Sophomore Stories XV "Theta Chi"

The fall semester of my sophomore year included an ill-advised membership into the KU Chapter of Theta Chi Fraternity. The relationship began in my freshman year when a friend of a friend recruited me to join and I did the beginning of my second year. I wasn't part of traditional rush, I didn't meet any of my pledge brothers until they had already spent two weeks together so when I came along, I was a bit of a stranger, and I was the only pledge who didn't live in the house.
We met one night for a special meeting for an hour and did really important sounding things like elect a pledge class president and vice-president, and I learned everyone's name. When we were done, the frat president told us we had to be at the house tomorrow at 7pm. Reluctantly, I went. We were herded outside in the rain and ordered to stand in line by our pledge class drill sergeant J.T. One by one, we were ushered inside the house. As the door would open, those of us standing in line could see a dimly lit figure holding a paddle. The first pledge was inside for all of 15 seconds when we heard a loud slap and a loud yell of "THEEEEEEEEETAAAAAA CHIIIIIIIII!!!!" The soaked pledges exchanged nervous glances, but I was thinking, 'there;s NO WAY these guys are going to hit us with that thing.'
I was right...as I entered, I was told to face a wall and put my palms on the wall above my head. I did so and the guy with the paddle, I think his name was Ken, said "I'm gonna hit the wall and when I do, yell Theta Chi as loud as you can. I rolled my eyes and participated with all the enthusiasm I could muster. When I finished yelling, I was ordered to go upstairs.
I climbed the stairs to a door threshold with a white curtain. I ducked through the curtain when a voice said...
"Stop! Identify yourself! Last name first. First name last. Middle initial!"
"Dale. John. W."
(sigh of frustration)"Last name first. First name last. Middle initial!"(pause) "Dale. John. W."
(condescendingly)"Last name first. First name last. Middle initial."
(completely baffled)"Dale. John. W."
(indifferently)"Go stand over there."

Somewhat humiliated, although I wasn't sure why, I joined the other members of my pledge class who had screamed before me.

The next guy came through the curtain.
"Stop! Identify yourself! Last name first. First name last. Middle initial!"
"Smith. Kevin. L."
(sigh of frustration)"Last name first. First name last. Middle initial!"
"um...Smith. L. Kevin."
"Good job"

Everyone in the room, about 20 guys, started snapping their fingers, so I instinctively snapped my fingers too. It's funny how peer pressure and the desire to fit in work their way into these kinds of groups.

This little routing went on and on until the last pledge went through...noone else was successful in solving the self-identity riddle, but there was one awkward moment when one pledge came through and the poor guy had no middle name. The interrogator didn't know what to do.

When the last pledge had failed the name test, we were forced, as a pledge class, to stand in a circle, hold hands, and recite the Theta Chi creed. Nobody knew it. Not even close.
The non-pledges started yelling and J.T. came over and pulled apart our circle and yelled something about how we weren't a good pledge class and we were broken...it was probably meant to be motivational, but I just rolled my eyes again.

Next, we were shepherded out to the lawn where we were blindfolded and our right arm placed on the shoulder of a non-pledge. This person sauntered me about for ten minutes or so while others made sheep noises...whatever.

When this was done, we were led to a 'ledge' and while still blindfolded, we were told we fall back and would have to trust that someone would be there to catch us. So we fall back and are summarily caught, each one by his own 'pledge dad.'

My pledge dad was Gary, and he was a super nice guy and I was glad he was assigned to me. As a gift for passing the ultimate trust test and meeting our pledge dads, our fathers each had a present for us...alcohol.

I'll never forget the sight of all my pledge brothers rushing inside, each with their liquor bottle, to huddle around a coffee table and start playing drinking games. I just stood outside with Gary and the 2-liter bottle of Purple Passion that he had given me. I thanked him, shook his hand and went back to the dorm where I immediately poured the everclear-based drink out into the parking lot.

I went to sleep completely unchanged as a person...and more importantly, sober.