[BlueBayou]

So looking back on my rush - I went to a school with 6 NPC sororities. At my very first party I did not know what to expect. All of the "open house" parties were held in the University Center. I was shocked as the doors opened, and there was loud clapping and singing. Someone grabbed me my the arm, singing loudly, and ushered me to a chair. I was totally overwhelmed, because I was expected a booze free cocktail party. I was not expected crazed singing and someone kneeling in front of me to talk with me.

Now I wasn't the "stereotypical" rushee at my Texas college in the mid-80s. I was a math team, quiz bowl, theatre geek. I don't think I had overlapping activities with the girl that picked me up. So the girl that brought me in the door said "So you where a Thesbian - how did you like that."

Now i could not hear well, the room was LOUD.

Me: "Excuse me?"
Her: "So you where a Thesbian - how did you like that."
Me : Now I really was not hearing this right. She can't really be asking me if I am a Lesbian. "Excuse me?"
Her: "It says you were a Thesbian in High School"
Me: FINALLY realizing what she is saying. "Oh Thespian, it's pronounced THESPIAN not Thesbian."
Yeah - I did not get invited back (I got all invites back the next 3 rounds)

I was assistant reference chairman my Junior and Senior years - so I did not rush many girls after my Sophomore year.

But my strongest memory of my first time on the other side of rush was pref. We served a sherbet punch with mini quiche and petits fours. All pre-plated. I think our parties ran from 12:30 - 4pm. And we were busy getting ready in our matching blue taffeta dresses and did not eat lunch before hand. After the first party - which was very touching and emotional - I knew we had to hurry to clean up and get ready for the next. What I wasn't expecting to hear was - "She didn't touch this quiche - can I trade you for a petits four? Everyone seriously scarfed down the untouched leftovers.

My chapter celebrated its 15th year anniversary when I was there, and it's in a smaller town where many alumnae don't stay after college. So it did not have a huge number of local alums for support. Now that it has been around for a while - there is an organized recruitment meal "competition." The different decades (70s, 80s, 90s, etc) each pitch in to cater a day of chapter meals. Back in my day - if we got food - it was pizza.