A Retro Recruitment Thread with Many Bumps Along the Way
 

First, let me apologize to those of you who are sick of these threads, but I just couldn't resist!! I've been reading these since they started and finally gathered the courage to tell my story.:o My current day thoughts will be in blue.

I went through rush/recruitment in 1992 at a very small liberal arts college in Indiana. We have four sororities, and for this thread I will call them:
Gryffindor
Hufflepuff
Ravenclaw
Slytherin

I was the first person in my family to attend a four year college, and definitely the first person to go through rush. My first real eye-opener was at a meeting sponsored by my hometown's Alumnae Panhellenic. I was certain that this was something I wanted to do. My mother, on the other hand, was worried about hazing. :) Of course she had nothing to worry about, but she still asked me a couple of years ago if it had ever happened! Finally I convinced her that things would be just fine and she should be confident that I would make wise decisions. I arrived on campus ready to conquer the world, sorority rush included. But wait a second...we had deferred rush. There were no limits on visiting houses, as long as you didn't spend the night there. We freshmen were in the Fraternities the first night on campus (cannot believe that--they have to wait three-five weeks now!), and we quickly met Greek women, as well as learning the opinions of all the fraternity boys. Here are my first impressions:

Gryffindor--Very friendly women who were visible at each fraternity I visited. If anything, I saw them aligning with the Phi Delts. A number of girls on my floor liked this house. They had quite a few athletes in their house, mostly volleyball players. Also known for their high g.p.a.s. They were also one of the oldest chapters on campus.

Hufflepuff--These girls were fun! Very visible on campus, especially at the parties. Mostly seen at the Beta house and rarely anywhere else. Had a lot of athletes, mostly field hockey players. The youngest chapter on campus--they had only been on campus for five years.

Ravenclaw--The socially elite house on campus. Very pretty and very preppy girls. Visible all over campus--they wore their letters constantly. They hung out at Lambda Chi and Fiji, which were my two favorite fraternities at the time. A very close friend of mine had an older sister who had been a Ravenclaw here, and I idolized her, so of course I really had a strong pull towards Ravenclaw. This was the oldest house on campus and they made sure you knew it.

Slytherin--The Slytherins hung out at every fraternity. They were social, but didn't align with any one chapter. They were very well respected on campus--they had a lot of cheerleaders and dance team members. Seemed like the All-American girls. One of the girls on my hall had an older sister who was an upperclass Slytherin on campus, so we got to know her and her friends pretty quickly.

The campus saying at the time went like this: Ravenclaw was old money, Slytherin was new money, Gryffindor were the studious girls, and Hufflepuff were the party girls. This was soooooo inaccurate, not to mention rude.

I knew very little about the whole system of rush, but I did know that I had at least two recommendations-- for Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. I assume (but am not certain) that I also had recs for Gryffindor and Slytherin because of the paperwork filled out at the Alumnae Panhellenic meeting. Things were going well through that first semester. I attended all pre-rush events (house tours, progressive dinner, philanthropy day) and had a Rho Chi who was a Gryffindor. I really liked her and that definitely had an influence on my opinions. So when I went home for Christmas break, my mom and I went shopping for Rush. I made sure to investigate what the suggested clothes were, and I think I fit the bill quite nicely--for first party, I planned to wear a grey pinstriped jumper with a turtleneck and tights (oh my goodness-what was I thinking?!), for second party I planned to wear a skirt and sweater, and for pref I was wearing the ever-popular black dress. Then one afternoon, I got a thin envelope from the college--my grades. I ran to my room, ripped it open, and immediately started sobbing. I had missed the minimum g.p.a. by two hundreths of a point. No Rush, and I was certain that my life was ruined. :(

Aww! What a bummer? How did you plan all you clothes and everything and (almost) completely forget about grades?!

We can't wait to hear what you decided to do next!

Im rooting from Griffendorf

Aww that's heartbreaking! (But at least we know the story doesn't end here :) ) I love the names, and I am going to have to root for Slytherin!

Yes, looking back I could kick myself...I was not prepared going into college for what it's really like academically. I never had to study in HS and had excellent grades. So I started off using the same study skills, which were no study skills. It was a big wake up when I opened that envelope--by far the worst I had ever done in my life.

Rush #2--Sophomore Year
 

Well, I hadn't made the grades freshman year, but many (though not all) of my friends did. Most of my friends ended up pledging Ravenclaw, although I actually had at least one very close friend in each of the other chapters. I spent the Winter and Spring Terms (Hogwarts is on a 4-4-1 schedule) being envious of my friends as they became new initates, and meeting more and more people in each of the houses. I distinctly remember one of my best friends being very upset when she received a bid from Hufflepuff instead of Slytherin, she did accept the bid however (I couldn't understand why she was upset because I thought she fit much better into Hufflepuff!). There was also some drama of another girl who had received a bid to Hufflepuff. She went ahead and went to the bid night celebrations, but quickly depledged. There was some type of controversy (and unacceptable actions) with Ravenclaw over the whole situation, and they ended up spending Spring Term on social probation.

I was once again ineligible to go through the Open Bid process during Fall Term due to grades, and I worked a little harder during Fall Term in hopes of being able to go through Formal Rush in January. I was all ready to get my grades and when they came over Christmas Break I was a little more hopeful. It seemed that I had met the minimum gpa for Slytherin only. I made the decision that I would go through Formal Rush and see how things panned out. It was so important to me to join a chapter NOW that I was willing to only give myself one choice (it never dawned on me at the time that I might be cut from that one choice--what would I do then?!).

I came back to campus early and was ready to go to the Rush parties. I had my outfit on, had checked in, talked to some friends, and was anxiously waiting in the Lecture Hall (and things were running behind, so that was making everyone nervous) when all of a sudden I heard my name being called. It was the Greek Advisor. She asked me to come into an office where some of the Panhel exec were gathered. I knew something had gone terribly wrong at this point...

I was correct. Something had gone terribly wrong. My grades were high enough to go through Rush as a freshman, but not an upperclassman. It was rare at that point for people to go through Formal Rush as upperclassman, and the gpa requirements were not well-publicized. It was utterly humiliating to be told this, and to have to walk back out into this room of excited women knowing that I wouldn't be joining them. So I quickly (and in tears) walked back out of the Lecture Hall and back to my dorm, where I couldn't get in the door. At this point I was sobbing. No one was on campus except those going through Rush, so I had no options. Finally a maintenance person came by and took pity on me. I ran up to my room, changed clothes, and drove home. I was sure I was through with the whole process and would never affiliate.

Wow, I didn't see that one coming! :(

Oh no! That's horrible. I feel your pain, Cutie_Hootie. :(

Ack! Heartbreaking! I had a friend in my pledge class that this happened to, she went through as a junior because she would be spending an extra year and did get a bid though. And we do have a happy ending here, right?!

WoW, Cutie_Hootie what a suprise and heartbreak!!

Keep trecking, I know the happiness is in there somehwere! ;)

Rush #3--One more chance?
 

After I couldn't rush my sophomore year (not to mention the whole showing up for rush debacle), I had a little bitterness towards the Hogwarts greek system. That quickly evaporated as I got to know more and more people and made friends in chapters where I previously hadn't known many women. Hogwarts did not have a rule keeping unaffiliated women from attending chapter events, so I became a frequent guest at sorority events. I especially had a great time with the Ravenclaws at a hockey game, the Hufflepuffs at their Caddyshack party, and the Gryffindors at a dinner date. I even went on spring break with a bunch of friends from Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff. All in all, it was a great term.

Just before I came back for junior year, I had emergency surgery and missed a little bit of school. After I settled back into campus and finished recuperating, I really settled into my classes. I had a fairly easy semester--I had changed my focus so I had some new general degree requirements to meet, which meant I was taking some lower level classes and meeting a lot of freshmen(had I actually been affiliated at this time it would have been a fantastic recruitment opportunity!!). I spent a lot of time going to meals at the houses and being invited over to events like 90210 Night or something similiar. I was especially impressed with the girls at Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, which was also where I knew the most girls.

I had also made new friends on my hall who were going to be going through rush:
Kristin--Her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother were all Ravenclaws, with her mother and great-grandmother having been Ravenclaws at Hogwarts. Kristin was a sophomore who had opted not to go through rush as a freshman. She really liked Slytherin and Ravenclaw both, and knew a long hard decision was ahead of her.
Jill--Jill was a freshman, adorable, and very intelligent. She was very involved in campus already and every sorority was courting her!
Jess--Jess was also a freshman who was very involved in campus. She was mostly interested in Gryffindor, although she was keeping her options open.

I was bound and determined to go through Rush with an open mind, although it seems that I wasn't completely unbiased. Mostly, though, I was excited to finally be going through Rush--I had waited a looooong time for this!!

And so January finally rolled around, and Rush began with skits:

I was so excited as we were lineing up at the houses! Even though the doors were closed, you could hear the songs and chants. My first party was at Slytherin. The doors swung open and the girls were so loud! They had a baseball theme, with cracker jack and sodas. I was picked up at the door by a good friend. So many people came up and told me how thrilled they were that I was finally rushing. I looked around and saw how many friends I had that were Slytherins and really thought about how I could see myself there. They were so friendly, fun, and enthusiastic and it was impossible not to get caught up in that.

My second party was at Hufflepuff. They had a camp theme--I was met at the door by a girl who was in my grade but who I wasn't close friends with. We went downstairs first and chatted--nothing looked like normal--everything was covered with decorations and it looked like you were outside. Again, I had a lot of people coming up to me and welcoming me. We had "bug juice" and trail mix here for snacks, and after another sister came to chat with me, we went upstairs where we sat on sleeping bags surrounded by real pine trees. They did a very fun skit that focused on all the diverse types of girls who were Hufflepuffs. I remembered from my two previous years how all the girls raved about Hufflepuff's first party and know I knew why--it really was very memorable. I knew that I would be very happy in this house, and I felt as though most of the girls here really liked me. I wasn't so sure about some of the other houses.

Next I went to Gryffindor. They had a Wizard of Oz theme. I chatted with a few girls, and the party was nice, but I knew going in that it was my last choice--I had the fewest friends there and just couldn't see myself as a Gryffindor. I was friendly and polite, but I'm sure my lack of interest showed. I basically was counting down the minutes until the next party...

Finally, I walked in the door at Ravenclaw. I was picked up at the door by one of my best friends, Becky, and she was so excited to see me!! I was just as excited to see her, and we chatted as we waited in line for our snacks. Ravenclaw had a jungle theme--it was very cute. Becky made sure to introduce me to the few sisters I didn't know, and she even introduced me to some advisors/alumnae. Once we sat down at a table, we were swamped. In contrast to the other houses where I walked around a lot and went from person to person (or so it seemed), at Ravenclaw everyone seemed to be coming up to me. It was fun to spend that time with all my friends, and I was so happy to be there.

The most astounding part of all four parties to me was the coats. How our coats disappeared and reappeared I just couldn't figure out. But in every house, every coat ended up being presented to the correct PNM. It was amazing!

After the parties, I went back and made my choices. It was quite easy for me that night--

1. Hufflepuff
2. Ravenclaw
3. Slytherin
4. Gryffindor

I filled out my sheet very quickly and headed back to my dorm for a chat with the girls and then some sleep. I couldn't wait for the next day!!

YaY!! Finally getting started!!! :D

yay!! go hufflepuff!

Ahhh I'm addicted to retro recruitment stories again!

I think I know who one of the houses is! :)

Your experience in Ravenclaw was very much like my experience in the chapter I eventually joined! It is awesome to feel so popular at the party!

Things sound like they're going well for you this year. I'm glad to hear that. :)

Invitations to Second Round...
 

My second day of recruitment came. I heard a knock at the door and it was my Rho Chi with my invitations. I looked at it and then did a double take. Listed were Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. I looked at her with a question forming...and she looked at me and said, "I'm so sorry". I nodded my head because I couldn't speak. She told me to call her if I wanted to talk but otherwise she would see me that afternoon. I walked across the hall to Kristin's room. She opened it and said, "Well, my decision just became really easy". She had been cut by Slytherin, her second choice and the only one to hold a candle to Ravenclaw in her mind. Jill and Jess had both dropped Hufflepuff. I was in shock and wondering what I had done wrong to be dropped by Ravenclaw. I thought it was what I wanted, but of course I wasn't certain.

It wasn't too long before some of the women came back to the dorm to shower. The PNMs were supposed to try their best to stay out of their way and we were in strict silence. I saw Lori, my RA, who was a Ravenclaw. She walked past me towards the shower as I went back to my room to relax. Then all of sudden there was a knock at my door. I opened it and Lori quickly barged in and shut the door. She told me that I couldn't tell anyone that I had talked to her and then said, "I know you are upset. We are too. You have to believe that it wasn't because people don't like you. We all do. But you are a junior and with your grades...". I told her that I understood, but that I was disappointed. She said that she knew I would find a good house and that I would be happy there and that everyone in Ravenclaw was happy for me. Then she hugged me and left.

I really didn't know what to think and spent the rest of the morning thinking over everything that had happened.

Aw...sorry you had to go through that disappointment. But truthfully, those are 2 issues that put together would be very difficult to get past at most schools.

At least we know your story has a happy ending somewhere along the line. :)

I figure it was 12 years ago...I think I'm safe. Haha. ;)

I was cut bad from some of my "friendly chapters" too. I was also a junior with not so stellar grades. They weren't gross, but just not ideal enough to keep me around instead of a freshman with awesome grades.

The part that sucks is that (at least at my campus) most of these freshman join and their grades take a serious nose dive, where as mine have continued to go up since I had already taken my nose dive in freshman year! (See my honors activities below). In fact, this year I was awarded (1 out of 25 allowed at my campus) for "Who's Who in American Universities" (the title is long I know I got that name wrong!!) and made the dean's list. So that just goes to show, sometimes they're the one's missing out! Although I understand why they would not be willing to take the risk.

So after my disappointment that morning, I got excited for the second round of parties.

I started off at Gryffindor. To be honest, I didn't want to be there and wasn't sure why I had to be since I had rated them last the night before (silly me, not maximizing my opportunities...). They had a nice party that emphasized their sisterhood, but I was not receptive (I was polite, but inside I was counting the minutes). They showed a lovely slideshow and had a great skit, but I knew it was not the house for me. In retrospect, I feel sorry for the poor little sophomore that was hosting me. I don't think I was the easiest person to host.

Next I went to Slytherin. I loved this party! I was hosted by some close friends, so we visited a lot. It was a circus theme complete with caricature artists and a palm reader. The palm reader knew some trivial facts about each PNM and was very entertaining to listen to. I really enjoyed this party and enjoyed talking to the girls in the chapter. They were very friendly and outgoing, and I found myself thinking about Slytherin more and more.

My final party was at Hufflepuff. It was a Broadway theme, and I remember very little about the skit other than the kickline. Once again I was seated in the front. I had been picked up by another junior who I didn't know really well, and my escort during the skit was a senior who I had just met that day. She was really nice and I enjoyed talking to her. A lot of my fellow juniors came up to talk to me while we were waiting and somehow it worked into the conversation where else I had been. When I didn't mention Ravenclaw, everyone did a double take. One girl named Katie said, wait a second, you didn't go to Ravenclaw? And when I said no, she said oh, oh wow...we all had assumed you would be there today. Then we dropped it and continued chatting.

After the parties, I went back to fill out my preference list. Here is what I wrote:
1. Hufflepuff
2. Slytherin
3. Gryffindor

I really hoped hard that evening that I wouldn't be returning to Gryffindor the next day. Mainly, however, I hoped that I would be returning somewhere the next day... :confused:

Great update!

Eek! Another victim of one of the dreaded questions! I hope their surprise was because they thought well of you and not that they wanted the inside scoop.

I'm so excited! I know what school this is and I've never seen it mentioned on GC. A good friend's daughter was in a sorority there (graduated a few years ago) and I'm trying to figure out if I know which one of your "houses" is hers! Looking forward to hearing the rest of the story.

Preference Parties
 

Day three began with a knock at the door. I had been anxiously waiting for this...and I was invited back to both Slytherin and Hufflepuff. I was so excited and thankful that I wasn't going back to Gryffindor. My friends Kristin, Jill, and Jess had all been invited to Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. We were all thrilled for each other and excited and nervous for ourselves. For Pref I wore a basic black dress (so did the other three girls) and we all wore pearls. However, we had suddenly had a snowstorm, and were told by our Rho Chis that it would be acceptable to wear slacks, snow boots, or heavy winter coats because of the snow. The houses had been instructed (!) not to hold our slacks or snow boots against us!!! I opted to wear my heels anyway, and so did many girls, although I did see a few with boots on instead. However, I saw no one in slacks.

First I went to Slytherin. The Slytherins were wearing white blouses with full skirts in their color (Side note--they had worn these same outfits for years I found out later). I was met at the door by a very close friend of mine. We went upstairs to the living room where we had very beautifully decorated cookies and punch. Then they had all the PNMs sit on the floor as they gathered around us and sang a song. Then they sat amongst us as a few sisters spoke. They talked about how special their sisterhood was and how their sisters had always been there to support them through anything, good or bad. Then they showed a slide show. At this point I was in misery because my foot and leg had fallen asleep. I was not very comfortable sitting on the floor. I was also in tears after hearing these stories because I was questioning if this was the right house for me.

After the slide show, I got up (very carefully) and was surrounded by my friends in the house. They were all talking to me about why I would be a great member of Slytherin and why I should choose Slytherin. I was then given a poem by my hostess and we read it together. After we read it, I was to throw it in the fire and make a wish. I made my wish and was crying with all the girls. I kept telling them what a hard decision this was to make. Finally, it was time to go. I hugged everyone goodbye and left.

Then it was time for Hufflepuff. The Hufflepuffs were wearing black dresses with pearls. As we were coming in the door, our hostess met us and said, "Cutie_Hootie, the sisters of Hufflepuff wish to invite you to our preference party". My hostess was a good friend that I hadn't seen all week. After she met me at the door, she then took me downstairs where the lights were dimmed. Each PNM had a beautiful plate (with the crest imprinted at the top) that had her name written on it in chocolate along with a chocolate seashell that held delicious fresh fruit. We also had champagne flutes with the crest imprinted that held sparkling cider. The chapter members knelt next to us and talked to us as we tried to eat (I was so nervous I don't think I ate a bite!).

Finally, all the chapter members left us at our seats as they linked arms and made a circle around the room. Songs were sung (and I was already crying). Then another sister came over to kneel by me--it was Katie, who had been so shocked and excited the day before when she learned I wasn't going back to Ravenclaw. We went upstairs to the living room, where it had been turned into an almost all white room. All the furniture had disappeared. There were rows of white chairs in a horseshoe shape facing the window seats. At the window seats were a few of the chapter members, holding candles. They each spoke, telling us about the sisterhood and what it meant to be a member of Hufflepuff.

At some point, we given all given candles. While the room was filled with candlelight, one by one the sisters recited lines from their creed. They all recited the final lines together. It was breathtaking. We blew out our candles and lingered for a few minutes chatting. Girls were already lining the steps singing and other PNMs were leaving. I was still talking to some of the sisters. As I was walking back up the aisle, one of the seniors stopped me. I knew who she was and had actually always been intimidated by her. She said, "Cutie_Hootie, I'm really glad to see you here tonight". It was such a simple statement, but it had a huge impact on me. As we were walking out, Katie handed me a oyster shell, very similar to the chocolate ones we had eaten earlier. The shell had a pearl inside. She told me to take the pearl, throw it in the fountain, and make a wish. I made a wish (a different wish than I had at Slytherin), and we walked down the stairs. I was the last PNM in the house, and we stood talking for a second while I thanked her for being my hostess. Then I said goodbye and walked to the lecture hall to fill out my preference sheet...

Go Hufflepuff!

I'm rooting for Hufflepuff too!!! :) YAY FOR BID DAY!!

Come on, BID DAY!!!

Count me in on rooting for Hufflepuff! That was a beautiful Pref ceremony. :)

Anxiously waiting for my bid!!
 

I made my choice pretty quickly Pref night. I sat there for a little while because I was trying to decide whether to pref one, two, or even three houses (including Gryffindor). Finally, I made my decision, signed my card, and walked home.

I woke up early on bid day (what we at Hogwarts call "The Run"). The day took forever. Classes hadn't even started yet, so I couldn't spend time studying. I watched people move back into the dorms from break and waited for someone, anyone that was a friend to arrive. Finally, time was drawing close. I sat in my room as instructed (door closed) and waited...and waited.

Finally, there was a knock at the door, but no envelope was slid underneath!! Panicked, I opened the door. It was my friend Tiffiny, who had deactivated from Hufflepuff that fall. She sat down and I told her all about everything. She knew I was nervous, so she stayed with me. Finally, she handed me something. It was wrapped and she said to open it if I wanted. I did, and found two of Hufflepuff's symbols. She said, "These were mine, and I want them to be yours". I thanked her and said that I hoped they would be mine. Finally, there was another knock at the door. After a short pause, and envelope slid under the door. I was shaking as I picked it up, and then I carefully looked at the envelope. Tiffiny started laughing and told me to open it. I finally did...and found a bid from...





HUFFLEPUFF, otherwise known as Chi Omega!!!!

I screamed and hugged Tiffiny, and then I threw my door open. My Rho Chi was standing there laughing. Kristin, Jill, and Jess all ran out into the hallway too. All four of us were thrilled--we had all gotten bids from our first choices. Kristin and Jill were both going to Ravenclaw, and Jess was going to Gryffindor.

We quickly got our things together and went to the lecture hall, where we would be meeting our new pledge classes. There were active members there waiting for us. They sounded a bell, and we all took off running across campus to our new homes. It was pandemonium!!

It was such a great time for me--I had truly made the right decision and it was the house where I fit in the best. I've never regretted being a Chi Omega, and I'm especially glad I waited for it. Funny enough, I received Chi Omega gifts and cute little notes from friends in both Phi Mu and Theta...everyone really was happy for me that I had finally been able to pledge after waiting so long.

Even with all the bumps along the way, finally pledging (and then being initiated) was truly a dream come true!!:)

Gryffindor=Alpha Delta Pi
Hufflepuff=Chi Omega
Ravenclaw=Kappa Alpha Theta
Slytherin=Phi Mu
Hogwarts=Hanover College

Great Thread, Happy Ending! Loved reading a story so close to home:)

I'm so glad you finally got what you wanted after waiting so long. Wonderful story, Cutie! :)

I know exactly what you mean!!!! I feel the same way! :p

Yay for Chi Omega!

Congrats Cutie! Yeah for Chi Omega!

Great story, and well told - belated congratulations to you & Chi Omega!

I was just thinking how much PNMs can learn from what we now know as major mistakes! Here's to Public Service Announcements!

hoot hoot, hooray !!

What a wonderful story! :)
It makes me wish they still conducted rush so intimately like this, where your Rho Chi came to your door or called you. I guess this would be near impossible at the big Southern schools like mine where 1500 girls rush each fall . . .

Several of us have said in our retro recruitments, "Here's what I did, do NOT do this! Learn from me!" I really, really hope that PNMs are paying attention.

This one even helps members.
 

I have been gone for a whole year and have just gotten back and can't sleep. So I have read these all for nights now. This is great, like ADGee and Carnation, such good things for a PNM. Also it is helping someone like me because I am so freaked about going back and all of these new girls I do not know and then commiting a rush infraction. After reading these in a marathon, it has really helping me relax a some. I wonder how many other girls have had the same thing as I have. I know my friend is really bummed, she is freaked as well. But so glad you got Chi O. My older sisiter is a Chi O and she loved it and still loves it. She real involved. thanks! LOL