Retro Recruitment

[micky80]

Yes!!! Grosgrain belts. And occasionally Top Siders.

[NutBrnHair]

Oh yeah -- loving it -- this was my "era" too. Good story.

[barnard1897]

COMEDY! I'm an 80s pledge as well. I still can't get used to all the jeans, t-shirts and super casual outfits I see worn at recruitment events today. I went to a southern high school where Lilly Pulitzer rush outfits were being planned senior year.

The sorority women on my college were less preppy and more into the sophisticated black with pearls look, and our recruitment was in winter so forget espadrilles. But still, there were a LOT of hairbows and scrunchies!

[SWTXBelle]

Ah - the bowheads!

[micky80]

It was funny because mid-way through college I transferred to a school in the Midwest, where it was all pearls, Add-A-beads, monogram sweaters, long skirts and penny loafers - totally different than what we were all wearing in California.

[micky80]

Since my child is occupied, I'll continue with my story.

We all had a lot to talk about after the first day. My sophomore friends and I compared notes, and we all liked the same houses. But I vowed to keep an open mind. I was still pretty sure that I wouldn't actually be pledging anyway.

The way it worked for our rush is that if you received no bids, the rush counselor would knock on your door at night to let you know. So everyone got a little startled when there was a knock on the door.

The next morning, we got our invites. I got all 9 houses back for skit day. We could go back to 7 houses. I decided to go back to:

Go-Gos
Culture Club
Frankie
Men At Work
Flock of Seagulls
Devo
Wham!

Wham! I liked this house better this time. They had cute skit, and I talked to a girl who was one of my roommate's best friends from home. The house seemed to show more personality.

Frankie I had heard so much about his skit from my friends who had gone through rush the previous year. It was a Gidget skit, which played into their whole beach babe image. Very cute. And the girls were amazing. You couldn't leave and not wish to be a Frankie.

Men at Work: This sorority was really growing on me. I met several more girls I really liked, and the skit was really cute. I could definitely see myself here.

Flock: I don't remember much about the skit, but I got to talk to some friends from freshman year, as well as my childhood friend. I really liked this house and could see myself here.

Go-Gos: Their skit was amazing. They had a waterfall when you arrived and a whole island theme going. Anybody who went to this school will immediately know the house I'm talking to. The girl I met the previous day came running up to say hello, and I got to talk to my old roommate. I was really falling for this house, which I didn't want to do.

Devo: It's terrible to say, but I don't remember a single Devo or a single thing about the Devo skit. And to this day, I don't think I know any Devos. They have a decent reputa†ion, but nothing stood out to me about this house.

Culture Club: My old dorm neighbor came running up to me when we got the house, and it made me feel very comfortable. I liked the other girls I met, but didn't really click with them. Their skit was okay. I left feeling not as enthusiastic about the Club.

I remember talking to my boyfriend that night - a boyfriend who felt the same way about sororities as my mother - and assuring him that I didn't plan to pledge. It was starting to get complicated!

[Benzgirl]

These were my favorite bands. My home would be Flock of Seagulls

[LucyKKG]

YES! The hair!! I was trying to explain this look to my bf, but I couldn't put it into words.

[aggieAXO]

ahh no Duran Duran I will have to go with Wham-George was my first crush.

[LucyKKG]

Ok, I wasn't going to post this because I thought I'd look stupid, BUT I know it will make some people laugh.

When you were talking about that girl matching, I didn't know what some of the things were! I had to google "top siders" "grossgrain belt" and "espadrilles." Yeah, I was born near the end of the 80s...I bet my (future) kids will ask me who the Spice Girls were!!

[honeychile]

I'm hooked! I was going to say to Go Go the Go-Go's, but now it would be anticlimatic.

Please tell me that they wore the headbands and/or huge hair, too!

[micky80]

So no knock on the door that night. This rush thing seemed relatively painless at this point. Then I went to get my invites and was sad to see that I'd gotten cut by Frankie and Culture Club. That hurt because I knew girls in these houses, and even though I realistically knew I probably wouldn't feel at home at either one, nobody wants the decision made for them. Anyway, I still had four great choices. I cut Devo.

To be honest, I don't really remember what the theme of this day was. I just remember that things seemed to get much more intense. That morning, I saw a long line of girls waiting for the phone to call parents, some crying. (This was before the days of cell phones or computers, man I feel old!!!!!!)

Anyway, I headed off to my first house:

Flock of Seagulls: I talked to some of the same sisters that I'd met previously, and again, I felt very comfortable at this house. I liked the fact that there was a wide range of girls.

Go-Gos: I was excited to go here. Several of the sisters I'd met made a point of coming up and saying hi. I had great conversations. My rush roommate had loved the Go-Gos but had been cut from them that day and was really upset. She ended up dropping out that day, which made me sad. But I was very happy that I was asked back.

Wham!: I just wasn't really feeling it here. I liked the girls I had met here. But I hadn't really clicked with anybody. There seemed to be an overall lack of enthusiasm at this house compared with the others.

Men At Work: This was my second favorite. I really liked the girls here. And one of my favorite rush friends was really leaning toward this house.

After 4-party day, I got together with some of my friends from my freshman dorm. One of my best friends was really dead set on the Go-Gos. She was on the tennis team with a Go-Go, and it was the only house she liked. It was the house she had wanted since Day 1. Another friend was torn between Culture Club, the Go-Gos and the Frankies. She had had a perfect rush so far, and we knew that she could probably have her pick of houses. She was one of those type of people: gorgeous, smart, funny, a model, blah, blah, blah. You'd hate her if you didn't love her so much. We were all a little surprised at how much we wanted this - especially me!

On a side note, there had been an annoying girl in our rush group - I'll call her Buffy - who would lament each day about her perfect rush and how she just didn't know who she was going to cut. She just couldn't decide between the Frankie's and Culture Club and the Go-Gos. How was she going to choose? She just loved them all so much? Yada yada yada.

[nittanyalum]

I love your story so far, and since you've given it an 80s theme, every time I see your username, the Toni Basil song pops in my head and usually remains lodged there all day. So thanks for that.

*sigh* ok, so since my "Frankie" choice was obviously way off, I'm going with "Men at Work" now. cuteASA, what's your thought now that Boy G. and co. are out of the running?

[NutBrnHair]

Originally Posted by micky80

On a side note, there had been an annoying girl in our rush group - I'll call her Buffy - who would lament each day about her perfect rush and how she just didn't know who she was going to cut. She just couldn't decide between the Frankie's and Culture Club and the Go-Gos. How was she going to choose? She just loved them all so much? Yada yada yada.

Ut oh...I see trouble ahead for precious Buff.

[micky80]

After Day 3, we were all living in fear of the dreaded Knock on the Door. I don't know whether a phone call is more humane because it doesn't seem quite as public. Anyway, I heard a knock early that morning, and I wondered whose door it was, and would I be next.

No knock came. Phew!!!

As I walked out my door, I saw Buffy crying as she carried out her suitcase and fancy preference dress out on a hanger. I actually did feel bad for her. Unlike me, who walked in with no expectations of pledging, and was really just happy to be asked back anywhere, she was filled with confidence. So it must have been a big blow for her. And her mother was a legacy at one of the houses, she also was dealing with that added pressure.

Anyway, I was nervous as I sat down with the rush counselor to get my invitations for preference night. I knew in my heart, that I really was drawn to one house. While I liked some of the other choices, and I'm sure I'd be comfortable at them, it wasn't the same. There wasn't that same feeling.

She handed me my invites: Men at Work, Flock and Go-Gos. I was so happy!

You could go to two, so I chose to go to Flock and Men at Work and Go-Gos. Now what would I wear?

Unlike other girls who excitedly called their moms to share the news of where they'd be going for pref night, I decided against making that call just yet.

I chose a dress I'd found at a boutique downtown. It was sophisticated but fun. After redoing my hair numerous times, it was off to:

Men at Work: Beautiful ceremony. One of the girls I really liked came to greet me and told me how much she had enjoyed getting to know me. It was all very nice.

Go-Gos: When I got to this house, I was really nervous. Then my old roommate came out to get me and I felt immediately better. During the week, she had made a point of letting other sisters talk to me and I hadn't had much of a chance to talk to her. She seemed so excited to have me at pref. night. I already knew how much she loved being a Go-Go, but it really came across at the ceremony, with all the girls in black and candles. I left, and I knew that if the Go-Gos would have me, that's where I wanted to go.

It was going to be a long night!