A very retro rush - with frills

[dukemama]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

or the busby berkley song and dance productions on the front lawn! we practiced them so much that the sigma chis, who lived across the street, could do the routines as well as most of us!

Now THAT I would have liked to see!

[NUBlue&Blue]

We lived across the street from the Sigma Nus, Sig Eps and Sig Alphs and they always used to stand out in the front lawn and make fun of our "Kappa Kappa Kappa Gamma, I'm so happy that I am a...." never failed, if we were outside singing for something there were at least 10 in front of every house "helping out".

[FSUZeta]

i chuckle about it now, but back then, we were all mortified that they would come strolling out of their house on cue, singing our song and doing our dance. of course, being boys, by the time rush rolled around, they were more interested to sit on their porch roof rating the rushees !

[dvs-dz]

Now it's January. The girls on my wing have become very close, and we sort of created our own "sorority". Since we are on 3rd West, we called ourselves "Tri Wupsilons".

Our rush began the first weekend after we returned. On Friday, we attended parties at all 5 sororities. Saturday morning, we received our invites, and we could accept 3. Sunday morning we received our pref invites, and we could accept 2. Immediately after our last pref party, we would go to the cafeteria to sign bid cards. Monday afternoon, we had to vacate our rooms so the Panhellenic members could put our bids on our beds (I'm not sure how they knew whose bed was whose, but our names were on the envelopes). At the designated time, we returned to our rooms, got our bids and would run out to the designated location of our sorority.

The party invitations were on cards provided by Panhellenic. Each card indicated the appropriate attire, which on first night ranged from cotton and heels to jeans and things, so all the rushees were changing outfits in the 15 minutes we had between parties!

I'll also tell about the rush of Marianne, my roommate, and Eleanor, another friend.

The Panhellenic reps were our group leaders. There was no disaffiliating; everyone knew who was in what sorority. The freshman RAs, however, did not participate in the rush parties, but we all knew their affiliation, too.

For the parties, our rush "date" came to take us to their party. Most were held off-campus (none were in the chapter rooms) - some at alumna homes, some at various meeting rooms around town. I think the sororities had to get a bit creative at finding venues.

Pride and Prejudice had a Friday Night at the Movies theme, where they showed slides of their activities. My rush date was a pledge (she had joined in the fall upperclass rush - initiations were usually about 3-4 months after pledging). I remember they had the cutest nametags that looked like movie clapboards. My RA was a member of P&P, and most of the Tri Wupsilons had it high on their list. Marianne's cousin was the chapter president.

Emma had a song party at an alumna's home. My rush date was another pledge, who had always said hi to me whenever she saw me the previous semester (but I was pretty embarrassed because I had forgotten her name). My aunt is an Emma, and I was already very, very familiar with their information. I met a lot of members, and was very excited to be there.

As I had mentioned before, Mansfield Park was rebuilding, so a group of us met in the dorm lobby to be taken to their party. They had an American Graffiti party, which involved writing things on paper-covered walls. There were several alums there, and I talked with one for a while. Actually, I don't think I ever talked to any of the active members, so I didn't get much of an impression from them.

Next was Sense & Sensibility. Their theme was Gold Rush, and it was like a wild west saloon. During the fall semester I had gotten to know several members and felt pretty comfortable there.

The final party was Persuasion, with a Journey Back to Childhood party. The members were dressed in pajamas and we sat on sleeping bags to talk to the members. Another pledge for my rush date, who was a bit on the quiet side. I did meet a senior I liked quite a bit. I got the impression that they were something of a more rowdy group.

[mystikchick]

Originally Posted by dvs-dz

The party invitations were on cards provided by Panhellenic. Each card indicated the appropriate attire, which on first night ranged from cotton and heels to jeans and things, so all the rushees were changing outfits in the 15 minutes we had between parties!

wait, does this mean EACH group had different requirements for appropriate clothing?!?! also, what year were you rushing (i'm also intrigued by the writing letters reference, but i love the idea, i think it's very classy)

[dvs-dz]

Yes, each group had different attire requested. One group even had girls wear jeans to their pref!

I'll reveal the year of my rush at the end of the thread.

[Leslie Anne]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

i chuckle about it now, but back then, we were all mortified that they would come strolling out of their house on cue, singing our song and doing our dance. of course, being boys, by the time rush rolled around, they were more interested to sit on their porch roof rating the rushees !

Oh, yeah. They did that at my campus too. How humiliating!


BTW: I love this thread. My campus did frills back in my day, but I don't think it was anything like dvs-dv's.

Anxiously awaiting more.....

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

i chuckle about it now, but back then, we were all mortified that they would come strolling out of their house on cue, singing our song and doing our dance. of course, being boys, by the time rush rolled around, they were more interested to sit on their porch roof rating the rushees !

Hilarious!

So I wonder if they practiced in the house beforehand? Cause I am so visualizing the choreographer from when Lisa from 'The Simpsons' signs up for the Little Miss Springfield pageant.

I said "Step pause turn pause pivot step step," not "Step pause turn pause pivot step pause!"

[FSUZeta]

i have no idea, but they had our performance pretty down pat!

i cannot imagine having to change outfits for parties on the same night! yikes!!

[dvs-dz]

Saturday morning we returned to our rush groups for our invitations. Rumor had it that you were guaranteed an invitation to second night if you had a rec. Given that my mother had networked like crazy for recs, I wasn't too worried.

And sure enough, I was invited back to all 5. I think almost all of the rushees were; this was way before NPC guidelines on how many invitations to issue.

I really didn't know any Mansfield Parks so I declined their invitation. Ditto with Persuasion, although I did like that one senior I met.

So I will be returning for second night to:
Emma
Pride & Prejudice
Sense & Sensibility

Marianne and Eleanor are both returning to Emma, Pride & Prejudice, and Persuasion. Turns out that Eleanor's mother is a Persuasion.

Once again, the dress ranged from cotton & heels to slacks, to informal dress. We spent quite a bit of time planning what to wear and how fast we could change clothes!

Sense & Sensibility was first. Another acquaintance picked me up. Their party was a Wizard of Oz theme, which was quite cute. They have some very talented singers in this group! I do feel comfortable here. This group is something of a chameleon - there are smart girls, rowdy girls, pretty girls, etc.

Pride & Prejudice had a fabulous fifties Pop Shop skit. I particularly remember one member singing "Teenager in Rush" to the tune of "Teenager in Love". This is a really cool group of girls who seem to really have it together. The only downside was my rush date. She never initiated conversation, and only seemed to respond to whatever I said with, "Oh, really". I don't want to judge a whole group by one person, but she was definitely off.

Last party was Emma. Their party was based on a Broadway musical and if I reveal it, will completely give away which sorority this is. It was elaborately done - costumes, choreography, music, etc. Very sentimental. The chapter president was my rush date, and I just loved her! My aunt is calling regularly to make sure Emma stays at the top of my list.

[CZAXOTerp]

Originally Posted by dvs-dz

Last party was Emma. Their party was based on a Broadway musical and if I reveal it, will completely give away which sorority this is. It was elaborately done - costumes, choreography, music, etc. Very sentimental. The chapter president was my rush date, and I just loved her! My aunt is calling regularly to make sure Emma stays at the top of my list.

Wow- that's quite an impressive rush date!

[ta kala]

Originally Posted by dvs-dz

Last party was Emma. Their party was based on a Broadway musical and if I reveal it, will completely give away which sorority this is. It was elaborately done - costumes, choreography, music, etc. Very sentimental. The chapter president was my rush date, and I just loved her! My aunt is calling regularly to make sure Emma stays at the top of my list.

Now that you have revealed Emma, what musical did they do?