A Classic USC Recruitment
 

Hey everyone! I've made it pretty obvious where I go to school (through this and other posts), so I can't really reveal much else without being easily identified. What I can say is that I am out of state, but very familiar with CA, as most of my family lives here.
Unfortunately, I have very little greek connections and was not aware of just how competitive recruitment is here until too late, so I'm going in with only 2 recs. I'm hoping I'll end up finding a home though! Tomorrow night is orientation, where I'll meet my group and I'm super nervous. My "ideal" meeting would be hitting it off with all the girls and my Rho Chis, making a ton of new friends, and going out to eat with the girls afterward. Of course, I know this isn't always the case!

I've heard a lot of the "stereotypes" and what not on sororities already, but I'm trying my best to not take it to heart and go in with an open mind. I plan on staying with recruitment until the very end (or until I have no more invites, knock on wood), as I've heard too many stories of "I regret not giving xyz a chance."
I've been in town for awhile before I moved in, so I got my mom to do a drive by the row, and I got to see AXO practicing (what I assume was) their chant. That alone made me so excited for rush in general! I was thinking "THAT could be me next year!" In whichever house, of course, not favoring anyone :)
There are 9 chapters I'll be visiting and they are (characters of my fave classic novel):

Nick Carraway
Jay Gatsby
Daisy Buchanan
Tom Buchanan
Jordan Baker
Myrtle Wilson
George Wilson
Owl Eyes
Kilspringer

I'll update tomorrow, hope you all enjoy :)

I hope that you have the best time. Good luck. And yes, the actives can't wait to meet everyone!

Thanks so much! Yeah, there are many in my classes and all wear shirts with their letters and GO GREEK, so it's like a constant reminder. Darn that silence rule haha

Traditionally the Go Greek shirt is the first day, and from here on out each sorority will have a new matching t-shirt for every day until rush starts.

Good luck with rush! Back in the day I had friends in every sorority, they are all huge chapters with great traditions and amazing houses. You're gonna love SC, fight on!

Just got back from the meeting! I'm super excited; they played a slideshow with a bunch of pictures of the girls from different houses. I remember at the end they were like "You won't just find a house....You'll find a home"

Then they broke us up into our Ro Chi groups..so far I love mine, they seem super sweet, even though I haven't talked to them one on one. I can tell this is going to be a long week, especially since they said some girls may not get done on Thursday until 2A.M. :eek:

I kind of wish I could fast forward until the end to see how it all works out. But I'm sure it'll all be worth it :)

Update tomorrow!

yay i am really excited for you! I hope you have tons of fun, I'm sure you will!! Good luck :D

that video made me realise just how badly I want to go Greek

Yay Great Gatsby theme! (My favorite novel, as well.) Best of luck to you during recruitment, can't wait to hear more!

Thanks guys, and beeish: good luck with your recruitment!

Alright so just got back from day one. I visited four houses and it was crazy and overwhelming, but in a good way. I adore most of the girls in my Recruitment group (the ones I've met). Here's how it went:

Daisy: I was so energized for this house, so I had a lot of fun. The first girl I met I fell in love with, like to the point where I could see her being my big sis if I get invited back. I also had a great conversation with another girl. The girls were lovely, and they're a favorite right now. However, I do know they're a favorite of MANY other girls, so I'm trying not to get my hopes up. I also have 5 more houses to go, so it could change :)

Nick: The first convo I had was not so hot, it was pretty cordial. The second girl, though, I LOVED. We were so much alike in different ways. The girls were dressed pretty casual, and I liked the laid back vibe. This is the house that I liked the least today (sorry can't think of better wording), but that just goes to show how great the other houses were because i REALLY liked this house.

Gatsby: I loved this house too! The first girl I talked to, once again the convo was alllright. But the next couple girls, I totally got along with. They had this adorable song at the end where they took popular lyrics from different songs and made them their own. Super cute house, and tied with Daisy for now.

Tom: This house (physically) was gorgeous, and the girls were as well. I had the most goofy, random convos in this house, which I loved. We talked about quirky things we like and one girls had a sense of humor that matched mine perfectly. This house ranks a close second to Daisy and Gatsby.

So some thoughts on my mind now:
-3/4 of the houses were the so called "top" ones (it played 0 part into how much I liked them, though), so I'm trying not to get too attached. I would be so happy if I ended up at the one that not a top.
-I had great conversations with girls in the houses...but so did hundreds of other girls, I'm sure. I really hope I stood out in some way.
-HOW the heck do these girls decide who to choose? Literally every girl going through recruitment looks amazing!

Well I better get some sleep for a bigger day tomorrow. My appointment to rate the houses is at 1 AM. UGGGGGHHHH.

It's tough! Good luck, and keep having fun. And get as much sleep as you can.

ok, so we're definitely not in the same RC group... I saw five houses yesterday! And I know you've seen some houses I haven't, like Gatsby. Or maybe you did. I honestly couldn't hear any of the houses once I was outside.

mines at 1.20.... and they tend to run late. At least I dont have class until 12pm tomorrow!
I know what the houses are now but lips are sealed :)

No, Kaeb, you'll definitely hear the song they do it when you're inside :)

beeish haha how do you know?? But it's fine we're all going through it together and I have nothing bad to say :)

KSUViolet, yeah hopefully I'll get to see the other side of recruitment :)

Alright so I just got back from the parties (haven't ranked yet though but I know how I will). Here's how it went:

Jordan Baker: I've been hearing negative things about this house, but it's totally undeserved because these girls are so sweet and cute. I didn't get the connection here like I did with the others, but I wouldn't mind going back.

Myrtle Wilson: In complete honesty, these girls were super nice, but I can't see myself fitting in here. One conversation I had was really forced and unnatural, and pretty much didn't stray from the basic question. Another I totally clicked with..and then I found out she doesn't even go to this school. So I felt really misled but we'll see..

George Wilson: I loved this house and the girls I talked to. I felt like we really had a connection and it's one of my favorites now, but it's also a top house! So once again, trying not to get my hopes up.

Owl Eyes: This house have a really laid back and down to earth vibe, which i loveeed. They were also super diverse, I could tell, which reminds me of the kind of people I usually hang out with. One girl I talked to was literally reading my mind at some points, so I really like this house. This is also the one my cousin was in at this school, so she's pulling for it :)

Kilspringer: The girls I met here were super sweet, and one was seriously the funniest girl I met on the row. They were all adorable, in a wholesome, sweet way (sorry hope that makes sense).

So here's how I'm ranking them:
1. Daisy
1. Gatsby
1. Tom
1. George
1. Nick
1. Owl Eyes
2. Kilspringer
3. Jordan Baker
4. Myrtle Wilson

I struggled between putting Owl Eyes or Kilspringer in my top 6, but I figure that I won't get ALL of my top 6, so I'll end up seeing them anyway :)
I had a thought today: I think the top houses are so sought after because they are so charismatic and good at holding a conversation when you first meet. I definitely went in open minded, and the top houses were my favorite, their status playing no role in how I feel. That said, the other houses were amazing and I'm sure they will shine in the next couple of days when I get to know them better!

I'm so excited, I get my schedule tomorrow morning! I'll post then :)

^^^I think you hit the nail on the head. Chapters that are good at conversation and can talk to any one usually do have a really good recruitment. The Chapter that I work with is amazing good at it and does well every single year because of it.

This just confirms my thought that it's better to have 6 PNMs on one sister than to bring in people from other schools. Unless they announce at the beginning of the party "some of our awesome sisters from Booboo U are also here because all our chapters love to support each other! You'll know who they are by their hot pink nametags while the rest of us are wearing yellow nametags."

The last thing you want is for a PNM to feel like the above post. Awkward is something they can conceivably get past, straight up bamboozled is another.

I had the same experience with the same house (we know who each others' houses are), and I was kind of confused. I got along about the same with the girl from the other school as I did with the other women from her house, which is to say fine, but no "click," but that still puzzled me. I've heard a lot of girls saying that they talked to a non-USC Myrtle Wilson, so I think there was more than one, as well.

As far as I remember, though, they didn't have anything that distinguished them, the girl I was talking to just said something along the lines of, "I actually go to UCabc, our sisterhood is so strong that I came up to help these girls out." So there was nothing to physically distinguish them, she just told me straight out. Which I appreciate, because it would have been awful if (completely hypothetically) I totally loved her and clicked with her, but not so much with the women who are actually a part of that chapter, but didn't find out until it was too late.

I'm totally on board with trojangirl1, though, all the houses are so great!

Yep, it's definitely a tricky issue. The approach definitely makes a difference, and I think most wouldn't think to put as positive spin as you did. When I went through recruitment one of the groups did this. I walked in the room and was impressed with all the women there, and really hit it off with my rusher... only to find out she was from another school. The second & third nights I was paired with someone from the actual chapter.

It definitely did confuse me at first, but Panhellenic made it pretty clear that the chapter was struggling and needed to rebuild & were pushing it heavily. Essentially if they had closed, the other two would have as well. One couldn't have only 2 chapters, the other couldn't be solo. I don't think they had any other option- this was the last ditch effort by both the sorority and the school.

But it worked... that's the chapter I wound up joining. I had incredible leadership & growth opportunities there, and always think very fondly of the chapter that helped mine. We even made a road trip over there later that spring to check out their turf & thank them. So thank you Chi chapter at U MN :D

I think the fact that the other sororities and the school were supporting them makes a BIG difference. That isn't the case everywhere unfortunately.

Yep, totally agree with the above posts!

SOOO I just got my schedule...I got cut from 4 of my top 6 (the competitive ones) :cool:. I won't lie, it hurt when I saw my schedule. Any form of rejection, I usually take to heart. But there were so many amazing girls, I really can't complain; yes, I feel a bit like "what did they have that I don't?" but I can never answer that, so I'm trying to just let it go.

Besides, I have 5 great houses to go to, 2 that were in my top, and 1 that I wanted to put in my top. So today should be fun! Here's what I got:

Nick
Jordan Baker
Myrtle Wilson
Owl Eyes
Kilspringer

Post more after tonight!

It's a chicken-egg scenario. Along with other factors, the women who are chosen by the top chapters are the ones who make the best first impressions. When those women recruit for their chapters, the make great impressions on PNMs.

violetpretty: yes, and there were so many girls; every single one I've met is so amazing, so I'm not bitter at all haha.

On a tangent: what DOES bother me is when I'm at an "unpopular" house and I overhear PNMS so blatantly trash talking it within earshot of a girl I know who loves it....Or who is so rude to the active's faces (example: purposely asking to use the bathroom even if they don't have to). UGHHHHH I seriously want to smack them and say "is that REALLY how your mother raised you??"
Sorry had to vent :rolleyes:

So today was house tours and this is how it went:

Owl Eyes: I loved this house physically, it was so big and it had this cute room with a bunch of closets and vanities just for the girls to get ready. The girls I talked to were super cool and this is probably my second favorite house of the day. Unfortunately, it was my first house and I was still a little tired from lack of sleep, so my conversation skills weren't at their finest. I hope they invite me back!

Jordan Baker: I had a good impression of them yesterday, but they weren't my favorite and I didn't feel a great connection. But that totally changed today, I love them! I met some super sweet, pretty, and well rounded girls that I got along with so well. They have a great house with a HUGE yard, biggest on the row I think. I also loved their house and love that they had the highest GPA on the row (I don't want to be in a party central house that doesn't study). I would love to go back here. This is my third favorite house.

Myrtle Wilson: Once again, I didn't feel a huge connection here. I had some good conversations, but I felt like I was the one leading them and it was mostly generic topics. There was no laughing, joking around, etc. like there was at the other houses. Even the house I wasn't largely fond of (it was big and pretty, but it wasn't my favorite). I still can't see myself in this sorority and they were my least favorite today, but if I get invited back, I'm willing to give them another chance.

Kilspringer: I loved this house physically; they have a huge yard and there's a tower on one side, which I just thought was so cool. The girl I talked to either a. wasn't totally into the conversation or b. was extremely tired. I feel like it was the latter and that, on any other day, we would have gotten along really well because we still had a good convo. This house is tied for my third favorite.

Nick: My favorite house today, this one was GORGEOUS. They decorated in all colors representing their philanthropy (if I join and reveal the house, you'll know what im talking about ;)). The rooms were each so fabulous and spacious and they had an amazing sun deck where you had a fair amount of privacy but you could also people watch. The girl I talked to was so gorgeous and I loved her, I just hope she felt the same way because I really want to go back tomorrow!

So it's pretty obvious how I'm going to rank, since I rank 4:

1. Nick
1. Jordan Baker
1. Kilspringer
1. Owl Eyes
2. Myrtle Wilson

Ending thoughts: I was fairly disappointed when I got my schedule today and honestly was like "I'm not looking forward to having to fake being happy today, but I'll give it a shot". Luckily, I didn't have to fake anything, I loved today! Everything worked out for the best because I really feel like I'm closing in on my home.
Also, I know some girls today only got invited to 2 or 3 houses, so I actually feel very blessed! Hopefully my good streak will continue :)

I'll get my schedule tomorrow morning, so I'll try to post when I get it!

:) I love the optimistic attitude! I wish everyone were like you! Some PNMs just know exactly how to make it tough to recruit

We didnt get too many of these when I was a collegiate, only about 1 per formal recruitment, and seriously the things they said to my sisters, I wanted to smack them across the face and literally boot them out of recruitment altogether! Luckily, their attitudes towards the houses usually got them released anyways ;) Here's a tip to the pissy PNMs: SORORITIES TALK, and they LOVE to talk about the mean ones!:D

When doves cry: thank you :)

twinkle: gotta love karma haha

So I just got my schedule:

Nick
Jordan
Kilspringer
Owl Eyes
!!!
My top 4 choices!! I am beyond excited, as I spend the better part of my night convincing myself that if I only got 1 or 2 invites back, it's more than some. But then this happened!! AHHHH I was so excited :)
Down side: tonight's decision will be sooo tough on me they are all great groups of girls. I am leaning toward Nick and Owl Eyes right now, but that could change today!

Post more tonight..Im going to take a much needed power nap :)

trojangirl1- what great news.... it's great that you have 4 houses you really like and how lucky each of them are to have you! Enjoy your day-- I look forward to the update!

Thanks merrygphi!

So today was slideshow day and I just finished my parties..I've been up since 8 in the morning and I went to sleep at 2 so I've found it very difficult to keep upbeat and flowing conversation. Hopefully it doesn't affect how the houses feel about me but this is how it went:

Kilspringer: It was my first house and I was caught so off guard when all the girls came out screaming haha but I loved it. I loved the girl who rushed me today and the slideshow was adorable! They showed videos of fraternities serenading them and a girl getting pinned by her boyfriend and just did such a good job of presenting their sisterhood. It was my 3rd favorite today, but I'd love to go back.

Owl Eyes: I loved the theme for this house today. They all looked so cute and put together and I loved the couple girls I talked to. I hope they felt the same way, I just can never be sure because the sororities all have to be nice to the girls haha. Their slideshow was also put together very well. This one was my favorite!

Jordan: I loved this house yesterday, but I didn't feel a huge connection today. The girls were great and so was their slideshow, but unfortunately the girls I talked to, I could only see as friends not sisters. It was my least favorite today, but I wouldn't be devastated if I ended up here.

Nick: I am totally in love with this house, physically! Also with the girls. The girl I talked to, though, seemed kind of out of it even though she said she wasn't tired at all. Maybe she didn't like me? The conversation lagged and had awkward conversations at some points, but I got along so well with other girls before they're still my favorite (tied with Owl Eyes), so I hope they want me!

So here's how I will rank them later:
1. Nick
1. Owl Eyes
2. Kilspringer
3. Jordan

I have an info meeting later about signing bid cards, which makes me so excited that I'm nearing the end! I know I'm going to be nervous allll night though ahh!

trojangirl1,
How are the other pnms you see doing? Are many dropping from recruitment? There were so many drops last year. I am hoping more pnms find a "home" since such a huge number registered this August.

Well, it's hard to tell because I meet different people every day and it's rare if we have the same schedule the next day

But I have overheard and talked to girls who say their friends dropped and that they only have 1 house left they will consider. So I'd say, unfortunately, by bid night a lot of girls will have dropped :/

Oh wow your top 4 choices!! What a lucky PNM you are :) Is tomorrow Pref?

I'm so excited for you!! :)

I am enjoying your recruitment story as much as I'm enjoying kaeb's. Best of luck to both of you! (It's fun reading both at the same time and I think it would be really fun if you both ended up sisters!).

I will not end up being trojangirl's sister, none of the four houses on her list is the one who invited me back. But thank you!

Echoing her sentiments, I wish you the best of luck too! :D I hope you find a great house that is perfect for you.

Good luck!

Hoping that you'll find your home...

Alright guys...spoiler alert...i WILL find a home!! I am guaranteed one at this point :D ahhhh I'm so happy to say that.

So this morning, I opened my schedule to read:

NICK AND OWL EYES!!
My top two, I felt sooo happy. But at the same time stressed because I loved them equally yesterday (I secretly hoped only 1 asked me back so the decision would be made for me lol). In my heart, though, I was leaning ever so slightly to Nick.

Here's how pref went:
Nick: This pref was so adorable. The girls who took me on house tours preffed me. She is adorable, and so fun to talk to. But past the basic questions (how was your day, etc), we didn't talk about much. Someone told me something so perfect: you have your "say hi in class and chat friends" and "take to lunch friends". She seemed to be the former for me. But the ceremony was adorable.

Owl Eyes: This ceremony was sooo sweet and many seniors were in tears. The girl I met yesterday preffed me. At first, she also seemed to be the "say hi in class" friend, so I was worried. But after a little we couldn't stop talking and time flew. I loved her and I wish she didn't have a little because I'd love for her to be my big! I didn't want to make my decision based on one person though...

So I was STRESSING out when I had to rank them. Literally, at the point of tears, calling my mom, second guessing myself. I changed my mind possibly 50 times. Finally, though, I had to look at the tiny details and they all came together to lead me to ranking....

OWL EYES first! I lovelovelove Nick, though, so if I end up there, obviously it was meant to be and I'll be so happy.

We'll see tonight :)

ah congrats! They're both great houses, I only wish you the best!

Now I want to know who you are! (In a way that's way less creepy than that sounds going back and re-reading it :))

AHHHH!!! Congrats!

It sounds like you will win either way, trojangirl1! I hope that you'll consider letting us know the names of both chapters; you've only had good things to say about the two. I went back to the beginning of your story and I noticed that you described both houses as being "laid back," it sounds like you knew in your heart what you needed, and both chapters recognized a kindred spirit in you.