Hey Everyone!! So, I have updates coming, I crashed last night right when I got back. But just checked in to let everyone know that today before our first house, the wind chill is supposed to make it feel 7 degrees!!! That's right, we're in single digits!!! Ahh, I so do NOT want to go out in the cold, but can't wait for the parties to start today!

well, bundle up and carry chapstick! good luck to you.

It's like rush meets "Survivor - Arctic"! Stay warm . . .good luck!

Hello again! Yes--it is severely cold but the good news--no snow today. At least the snow was gorgeous yesterday... perfect snow flakes! The only bad part of the day was waiting outside the houses for 15 minutes but other than that, I had a blast and met so many amazing women! Updates to come later tonight after our last 9 houses. Could be late tonight, however, because I've got one last report to write.
Thanks for all your support and I can't wait for the second day to begin!!!

Well, good luck and stay warm! Think warm thoughts. :)

good luck ladies! i can't wait to hear stories!

Okay Everyone, here is my story from this weekend!!! Everything was SO much fun and I had the BEST time, choosing at the end was so hard because I wanted to go back to all of them. I don’t want to be left out of the fun of choosing code names so here are mine:

Amsterdam
Paris
London
New York
Prague
Madrid
Rome
Palermo
Niece
Berlin
Brussels
Dubai
Barcelona
Tokyo
Sydney
Honolulu
Florence
St. Tropez
Milan

The first day, it was SO cold. It was snowing SO much and it was windy. It was awful and by the end, I had never been so cold in my life!
But, anyways, the first house that I went to was Amsterdam. There I got double rushed and I was still kind of nervous, so I didn’t talk as much as I would at later houses. But, the first two girls that I talked to were nice, but I didn’t really feel that much of a connection with them. But, the last girl was so nice and funny and I liked her so much more than the other two before.

The next house was Paris and I LOVED IT!! I knew just walking in and talking to the first girl that I really liked it and she was so down to earth. The house was so pretty and all of the girls that I talked to seemed like they could be one of my friends easily. The house and the entire time there just felt so good.

Next, I went to London. I was unsure going in because this house has a lot of stereotypes. When I got in, it was somewhat like I was expecting, but not entirely. The first girl that I talked to could not think of anything to say and it was so loud in the room we were in and in the awkward silences, she kept saying, “Sorry, I just can’t think of anything to ask you.” When the next girl came to take her place, I was so happy. That girl was better, but we still didn’t have anything in common. I didn’t love that one, but it still wasn’t a bad experience

After, I went to New York. This was one of my favorites going in. I had talked to a girl from there earlier and I liked her a lot, she was really down to earth. But, when I got in there, I got double rushed and the three girls that I talked to were nice, but I had nothing in common with them and the conversation didn’t really flow well.

Prague was after. The girls there were really nice, the conversation flowed pretty well. I liked the house, but didn’t love it immediately. But, I still thought it was overall pretty good.

The next house I went to was Madrid. The girls that I talked to were nice and the things that we had in common got progressively less and less from the first to third girl. And, at the end of the time, with the third girl, we were both stretching for things to say. The conversation was okay, but I feel a great connection.

Then, Rome. I loved Rome. The first girl I talked to was so nice, and we barely did any of the usually get to know you stuff, because we hit it off instantly. I could totally see being best friends with her. Then, the next girl was really sweet and really nice, but we just weren’t into the same things, but it wasn’t ever awkward. Then, the next girl was awkward. She kneed next to my chair, like on the side instead of in front, so I was in a really weird position. Plus, she didn’t really talk and just seemed disinterested in the entire process. But I still loved the first girl so much, that she didn’t change my mind.

After, I went to Palermo, which was so much fun. All the girls were so fun, energetic and talkative. I had good conversations there and had lots in common with the girls.

Ahhh, so long.

Then, was Niece. Niece was fine on the outside, but I couldn’t really see myself there. It was a forgettable house.

Afterwards was Berlin. Berlin was also pretty good. The first girl I paired with was so nice and she had the same sense of humor as me. She was really good and we got along really well and the conversation never really lagged. The next girl was nice to and she always had something to say, but it just wasn’t as much of a connection as the first girl. I still liked the house a lot.

Then, day two, I started at Brussels. Today it wasn’t snowing and wasn’t windy, so, it was much more comfortable. The girls were so nice and we had some really good, random conversations. I like the personality of the girls and I think that I could get along with them.

After, I went to Dubai. There, I felt like I should have had things in common with the girls that I was talking to. Like, on paper, we should have had a lot to talk about, but there was no connection.

Barcelona, was following, the house was really nice. The girls were okay, very different from what I expected, and I did not love the house. I liked them enough.

I kept traveling over to Tokyo. That house I got paired with this girl who only talked constantly about herself and wouldn’t let me get a word in. But, later another couple of girls came up and when I was talking to them one on one I liked them. It was just the girl that I got paired with there, who hurt the house for me a little.

Next was Sydney. I got double rushed there too. The people were nice, but no special connection. Still no big opinion.

Then, Honolulu. I loved the house. Every girl that I talked to I had things in common with. Only once did, with the middle girl did the conversation lag. And with the other two, the time talking to them was way too short. They were all so nice. I liked it a lot

After was Folorence. The girls there were the opposite of what I was expecting. They all were really nice and smart and I had so much to talk to all of them about. I liked the girls a lot, but still question if I would fit in there and if I could see myself there.

Next, was St. Tropez. I LOVED the house. Everyone of the girls I had so much in common with. The time in the house went by so fast and each time a girl would leave, I would want to talk to her some more. I liked it so much.
My last house, whew!, was Milan. It was awful and I had a bad time. I got double rushed and I had nothing in common with either of the girls that I talked to and the conversation lagged greatly. It was the only house that I disliked.

So, overall, everything was AMAZING!!! I’m so glad that I rushed!! I can’t wait for 12 party, look for updates in January!!!

I forgot to put my order. It was

1.Paris
2. Palermo
3.Rome
4. Berlin
5.Honolulu

6.Prague
7. Brussels
8.St. Troprez

9.New York

10.Amsterdam
11.Florence

12.Tokyo

13.Barcelona

14.Sydney

15. Dubai
16.London
17. Niece
18.Madrid
19.Milan


1-12 or only kinda in order, but 13 to 19 are definitely in order.

I love a good recruitment story! Can't wait until January!

I'm just gonna throw this out there, but... is Hoosierxgirl also going to post her recruitment story in this thread? If so, can people.. take turns.. so to speak? Or can we make a new thread? I get confused enough with one recruitment story at a time (especially when there are 19 chapters!).

But anyway, have fun and good luck!

19 party
 

Well...I made it! Sorry it took so long but I had lots to do last night! 19 party is officially over which is both a relief and kind of sad! Over this weekend, I can honestly say I have met some truly amazing women in EVERY chapter.That said, I just want to comment that going through this stage of recruitment has really brought to light the idea of keeping an open mind. And even though I only spent 30 minutes at each house, I already know that all the stereotypes and negative things I've heard about each house are false and really serve no purpose in helping me decide. Also, our Rho Gammas have been awesome! Very funny and always doing crazy tihings to help us stay warm and happy. At almost all the houses, we had a brief house tour where the women explained the living situations for each chapter and also any additional facts about the sorority and then we settled down to talk with a few sisters...pretty standard as most recruitments go :). With all that said, here is a recap of my 19 party weekend:

Day 1:
Saturday morning, we woke up to snow on the ground that was continuing to fall...so needless to say, it was a cold day :) Honestly though, it was cold, yes. Was it totally worth it? Of course.

Smacks- was were I started off which if you remember from an earlier post, I visited earlier in the year. I love this house and I had some pretty good conversations and felt like I clicked with the girls. I definitely wasn't ready for the fast paced convos but after a few houses, I really warmed up to the process.
Frosted Wheats- this house was nice and stood for a lot of things I'm about. They seem to focus on academics which is a plus but I didn't really get a chance to connect with anyone but I still thought the girls were nice.
Cinnimon Toast Crunch- I don't remember a ton about this house but I liked that the girls were very real and seemed interested in me. I didn't have an amazing connection but still liked the house.
Chex- These girls were very outgoing and seemed like a lot of fun! I felt very welcome and had lots in common with a few girls.
Kix- Unfortunately, this was my least favorite of the first five of the day. I just didn't feel a strong connection even though the girls were pretty nice.
Cocca Puffs- was my first house of the second half of the day. I absolutely loved it and found a lot in common with the girls I talked to! Definitely came out with a really good impression of a house that wasn't neccesarily on my radar to begin with.
Captain Crunch- Another house I didn't necessarily think I would fit in well at (just on what I had heard). Well, my mind was changed. The girls were so excited during their door chant and we struck up some good conversation. Totally changed my perspective on the house.
Cookie Crisp- House just wasn't for me. I couldn’t really see myself there and the conversation lulled a bit.
Apple Jacks- This house was pretty loud so conversation was hard to conduct but good for the most part. The girls I met were genuinely nice but I’m not sure how well I would fit just yet.
Corn Flakes- was my last house of the day and boy was I tired!!! The girls were nonetheless excited and enthusiastic as usual. The conversation seemed to flow well and was actually a little goofy at points which was a nice break from the usual.

Day 2

Trix- started off the second day. I didn’t feel like I could see myself in this house either because the conversation was very rehersed and nearly the same each rotation. The girls were nice but didn’t seem all that interested in me.
Cheerios- I really liked this house! The conversation was a little more intimate and personal because there were fewer rotations than other rounds. The girls were sweet and we found many things in common.
Raisin Bran- This house just didn’t click with me. The first person I spoke to just didn’t seem interested in being there (which is somewhat understandable as I’m sure they are just as tired as we are) and I didn’t really make a connection between our personalities. The conversation was just not as “deep”.
Honeycomb- I was really eager to see this house. After the visit, I left feeling ok with the house. Nothing really stood at to me as good or bad so I didn’t have a memorable opinion.
Lucky Charms- This was the house I FIRST saw when I came for my campus visit and I fell in love :)…but meeting the girls was so much better! I had three distinctly different conversations that were all meaningful and memorable to me. The house seemed to exude a comfortable, welcoming feel to me and I really hope I get the chance to go back and see more!
Special K- Two in a row!! This house also blew me away. Conversation was just natural and there was just a “homey” feeling about the house. The girls were sweet and it was just a really exciting experience.
Alpha Bits- was just ok. I didn’t not like it or like it really. The personalities just didn’t click for me.
Fruity Pebbles- I had one of the funniest conversations at this house! Girls just seemed relaxed and easy-going which I liked. They seemed to really enjoy their sisterhood.
Golden Grahams- I was truly amazed by how passionate these girls were about their sorority. So much excitement and fun! The conversation went well and so I liked the house pretty much!

andddd, here's how I ranked them! Only 13-19 really matter so most of my 1-12 is interchangable:

Lucky Charms
Special K
Cocca Puffs
Chex
Smacks
Cheerios
Fruity Pebbles
Corn Flakes
Captain Crunch
Cinnimon Toast Crunch
Golden Grahams
Apple Jacks

Honeycomb
Alpha Bits
Kix
Frosted Wheats
Raisin Bran
Cookie Crisp
Trix

Well...I'll be back in January to let you know my schedule for 12 party and how that all goes! Until then, its finals and Winter Break! Thanks for all your support and I can't wait to finish out the process...I've already learned so much and met some awesome women! Also, I like that I<3Starbucks is on this thread too so I hope its not too confusing... At least we have different code names?? lol sorry guys! Enjoy! :)

I would also suggest that the two of you going through this rush have your own threads. Either start 2 new ones after Christmas or one of you branch out on your own. Too confusing otherwise. Thanks! Looking forward to your stories.

Yeah I totally understand that...I'm the one who made this thread waaay back in September so that's really up to I<3Starbucks :)

Passive agressive, I will, its not a big deal :D

Passive aggressive? No...Just stating a fact and saying it was your move to make, not mine.

No, I understand. I wouldn't expect to have you move, that would be really weird, considering you started the thread

Lol wow I just read over that. That came out waaay mean. I meant that it was your "option"...like to stay or get your own thread not to "move". But all is well now... sorry!

well, it will be a treat for us to have two threads to read come january.

good luck to hoosierxgirl and i heart starbucks!!

So glad both of you are posting. Its twice fun! This is bringing it all back to me...Only it was twenty party oh so many years ago:D. Good luck to you both and don't worry we will all follow both threads come January.

Good luck. I was there this weekend assisting and it was freezing..and I was inside the entire time. I can't imagine how everyone else made it through.

Well everyone! Tomorrow we move back into the dorms and Thursday we start the rest of recruitment! I can't tell you how excited I am...break has been excruitiating (although not as bad as having round 1 in october like years previous). Can't wait!!!

Good luck and stay warm!

Good luck! Can't wait to hear another Big 10 story!!

Its thursday! How has recruitment been?

It's been COLD! I'll be back tonight with an update I think :)

I hope things are going well for you. Update when you get a chance. :)

Aaaawww good luck! I'm so excited for the update!

First Invite (12 Party)
 

12 party was today which is Skit Day.
Well, today when I got my list bright and early (actually it was still dark) I ended up with:

Captain Crunch
Smacks
Corn Flakes
Honeycomb
Kix
Coco Puffs
Cookie Crisp
Frosted Wheats
Chex
Apple Jacks

At first I was pretty disappointed because I kind of got my hopes up for Lucky Charms and Special K. I definitely thought I had some really meaningful conversations and was pretty confident about LC. So I was bummed for a bit but realized that I was lucky to get so many back and that things happen for a reason…I just wish I hadn’t gotten myself fixed on one chapter so early. As for the rest of the day…IT WAS COLD. The best thing I can say is that at least we were walking/riding the bus the whole time between houses instead of waiting outside in the cold for a whole 20 minutes. :) And although I
thought my feet would fall off from the cold, I made it through. So here are my notes on each house(no certain order):

Captain Crunch- I loved the skit. Plain and simple. It showcased a lot of talent and made me laugh. You could definitely tell the girls all loved each other very much and supported each other. Conversations started out a bit awkward but continued to flow afterward. I’m not sure yet if I could see myself at this house…It definitely surprised me during 19 party and I was surprised to return for 12. So who knows…it might just work out!

Smacks- Very original theme and so cute! Skit was hilarious and really made me want to be a Smacks. Conversation seemed to flow and the girls seemed to be down-to-earth but fun and genuine. I could definitely see myself here and it was one of my favorites.

Corn Flakes- Once again, another awesome skit. Very cute theme and extremely funny. Another surprise that I was asked back and I felt very comfortable and chill in the house. The girls were easy to talk to and were very relaxed which I definitely liked. At the same time, they had a lot of excitement and pride.

Honeycomb- To me the skit didn’t really stand out or seem as entertaining as the other one but it still looked like a lot of hard-work went into it. At this point, I would feel ok going back there but I don’t have feelings either way. Nothing really stands out to me good or bad.

Kix- I was not expecting to come back to this house because I thought the conversations at 19 party didn’t go well. While the skit was very creative and fun, I felt like the girls were bored with talking already. I don’t think I would feel comfortable just being myself here, like I would need to put on a show to fit in.

Coco Puffs- One of my faves from 19 party. The skit was pretty cute, it didn’t blow me away but you could still see what a great bond the girls have. The house seemed diverse and welcoming and I really sensed an excitement within the house.

Cookie Crisp- I wasn’t really expecting to enjoy this house like I did. The girls were sweet and I had really good conversations. I just haven’t decided if I would really fit in here. By the end, I was kind of ready to leave.

Frosted Wheats- It was just awkward here. I wanted to leave because I just didn’t see a togetherness or passion between the sisters. I feel like there is a ton of potential that just needs to be unleashed.

Chex- one word. Amazing. I thought after my top two were gone from 19 party that I wouldn’t find a house that felt “right” like my #1. This was a favorite of mine during 19 party but seeing the skit and talking to more girls really helped solidify it was an overall favorite. It felt homey and just comfortable. Everyone seemed so happy (despite being tired) and all had great things to say. They seem really involved on campus and I would definitely like to return tomorrow.

Apple Jacks- Another hilarious skit! (These girls are so creative!) I felt like the conversations lulled a bit but we all admitted to being tired. This house I feel ok with. Nothing stands out to me yet.

Overall, it was a great day! I’m still a little disappointed about getting dropped from Lucky Charms but I know it’s not the end of the world. It’s so competitive and I know everyone told us all this time and time again but I never truly realized until the cuts started. Wish me luck for another good day tomorrow at Second Invite. **And hopefully a little warmer temperatures.

I know we're supposed to get some bad weather here in Ohio tomorrow night, but hopefully you guys haven't gotten any of that/won't get it! Good luck tomorrow!

Good luck tomorrow! And congrats on 10 invites...thats a great number for Indiana's crazy rush! Keep us updated, and keep an open mind!

You sound as if you are keeping a very open mind. Keep it up!

I can't stress enough that every house on IU's campus gives that fabulous IU greek experience. Each and every house is full of girls having the time of their lives...:D

Soooo excited for you!! Good luck and I can't wait to hear more! :)

Good luck!

It sounds like you have a quite a few houses that you feel really excited about left! Good luck, can't wait to hear more!

It sounds like you had a great day. Looking forward to hearing how the next day goes. And can't wait to hear how it turns out.

Good Luck!!!

Second Invite
 

6 Party (Second Invite) was mainly about Sisterhood and each house showed a video/slideshow.
Yesterday I was super nervous when I got my list(especially since we started later in the day…so I had longer to think about it):
Chex
Smacks
Cookie Crisp
Apple Jacks
Kix
Frosted Wheats

I expected to be dropped by Captain Crunch and Corn Flakes even though I really liked them so I wasn’t all that upset. I was definitely happy to get six houses back with two of my initial favorites still present. Yesterday was much better on the weather front. About 40 degrees, sunny, and no ice on the sidewalk to slip on J All in all, a much better day than before. That said, I don’t think I’ve ever seen my feet so swollen and sore. I just don’t think I was made for high heels :) So here was my day:

Chex- Loved loved loved! The video was adorable and I really got a feel for how close the sisters really are. Not to mention the theme was so creative and fun. I wish I could go into more detail about each individual house but I don’t want to give too much away :( but I made sure I took notes so I would remember each house. Anyway, I could definitely see myself here. I liked them at 19 party and I’ve become more impressed and excited by their house each time. Each girl I talk to is different. Some are more outgoing, some a little quieter but it really seems like they get along and support each other. I would love to go back there today.

Smacks- This was my other favorite from the beginning. These girls seem so well-rounded and chill. To me, they seem like the girls a guy would bring home to mom. Their video revealed their goofy side and really made me excited to be a Smacks. The conversations I had extended past the usual “where are you from, what’s your major” which was great. I think it shows you really click when people don’t need to ask those questions because it just comes up naturally in the conversation. I’m feeling really good about this house so I would love to go back for Pref.

Cookie Crisp- I’m surprised by how much I really like this house. I can’t reveal why I feel a little discomfort here but other than that, I really like the girls. They have just as much fun as any group on campus and their video was hilarious. I had great convos with the girls but I still not sure it’s for me.

Apple Jacks- I didn’t mind this house but I have never felt super excited about it. Last night, it just plain annoyed me. I felt like I was being starred at while I talked. I didn’t feel welcomed and it just felt like a really bad interview. Definitely not a favorite. Most of my friends that got this house back seemed to really like it so maybe my feelings are based on a few bad conversations. :/

Kix- Wow. So this is the house I never thought I would like and thought I was crazy for not liking. Every girl I’ve talked to loved it from the beginning. It took me a while but I loved it yesterday. The video was great and even showcased their philanthropy (so did a few other videos). My whole opinion of the house took a 180 but I hope I don’t end up disappointed if they finally cut me.

Frosted Wheats- I feel bad but I just can’t get myself to like this house. I wouldn’t fit in and it’s just so awkward here.

So we ranked 1-6 with our last 3 rank making the most difference:

Chex
Smacks
Kix

Cookie Crisp
Apple Jacks
Frosted Wheats

Goodness Gracious I am super nervous!!! Two more hours until I find out….

I'm glad things are going well for you! Only about an hour to go til you find out! Woo hoo!

I'm glad there are multiple houses that you really like. Looking forward to reading about pref night.

When I was there It went 8-party, 4-party, down to pref-night (2 houses).

It was so hard to take it down from 4 to 2. I like that pref night is now 3 houses.