Lifelong Memories from the Homicron
Lacey Bowman, International Vice President of Finance, Chi Delta (U of Colorado)
Some of my best memories involve living in my AOII chapter house. (I wish we had the term “Homicron” when I was in school!) They are memories so vivid to me that they seem like just the other day! There was always someone to walk to class with, always sisters to go to the football game with, and always someone to talk with over meals. Living in the chapter house enhanced that sense of belonging I had from being a member of AOII.
Before big events, such as Greek Week or Homecoming, we would paint banners in the storage room in the basement. Or, rather, my sisters would paint banners while I would support them – I’m lacking in that type of artistic talent! During finals week, we would tape balloons on the door frames to our rooms, labeled with a class name, and pop each one once the final was done.
I asked some AOII friends to share favorite memories from living in their chapter facilities and here were some of their answers:
“At lunch every weekday, in between classes, those at the house at the time would gather in the Rec Room to watch our favorite soaps – Young and the Restless and All My Children!”
“I loved when the boys could come to pick up their dates and would wait in the foyer, so many of them with flowers!”
“Spontaneous all night pajama parties in someone’s room.”
“I remember there being glitter EVERYWHERE after big/lil reveal in the Fall. And it didn’t disappear ever again.”
“I fondly remember our dance parties following recruitment and card game marathons during finals.”
“Each room had a buzzer – that’s how they signaled formal dinner or a phone call or a visitor. When fraternities would come to serenade, you’d hear the buzzers, one by one, down the hall. After they sang to us, we’d follow them out, line the front porch, and sing back to them!”
I had so many AOII mentors over my life, many were my collegiate advisors. But I also want to recognize the chapter house staff and the role they played while I was in school. They see us every day – at our best and at our less-than-best. Kathy, our house director, asked us about important events we had coming up and always followed up to see how they went. She made such an effort to get to know each one of us personally. Vic, our handyman, maintained all the ins-and-outs of our 70-year-old historic home, and played in a band that performed around the city. Chef Mike indulged us with “dino-tots” (dinosaur shaped tater tots) and Letty made the best guacamole for Wednesday lunches.
As I approach almost 10 years on the AOII Properties Board, one of the reasons I serve is because I hope our members develop as fond memories as the ones AOIIs have shared with me. I hope that members will build the type of relationships with their sisters, advisors, and chapter house staff that shaped who I was as a young woman and who I try to emulate as an AOII volunteer.