PIPIP Hooray!

Every BYX chapter puts on Island Party in the spring semester. It was the first BYX event at the University of Texas in 1985; it's supposed to be an open party for PR. Everyone does it differently. Many chapters do an all day concert, with a long line up of bands. That's what it is traditionally, but there are other ways. OSU builds a giant Easter basket and cooks burgers inside it. They give out all the food for free to passing students. My freshman year I went to SMU's Island Party - it was a beach volleyball tournament. Very fratty. The Arkansas chapter of BYX runs a carnival for kids in South Fayetteville.

Last year I had to work the dunk tank. I wore this felt hat that looked a lobster, and every time I'd go under it would disentegrate a little more. Eventually I wasn't wearing a hat but a red wig. I had to pick felt out of my chesthair. This year I graduated to Baggo, where we held a tournament with official rules. The kids voted on their favorite game at the end of Island Party. I got third place, right behind Plinko (I don't understand that one) and the winner, T-Rex Karate Attack (I totally understand that).

Since my college run is ending in two weeks, I wanted to go out with a bang. I wanted to leave a legacy that was more than, "That stain was created when Cass dropped his shrimp jumbo during American Idol night." Also, I had been watching a lot of the television show Greek, and I wanted to throw a party like the fictional Kappa Tau's.

Earlier this semester I took over a committee called Brotherhood. Seniors don't hold positions their spring year, because they can't take them up again in the fall, but because I am power hungry and conniving (like Franny on Greek - she was evil!), I stepped in and used their budget to pay for whatever I wanted to do, like Lasertag and lottery tickets. This was no different. I checked what we had left in our budget, and then I spent it all.

We hired a band, bought drinks, and rented not only sound equipment and staging but also spotlights and the Arkansas and American flags, complete with stands (it was only two dollars a flag - why not?). Then we convinced UCA to send their pledges to us for a "bonding activity." Yeah right. More like "parking attendants." Or "human furniture." Best love seat I've ever sat on.

It was called PIPIP, for Post Island Party Island Party. We held it outside a barn. The UCA pledges set up the sound system and the stage, then worked parking and the spotlights. They were going to have to work the drink bar as well, but that turned out to be a highly sought after position. D-Rock was in charge; he spent a hundred dollars not only on soft drinks, but on juices and flavorings. The drink bar was in the basement of the barn. While UCA pledges worked the snowcones and popcorn, D-Rock used mixing canisters to create anything that was asked for; he posted menus of his own creations on posterboard. Most requested: tie between Cotton Candy Dr. Pepper and the Ninja Turtle.

The irony: this marked the third event I've planned in order to get a specific girl to come, and she still hasn't shown up. This time she said she had to wash her hair. I believe her. I had to do it last Thursday.