A Live Recruitment Story!
 

After lurking the past recruitment stories and waiting anxiously for my own to to begin, it is finally time for my own! Starting some time next week, I'll be going through rush at my school, which has 7 NPC sororities.

I know very little about Greek Life, but I've always wanted to be a sorority girl! Everything I know about rush is based on what I've read on these boards or seen around campus. I'm extremely excited and nervous.

Rush is not extremely competitive at my school, but there are definitely girls who go through rush and do not receive bids. I've decided to code the sororities after some of my favorite stores and brands:


Vineyard Vines
Rugby
Lilly Pulitzer
J Crew
Madewell
BCBG
Chloe

Wish me luck!

Hmmm...

Ranking them already? Is this common amongst (real) deferred rushees?

It's pretty common at my school. A lot of girls already have their hearts set on a certain sorority.

Thanks for the QFP. I can never remember to do that!

Well then I hope "a lot of girls" are ready for severe disappointment.

I think it's pretty hard not to have a ranking in your head for deferred recruitment. Because you've gotten to know girls, it's hard not to think that you want to be an ABC because you're friends with so many of them. Also, you've been listening to tent talk for 4 months.

I know when I went into recruitment I thought I knew where I wanted to be (as did all my friends). Whether or not we ended up there is a different story

I think its an appropriate time to quote Senusret and say: "Bitches need to maximize their options, even I know that"

I only came here because iChuckled at the OP's username. I'm glad I did, though:

*DEAD*

After being around these girls and hearing gossip about the sororities for the past four months, I do have my own ideas about these chapters. I am, however, trying to go into rush with an open mind.

That's a good thing, right? ;)

LOL

You know me and my jive-talking self.

Goneskating, good luck with recruitment! Please try to go into each house with an open mind and remind the other PNMs to do the same, unless they all want to end up crying and dropping out (thus never getting the sorority experience). I know it is tempting to rank the chapters but doing so is only hurting yourself!! Dont believe reps and rumors, go into those houses, talk to the women and form your own opinions..you will be surprised!

@Gusteau--LOL!

My own public service announcement: just as women planning to go through recruitment need to keep their noses especially clean when there's deferred recruitment, current sisters need to realize that they also are under scrutiny during that crucial first semester.

Agreed on all accounts. First term/semester of freshman year is often the most "experimental" so it's easy to get a reputation- for better or for worse. And especially with the advent of Facebook, anyone can see what you've been up to. If you have a single thing on your page- photo, friend's comment, status update, group you've joined- that you wouldn't want someone to know during recruitment, update your privacy settings or clean up your page. It's good practice for being out in the "real world" and doing job interviews.

It can be tough NOT to pre-judge the groups during deferred. The great thing about it is that it gave you extra time to start getting to know the women, and for them to get to know you. This means you can ask great questions and have deeper conversations during recruitment. But just because a chapter has a reputation doesn't mean they live up to it... you'll have to find that out for yourself :D Good luck, can't wait to hear how the first day goes!

Good luck! I had deffered recruitment myself, so I know what it's like to have a quarter's (or semester's) worth of impressions and tent-talk before recruitment. Remember to keep an open mind as best you can, and realize that who you may initially be impressed with might not be the chapter that you find is right for you as you go through the process.

I'm rooting for you!

I just got the schedule for Rush Week!

It goes-

Orientation
First Round
First Round Part 2
Second Round
Third Round
Preference
Bid Day

I'm getting very excited and nervous...I've started to plan outfits but I'm not entirely sure what to wear.

First round of recruitment is over! It was extremely overwhelming and I was incredibly nervous.


Vineyard Vines: I had such a good time at this house! Prior to this party, I was shaking like a leaf. The girls were all stunning, it was pretty intimidating. The second I started talking with the girls, though, I felt really comfortable and had some really easy conversations. I also noticed that the sisters all seemed to be really close! The ones who weren't with PNMs were talking and laughing and seemed to be having a great time. The time flew by and I was sad when it was time to go. I left the party with a huge smile on my face.

Rugby: I LOVED the girls here. I had a lot in common with all the girls who I talked to, and I could really see myself fitting in here. The girls seemed both intelligent and fun to hang out with! Again, I left the party feeling great about the sorority.

Lilly Pulitzer: Apparently this house is the "top" house on campus. I didn't know what to expect going in to the party. The girls I talked to were all nice, and seemed to put extreme importance on their grades and their philanthropy. One girl told me that they weren't your "typical ditzy sorority girls". I didn't like that she said that. Most of my conversations were mainly about the sorority, and it didn't feel personal. I left the house a little disappointed.

J Crew: I was disappointed with this house. The girls I talked to were nice, but they seemed distant and not very engaged with the conversations. One conversation was especially awkward. The sisters who were not with PNMs seemed to be mulling around, and I didn't get a strong sense of sisterhood.

Madewell: I adored the girls I met here. Again, I was intimidated at first by how gorgeous everyone was, but they were SO sweet and easy to talk to, and I had some really good personal conversations. I could really see myself fitting in here.

BCBG: I felt so awkward here. I'm not a shy person so I was able to force conversation, but I felt like I was interviewing the girls who were rushing me. They didn't ask me many questions and didn't seem to know what to say. I was disappointed.


Chloe: The girls were friendly, but they talked at me about their sorority almost the whole time. I really didn't feel a connection with anyone here. I didn't sense a strong sisterhood between the girls.


At the end of the first round, we had to choose our top 5 and rank our bottom two. I ended up choosing (in no particular order):

1. Vineyard Vines
1. Rugby
1. Lilly Pulitzer
1. Madewell
1. J Crew

2. Chloe
3. BCBG

I'm sitting here in my room now, waiting nervously for the "knocks" period to be over (or for a text from my rho chis telling my group that we're all clear). I'm nervous that I won't be invited back to my favorite houses and wondering if I left an impression, or if I said something awkward...I hope I make it to round 2!

We have deferred recruitment here too, and it is hard for girls to not go in with ideas about what organization they want to join. I'm really glad you're going through with a more open mind about these things, because opinions can change from day to day.
Even if you don't get some of your favorites for the next day, you should go to every party and give each of the remaining groups a fair chance. They invited you back because they saw something in you.
I wish I could say these things to girls I know going through recruitment, but unfortunately I can't right now =[. Good luck with yours!

I'm still feeling EB on this one but QFP is needed regardless.

^^^ ok sorry what is EB?

EB is this and this and probably a few more.

oh gotchya thanks so much or the clearup...i was trying to think of an abreviation very unsuccessfully

lol, no problem, and don't worry, once you've been around here a little while, you'll know what people are saying even when they talk in code :D

thanks...and i seriously hope so! I love this website, but it confuses mealot of the time....lol

I met with my rho chi group this afternoon to receive our schedules. I was incredibly anxious as the rho chis called us up individually. My rho chi handed me my schedule and I looked down and saw...

Vineyard Vines
Rugby
Lilly Pulitzer
Madewell
J Crew


I got all my top choices and had a full schedule! I couldn't believe it, I thought I had messed up at certain houses and wouldn't get invited back, but I guess I was just overanalyzing everything.

I had to try and contain my excitement, though- my close friend in my group had been dropped by all her favorite sororities except for one of them, and some girls had only received one or two invites back.


Rugby: Again, I LOVED the girls here, even though I talked to different ones from the day before. I felt right at home and the conversations just flowed.

J Crew: I didn't feel like I fit in at this house. My conversations felt a little forced and awkward. Everyone was sweet, especially an older girl in the house that I've been friendly with this year. In the end, though, I knew I just didn't belong.

Vineyard Vines: I ADORE THESE GIRLS. They are so easy to talk to and I feel like I have a lot in common with so many of them. The girls I talked to yesterday made a point to come say hi to me and made me feel so welcome. They performed a really cute skit and I could just tell that these girls all loved each other. I would love to be in this house.

Madewell: Again, I felt like I really clicked with the girls I spoke with. One of the girls I had met yesterday came and talked with me again, and I feel like we connected even more so today than yesterday. Their skit was adorable, and at the end they sang a song. A lot of the older girls started crying, and I teared up a little bit. I left with such a good feeling about the girls and the sisterhood here. I hope they ask me back, but for some reason I have this bad feeling.

Lilly Pulitzer: Though I wasn't really a huge fan of this house yesterday, my opinion was COMPLETELY changed today. I loved the girls I spoke to today, they made me feel so at home and I felt like the party ended too soon. I wish I had had a better impression of them the previous day.


After the parties, we had to rank our top 3 and bottom 2. I was dreading this because though I thought I had a clear top 3, My opinion of the Lilly Pulitzers changed so much in one day that I was absolutely torn between them and Madewell. I stared at my rankings for a long time, talked to a rho chi for a long time, and finally submitted my list. It was:



















1.Vineyard Vines
1.Rugby
1.Madewell
_____

2. Lilly Pulitzer
3. J Crew



I do not know if this was the right choice. I am currently second guessing myself...and at the same time I am terrified that I'll be cut from all the sororities that I love. I didn't realize that recruitment could be so emotional or that I'd have such strong feelings for some of these sororities only halfway through the process.

Anyways, I'll update tomorrow after I get my list or after the next round.

You had 3 you really liked both days and one you liked one day. Honestly, it sounds like you made the right decision putting Lily where you did.

:D

For the third round, we could get invited back to up to three parties. I got my schedule from my rho chi for the third round and it said...

Rugby
J Crew

My heart dropped. I was so upset to have been cut by some of my favorite sororities, but I knew I was lucky to still have one of my top choices on the list by this point in the process; some of the girls in my rho chi group didn't get any of their top choices, and one got dropped completely. I tried not to think about why I had been cut from Vineyard Vines and Madewell. I was thrilled that Rugby had felt a connection and had invited me back, and I decided to give J Crew another shot.

Rugby: Standing in line for this party, I was SO nervous. I was getting really intimidated by the other PNMs, who were gorgeous, confident, and well-dressed. As we walked into the house, though, my nerves turned into excitement. I saw so many familiar, friendly faces among the sisters! I had a conversation with a sister I had not yet met, but just like all my conversations earlier in the week, this one was such an easy, relaxed conversation that felt like it was between friends. Many of the sisters that I had met earlier in the week came up to chat and say hi, and I not only felt comfortable but I LOVED all the girls! By the time the party was over, I had my heart set on Rugby.



J Crew: I was really unsure why J Crew had invited me back. I had not felt a connection the whole week, although all the girls I talked to were extremely sweet. Today, my conversations still felt a little forced and awkward. I was making an honest effort, but the conversations just didn't click, and I felt out of place during the entire party. I liked the girls, but I didn't see myself fitting in to their house.


At the end of the day, we were to pick two sororities (assuming we had three parties) so I just ranked both as first. I am currently waiting anxiously to find out whether or not I got invited back for a preference round.

Some chapters don't really shine until Pref- good for you for ranking both. Good luck with your invites & Pref.

I'm glad you gave J Crew a chance...it can be hard when you aren't feeling that connection with the sorority, so kudos for giving it a try! Just remember...prefs can (and often do!) change people's minds about a house, so be open minded about whatever happens. Good luck!

I just finished preference round today, and I am more nervous than ever before. I got my schedule today, and I had:

Rugby
J Crew

I was surprised that J Crew had invited me back! I still hadn't felt the connection the previous day and had made myself look like an idiot by spilling water on my dress, but I was flattered that they still asked me to preference. And of course, I couldn't have been happier about Rugby!


J Crew: I was really surprised here today. I was greeted by my upperclassman friend at the door, and immediately felt more comfortable than I had felt all week here. Some of the older girls shared memories about their time in J Crew and started crying. It was really touching because you could see how close some of them were, and I teared up a little bit. The bond I saw was exactly what I am looking for in a sorority. The preference round here made me feel like J Crew did a complete 180. My decision would rely on how preference at the other house would go...


Rugby: I looked around when I got here at the other PNMs standing in line, the ones who could potentially be members of my pledge class. The girls were gorgeous but oddly I wasn't intimidated the way I had been all week long. We kind of shared a nervous energy, and all the girls were talking about how badly they wanted Rugby. I was greeted here by an upperclassman I had known long before formal recruitment started, and again felt right at home. Some of the other girls I had become close with during the process came and told me how happy they were I was back, and the sister who was preffing me told me that she had come to think of me as a little sister. I felt so loved and wanted by Rugby, and I truly felt at home. Their ceremony was beautiful, and I cried during it.


At the end of the night, I went with all the other PNMs to voting, and our rho chis told us that we had to be dead silent. I didn't take too long to vote, because I knew where I wanted to be...

I'm so glad you enjoyed BOTH your pref ceremonies. Best of luck to you!

I GOT MY BID!!!!!



























I AM A.....RUGBY









































AKA



































PHI SIGMA SIGMA






























SO HAPPY TO BE A BABY PHI SIG!!!! I got my fairy tale ending!

hooray!!!congratulations!

Yahoo! Welcome to Phi Sigma Sigma! So glad to call you a sister! :)

Congrats!

Congratulations! It goes to show you may have a tumultuous recruitment, but still wind up with a wonderful house you love!

Congrats on Phi Sig!