My hall mates and I after we transformed into pirates!
This weekend was the annual pirate-themed party hosted by the great men of Phi Gamma Delta (or FIJI as they are better known around campus). For the week preceeding the party, the fraternity house blared pirate-esque music from large speakers. Since I live in Katherine Parker, which is located directly across the street from the fraternity house, I could hear the music through my window while I sat in my room throughout the day.
Thankfully, the gracious men of FIJI were kind enough to respect quiet hours and turn the music off after a certain time at night. All week the topic of lunch table chatter and class time breaks was this event: who all wished to attend, what everyone was planning to wear and how to get on the list. All the talk was really building the suspense, especially for the freshmen who had no clue what to expect.
Finally, the week full of classes, homework, tests, and practices came to an end. Many people were anxiously awaiting the pirate night. People took to Twitter and Facebook; they began making countdowns and giving out the last minute details to make sure everyone was informed. Email invites were sent, and directions for being able to attend were attached.
Saturday arrived, and people began prepping their costumes. My hall mates made a trip to the Halloween store in Madison, Ind. Since most of us are poor college students, paying $55 for a costume wasn’t really an option; instead we went to Big Lots where some girls bought witch dresses (cut short they resembled pirates), while the others merely bought accessories to go with whatever outfit they could scrounge together out of their closet (eye patch, hook, sword).
After what seemed like hours spent curling, teasing, cutting, primping, applying, adjusting, the girls on my hall decided we were ready! As we walked across KP lawn, we saw that FIJI had literally transformed the front of their house into what looked like a ship. Blue ground lights lit up the front while fog poured out of the doorway. If you wished to enter, walking across a plank was required. Once inside, one could see the walls were covered in black sheets. Pirate flags and different objects (skulls and such) were placed around the house.
Making laps around the house, we met a lot of new people. It is always nice going out and getting to see people that aren’t in the same classes or live in the same building as you. Events like this are where I see most of my upperclassmen friends the most. Also, it is nice getting to hang out with my fellow cheerleaders outside of games or practice where things aren’t so serious and focused.
Overall, the night was a success. Hanging out with old friends is always nice, but meeting different people that open your eyes to new possibilites is great, too (e.g. rushing or trying a new club or sport). That is where all of this takes place; networking and making contacts is important with our generation (obvious with social sites and technological advances like texting). Lifelong friendships are born here, and the people we meet on campus now can help us throughout our collegiate journey. Plus, getting dressed up and dancing is always fun, too.
