the lines of those foods not going together. The other rushee agreed, and I sheepishly swallowed my snacks, knowing that I probably would not be returning here.

Berlin was a refreshing change. The president came out, and welcomed us to their home. Berlin was a new chapter, and the prospect of being part of something new really appealed to me. There were fewer girls at this party, which was also kind of nice. (I’m claustrophobic, and don’t do well in crowds) Berlin had a diverse membership, and many of the girls did not conform to sorority stereotypes. Their sisterhood was tentative, because they were new, but it was genuine. I wanted to be invited back, and could see myself in this group.


At the end of day 3, here were my faves:

Endless Love
Berlin
Pat Benatar
Billy Squier
Diana