PKT25: School's Out Forever
I was one of eight brothers to graduate at the end of the Spring 2001 semester. This was the largest single graduating class we had while I was an active, which means it was clearly a good excuse for a party. This wasn't a public party a la Blackout, nor was it a dry party like the Detour party that kicked off this entire story. This was a private party limited to a small circle of brothers and friends with plenty of booze.
I'm pretty sure that I'm the one who suggested giving the party the unofficial moniker "School's Out Forever," although Mike was the classic rock fan so maybe it was him, and it's not like anyone remembers the way they do for Blackout. Still, I'm proud of it as it's the closest I ever got to having a good party theme. One of us suggested that in addition to the usual party festivities, each of the graduating brothers should pick a signature alcohol and we'd all toast each other eight times across the night.
I've tried to recreate the list of eight drinks. Here is the list, starting with utter certainty and descending to complete ignorance.
Me - I drank a lot of Jack Daniel's in college, so clearly it was the drink I'd suggest.
Mike was always a vodka drinker, and went with Grey Goose.
Frank did his junior year abroad in his ancestral country of Ireland and went with Jameson.
Ken nodded to his Japanese heritage with sake.
Neal didn't remember, but his ex is pretty sure he went with some bourbon, which certainly would have been on brand.
Jackal wasn't 100% sure either, but he remembers drinking a lot of Goldschläger his senior year and thinks that might have been it.
Rowan didn't actually drink in college. I personally thought he was the one who brought the Goldschläger, but he doesn't remember the toasts at all.
Hsia - I have no idea.
And with that, undergrad was done. I still lived in the house for one more summer though...
The Ohio Alpha Beta Chapter of Phi Kappa Theta
The House Tour
Outside,
Main Floor Bedrooms,
Main Floor Public Rooms,
Basement Public Areas,
Basement Private Areas,
2nd Floor Big Bedrooms,
2nd Floor Small Bedrooms,
3rd Floor First Hallway,
3rd Floor Second Hallway,
Attic & Errata,
House Tour Commentary: Joe & Laura & Astrid,
House Tour Commentary: Jackal,
House Tour Commentary: Susan,
House Tour Commentary: Assorted
The Pledge Program
Bid Night, Schedule, Curriculum & Black Books, Big Brothers & Pledge Pins, Paddling, Initiation
Semesters
Fall 1996, Spring 1997, Fall 1997, Spring 1998, Fall 1998, Spring 1999, Summer 1999, Fall 1999, Spring 2000, Summer 2000, Fall 2000, Spring 2001
Events
Detour, Blackout, Boo at the Zoo, Chapter Meetings, Serenading, Greek Week, Rush Events, Formal, Retreat, School's Out
Other
Full Series, My Rush Experience, Chapter History, Family Trees, National, Greek Life at CWRU, Fraternity Offices, Part 1, Fraternity Offices, Part 2, Fraternity Offices, Part 3, Demographics, Seniority, Bars, Ponding, Video Games, Restaurants
Additional Commentary
Black Books, Boo at the Zoo & Blackout, More Boo at the Zoo & Blackout, Chapter Meetings
I'm pretty sure that I'm the one who suggested giving the party the unofficial moniker "School's Out Forever," although Mike was the classic rock fan so maybe it was him, and it's not like anyone remembers the way they do for Blackout. Still, I'm proud of it as it's the closest I ever got to having a good party theme. One of us suggested that in addition to the usual party festivities, each of the graduating brothers should pick a signature alcohol and we'd all toast each other eight times across the night.
I've tried to recreate the list of eight drinks. Here is the list, starting with utter certainty and descending to complete ignorance.
Me - I drank a lot of Jack Daniel's in college, so clearly it was the drink I'd suggest.
Mike was always a vodka drinker, and went with Grey Goose.
Frank did his junior year abroad in his ancestral country of Ireland and went with Jameson.
Ken nodded to his Japanese heritage with sake.
Neal didn't remember, but his ex is pretty sure he went with some bourbon, which certainly would have been on brand.
Jackal wasn't 100% sure either, but he remembers drinking a lot of Goldschläger his senior year and thinks that might have been it.
Rowan didn't actually drink in college. I personally thought he was the one who brought the Goldschläger, but he doesn't remember the toasts at all.
Hsia - I have no idea.
And with that, undergrad was done. I still lived in the house for one more summer though...
The Ohio Alpha Beta Chapter of Phi Kappa Theta
The House Tour
Outside,
Main Floor Bedrooms,
Main Floor Public Rooms,
Basement Public Areas,
Basement Private Areas,
2nd Floor Big Bedrooms,
2nd Floor Small Bedrooms,
3rd Floor First Hallway,
3rd Floor Second Hallway,
Attic & Errata,
House Tour Commentary: Joe & Laura & Astrid,
House Tour Commentary: Jackal,
House Tour Commentary: Susan,
House Tour Commentary: Assorted
The Pledge Program
Bid Night, Schedule, Curriculum & Black Books, Big Brothers & Pledge Pins, Paddling, Initiation
Semesters
Fall 1996, Spring 1997, Fall 1997, Spring 1998, Fall 1998, Spring 1999, Summer 1999, Fall 1999, Spring 2000, Summer 2000, Fall 2000, Spring 2001
Events
Detour, Blackout, Boo at the Zoo, Chapter Meetings, Serenading, Greek Week, Rush Events, Formal, Retreat, School's Out
Other
Full Series, My Rush Experience, Chapter History, Family Trees, National, Greek Life at CWRU, Fraternity Offices, Part 1, Fraternity Offices, Part 2, Fraternity Offices, Part 3, Demographics, Seniority, Bars, Ponding, Video Games, Restaurants
Additional Commentary
Black Books, Boo at the Zoo & Blackout, More Boo at the Zoo & Blackout, Chapter Meetings