A Parks and Rec-ruitment Story
 

Hey Y'all!
So I'm going through recruitment and figured it'd be fun to share/document my experience! I absolutely love Parks and Rec and am thoroughly looking forward to the next couple of days.
There are a whopping 17 sororities at my school, but thank goodness there's a large cast to choose from!

Here are the chapters (in no particular order):
Leslie Knope
Andy Dwyer
April Ludgate
Tom Haverford
Ron Swanson
Ann Perkins
Jerry Gergich
Donna Meagle
Chris Traeger
Ben Wyatt
Perd Hapley
Li'l Sebastian
Jean-Ralphio Saperstein
Lucy
Tammy number 2
Shauna Malwae-Tweep
Mark Brendanawicz

Now on to complete my "park project." I'm ready to find a home. :D

April Ludgate all the way!

It's fun to read a Recruitment Story when you really don't know the characters, so you can't pick a quick favorite!

Hint: You may want to write it in real time, but post it afterwards. There are so many sleuths here on GC - and in a lot of chapters!

hoping lil sebastian takes it! good luck!

hoping it's Ron Swanson!!

Go Ben Wyatt! Can't wait to hear the rest

Are you going through rush right now? If so, best of luck to you!

Parks and Rec-ruitment Round 1
 

Round 1 happened over the course of two days. I can honestly say I had NO idea about what I was getting into. So I put on a dress, put my emergency survival kit together, and took off into Greek Life world. I swear it was about as chaotic as the Knope-Wyatt household with the triplets running around.


Ron Swanson: I was overwhelmed with how loud these girls were. I loved the energy, but I was so awkward talking to these girls. I remember that I was bumped like crazy, but had a really memorable conversation about giraffes. The girls were very well put together, and I remember thinking that I wanted a second look.

Jean-Ralphio Saperstein: Loved their energy. I wasn’t bumped at all, had a great conversation about Chris Pratt (because who doesn't love him?!) and was complimented on my composition.

Shauna Malwae-Tweep: They were loud and I’m interested in going back. Also suggested really good restaurants in the area so that captured my interest, cause you know, food.

Leslie Knope: I loved the relaxed energy here. There was a bit of philanthropy talk, a lot about an organization on campus that raised money for Children's Hospitals, which hit close to home. They seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say. I actively participated in conversation and was complimented on how composed and at ease I was. I also remember that they emphasized different interests at the sorority, which made me feel a lot better since that's been an internal struggle for me going through recruitment.

April Ludgate: I talked to a girl who was the big of a girl who is in my major (which isn't a very well known one). It made me feel worlds better about going through recruitment, knowing that a girl with similar interests and a big time commitment to her studies found a home here. She complimented how composed I was and emphasized how fun living in the house is. It was here where I thought "Okay, I can do this."

Tom Haverford: I didn’t really connect. I had two girls talking to me who were more interested in each other than carrying a conversation with me.

Jerry Gergich: I was at ease in this house. The girl I talked to emphasized how supportive her sisters were and introduced me to her roommate. They stressed the community at the house and I was able to have a meaningful conversation with both the girls. I really loved them, they have exactly what I’m looking for in a sorority.

Li'l Sebastian: Good conversation and classy energy. Emphasized that their members were involved all over campus and that they wanted their members to get out there. They also put me at ease, since they talked about the different interests within the house. I definitely felt like they were listening to me, and that was refreshing.

Lucy: I didn’t connect here at all. The girls didn’t really listen to me, had the same questions and actually repeated some of them. Exhaustion showed, which I totally understand, but I really wished that we could had a little bit of an engaging conversation.

Ann Perkins: These ladies were very put together. Very friendly and encouraging and accepting of my major. I want to see what else they’ll bring to the table.

Tammy number 2: This house took me aback because it had a lower level of energy than some other houses. There was this one girl who was extremely sweet and had a lot of energy, like me, and we had an awesome conversation about fanny packs. There was a lot of moving around so it was slightly chaotic. That threw me off. I think want a second look, but I'm not sure yet.

Donna Meagle: I remember seeing dresses the exact same color here. I had a very engaging conversation with a girl, and noticed I wasn’t bumped. There was a very classy vibe present. They emphasized the connection with their sisters as well.

Mark Brendanawicz: I didn’t connect here at all. There was a girl who wasn't subtle about bumping me, but she failed to get another girl over. She talked about how involved her house was on campus, and her interests, but I didn't contribute much to the conversation.

Chris Traeger: These girls had great energy, emphasized how diverse their sorority was. I didn’t lead the conversation and the girl was a little too obvious about wanting to bump me, but I’d like to see more of them.

Perd Hapley: The cheer in the house lasted a long time, and it had a ton of pop culture references, which was refreshing and really funny. There were some dull moments in conversation, but altogether I wasn’t impressed.

Andy Dwyer: I remember having a totally different conversation here, instead of “Oh where are you living?” It was “What’s your favorite kind of coffee?” I was bumped a couple times, but all girls had interesting personalities. I also remember that they all looked the same.

Ben Wyatt: These girls were LOUD. A lot of great energy, but I was getting to the point where I was about done, so I zoned out. I don't really remember what else happened besides there was a really nice chandelier in the house.

My rankings at the end of Round 1:
1. Leslie Knope
1. Jerry Gergich
1. Li'l Sebastian
1. April Ludgate
1. Andy Dwyer
1. Jean-Ralphio Saperstein
1. Donna Meagle
1. Shauna Malwae-Tweep
1. Chris Traeger
1. Ben Wyatt
1. Ann Perkins
1. Ron Swanson

Alternates:
2.Tammy number 2
3.Perd Hapley
4.Tom Haverford
5.Mark Brendanawicz
6.Lucy

A recurring theme that I saw during this round when I was asking questions was how involved outside of the sorority these members were. I made the decision about my major knowing that a lot of my free time would be spent doing extra work and preparation for my classes, and I want to find a home that would accept that time commitment. I'm also looking for a really supportive community, which is why I was drawn to the sororities that emphasized the connection between the girls.

Can't wait to do House Tours next round! :p

Love, love love. Good luck!! So do the Rho Chis tell you about bumping? That is something I would never have known the word for as a rushee. We called it "picking up", but same thing. Just curious if they detail that you will be "bumped" during the parties.

I am notorious for being a planner, so I did a lot of research online about recruitment. The term "bumping" was something I stumbled upon during my research.

Fun story. You guys are so much more knowledgeable about things than we were in the pre-Internet, Dinosaur Age.:D

Great details...looking forward to hearing about Round 2!!!

Any updates? :confused:

When a PNM starts a story and then disappears, it's usually one of two reasons: (a) she didn't get a bid or recruitment didn't go the way she'd hoped (b) she's having way too much fun with her new sisters and with school and she's forgotten us.

Sigh.

Can't wait to hear about Round 2!

Hey y'all! Classes started this week, so I've been focused on that. I promise that the next installment of my story will be up VERY soon!

Looking forward to hearing the rest of your story!

Round 2: Park Tours
 

I shared a phone call with my mother, retelling all of my thoughts from round 1, and I remember her saying to me, "Don't be surprised if you don't get a full schedule (12 houses). It's perfectly normal to go back to 6-8 of them." So I started the day with the expectation that I would get 6 houses.

I received my schedule and saw that I was invited back to five houses. FIVE. Immediately I texted my mom, concerned and terrified. PNMs had the biggest drops from houses between rounds 2 and 3, and here I was, with less options than I wanted.

Jerry Gergich, Tammy number 2, Li'l Sebastian, Marc Brendanawicz, and Tom Haverford invited me back for house tours. My mother reminded me that today was a new day, and to look at all the houses with fresh eyes. So here I was: slightly desperate, incredibly scared, and a little emotionally unstable. It took me awhile composed myself and tried to get myself excited over looking at these gorgeous houses.

Tammy number 2: These girls continued to impress me with their energy. I think I may have tried too hard at this house, since I was still a little freaked out. It still had that chaotic feel to it, but I liked it here. I could see how I could fit within this house's personality, and wanted SO badly to be a part of a family.

Jerry Gergich: This house was charming. I was paired with a girl who apologized to me saying she was sick, so I understood why we didn't talk the whole time. She asked me more personal questions while showing me the house and I was blown away. The rooms came out of Pinterest, and this girl made a point of emphasizing how genuine the girls were in the house. As I was being walked out, I struck conversation with another girl, who asked me why I wanted to be there. I simply said, "I want to be a part of a community, I want that support network. It's a part of me to give everything back into an organization that has done so much for me." I loved how I felt so comfortable sharing that, because that's what I wanted out of this whole experience, and I loved that I felt comfortable and listened to there, that these were REAL girls talking to me.

Tom Haverford: I remember as soon as walked in that loud music was blaring and these girls were LOUD. I couldn't hear myself think. The house was pretty, but I had really awkward lulls in conversation and didn't really connect.

Li'l Sebastian: This house was gorgeous, and the girls here also emphasized how genuine and connected this house was. I felt so at home and at ease, and it was here where I realized that having five houses was okay, because I got to come back here. They were real, they were fun. I came out of this house crossing my fingers that I would be invited back.

Marc Brendanawicz: This house lacked in connection, just like the first time I visited. I wasn't impressed. Sure the girls were nice, but it seemed a little forced at times. Awkward lulls in conversation, still pretty surface level conversation topics like food (since that seems to be my go to), an interesting but still pretty house, but they weren't my favorite.

At the end of the day, I ended up putting all of these places first, just to make sure I could guarantee houses for the next two rounds. But if I had to rank them...
1. Jerry Gergich and Li'l Sebastian
2. Tammy number 2
3. Marc Brendanawicz
4. Tom Haverford

I called my mom later that night, exhausted and broken down. I was scared I wouldn't be invited back anywhere, and she said to "trust the system. It's Harry Potter and The Bachelor combined."
Hoping Philanthropy Round will be better, and not as draining.:o

It sounds like your mom knows just what to say to let you know how wonderful you are, in the middle of this crazy, exhausting process! I hope your classes are off to a great start and looking forward to reading the next installment. :)

Your mom is very wise!

Round 3
 

After my roommate and I stocked up on snack food and binge-watched Modern Family to recharge from Round 2, I woke up feeling better, and more like myself. I received my schedule, to notice that THREE houses invited me back. I did a happy dance, knowing that I would be visiting Jerry Gergich, Li'l Sebastian, and Marc Brendanawicz this round. :D

Marc Brendanawicz: I was amused that I was invited back, because I've failed to "click" here the past couple of rounds. But as soon as their presentation started, I noticed how much they gave back to the community and their fundraising efforts. They really took pride in what they accomplished, and I appreciated getting to see that side of them. Conversations were deeper than they were the previous rounds, and I was able to see the motivated personality this house had, but I struggled to see myself here.

Li'l Sebastian: I was SO happy to be invited back here. These girls REALLY focused on their philanthropy and what they did for the community, and had such a motivated energy behind it all. They were passionate about what they were involved in, and I loved that. They also made the point that they want their members to get out there and serve, to be a part of anything they were passionate about, because they would be supported. Again, that community theme resonated with me, and it's something I've seen at this house at every round. I was also asked about what I was passionate about, and I was able to open up about why I chose my major and why I decided to come to this school, because I made those decisions with service in mind. It was fascinating, I felt so comfortable here.

Jerry Gergich: I was paired with a woman who was extremely involved in serving, and she was featured in their presentation, explaining what their philanthropy does and what they have accomplished in the past couple of years. She also took an interest in my personal story, and suggested other groups on campus to get involved with, besides their national philanthropy. The supportive and encouraging community vibe came through again, and this woman explained to me about why she wanted to be a leader within this organization. I was so drawn to that, for she had strong personality, passionate about serving others and why she wanted to give back to her organization. I could see how I could fit here.

Because I still had less than the full number of houses for the round (full schedule would be 6, we had to rank top 3 and then 3 alternates), I ranked all of these first. But if I had to rank them, it would be:

1. Li'l Sebastian
2. Jerry Gergich
3. Marc Brendanawicz

In this round, I was really drawn to how much these girls gave back to their community and their organizations. I came out of this round partially understanding what my mom meant by "trust the system." The system got me up to this point, and with one more round to go, I trusted it to get me through Prefs.

One more day... kind of ready for all this craziness to be over. :)

It sounds like you had 3 great options...glad to hear that your top 2 invited you back and that Marc B. impressed you with their philanthropy efforts.

Best theme ever.

You SHOULD know the characters! Go watch Parks and Rec!

:D

Parks and Prefs
 

Last round, last of my early mornings. Everything was quieter than usual, my roommate and I didn't talk much, and breakfast was at most a dull roar. Schedules were passed out and I was SO happy to see Jerry Gergich and Li'l Sebastian as my remaining houses.

Li'l Sebastian: I walked in and was blown away by the decorations. This house had already charmed me, but this was like the chocolate fudge and cherry on top. The stories this house shared were humorous, and the woman who I was talking to gave a speech about how much these girls mean to her. She even caused me to tear up which left us both a sobbing mess. I loved getting to know her. The people around me made me feel at home.

Jerry Gergich: I was paired with the same woman who talked to me during the first round, and I really enjoyed seeing her again. The speeches were tearjerkers and I could see how much the ladies meant to each other. They had a really sweet presentation, and I enjoyed being here. I felt that genuine community presence, but I remember looking around the room and thinking "I see how I can fit here, but will this place fit me?"

My mother told me right before I started recruitment that I had a place in every house. She said that to reassure me, but I believe I truly understood it during this round. I would be VERY happy at both houses, no matter what happened, and with that in mind, I ranked with the utmost confidence.

1. Li'l Sebastian
2. Jerry Gergich

There was a sense of relief as I turned my rankings in. It felt right. And with all of that out of the way, I could finally focus on school. After all, Bid Day starts right after classes finish tomorrow. :p

So glad you had two great options and felt you would be at home at either one!

I have my fingers and toes crossed for you! This is such a great story.

Don't say "Bye, Bye Lil Sebastian!"

Bid Day
 

"Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes..." was stuck in my head as I ran into the hall to receive my bid. I had a class that got out not even 15 minutes before we were supposed to meet and had to sprint to catch a bus to take me across campus. It was rough, I don't do well being late.

We met up in our Gamma Chi groups and we were entertained as they revealed their affiliations to us. Collectively, I think we all knew that they were stalling, because who doesn't love suspense? Then we were instructed to turn around as our Gamma Chi passed out bids. It became quiet, and I felt the paper in my hand.

"10." Groans filled the room as the girls waited anxiously for the countdown to begin.

"9." We all got a little quieter.

"8." I was slightly bouncing up and down because of the nervous energy.

"7." The girl to my left exchanged a sympathetic look with me.

"6." I could feel the tears start coming. (I'm an emotional person, as seen in pref round.)

"5." I closed my eyes.

"4." The hall started to join in with the counting.

"3." I joined in.

"2." This was it. Whatever happened, I was going to be fine.

"1." We flipped our cards over and...

LI'L SEBASTIAN

I screamed so loud! IT HAPPENED. I met up with my roommate, who also received a bid from the same house, and also caught the eye of two girls I went to high school with. I lost it at that point, it just became a blur of hugs and happy tears, and celebration.

Mom's happy I found a home, too. Lots of exclamation points when I shared the news. It's cool because she went through the same chapter at my college 20-something years ago, and I'm SO excited to share that connection with her.



Oh yeah... I may have left out one *tiny* detail.

I'm building my park with Alpha Gamma Delta!!!

What a wonderful ending! Congrats to you (and your mom)!

Congratulations!

Welcome to Alpha Gam!!!

Congratulations!

LIL' SEBASTIAN *AND* ALPHA GAM?!?!?! THIS IS THE BEST STORY EVER. Welcome to Alpha Gamma Delta :)

Yay! Lil Sebastian!!!

Congratulations!

Congratulations to you and your mom on joining your legacy sorority!!! Thanks for sharing your wonderful story!

Welcome to our sisterhood! I'm so thrilled for both you and your mom!! Make her bring you to Convention ;)

I am so happy for you! Great story!

Congratulations~!