| Sorority Hair: Memories Of Alpha Xi Delta |
| Karen Marie Shelton |
| Original Publication Date: 10/25/2006 |
Introduction
The other day I
was chatting with my niece, Brigid O'Connor, who
recently graduated from Purdue and moved to Dallas to
join the Hairboutique.com family in a full time position
after three summers as our Intern.
Brigid and I
started talking about our sorority experiences and it
triggered many memories for me.
One special
trigger was my hair experiences once I became a pledge
in the Alpha Xi Delta chapter at the University Of
Missouri - St. Louis
Epsilon Xi chapter.
The truth of the
matter is I never thought of myself as prime Greek
material but apparently my Alpha Xi sisters didn't agree
with me. They rushed me during the beginning of
Winter Semester and I soon acquired the nickname of
"Junior Pledge" because of my innate quirky and wild
personality traits.
Alpha Xi Advantages & Disadvantages
Of course like
anything in life there were both advantages and
disadvantages to pledging a national sorority like Alpha
Xi (The Fuzzies). Because the University of
Missouri was considered in those days "a commuter
school" I discovered instant friendship by joining a
sorority.
I was instantly
welcomed into the best study groups and lunch hangouts
both on and off campus. It was a wonderful
feeling. Before joining Alpha Xi I was just one of the
nameless computer students trudging what seemed like
miles from the vast parking lots to my classes.
I also was able to
reconnect with my long lost maternal first cousin - Mary
Jo Redel (now Rehg). Mary Jo, who had a thing
about never wearing coats and gorgeous butter blonde
hair was my inspiration for improving my own formerly
dishwater blonde strands.
Which brings me to
how sorority hair changed my hair life. The
sisters of Alpha Xi were known more (at least during my
era in early 1970s at
Epsilon Xi) for their scholastic achievements than
their pulchritude although Alpha Xi has certainly turned
out a major share of gorgeous women over the years.
In my day grades were of utmost importance (and my grade
point soared under their watchful eyes). I also
found a renewed focus on my major (Sociology) and a
pride in doing my part in bringing up the sorority's
GPAs.
My hair also
benefited greatly from my days in the Sisterhood.
Of course I was instantly inspired by my gorgeous blonde
cousin and my wild Pledge Mom - Marylu Vesilsky - who
taught me how she curled her hair while driving down
Highway 70 at 70 miles an hour.
I admit the first
few times she was rolling her strands into the electric
rollers with both hands I was freaked. Once I
realized she knew how to steer with her knees I relaxed
and worked in harmony with her hair needs by handing her
metal clips. After all she only had two hands.
Sorority Membership Is A Strand Helper
I asked my niece
if she felt that being in a sorority improved the
overall look of her hair and she answered in the
affirmative. As she pointed out "women dress to
impress other women" which includes how they "do their
hair".
When you are
hanging out with a group of women focused on looking
their best for Founder's Day, Greek Week and other Greek
related social events, you get lots of great free hair
and beauty tips. You also get to pass around
various hair care products.
I remember Marylu
giving me more than one short course on how to achieve
wrinkle free curls and waves with hot rollers. Of
course I quizzed my blonde cousin on her shiny strand
creation techniques. She gave me some great hair
secrets which I promptly adopted.
Sorority Sister Hair Pro With Curlers
By the time I was
activated into the sorority I was a pro at creating
sleek shiny hairstyles. At one point I got so
comfortable with hair rollers than when my pledge sister
Becky Orzel and I snuck out of a sorority Formal Rush
prep party to nosh at the local McDonald's I was
completely unfazed in my head full of gignatic pink
rollers.
Unfortunately our
Alpha Xi president at the time was pinned to a Sigma Pi
who spotted us at the local hamburger hamlet with our
hair in gigantic curlers. Naturally Becky and I
caught all kinds of hell and an appropriate fine.
Not so much for sneaking out of an event as appearing in
public with with unsightly curlers, which didn't help
our case at all.
Of course now my
days as the "junior pledge" carry found members complete
with hanging out in curlers eating fries and drinking a
chocolate shake - required college food.
Alpha Xi Road Trip
Naturally I have
lots of other hair related memories from my days in
Alpha Xi.
One of my other
favorite sorority hair related memories was the time
that Marylu and I stuffed her gigantic Saint Bernard dog
into her tiny little car and traveled down the
Interstate to the Southeast Missouri State (SEMO) campus
to hang out at the Alpha Xi sisters at their house.
I had my hair
worked over my a round of sisters and it never looked
better. They braided, French Twisted and
even trimmed it for me. I was in hair heaven.
During that visit I learned to deal effectively with a
dog plagued by gastric problems as well as how to
crochet my own bun holders and snoods.
I also learned to
instantly change my hair styles for Formal Rush since we
did back to back parties and everyone changed up their
hair for each new group of rushees. One of the
styles I learned from my Alpha Xi big sis became my
favorite half up/half down style that I wore to our
Winter Formal.
One of biggest
accomplishments was managing to participate in a few
rounds of candle lightings without catching my fast
growing newly platinum blonde locks (thanks to Mary Jo)
on fire, which almost happened twice. Seriously.
Summary
I am not sure The
Alpha Xi Sisterhood will claim me as an alumni
member but I still have my pearl encrusted Quill Pin in
my jewelry box along with my first lavaliere from my
first college boyfriend. I also have my very
favorite silk Killarney Pink Rose I received from my big
sis when I activated.
While achieving
great hair help may not be a good reason for committing
your college years to a sorority, it is certainly a
great bonus. Another bonus is instantly inheriting
a group of sisters with lots of clothes and shoes to try
on. And yes, there is that special warmth of
sisterhood and when appropriate the academic support.
If I had it to do
all over again would I join a sorority?
Absolutely. My years with Alpha Xi Delta will
always live in my heart as a very special time.
It's true what they say about The Fuzzies...they help
you become the woman you want to be...and have great
hair in the process.
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