Preference
 

Wish Bear
Lining up at the door to Wish Bear, I remembered to look around at the other PNMs there because they would be my potential sisters! They all seemed easygoing, generally cute, and friendly. Of course we received a warm greeting from the polished-put-together recruitment chair who was by now like my idol/role model, and she handed us something that would be a part of a ceremony we would participate in later. I wasn’t sure who would meet me here, I was thinking maybe my twin girl, but I was pleasantly surprised to see it was someone I had also spoken to earlier who was the EASIEST person to talk to/get along with! We talked about so many things, and there seriously was not a dull moment. I loved this sister, “Allie.” We had a great animated conversation, talked about everything, from music to siblings/families and beyond. However, I was thinking that I really wanted to be convinced/persuaded to be in this house, and the conversation at this house wasn’t the traditional “preffy” (if you will) conversation. Nevertheless I had a great time talking to Allie. All the PNMs and sister congregated in the living room and the recruitment chair and 1-2 friends told a hilarious story about sisterhood and how a girl chipped/lost her tooth one night and the antics, wild hilarity, and sisterly support that ensued. I really enjoyed this part of the preference party. There actually was no official ceremony (I like a little formality!), but I liked the sentiment behind a few of the symbols of the sorority that they explained to us. Allie poured on a lot of the “Hope I see you tomorrow!” stuff, so that made me feel wanted…I left this chapter feeling very pleased that I preferenced there, loving the sister who had preffed me, admiring their lovely recruitment chair, but still a little unsure about my match with the chapter as a whole; I wished Allie had worked on convincing me that this chapter was a good fit. Anyhow, I felt really comfortable here and was sure I would find my niche if I ended up joining this chapter.

Funshine Bear
I was NOT surprised to see “Caroline” meet me at the door here! We had talked skit day for a long time, and I *think* maybe for a bit at house tours. I had a great flowing conversation with Caroline too! We talked about traveling, vacations, how we were raised, etc. This conversation wasn’t particularly “preffy” either, until Caroline asked flat out what other chapters I was preffing (!!!). This kind of shocked me at the time, but Funshine was my FAVE house of the 3 I was preffing, so I just flat out told her! Surprisingly, even though I did like this house better as a WHOLE, I liked the sister (as an individual) who preffed me at Wish more. This was in the back of my mind the whole time at Funshine: I had genuinely liked every girl I talked to here, loved their style, vibe, etc., but at Wish I really hit it off with Allie (and could see her as a big!) yet I wasn’t sure about the rest of the house. Anyway, Caroline was great too, a little sarcastic, laid back, and a mature, big sister/mature vibe. She was someone I could see myself looking up to (she was really friendly, but slightly intimidating b/c she was in a sorority and I wanted to be, and also partly because of asking me flat out where else I was going for parties that day). I was beaming during the entire ceremony here, it was beautiful and formal, and the speeches made me/the other PNMs feel really wanted. It was so within reach! I think Caroline actually gave me a hug when she walked me out the door, and was incessantly saying how she hoped to see me tomorrow/soon, and I obviously said with a big grin, “ME TOO!” I so hoped I played it cool enough for Caroline!

Nicole from PX group was at Funshine for Pref too, yet she was a little unsure about them, she felt like she couldn’t pinpoint the image of the chapter (I actually liked this because there were tons of different and interesting people to meet here!). She was driving to Good Luck Bear and gave me a ride to Laugh-a-Lot because they were near eachother.

On my way into Laugh-a-Lot I ran into Kristen who had just been there. She had preferenced there and at Tenderheart Bear. She asked where I was coming from and I told her Funshine, but then felt a little bad because she had not been invited back there and had had an irrational “thing” for that chapter since first semester. Amy and Lauren had dropped out of recruitment. :(

Laugh-a-Lot Bear
I wasn’t surprised that “Brittany” greeted me at this house! We had talked for extended periods of time at all rounds. She was a senior, and I remember being a tiny bit disappointed that I was going to talk to her again—I wanted to talk to sophomores/younger sisters and we had already talked SO OFTEN! However, she was a sweetheart. I remember a few lulls in the conversation, but this was the third round and we were probably both tired and ready for it to be over. Two sisters got up in the middle of the round and told a cute story about an adveture/sisterly love like the Wish Bears had done. This story actually made me like this chapter a little more—I think the problem here was that they hadn’t BLOWN ME AWAY at any of the other parties, and I hadn’t met a lot of different sisters. This story gave me a little more confidence in this house a whole, but I wish it hadn’t come at the ultimate end of recruitment! There was no formal ceremony here either, but we did participate in something on our way out (if I said it would give it away!) It was actually beautiful, but I wish it had been more formal/informative/special. I left this house thinking that I’d probably put them 3rd, but then again Kristen had gone there too…
After preference parties Panhel actually gave us time to go back to the dorms (I honestly don’t remember why, maybe for dinner??). It was only a quick break, and I remember finding Kristen and walking to our meeting places. She said she was thinking about suiciding, (excuse me, “single preferencing”) Laugh-a-Lot. I didn’t try to convince her one way or the other.

The snow was coming down hard on our walk, and we got to some shallow slate/flagstone steps that led down into an arcade/courtyard area of one of the dorms. These were COVERED in snow. I should have sledded down them. Seriously, there were non-PNMs all over campus lugging sleds behind them, either coming/going to go sledding! There was so much snow. These steps had not been shoveled or salted, and while Kristen was telling me about her day, I totally wiped out on one of the steps. There was no step to step on! It was just covered with snow! My lower back hit the edge of the step, and I felt shooting zinging pains down my left leg. I started bawling and seriously yelping in pain, trying to tell Kristen that I COULD NOT GET UP. But we had to make it to our PX meetings to fill out and sign our pref cards!! I tried to get up, but the pain was excruciating. GREAT. So Kristen calls her PX and calls Katie for me to let her know that I was injured and might be a little late.

So I found that with Kristen’s help, I could hobble to my meeting. When I got there (tear-streaked and upset), the other girls were already getting started. Katie was so kind and understanding. The other PNMs in my group were really sweet and concerned too, I remember hoping that some of them would become my sisters! I filled out my card quickly so that I could go to the campus medical facility to get my back checked out.

#1 Funshine
#2 Wish
#3 Laugh-a-Lot

I just wanted to get out of there. I remember hoping and praying that Funshine wanted me, but seriously distracted. I called my mom and I called the medical place, but apparently THEY WEREN’T OPEN BECAUSE OF THE “BLIZZARD CONDITIONS.” Are you kidding me?!!? I started bawling to the nurse on the phone, what was I supposed to do? She told me that the nurses and doctors couldn’t drive to the infirmary because of the awful weather conditions, and that she was just the 24-hour-on-call nurse. She suggested that I go to a nearby medical facility place (not exactly a hospital, but a smallish multipurpose facility). But seriously, if nurses and doctors couldn’t get to campus, how was I supposed to get THERE?! Oh lordy, this was a mess. Then the wonderful Mackenzie from my PX group offered to give me a ride to the place that was about 15 minutes away. Mackenzie, the angel.

Anyways, Kristen and I got there safe and sound, and after some X-rays and other prodding, the diagnosis was that I had broken my back and had deep tissue contusion. I was to take Vicodin for 2 weeks, and limit my activity. HA! I was supposed to start my new member period and classes started in 2 days! And during all this I was hoping and praying that Funshine would be on my bid card the next day. WHEW! What a day!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

now i want to see what happens! i wanna know which org has your "back" in the end.

::still rooting for Funshine::

Awww! How awful! Well, pref sounded nice but ommmg poor you!

thank goodness you had an xray and what good friends kristen and mackenzie were. i am on pins and needles waiting to hear more.

this is a wonderful recap...truly enjoying it.

Bid Day
 

Just a note: I am planning on changing my username after I finish this thread (I just wanted my name for this to fit the theme/I want my new name to be something related to my chapter!).

So at my school we have to wait all day until the evening to go pick up our bids. Kristen had ended up suiciding Laugh-a-Lot, and I was praying and hoping that Funshine would be on my bid card. Funshine was definitely my favorite by a significant amount; I would be extremely disappointed if Funshine didn’t extend a bid, but I also felt it would be OK if I got Wish, or Laugh-a-Lot, but I wasn’t sure if I’d be as thrilled or excited about it.
In the meantime, the PXs visit PNMs who were not extended bids. Unfortunately, Kristen’s PX came to her room and told her that she was not offered a bid at Laugh-a-Lot, but that Birthday Bear offered her a snap bid. She declined Birthday’s offer—this chapter was really small and new at the time and Kristen was a little shy and unsure of herself and wanted to be in an “established” chapter. Honestly I think she would have been an asset to Birthday Bear and could have really helped this new chapter strengthen. In retrospect, I think if we had rushed this year she would have liked Birthday Bear, they have gotten their numbers up in recent years and actually filled (all or nearly all) places in their pledge class this past recruitment. I felt bad for Kristen, and I had a feeling that she didn’t want it to be ME of all people, comforting her since I hadn’t gotten any bad news. This was tough on me actually; I totally sympathized with her (I would have been really upset too) but it was tough to be sad for her and happy/excited for myself at the same time. It wasn’t like she resented me or something or held a grudge, it was just one of those things where she was like, “How can you understand? Everything’s going perfectly for you, etc. etc” (I guess my broken back had slipped her mind).

Anyway, I left my dorm about 30 minutes before our PX meeting time to make sure I had enough time to shuffle there and not be late! This was very exciting! Katie revealed that she was…… a Funshine! Then she passed out the bid cards and I discovered that I was a Funshine too!!!!! YAYYYYY!!!! Surprisingly no one else in my group was a Funshine. Nicole and Mackenzie received bids from Good Luck Bear. On the envelope was a note saying where the chapter and new pledge class would meet, this was so exciting! Turns out I actually ended up not knowing ANYONE in the pledge class (what are the chances?), but they are my closest friends today! My little trip a few days ago was to go visit a bunch of them who moved to the same city :D


Oh, and Funshine is also more commonly known as…



































ALPHA PHI!!!!!!!!
:D:D:D

Yay!!!!! Congratulations! I loved your story!

Congratulations to you and Alpha Phi! Are we allowed to know at least the other chapters you preffed (if not the whole code)? Did any of your other friends rush again?

OH MY GOSH! How exciting to read an Alpha Phi story!!! Congratulations and welcome to Alpha Phi!

Congrats!

Ok, I figured out from the story where you went to school. My boss went there too and I would love to hear which bear her chapter was. My best guess is that she is a Grumpy.

I've seen your pledge class picture and would love to know where you were.

I can PM anyone who wants to know the code, I'd rather not publicly post it. Amy and Lauren did not rush again, Kristen wanted to do COB for fall but then only 2 chapters were under total and doing it (Tenderheart and Birthday). She actually did go through formal again 2006 but I believe she experienced heavy cuts as a sophomore going through again and ended up dropping out I think. :(

I hadn't noticed/read many (slash ANY) Alpha Phi stories on here! ...and I was actually initiated Spring '05 :)

I can send you the code too. I am from PC 2005, and we're wearing black shirts with gold letters on them in our photo (just to make sure you're looking at the correct one!). The rows are kind of hard to tell apart, I guess we weren't too organized with the arrangement. I am in the sort of 2nd to back row on the left side, kind of between a light teal arm and a dark teal arm. I was sad that we didn't have big wooden letters, but some lovely fraternity men made them for us this year so we had them in our most recent pledge class photo, which made me really happy!

ETA: Benzgirl, I tried sending you the code, but your inbox is full!

I'd like to know the code and which college. Thanks!

BTW, great story.

hooray!! what a great thread.

How fun! I loved the thread! Can I have a copy of the code? Pretty please? :)

^^^^ Me too! I have a small feeling I know which school, but I'd love to be sure (and of course am curious about which chapter was which!)