Hubby and I are heading south to my alma mater for my uh hum (insert your favorite number here) class reunion and homecoming. When I was a student, we had basketball, baseball and tennis, but never dreamed of a football team. Located about half-way between Auburn and the University of Alabama, we could see good football (SEC football) any weekend we wanted. We didn’t need anything more.
But now my little college is all grown up and has its own football team—complete with band, majorettes, cheerleaders—the works. They’ve competed in the intercollegiate arena for several years now, which still blows my mind, and I can’t wait to see a football field on the campus of my beloved school.
In addition, my collegiate sorority is honoring my pledge class (the real reason I’m going) with a brunch Saturday morning. When I matriculated to this institution, there were no Greek social organizations. I was in my middle year (I completed a four-year degree in three—was I nuts or what???), when interest was expressed in bringing Greek life to the small liberal arts campus. The international organization of the group chosen arrived and recruited the core members for a “colony”. They selected a diverse group, seeking upperclassmen as well as freshmen women.
It took a full year (and was only a few months before I graduated) but the chapter was finally installed. Being a Greek colony on any campus is tough. Being the first Greek colony on a college campus that has no idea what Greek life is all about, is next to impossible. Somehow we survived, the chapter was installed, and the members were initiated. And even more miraculously, the chapter is thriving thirty-five years later. Oops—I gave you the number. Now the campus has four sororities and four fraternities. Wow!
Several of my colony/pledge sisters live in other states and/or countries and will be unable to attend tomorrow’s brunch and afternoon open house after the football game. (Football is still such a foreign concept when thinking about MY school.) However, I’m looking forward to the seeing the ones who do make it. I’m charging my camera as I type this.
In my blog post of September 28th, I challenged readers to get in touch with a long lost friend. I could probably bank a lot of contacts from this weekend, but I’ll play fair and find a new person to call each month for the next year–the length of my challenge. Oh, and I’ve given up French fries for the next year, too.
Have a good weekend.
~Kay
