The Putnam's food court teemed with members of UB fraternities, sororities and two men's varsity athletic teams for several hours Tuesday, dominating the central dining area.
The group occupied most of the food court tables, dividing itself largely by gender and Greek insignia. Several were seen talking animatedly on cell phones while others engaged themselves in a discussion of the merits of The Steer, a Main Street watering hole.
"They were there all day," said senior Liz E. Taylor. "I saw the same people every time I walked through the Union on my way to class.
"Actually, I was wondering if any of them have classes . I don't know - maybe they're taking sociology independent studies or something, like post-adolescent mating or group socialization."
"Yeah, it was crazy. I mean, they were dead on when they said the only place to be seen on Main Street is The Steer. I'm at The Steer every weekend, checking out those fine honeys, and then bam! There they were, right in front of me in the fat-free frozen yogurt line," said Brandon McGeary, a senior bioinformatics major.
"Hey, if you talk to any of them for interviews or something, let them know I'm available," he added.
The Greeks were joined by members of the football and men's basketball teams who sprawled over their chairs, eating and keeping close watch out for the security of passing women, particularly those garbed in tight or low-cut articles of clothing.
"Yeah, me and my boys, my ballers, we were just making sure the ladies were properly escorted," said A.J. Johnstone, who plays for both teams.
"We're especially concerned with making sure the hotties with high GPAs - the ones I could never get with - are all right ." Johnstone trailed off after catching sight of his reflection in a nearby window.
Other than their uncharacteristic behavior, the group's most striking characteristic was their uniforms. The men wore dark jeans, tight black shirts, insignia belts and leather jackets; women were outfitted in gray drawstring pants, North Face fleece jackets and running shoes, with their hair pulled into ponytails supported by fabric headbands.
When asked why she and her sorority sisters were dressed identically, Delta Delta Delta member Jessica Goldstein was immediately incensed.
"Identically? Huh? You must be mistaken. Staci's bag is Gucci, mine's Versace, and Dana's is Ralph Lauren. Well, not really - theirs are knock-offs. But I resent that stereotype (because) mine's real," said Goldstein.
"You know, we get a really bad rap," Goldstein continued. "It's so unfair because other people are jealous that we've got great fashion sense. Really, they just want to be us and they can't, so they say bad things about us."
"It's verbatim," said Albert Matthew, a Sigma Pi member who spent much of the three hours staring longingly at sorority members seated nearby.
At one point, a small group of non-Greek students got lost while looking for a table, and attempted to sit at a table later identified as located in the "Greek-only" zone. After receiving several sharp looks and fielding more than a few disparaging remarks about their tapered-leg jeans, the group moved onto the safe enclave of the commuter lounge.
Only a handful of members left their tables during the three-hour occupation. Young members, commonly known as "pledges," stood in food lines for senior members, picked up trays and wrappers and performed other tasks to demonstrate allegiance to their respective organizations.
"I really like doing this kind of thing, picking up my big brother's dry cleaning, doing his homework, spying on his girl," said Mikey Rolls, a Sigma Chi Ro Mu Alpha Gamma Beta Rock Yo Mama pledge. "It makes me feel like a part of something, like I really belong."
They remained in the area until approximately 2 p.m., when the frozen yogurt machine ran out of fat-free yogurt and could dispense only 1-percent milk fat yogurt. Upon learning of the malfunction, several Greek women cried out in dismay before hastening the entire group's departure for Sal's Pizzeria in a swarm of black Ford Explorers and Honda Civics.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
