Preston's Fall 2009 Fraternity Recruitment
 

So, where to begin? Well, I suppose I'll begin at the beginning.

Ever since high school I've wanted to join a fraternity, even though I wasn't really sure what they were/did. I had been duped into believing that fraternities were just greek-lettered drinking clubs, but to teenage high school me that seemed just fine. It wasn't until about second semester of my senior year in high school when I started really examining fraternities closely. What I saw, I liked. Fraternities, it turned out, weren't just about parties; they did philanthropy, were huge sources of school spirit and helped create lifelong bonds between their members. Of course, that all sounded pretty good to me, so I began digging deeper.

Before I go into more detail, allow me to explain a bit about my university. It's a medium-sized school in Florida but not a particularly old one, and most of the GLOs have only been there since the mid-'90s. There's no Fraternity Row either; we're "supposed" to get one by 2011. None of that really mattered to me though; after all, age and houses don't make a fraternity, the people do.

Anyhow, I started looking at the various fraternities and found two that I really liked. I'll call them Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer. Tom Cruise was initially the one I thought I was sure to go with; their facebook portrayed them as the stereotypical "Animal House" and they always seemed to have something going on. I kept Val Kilmer in the back of my mind, but I was sure that come fall I'd be rushing Tom Cruise.

Then, the fall semester started. I was finally in college! I took every opportunity I could to learn about the various organizations, both GLO and otherwise. I made it a point to show up to every event the GLOs did on the housing lawn and try and socialize with some of the members, figuring that rushing was an important decision and I had to check out what everyone had to offer before committing. None of the other GLOs seemed to fit with my personality though, and so it was still the Tom Cruise-Val Kilmer decision with Tom Cruise firmly in the lead.

Over time though, Tom Cruise's lead started lessening. The members, despite being one of the largest chapters on campus, were never around. When they were, their conversations with me seemed to revolve around "we have the best parties with the hottest girls." In addition, the more I held my ear to the ground the more I heard about them, and it wasn't all good. Re-enter Val Kilmer. They had a table set up one day on the covered walkway, and I went over to introduce myself. They all seemed genuinely interested in me as a person and seemed impressed with my goals for school and life in general. A few days later, I got an invitation to the chapter President's labor day party. There I got to meet most of the guys, and it was sealed: I was rushing Val Kilmer.

Rush week is the 21st and I'll be sure to keep this thread going with stories and experiences as much as I can.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Keep an open mind about other houses as well. Also, this is really important, but watch what you say and how you act around the brothers. Sometimes something that might seem really innocent to you can raise a red flag.

I haven't read a fraternity recruitment story in a while so this will be interesting.

Thanks for the advice. I've been acting natural around the brothers and they all seem to have taken a liking to me, but of course I'll only know for sure on the 25th when they do interviews for bids. My campus has a really tiny Greek scene, only like 7 IFC fraternities, so I've made it a point to talk to people from every one and see what they're about. The first day of Rush Week is an Open House from what I've been told, where all the members of all the fraternities come out and you can meet them all before you decide who to rush. So, I might end up going elsewhere but for the time being I think I'm pretty set.

Well, quick update: Tom Cruise has pretty much dropped out of the running, but a challenger has appeared. We'll call them Don Johnson. I haven't really talked to them in as much detail as I have Val Kilmer, but they're having an informational tonight I'm going to. They're one of the older and larger fraternities nationally-speaking but the newest colony on our campus, having just been established last year. I'm a bit apprehensive about them for that reason, because to be honest I don't know much about how colony vs. chapter works. Still I'm going to give them a chance. Word is they're looking at having one of the largest rush classes on campus and will probably have their charter next semester. While I wouldn't be considered a founding member, being part of a chapter in its colony stage is, to my understanding, something of a unique experience. I'll post later tonight on how the informational meeting goes.

You know Preston, you sound like a good guy. :)

I wish you the best of luck with finding a house. I know being in a fraternity has meant the world to my son; he has made lifelong friends, and it has greatly enhanced his college experience. I hope you find the same thing, and it sounds like you are going about things in the right way, keeping an open mind, and being open to new experiences and people.

Let us know!

good luck preston! glad to hear that you are keeping all your options open.

I got a chuckle out of the fact that Don Johnson is an "older fraternity" nationally. I am not sure what Don Johnson would even look like if he popped up on tv these days!

Good luck, Preston. Keep an open mind!

lol, my code is completely spur-of-the-moment. The first day, my mind was on Top Gun, today it happened to be Miami Vice.

Anyhow, to the informational. Don Johnson's guys talked to the few of us that showed up (there were supposed to be more but the program board decided to switch their room at the last minute). They definitely seem like they're going places: their colony is only 30 strong but they're looking to double that after this rush. They've also set goals for GPA, school spirit and philanthropy which I can definitely get on board with and contribute to. It's nice to know that these guys, despite only existing for 6 months, have a clear-cut vision of where they're going and how to get there.

The only negative that can be said of them is that I didn't really feel much connection to the six or seven guys that came out. I can't really judge the whole group by their board though, so I guess it'll all be decided on the 21st.

Val Kilmer vs. Don Johnson! Who will emerge victorious? Stay tuned!

oh this is a good one. and a guy giving details! yay!

I am loving the mental image of Val Kilmer and Don Johnson in a knock-down drag-out. Throw in Chuck Norris and I'll laugh Diet Coke right out of my nose!

Well, Rush Week has arrived at last. I must say as a first-generation potential Greek I had no idea how big this week is to the fraternities. Everywhere you go there are banners, letters and flyers hanging. For all the festivities and general excitement, you'd think it was some sort of holiday. It's quite entertaining but a tad bit overwhelming for this Freshman finding his way in the world. Still, I can't say I'm not enjoying every minute of it.

Val Kilmer made their name known pretty much immediately; walking down the main walkway toward class, I was greeted by a giant "RUSH *VAL KILMER'S LETTERS*" banner hanging from the balcony. The guys at their table saw me and called my name, so I stopped and chatted a bit while I waited for my class to open up. They really seem to have taken a liking to me and I can pretty much guarantee that bid or no bid I'll be friends with them throughout college. I talked to some of Don Johnson's guys, and while they seem nice and really driven at the end of the day I just can't see myself calling them my brothers. Val Kilmer is where I'm going, and I can say honestly it's one of the surest decisions I've made in awhile.

I don't know how much of rush week events/festivities are for public knowledge so I'm not sure how much I'll be able to report, but if I get in I'll be sure to mention it.

Preston327, I liked the way you named the fraternites you are interested, Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer and Don Johnson. Very creative idea. Best of Luck to you with Rush!!!!

ZBT:" Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present & Impacting the Future."

Well, what a day today was! The first official day of Rush, it turned out, was more of an informational session. I walked around for awhile gathering info on all the fraternities that were out there, and even made it a point to speak to Tom Cruise's people. Apparently, the rumors were just that, rumors. They're a really nice group of guys and I could see myself as one of them. Once again, the race is too close to call.

I did find one cool thing out though that'll definitely help me decide: apparently, you can attend more than one fraternity's Rush events. You only need to make a decision if you get more than one bid. As it so happens, Tom Cruise's and Val Kilmer's respective events for tomorrow are at different times, so I'm going to go to both and see how I interact with both groups. Hopefully that should give me a better picture of where I want to be.

Good plan, Preston! Good luck finding your fit.

Great idea, and good on you for keeping an open mind. Have fun! Good luck!

Hope that Rush week goes the way you want it too. Good luck and keep us posted!

Good luck! I love hearing about fraternity recruitment because it's so different!

Well, today was a mixed bag. I hung out w/ the Val Kilmers a bit during their event, which was basically a football game on the housing lawn. Unfortunately, my involvement in it got cut short due to class but the experience was a positive one and everything I've thought about them has been reinforced here.

The same, however, cannot be said of the Tom Cruises. Their event for tonight was supposed to be a trip to a hookah bar. I was told to wait outside the Student Union for carpool at 6:45. As always, I was a bit early, arriving there at 6:30 or so. I waited until 7:30 and nobody came, despite my calling the rush chair. Disgusted, I finally resigned myself to the reality of the situation and left at 7:45. As I type this I still cannot believe they'd do that to one of their PNMs. I feel so utterly betrayed right now, words can't express the mixture of anger, disgust and disappointment. They've got one more event tomorrow I can go to but honestly I don't know if I want to at this point.

Not that there is any excuse for being rude to an invited guess, but perhaps the Rush Chair was in class, a club meeting, work, etc. and not answering his phone, so other members were in charge of executing the event. Hopefully the Rush Chair will call you back, and then you can decide if you want to go tomorrow. it could be a mistake born of poor planning and disorganization, or it could be a passive aggressive way of being rude. I'd hold off on judgment until you hear (or don't hear) from the Rush Chair.

ETA: I am :confused: as to why a rush event includes smoking, it just seems odd to me. If you don't smoke do you just sit in a room full of smoke and quote Alice in Wonderland while people emulate the Caterpillar? I realize hookah is popular, but as a rush event? ehhhhhh Even more ehhhhh if this is a fraternity that promotes health and wellness as a national program.

Meh, I don't know why they chose hookah as an event but apparently a lot of the GLOs did. You raise a good point though and I've calmed down a bit since my last posting. *Hopefully* I'll get a call back from the rush chair or someone in authority, but it still seems a bit :/ that with a fraternity with the largest chapter on campus, he couldn't have told at least one brother "we've got PNMs waiting for carpools at the Student Union." Ah well, not going to let one bad experience ruin the whole show.

you waited 75 minutes and noone showed up, then called the rush chair, who did not return your call. you need to drop this bunch. this may be a foreshadowing of things to come.

If all of this IS just an indicator of lack of organization, you don't want any part of them, and if it's just phenomenally rude guys, you don't want any part of them, so I would definitely cut your losses now and keep your dignity.

Hopefully there's another group on campus you can find a home with. I don't recall, are there more than just the 2 you discussed? It would be great if you could keep your options open and consider 1 or 2 more houses. Now's a good time to take a fresh look at some guys you may have given an early pass.

Good luck!

Yeah, I've dropped them from the running. The more I hang out with the Val Kilmers the more it feels like the right fit, I've given a few other houses a chance but didn't get the same connection with them. I think whatever powers-that-be are telling me something here. I hope it'll all work out.

Bowling with the Val Kilmers tonight, already reserved carpool with a friend who's also rushing. Should be a fun night.

I'm glad you're not letting them get you down! From what you've described the Tom Cruises seem to be a large and popular fraternity and while their actions were rude, thoughtless, and disorganized my guess is that they have the ability to rush on reputation and don't really need to be courteous. This will hurt them in the long run, but unfortunately they can get away with being douche bags for the time being.

Here's hoping they aren't my brothers...

So, just got back from bowling, and got some bad news: Val Kilmer has decided not to give me a bid. Oh well.

dang. I am sorry to hear that, as I have enjoyed both reading about your journey through fraternity recruitment and your great attitude. Here's hoping for a good connection with another group.

Here's hoping a few of the groups I talked to will give me a bid but I'm not counting on it. There's a group on campus that does year-round recruiting, I might talk to them during the last few days of rush and maybe awhile after if I like what I hear.

i'm sorry preston. good luck with the other groups.

Val Kilmer has decided not to give me a bid. Oh well.

I am sorry to hear the bad news Preston. Hang in there. The right house is out there for you. I look at it this way...when one door closes, another doors opens with better opportunities. Be positive and keep rushing!!!! Again best of luck to you.!!!!:)

ZBT:"Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present & Impacting the Future."

Yeah that's how I've approached it. Where one option closes, two more have opened (literally speaking).

First is one I'll call George Clooney, who are like Don Johnson old but small on campus. Really tight-knit group of guys, I went hookahing with them the day Tom Cruise ditched me and they seem pretty chill. They invited me to mini-golf tonight which should be fun, we'll see how that goes.

The second option is a GLO I'll call Humphrey Bogart. They're one of the older ones nationally and constantly in the running with Tom Cruise for largest fraternity, Greek Week Championships, highest GPA, etc. Unfortunately I haven't been able to make any of their events, but they do year-round recruiting so if Clooney doesn't work out I might talk to them.

I've always said that I'll do my best and the rest is up to God/Fate/Whatever, and that's what I've been doing. There's a house out there for me somewhere, it's just taking a slightly longer journey to find it.

Well good luck with the two doors that have opened to you! I'm kind of rooting for Humphrey Bogart b/c I'm jumping to a conclusion.. :P

Mini-golf with the Clooneys was fun, but no bid came of it. I didn't honestly expect one, as we're at the end of rush and thus most of the bids are (probably) already decided. I can't pretend that two straight rejections isn't disappointing though. Oh well. I'll talk to the Bogarts in a week or two, give them time to recoup from their rush week.

Bit of an update: I ran into a Bogart brother helping the campus's new sorority chapter get their name out and chatted a bit. We exchanged numbers and he told me about a football game the Bogarts were having against another group this week or next. Said he'd appreciate me coming out and getting to know some of the guys. Needless to say, I'm there. I am a bit confused though since idk how informal recruitment works; specifically, I'm wondering if hanging w/ the guys during their intramural would be considered my "rush" or if they'll do other stuff. Guess I'll just have to wait and find out.

oh, that sounds promising preston. good luck at the football game!

Preston, this may lead to some good news for you. :) I will keep my fingers crossed. Good Luck!!!!!!

ZBT:"Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present & Impacting the Future."

Hoping that you find your home in Greek Life

Sent you a PM-

got it, responded accordingly.

Back from Bogart's flag football game vs. Tom Cruise (which they won, woohoo!) Met like 10-15 people which is about a third of the group. They seemed pretty enthusiastic to have me come out, and told me to basically keep my ears open for more events they'll be doing next week. Maybe this is it, only time will tell.

Only thing that killed my mood afterward was getting an earful from a Val Kilmer about associating with the Bogarts. They're apparently rivals on campus but the President of the Kilmers said that that's all in the past. Apparently not. Oh well, my view on it is that if they reject me they have zero right to complain about who I associate with.

Preston, it sounds like you had a good time meeting the guys in Bogart. I wouldn't worry about what Kilmer thinks about them- Kilmer isn't living your rush experience.