Another Rushing At UW Yay
 

So... I know it is already half-way into the process, but someone suggested I start a thread. It has really been helping me keep everything straight by telling others about it. There are so many houses here, and it gets confusing when I try to keep it all straight in my head.

After the first two days, I was so excited to get invited back to 8 houses. My top choices were on my list for House Tour days...but it was kinda crazy because houses that I felt I really made connections in ended up not inviting me back. It's all good though... I know in the end I'll be in the right place.

So onto my stories... starting with House Tours from today and yesterday.

For the eight I got invited back to, I was thinking of using flowers, or colors...but animals should be fun heehee.

so I got invited back to:
-Polar Bear
-White Tiger
-Koala
-Wolf
-Penguin
-Dolphin
-Giraffe
-Flamingo

sorry in advance... my descriptions might be kinda long...

yesterday my schedule was as follows.
Polar Bear: I was really excited to get invited back to this house. I worked at a camp over the summer and I remember talking to a girl all about that. Many of the girls also have similar major and future career interests. Their connections with the Alumni seems to be very strong, and I was really impressed to learn about all the opportunities they give the parents to be involved. All in all I had an amazing time, but there wasn't anything that stood out ALOT. I'd still love to be invited back so I could learn more. I ranked it number 2 out of the 4 I visited that day.

White Tiger: This house I had actually ranked last after the first two days
, but I guess someone in the house felt differently. Their house was nice, but the girll I got paired with for the tour didn't seem very passionate or interested in where she lived. We had a good time talking, but occasionally I'd mention a goal or interest, and she just seemed to be into opposite things. I ended up putting this one 4th for the day...I really was trying to give it a chance, but I still just wasn't feeling the house or the people there.

Koala: So this was a place I could barely remember after my first day of open houses. I ended up ranking it below my top ten because I had forgotten to write in my book about it, and figured if I couldn't remember, then it wasn't a huge deal. I was so amazed, because after the House Tour I was SO glad I had the opportunity to give this one a second chance. The house was AMAZING and conversation flowed SO WELL with the women living there. I remember a silly moment in one of the rooms, where the girl giving me a tour pointed out a view of some cute boys playing basketball... haha I was ALL for that... and it was just a really silly moment. The house had beautiful views, and the sleeping porches were just soooo cozy. I'm used to studying in my fairly big house, so I also loved all the big open rooms. Plus there was a piano (one of my favorite instruments to play while relaxing). I REALLY could see myself living here, and it would make my dreams come true to be invited back again. I ranked it one out of the 4 I visited that day.

Wolf: Finally for day one of house tours was Wolf. I was happy to get a little break before this house. I hung out with an RC that had gone to my high school... and got some good advice about questions to ask when inside houses. When I first met the people here, I got along with them, but nothing ever really clicked. After the house tour, I ended up feeling that way again. A nice house, nice people, but nothing FANTASTIC. Wouldn't mind coming back to learn more, but wouldn't be super sad if another invite ended up being a negative. I ranked it 3 in my book out of the 4 I visited that day.

I'll do today's visits in another post so it doesn't get too confusing. Sorry in advance for typos or if they're too long. ...it really helps me to organize my thoughts by writing this stuff down though. :)

Yea !!

Im glad you are enjoying yourself. I hope you get all your favorites for round 3!

I'm so glad you started your own thread so we can really follow your story and cheer you on. :)

Your descriptions are fine -- not too long at all.

Can't wait to hear more!

Ok so today for House Tours I visited Penguin, Dolphin, Giraffe, and Flamingo.

It was really nice because today I had nothing scheduled for the first round. I slept in a little, and arrived in front of my first house with about ten minutes to spare.

Penguin: This was a great place to start. They gave us yummy refreshments, and I met an amazing girl. The house was huge and really nice to walk through. Still, something about the area didn't feel quite right. I loved the people in this house, but the layout didn't feel comfortable. I made awesome connections with all the girls, but all the following houses were great too, so by the end it was probably 3 outta the 4 houses I went to.

Dolphin: So next I went here. It was a struggle to get there on time... it is kinda far away from Penguin. I remember during the open house time, the girls here were very akward to talk to. The conversation never quite flowed... and there were lotsa of wierd silences. It suprised me that they invited me back... but I do recall having a lot in common in all the questions I answered. The house was gorgeous and HUGE. They had a beautiful view of outside, and huge open areas. The house kinda felt dark, and the conversations I had never got immensely interesting. I really wanted to like this house more since i know someone that lives there, but it ended up coming in 4 outta the 4 this day. Sad... but when something is not right, I guess I just have to accept it and move on.

Giraffe: I absolutely loved this house from the moment I stepped foot into it. I was exstatic about getting an invitation back! I immediately made connections with the new girls I met. The house was alright... A bit less like my home, but with all the great people around, I really could imagine myself being happy here. The women here have similar aspirations to my own, but seemed to have a lot of fun. I hope I get to go back there tomorrow :).

Flamingo: The last of the day was a BEAUTIFUL house. The rooms were all VERY well lit and it just felt like a great place to live. I was starting to get a bit worried when I didn't connect with the girl leading my tour. We shared some cute moments, but most of the tour was very straight forward and to the point. They have a really cool and comfortable looking TV room, and I saw posters spread throughout the house of things I equally loved. It wasn't until we were sitting down after the tour that we really started connecting, though. We made the most random connections about music and hobbies we both loved. It was an amazing time in a fabulous house, and when the end bell rang it didn't seem like eather of us wanted to stop talking. I really hope I get to return to this one!

So at the end of the day... I chose my top 6, and then ranked the bottom 2. My choices went as follows:
1-Polar Bear
1-Koala (PLEASE OH PLEASE INVITE ME BACK!!!)
1-Penguin
1-Dolphin
1-Giraffe (YAY)
1-Flamingo (<3)
2-Wolf
3-White Tiger

I'm hoping for the best tomorrow... but all in all I am very satisfied with my experiences thus far. I am so glad I have been given the chance to rush. I'm having so much fun... people made me so nervous at first (telling me I had to wear all designer clothes and such), but the whole process has been really exciting :)!

Heres Hoping you get a full schedule. and Go Huskies

Call me silly, but what UW is this? Wisconsin, Washington, Wyoming, etc?

U Dub = University of Washington

best wishes for good news!

I am so happy we have a third thread from UW. Not only will I be interested to what happens in the recruitment parties for Saturday, I'll be watching the football team on TV. Sorry, I'm a Buckeye.

Best of luck to you and wishing you a full schedule.

best of luck!!

Thanks for the support guys. I'm REALLY scared I won't get invited back to "Koala". I felt the most at home there, it was just such an awesome place. Ugh haha... this process is kinda nerve wrecking.
<3

It is scary. I send you luck that you get koala.

Yay for another U DUB thread and good luck with your invitations for philanthropy day!

Go Koala!!!

*sending out a branch of eucalyptus to encourage you!*

The attitudes of all of you rushing at UW are so great! It is wonderful that you are really open to what happens and having fun along the way. Your descriptions are wonderful, and I can't wait to hear more. Good luck with everything!

Not everyone reads UW as Washington (personally, I though the University of Wisconsin at Madison)- U Dub can also be read as the University of Dubuque. . . . Just pointing out the need for clarification of school names rather than assuming everyone knows which interpretation of the abbreviation people are using. . . .

Who ever heard of the university of dubuque?

My thoughts exactly. I just found out that there is a University of Dubuque through Google. Still, I don't know how anyone didn't know this was a UW thread with the Huskies reference.

Maybe it's because tons of Hawaii kids end up at UW that I've always thought that UW/U DUB=Washington. But hey, not everyone's familiar with the PNW.

I HAD to look it up, and, they do have a Greek System. Looks like all locals, so if anyone wants to do a UDub-Iowa Spartans recruitement thread, then roll with it!

The University of Dubuque football took ar 63-3 victory last week over the Wisconsin Lutheran Warriors. The Spartans next game is September 22 against Simpson College.

Amazing what you learn on GC

UWcutie, how did your day go?!?

Who do you want to see tommorrow?

haha... thanks for the update on the University of Dubuque football status. So back to the HUSKIESSSSS... I'll be missing a game tomorrow AND have to leave early because of all the pre-game traffic I'll hit on my way to campus. We meet at 12:45 to get our schedules for preference day.

I was really disappointed this morning to not get invited back to Koala...but as the day progressed I just got happier and happier with the houses I returned to. While some are not my super favorites, I really could see myself easily adapting to and living in any of the six.
So I got a full schedule today of six houses!!!
Wolf, Penguin, Polar Bear, Flamingo, Giraffe, and Dolphin. (glad to have White Tiger out of there... because I just didn't feel like I fit in with that crowd)

Wolf: I was happy I got to start off my day at Wolf. The craft was fun, and I learned a lot about all the activities they put on throughout the year. While in line to go inside, we saw some of the cheerleaders that lived there rushing off to practice. How exciting. Anyways, the girl I sat with most of the time was cute and fun to talk to. We made a cute little craft, and returning here really opened my mind to the possibility of living here. It wasn't that bad, but still...some small connection seems to be lacking. I left with mixed feelings.

Penguin: So pretty much, returning here was such a good thing. Today, this house really stuck out at me. The person I was paired with for the event was AMAZING, and we had a fantastic time joking around and being creative... The house's philanthropy is an amazing cause that I have a personal connection to. We also grouped up around the house to play a fun game. When the final bell rang, I remember screaming out "Awww I don't want to leave" ... haha. So yea, I really could see myself being happy in this place.

Polar Bear: Next I returned here. I was pretty excited and ready to see what this amazing group had in store for me. Their philanthropy is really cool, but I don't really have any direct connections with the cause. The girl I was with was super sweet. We kinda failed at our craft, while succeeding at the same time...haha. The house is nice, but I noticed that it still didn't stick out as AMAZING. Still, I could definately be content living here. It is a really nice and comfortable place.

Flamingo: So right before dinner I got to go here. I am so glad this house invited me back. The girls here are very layed back and chill. They have a really cute cause and we got to play a really fun game (that i won). They had a super nummy drink, and I just felt so comfortable here. I got a long with the girl I was paired up with. We went and sat on a super soft couch to watch the movie/slideshow about their sorority. It was just a really fun and nice place to be. I felt very included and the atomosphere was welcoming. I would be very happy to live there.

Giraffe: After dinner I got to go here. I've loved the women in this house since the beginning, and each time I visit it just keeps getting better. I met a few new people and we just had a blast decorating our craft and conversing about random fun things. Apparently i have cute shoes (not the first time I heard it that day, but the way these girls pointed it out was just hilarious and silly). Lots of humorous and fun moments shared here. I really would be happy here, though I admit I don't remember much about the house since I'm always busy talking and sharing stories here. These women rock!

Dolphin: Finally was Dolphin house. By this point in the afternoon I was pretty sure I had made up my mind about my top three. Still, I knew it was important to be fair and give all houses a chance. The girls here were absolutely wonderful and I had a lot of fun with their philanthropy projects. Usually the conversations here were so akward, but today I met a girl that I really had a lot in common with. It was so great, and comforting, since I wasn't sure what to think of this house. I know there is a chance i could end up here, and I'd be pretty much fine with it if that happened. Good house, good people.

So now it was time to rank all my favorites of the day. I was pretty confident on my top 3, but was having trouble for what order to put my 2nd and 3rd alternates. I know it is very important to think about each house, because it is quite possible I won't get invited back to each of the top 3. I spoke to my RC, and she helped me realize that I should go with the house in which I got along with multiple girls. In Dolphin I really connected with the girl I met today, but previous experiences have not been the same. In Polar Bear, every encounter has been about equal. No one that I've had an immense connection with, but consistant bonds each time.

My order for the day went as follows.
1-Penguin
1-Flamingo
1-Giraffe
2-Polar Bear
3-Dolphin
4-Wolf

Hoping for the best tomorrow :). Wish me luck...and any advice for how to choose between the three most amazing houses would be greatly appreciated. These end decisions are way harder than I thought they'd be! All in all, I know I'll end up at a great house for me :)

...I still have no idea what I'm going to wear. I've got some really cute shoes though, so I'll figure it out in the morning I guess. Nighty night.

Congratulations on having a great day! :)

I hope you have a great time tomorrow at pref!!!

Congrats on a great day and best luck for Pref!!! :)

Congratulations on having so many invitations to the last round! Here's hoping you get your top three for Pref!

Best wishes!

Okay yea! Go Dawgs there going to beat ohio State.

What to do?
 

A very wise person wrote last year that if you are having trouble which house to choose during pref, to look around at the girls preffing that particular house. Do these girls seem like girls you would like to be sisters with? I had never thought about it at the time, but it does make good sense to me, as these are the girls you will be spending the next four years with.

Have a great time this afternoon/tonight...and best of luck to you.

Good luck today!! I hope you have a wonderful preference. It sounds like you have some amazing choices, so no matter what you'll be happy. Follow your heart!

So today for preference I returned to Dolphin, Polar Bear, and Penguin.
I am so super pleased with the three I had on my list :) and I had a fun filled day!

Dolphin: So starting here was a great warm up for my other two houses. They gave us a yummy dessert and we took part in a beautiful ceremony. The girl I was paired with was one I only got to know for like five minutes during house tours...so that was a bit of a negative because we didn't have much in common and the conversation was a bit dry. Still, today was special to her, and it was a good place. I'd be a bit disappointed if I opened my bid card tomorrow and found out I was placed here... but eventually I'd grow content with living there.


Polar Bear: Next was Polar Bear. I was paired with the girl from yesterday, and I was so glad to be invited back. We got to talking, and had so much to discuss. I never even got to eating all the yummy food because we were so deep in conversation. Their little ceremony thing was so cute, and they sung some beautiful songs. The exit thing was especially memorable... and when the girls returned inside I waived goodbye to my new friend. This place would be so amazing to live at! :)

Penguin: Finally was Penguin. I was really looking forward to returning. I got paired with a girl I met during house tours. She was so nice, but maybe tired, since she didn't seem 100% interested. Still, the songs were beautiful, and the girls were all so silly and humorous. When it was time to leave the house, I was in good spirits about the place. Sadly, when I waived goodbye to the girl I had been talking to, she didn't waive back. :( Still, I'd love to live here. I've had some amazing times in the house during rush.

I spoke to a lot of the same girls outside of each house, so I guess they're all pretty consistant in the type of girls that live there. :) Preference was especially hard for me today. I love how I got to spend time with girls i had already met... but the decision was just so difficult for me. I spoke to my RC a few times before filling out my card. I can most see myself loving Polar Bear... so I put that as number one. Number two was Penguin... since I've has some amazing feelings about that house. I put it 2nd since the connections with people overall haven't been quite as strong. Third I put Dolphin. The girls there are nice, but i was debating wether or not to put them on my card. I know if I learn tomorrow that Dolphin is to be my new home I would be disappointed, but eventually I'd probably grow to like it. I'm kinda nervous about my decision to keep Dolphin on my card. I was scared that having it there might make me more likely to be placed there, since i know a lot of girls who didn't want to live there and would not be putting it on their card. I am praying for Polar Bear... and I trust that the process works out so that if Polar Bear wants me back, I'll get in regardless of my allowance for Dolphin as a choice.
We'll see what happens. I am SOOOOOO nervous for Bid Day. Wish me luck... I'm like screaming on the inside.
Still, this whole week has been amazingly FUNNNN so yea :) I'll be letting you know heehee where I am placed. Any words of encouragment and positivity would be greatly appreciated tonight!

I know... this morning I went into it thinking there was no contest against Penguin... but the ceremony at Polar Bear just was so fantastic. I totally was torn between Penguin or Polar Bear when we finished today. I took a step back and realized how Polar Bear has always been in the middle, and then on top... versus Penguin being one I didn't even notice till the end. I'd be happy with eather, so I'm mostly leaving it to fate. I included factors like location just to make a decision between the tie.

I'll be exstatic tomorrow, as long as it isn't Dolphin... Wish me luck! <3

I am thinking good thoughts for you tonight!!!!! Wherever you land you will be part of a large greek system and will have such a great experience.

Look forward to hearing about your final home!

I am so glad that you had such a good preference!! I hope you have a great time at bid day tomorrow. I remember when I went through our rc's made us sit on our bid cards for at least 10 minutes, I was going crazy inside!

Anyway, get ready to have some fun days. You are going to be so busy tomorrow, we probably won't hear from you for a few days. So don't forget to come back soon and tell us where you ended up, ok?

And GOOD LUCK tomorrow!!!!

Thanks... ughh I am seriously freaking myself out. i had an amazing time in my first choice's house, but there is still that piece of doubt inside me. What if I end up in my last choice... i just am so jumbled with thoughts right now.

Anywayz thank you so much for all the kind words and such. :) Luckily my name is in the middle of the alphabet, so I won't get my card very first... but yea.... UGHHH haha. I'm soooo excited and frightened.
K done venting, it's 12:30... I find out in 9 hours, and I'm going to bed.

I had the same worries when I went through recruitment... I know it's hard, but just trust that fate makes things work! I hope you have an amazing day tomorrow - just don't get so busy that you forget to update us as to where you end up! :)

It's almost 10:30!! I'm sending positive vibes your way!! Good Luck!

Anyone heard what quota is? I have an email in to my friend who is a recruitment advisor at UW for one of the chapters, but no word yet...

Im sure of quota. I dont know how made them. All I know is where my sister pledged