Please do! I'm mad at your friend's mom for her comment about "banana material"!

I know, right! I didn't know if I should keep that in the story or not, but decided to keep it in because it ties in a little with the final installment. I really think the comment came because I had hurt my roommates feelings. Not that 2 wrongs make a right, but as a parent I totally understand wanting to do something to make it ok for my kids. Thankfully, this lesson has showed me that you can go a bit too far, and hurt the other person pretty badly in the process, too. I'll chalk it up to life lesson :)

can't wait 'till the final installment!

Peach??? :eek:
Never saw that coming.

Whoa, Peach. That was a little shady IMO.

Do I "know" your mother? I've had this feeling, ever since the Day you started this thread!

Great story - I think we can all relate to those raw, exposed nerves and emotions that rush brings out.

That prayer comment from Peach would have had me running for the hills. I was semi-appalled to learn there was a religious element in my sorority at all. If they'd have told me in a preference party it may have turned my recruitment. Of course, the other one I preffed probably also has a religious element, so I'd have been REALLY mad to find that out 3 months later. So in short, that comment was a crap-shoot by the president.

Bid Day and Beyond

After the last girl finally filled out her binding agreement around 2 AM that night (yep, all 500ish of us rushees waited at the cafeteria until the very last girl made her decision), I got back to my dorm room and went to sleep. With no call from my Rho Chi in the morning, I knew that I had gotten a bid somewhere, and so I went out to lunch with my parents who had come into town. I was a bit nervous to tell them who I had ranked as 1st, because, again, no one from our circle of friends (church or school) were members of Peach (or Orange for that matter). However, my parents both told me how each of their Alma maters (not UA) had Peach chapters, and that they always thought those girls were classy and well-rounded. I was very excited to head to Old Main Lawn for Rho Chi Reveal and Bid Opening.

My Rho Chi ended up being an Apricot, and we were all a little shocked because we pegged her as an Apple. Time for the big reveal, and I opened my bid to find that I was invited to join Peach, also known as
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KAPPA DELTA

I was thrilled to run to my new sisters in KD, and was met by the girl who would eventually become my big sister in the house. My new member period was fun (if not for a few bumps in the road), and I enjoyed the experience. I agree with many GC members who say that I didn't truly feel at home in KD until after I moved into the house my sophomore year. I served in many offices; including Academic Excellence, Chaplain, Reference Chair, and spent 2 years on our council as Assistant Treasurer and Treasurer -- and I think that also deepened my devotion to KD. We had a great time at football and basketball games, parties at the fraternity houses, socials on Dickson Street, and just lazy Sunday afternoons doing laundry in the basement. We were there for each other in good times and in bad; in breakups and in candle passes. Many of my pledge sisters are still some of my best friends to this day, and I was so excited to catch up with many of them last weekend at the KD State Day Weekend. They are the girls who were my bridesmaids, girls who I stood up for in their weddings, the 1st girls I called when I found out I was pregnant, women I have cried with when they have called to tell me they suffered a miscarriage, a friend who I drove over state lines to be with because her husband just left her, and girls who call with the sound of a legacy cooing in the background. But also, they are the ones who I can sit around and laugh about my funny quirks, their crazy teaching stories, our husbands weird habits, or what our kids have destroyed this week. In short, they are my sisters :)

However, I would be lying to say that it was an easy house to join at the time. When people from my hometown or sometimes on campus asked where I pledged, and told them Kappa Delta, more often than not I received "Oh, well I'm sure you'll make the best of it" or "I can't believe that you weren't taken by _________ sorority." Thankfully I did have a handful of friends who supported my decision, and were sweet to send cards and let me know how excited they were for me. Some of the frats looked at you different as well, and I remember giving my roommate messages from certain frats saying they wanted Banana there, but when they asked what sorority I was in they would say "Oh" or "Banana Only" It was just very awkward and a blow to my ego. It was also hard to watch in the years to come when girls from my hometown would go through recruitment, but not give Kappa Delta a chance -- and would withdraw from recruitment as opposed to giving us a chance when they were cut from the perceived top houses. Because of these types of issues, it took me a while to be confident in my decision and my house, and not feel like I was in the wrong place. But, I LOVE that my sorority has made Confidence a priority, and created the Confidence Coalition (www.confidencecoalition.org). It is something that we all need!

In short I want to say that ALL the houses at Arkansas are wonderful and represent values that show we are so much more similar than we are different. Kappa Delta at Arkansas has been doing amazing things before, during, and after I was a collegiate member -- just as ALL the other houses on campus. I am so proud of the Greek system up there, and look forward to many more years of success!

All that to say, I love KD and appreciate all it has done for me and so many others. Thanks for reading my story!

All I can say is that its the truth, but it turned out to be exactly what I needed and wanted.

Oh, now I see what you are saying, 33girl :) Sorry about that. Yes, I agree that it may have appeared to be an emotional ploy. However, knowing that specific president, I knew that she meant it with all her heart.

I do think there is a fine line, and that it does come down to each house (and even each President / VP-membership) what they want to say during preference night. I am sure that the words had the opposite effect on some of the PNMs as well. During the rest of my time there, only 1 other President chose to say that again during preference ceremony.

What a cool story! It really captures rush at UA and your honesty is really refreshing. :)

Great story! Thanks so much for sharing it - and your honest assessment of the whole situation is refreshing. As a fellow Arkansan, I completely understand what you are saying. KD was young on that campus when you pledged and it takes time for a group to get past the reputation of being the "new" kid.

Regarding the pref ceremony. Each year, houses try to hone their pref ceremony to find just the right mix of messages that will 'speak' to the pnms. Personally, the mention of God and prayer would not have bothered me, but it would probably depend on how it was said. The main thing about your experience is that it clicked with you - and that was enough for you to know that KD was something special.

Thanks for sharing. Where did you roomie pledge?

what a lovely story. thank you so much for sharing it with us!

I pm'ed you her house :)