University of Kentucky - Kentuckian Yearbook (Lexington, KY)

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RUSH lllUSll RUSH IE : BY .. LUANN HOLMES AND TYSON COMPTON Has Joe B's delivered the pizza yet? Where's the punch bowl? Has anyone seen my costume? are typical comments ringing through all 15 sorority houses as frantic last min- ute preparations are made for rush week. . Rush week is a memorable hme for both actives and rushees. As Drema Lemley, Pi Beta Phi, put '11:, Rush '15 something everyone should go through once, whether they join or not. A lot of work goes into making each party a success. HThe closer rush gets, the earlier you have to get up. You get up at nine or earlier, work until noon, take a lunch break, work until five, eat and then back to work until 10, said Cyndy Cantoni, Delta Gamma. But when you get your pledge class, it's all worth it. A weary Sherry Scott, Kappa Alpha Theta, takes a break from hectic rush activities. But there's a good side to all this, too. You become even closer to your sisters, Cantoni added. Being with them exclusively for those few days before rush gives you an opportunity to really get to know everyone. Formal rush is organized into four basic sections. Open house parties give the rushees an opportunity to view every house and gives the sorori- 20 - RUSH

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Elm! RUSH RUSH nus .. KLUEH Steve Coins sets up another round during the Lambda Chi Alpha Bars of the World party. ties an opportunity to meet every ru- shee. First and second round parties are longer and give the rushee more time to meet the members of the sor- orities. These parties also give the sor- orities an opportunity to show the rushees their talents - through skits which ranged from the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse to Camp Granada to Showboat. - JORDAN Preference night is the final oppor- tunity for rushees to visit houses. Party themes are more serious and are designed to help the rushee decide which house is most suitable for her needs The decision isn't an easy one, and is often accompanied by tears and frustration. But the tears turn to those of joy as the rushee becomes a part of her new sisterhood. Sarah Jenkins, Panhellenic advisor, thought that rush was extremely suc- cessful this year. She said, More peoe ple are beginning to realize that the Greek stereotypes no longer hold true. People are finding that group affilia- tion on a large campus has many ben- efits for the individual. It allows you to become a meaningful part of the system rather than an undistingui- shable number. Cyndy Carlson, Alpha Xi Delta, said, I really liked rush - I never knew what sororities were like before I came to UK - so it was a new exper- ience for me. Because of not knowing much about the individual houses, I would have liked the girls to talk more about what their own sorority is like rather than general talk. Increased interest in Greek affilia- tion seems to be the national trend and UK is no exception. But while the number of women going through is increasing, the percentage of those - JORDAN Members of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority har- monize with their barber shop quartet. pledging is remaining about the same. Susan Daunhauer, Panhellenic presi- dent, attributes this to better Feelings about open rush. Girls are not pre- sented with the decision to join now or never. Rush conselors are becom- ing more aware of other alternatives. When girls are not sure, they tend to wait and go through open rush to give themselves more time to make a deci- sion on which house to pledge. Open rush is definately becoming more and more popular. Donna Beg- ley, Gamma Phi Beta, said, I would prefer a more informal rush. I thought too much was crammed into a short time. And the time wasn't adequate for making fair decisions for member- ship selection. The week before school starts in an awkward time - there are too many adjustments e living away from home, being in a dorm, plus trying to fit in all the parties. Informal rush just seems to be a better system. Panhellenic Council, the governing body of the sorority system, is contin- ually upgrading the program. Organ- izing rush is a prime responsibility of Panhellenic. Susan Daunhauer, presi- dent, and Lisa Borders, rush chair- man, stayed in Lexington during the summer to take Care of the many tasks associated with rush. Over 3000 rush RUSH a 21