Belly dancers, hoagies bring crowds to frats

A roasted pig's head decorated with pineapples and ripe strawberries rested in the center of the room. Girls in grass skirts and bikini tops distributed leis.

"We like to get leied," one tropical-looking girl, Wharton freshman Paula Aranda, said as she placed a flower necklace around one guy's neck.

At the Kappa Alpha house, the theme was Hawaiian as the fraternity worked to lure in potential members.

Open fraternity rush events were in full swing last night as freshmen men explored their Greek life options, visiting the frat houses around campus to see what each one had to offer.

And some freshmen had specific frat-criteria in mind.

"Bitches and beer," said Wharton freshman Chris Buck, about why he's rushing in the first place.

Another student, Wharton freshman Eric Beckmann, had a couple of other ideas.

"A little bit of Animal House and just good guys," he said. "That's all you've gotta look for."

For those in search of food, Tau Epsilon Phi was the place to be.

There, heaps of pizza pies, wings and chips covered the table. There was even a plate of celery placed amid the scattered pretzels and bottles of soda.

And then TEP's question sheet: name, dorm and hypothetical "weapon of choice." All three needed to be filled out by anyone who wished to qualify for a spot in the fraternity.

Behind the table, 50 Cent's "Candy Shop" blasted from an iPod in the corner. Groups of guys mingled together in scattered social circles.

"All the guys there seem[ed] pretty cool," said College freshman Preston Hershorn, who was at the TEP event.

"You find the guys you know, and they introduce you to the other brothers," he said. "It's always better to know someone in the frat."

Half a block down, Sigma Nu ordered 200 sandwiches from Hemo's for their anticipated party-goers.

"Chicken or steak?" was the first question asked by Sigma Nu to each guy who walked in the door.

"It's like NSO all over again," said College freshman Charlie Isaacs, adding that Sigma Alpha Mu's event was better than others' since he met some of the Sigma Alpha Mu brothers last semester.

"There's none of that, 'So, what did you do over break?'" he said.

Other frats that held open rush events last night include Delta Tau Delta, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Lambda Chi Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, Phi Sigma Kappa and Phi Kappa Psi.

Closed rush events will start later in the week and can be attended by invitation only.

The official Bid ceremony, in which brothers extend formal offers to students they want in their frat, will be held the night of Jan. 22.

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