BETSYKATE'S SOUTHERN RECRUITMENT!
 

Hey everybody! I go to a pretty competitive school and I rushed last year (my freshman year), but I didn't get to share my story here so I hope it's okay if I do it now! We have 15 NPC sororities, and I'm going to call them:

Azalea
Carnation
Daffodil
Daisy
Iris
Tulip
Lily
Orchid
Marigold
Gardenia
Freesia
Sunflower
Rose
Peony
Pansy

Tune in tomorrow to hear about how Open Houses went! :D

betsykate, we're always glad to read a recruitment story. post on!!

Go Carnation!

Yay!

Thank you for not asking permission to post it and just getting right to it :p

I have to say Tulips and Irises are my fav flowers so I'm rooting for them!

Go pansy! ;)

Go Iris! *pretending its purple*

Besides a magnolia, gardenias are some of my favorite flowers! So, go Gardenia!

A rose is a rose is a rose!

If they're white roses, I'm all for it. :p

YAY--So off to the first house for Open House, a 25-minute meet-and-greet--TULIP!

Tulip - This house was COMPLETELY overwhelming! It definitely didn't help that it was my first house, but the rapid-fire questions about subjects that made me a little uncomfortable ("So, what does your dad do?" "Where do you vacation in the summer?") left me feeling totally out of the loop. I wasn't pleased with my experience here and when I left I found myself wondering if I'd gotten myself into something awful.

Daisy - I liked Daisy a LOT better than Tulip. The girls at this house were so sweet and smiley and seemed genuinely interested in listening to me. However, my conversation with one sister revolved entirely around Disney! However much I tried to change the subject, Disney just kept coming up. I left with an overall good impression, but I felt worried that Daisy was a little too wholesome for my taste. Either way, I felt better about rushing once I left Daisy.

Iris - The girls at Iris wore A LOT of make-up, that's the main thing I remember, haha. They were peppy and I really enjoyed my conversation with the girls I met, though! I left feeling good about Iris and thought that I definitely wouldn't mind going back for the second round, but Iris didn't jump immediately to the top of my list.

Azalea - This house was the first house where I felt totally comfortable. All of my conversations felt natural and easy, like I was talking to people I'd known for a long time! I laughed more at this house than I had at any of the others. The girls seemed so genuine and down-to-earth, and they were cute, too! When I left, I knew that Azalea was a place where I could find good friends, but I had so many houses to go that I was hesitant to get attached.

Gardenia - These girls were GORGEOUS. Most of the girls at this house looked like models. I was really impressed at first, but the second girl I talked to really weirded me out. She made the strangest comment, something like, "Wouldn't it be weird if it turned out this was a reality show, like on MTV?" I was like, what? It came out of nowhere and she had the weirdest, most vacant look in her eyes when she said it. Even though I didn't feel great at Gardenia, I knew I would go back if I could because they were so pretty.

Marigold - The girls at Marigold were a lot like the girls at Azalea. They seemed real, laid-back, and genuine, but they weren't as pretty as the Azaleas. The girl I spoke with told me about their philanthropy, and I was impressed with how committed they seemed to it! I liked all the girls I met and I felt like Marigold really had its priorities straight.

Sunflower - This house was a bit odd. The girls were nice, but they all seemed a little...off. I remember feeling totally out of place and kind of wishing I could leave. Yikes! I hoped I wouldn't have to go back to Sunflower.

Lily - I knew that Lily was one of the most "popular" houses on campus going in, but this was definitely the WORST house I visited! They were SO RUDE! The girl I was talking to barely looked at me and asked me even more uncomfortable questions like they had done at Tulip. I felt like I was being judged only on my clothes and my money! I was so uncomfortable and unhappy, the whole time I was PRAYING I could leave. I wasn't the only one who felt this way. My rush group was saying such awful things about Lily when we left that our Rho Chi had to snap at us to be quiet in case we offended girls who liked them. I felt torn about Lily because I knew they were popular but they were downright mean, so I didn't know if I should rank them high or low.

Freesia - The girls at Freesia were the total package. They were cute, they were sweet, they were funny, and I liked everything about them. I had the most wonderful conversation with one girl about our boyfriends--she seemed so genuinely interested in listening to me. When I left, I was beginning to fall hard for Freesia. They passed Azalea to jump right to the top of my favorites.

Rose - The only word I can think of for this house was "boring". I had the most mind-numbing conversations here. The girls were sweet enough, and they had a lot of blondes (I'm blonde, haha--we like to stick together!) but I didn't make any meaningful connections here. This house overall did not make a strong impression on me. I felt pretty much indifferent.

Daffodil - I liked this house a lot! The girls were bubbly and fun and friendly! They smiled a lot and asked me all sorts of fun and unique questions. Their house was cute and they seemed like girls who really knew how to have a good time. They had a weird living situation, though, that turned me off a little bit--but nonetheless, Daffodil joined Freesia and Azalea at the top of my list.

Pansy - Pansy has a reputation for being party animals, and I could tell the reputation was true. These girls looked like they went out every night of the week. Even though I was initially a little freaked, I had a wonderful conversation here with a sweet girl who I liked a lot! The girls here were cute, but I got a feeling that they were a little insecure about their status on campus. I knew they had gotten in trouble for dirty rushing. Nevertheless, I left with a good impression of Pansy.

Orchid - The girls in Orchid were sweet, but I knew immediately that I didn't fit in. These girls seemed a little nerdy. Unlike the girls who Pansy who seemed like they avoided the library at all costs, these girls looked like they lived there. They were sweethearts, but I didn't think that their sisterhood offered me what I wanted out of my Greek experience.

Peony - I did not like my conversations at Peony. The girls didn't ask about me at all--all they talked about was how much they LOVEDDDD Peony! The problem was that it felt totally forced and rehearsed! The whole time I was just being lectured on the wonders of Peony. All I could think was, thanks, but I'll decide for myself--and I decided that I didn't like them too much.

Carnation - I had an AMAZING conversation here about Food Network! It was so refreshing! I felt totally and completely comfortable with the girl I was talking to--I found myself secretly wishing she was my big sister. Then, their President gave a wonderful and moving speech. These girls seemed like they really had it together. I left feeling great about Carnation.

So, at the end of my first two days (visiting all these houses took two days--phew!), my favorites were Freesia, Azalea, Daffodil, Carnation, Daisy, and Gardenia. I could barely sleep waiting to get my list the next day to see where I'd gotten invited back!

I cannot believe this happens!!! Geez. I would be so tempted to respond, "Are you kidding me??!?"

I'm liking the story so far!

ha ha ha, I love off the wall people like that - I probably would have responded "but it IS a reality show on MTV."

this is great so far, keep it up! :)

This is really interesting! It's so different from my own experience, keep it coming!

Keep posting. I suspect what school this is.

Haha yeah, I second the thing about the reality show. What a weird comment! I know I can be a weirdo, so I hope I don't unknowingly say something insane like that to a PNM at recruitment next week. Pretty sure I'll be alright.

well, the poster is being discreet, so let's all please honor that and NOT publicly post which school we think she rushed at, or which sorority is what flower. if you are just going to pop if you don't show how clever you are, pm the op, please!

If you think you know the code or the school, PM me! I would love to hear your guesses and I will gladly privately tell you which is which! :)

When we got our lists back the next day, I was ecstatic to see that I had gotten invited back everywhere I wanted! The only houses that had cut me were Lily and Tulip, my two least favorites. That meant I had 13 of the 15 chapters left, and since the maximum number of parties to attend for the second day was 10, I had to cut three. I cut Peony, Sunflower, and Orchid, without much hesitation. So that meant I had all of my favorites left! I felt invincible--a dangerous way to feel during rush, when anything can happen. :eek: Nevertheless, I started my second day with a huge smile on my face, feeling great.

At my university, the second round is skits, so I was excited to get to see more of the sisters in action. My first house in the second round was Gardenia.

Gardenia - Just like the first day, I was again bowled over by how pretty some of these girls were. I liked them a little better this time around because their skit was HILARIOUS! I was laughing the whole time and they seemed like they'd put a lot of effort into rehearsing it and making it great. After the skit, I had a nice but generic conversation with one of the sisters. Everything seemed to be going really well except that when she was showing me into the kitchen, I stepped wrong on one of my heels and FELL! :eek: I was laughing and I tried to play it off, but with the look the sister gave me, my heart sank. I was pretty sure I'd just gotten cut from Gardenia.

Marigold - Marigold's skit seemed like they'd thrown it together at the last minute. It wasn't very high energy or very well polished, but the girls on stage seemed to be having a great time with each other, which was encouraging. Afterwards, the sisters I spoke with where funny and honest, which was really enjoyable. We had an easy connection and I felt safe speaking openly with them--I didn't feel as judged as I did at Gardenia. When I left, despite the somewhat lackluster skit, I still felt good about Marigold.

Daisy - They had an amazing skit filled with tons of energy! They all seemed so excited and happy and the smiles on their faces were totally real. They wore ADORABLE shirts with their letters on them, and I found myself wishing I could wear their shirts as well--I felt like I'd be proud to announce that I was a Daisy to the whole campus. This time, I spoke to a girl who was a lot more risque than the girl I'd spoken with at first (the Disney girl). She made a joke that had me in stitches just seconds into our conversation! She was so funny and sweet that I found Daisy making its way to the top of my list.

Freesia - Freesia absolutely lived up to my high expectations. Their skit was fun, fresh, and full of energy. Afterwards, I had the chance to speak a lot of sisters who were all friendly, funny, and dazzlingly pretty. I loved every girl I met and felt like we had a very real connection. They even had several girls from my hometown (though no one I knew personally)--I felt so welcomed and happy. I was so nervous about making a good impression that sometimes I found myself rambling on or getting my words jumbled. :o I just wanted the Freesias to want me as bad as I wanted them! When I left Freesia that night, I thought for sure that I was meant to be a Freesia.

Rose - I was bored at Rose a second time this round. Their skit wasn't very funny and they all seemed a little too shy to be free and adlib on stage--I'm not like at all, I was an actress in high school and I LOVE being goofy! They all were quiet and demure, but I'm a little more outgoing, opinionated, and sarcastic. I knew that I wouldn't fit in at Rose, even though they were one of my roommate's favorite houses (she was rushing too!). The girls were nice, but I couldn't see myself being friends with them. I did meet one girl that I really did like, but I knew Rose wasn't for me. I made a mental note to cut Rose if I had the opportunity.

Daffodil - I had loved Daffodil the first time around so I went in with high expectations, but their skit was definitely disappointing. However, the girls I spoke with afterwards more than made up for it! Their positive attitudes and friendly energy made me feel comfortable and at home. They felt so welcoming and accepting! I knew that I would go back to Daffodil if I could. I found myself really beginning to become attached to them, but when I compared them to Freesia, I still felt confident that I was a Freesia.

Azalea - The main girl in Azalea's skit was so gorgeous that I had trouble paying attention to anything else--she was that pretty! Their skit wasn't perfect but it was one of my favorites, one of the girls in it was so funny and said a line that had me laughing for MINUTES! I mentioned that line to the girl I spoke with after the skit and she said, "Yeah, that wasn't in the script but I think we'll have to put it in after this!" Their skit also featured a very funny rap and had a song that got stuck in my head quite literally for days. Though I really liked their skit, I didn't connect as well with the girls I spoke with this time around--but I think that some of it was just because I was so confident I was going to become a Freesia that I was beginning to feel like I was wasting my time at other houses.

Pansy - Pansy had a great skit that was very creative and fun, but they stuffed all the PNMs into a TINY room and I was in the front row. I was worried I was going to get kicked in the face! The first day I had felt great about Pansy, but the second day I felt like they did not want me back at all. They barely paid attention to me, and when I spoke, I noticed the girls eyeing me and evaluating my shirt and my heels and my pants and my make-up and my hair and other superficial things. I felt very judged here. I was getting the impression that Pansy's values might not be aligned with my own.

Carnation - Carnation's skit was cute and wholesome. This time around, I didn't make any connections like I had with the Food Network girl the first time. Even though I didn't feel the instant connection like I did at Freesia, every girl here was sweet and genuine. I was a little less impressed, but I knew that I had had such an amazing time the first go-around that I wanted to give Carnation the benefit of the doubt. I knew that I would go back if I could.

Iris - Iris warned the PNMs that they were putting on a new skit this year, and I'm glad they did, because it wasn't very good. In fact, I felt almost awkward watching it--should I pity laugh? It had a few funny moments but mostly, it bombed, yikes. Then, the girl I spoke with afterwards had NOTHING in common with me. I liked her alright, but we just COULD NOT make a connection! I was trying really hard to like her and I could tell she was trying to like me, but the connection was just not there. At a regular party, I would have simply smiled and said goodbye to her, but we were stuck together. When I left Iris, I figured that they would cut me, but if they didn't I knew that I would cut them so that a girl who really fit in there could get a chance to go back.

That night, I thought about how much I loved Freesia! I still liked Daisy, Daffodil, and Azalea, and I felt good about Carnation, and I hoped that the pretty girls in Gardenia would want me back even though I'd tripped. I tossed and turned that night with excitement and nerves, hoping I'd have as much luck the second time around as I did the first.

Oh man! I would die of embarrassment if I tripped at recruitment! That would be a foolish reason for them to cut you, though.

this is such a great story. i'm hooked :)

Well, of course you did!:D

^^^
Gee, wonder why? :D



I love azaleas and gardenias! I love the way you're presenting your story!

me too....and who doesn't love carnations??

Update?

I'm glad our sororities didn't use that as a basis, because I'm one of the most clumsy people you will ever meet!

We had a few steps down into the Informal Living Room, and I can't tell you how many PNMs slid down the stairs. It always made for good conversation, but I can't say we ever cut anyone because of it.

When I got my list the next morning, I still had 7 of the 10 houses left--awesome! Gardenia had cut me--probably because of the tripping--but I wasn't too sad because they weren't one of my favorites. Iris had cut me as well, but if they hadn't, I would have cut them because I knew we weren't a good fit. But then I looked closer, and I realized that I hadn't been invited back to Freesia.

I felt awful! I had felt like I had such an amazing connection with the girls at Freesia! How could they have felt so differently? I was totally shaken! At first, I felt like I was going to spend the whole day crying. I had to force myself to remember that I still had 7 wonderful houses to visit: Daisy, Azalea, Daffodil, Marigold, Pansy, Carnation, and Rose. Since the maximum number of parties to attend for the third round was 5, I held back my tears and decided to cut Pansy and Rose. I knew I was very lucky to have to a full schedule and to still have many of my favorite houses, but I couldn't help feeling totally topsy-turvey at having lost Freesia.

After I had cried a bit and gotten out my sadness, I retouched my make-up, tidied up my outfit, and headed off to my first house for the third round, where the girls show us around their houses.

Marigold - I had been iffy on Marigold, and while I liked them, with my devastation over losing Freesia I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever actually pledge them. When I met with my first girl, I was fighting not to cry! She could sense that I wasn't feeling my best and she and her sisters were so kind to me that I found myself really, really liking them. They laughed and told jokes and seemed like the kinds of girls who would make wonderful and true friends. Even though I wasn't fully recovered from my shock, I really, really appreciated the kindness and acceptance of the girls at Marigold. However, as I was leaving their house, I heard one PNM say to another, "God, I hope I don't have to go to Marigold for Prefs--I heard they're all WEIRDOS!" I tried not to listen, but I found myself questioning: WERE they weirdos? Would pledging with them make me a weirdo? I wanted to ignore them, but I was just a new freshman and I didn't want to make a mistake by joining a "bad" sorority (how little I knew about what sisterhood is about!). I promised myself I wouldn't let their comments influence my decision.

Carnation - Carnation's house was absolutely INSANE. They have hands down the largest and most nicest house on campus. Winding staircases and private kitchens with spacious living rooms and luxurious furnishings...porches and patios...a grand piano...!! It was tough not to be swayed just by the fabulous living situation! However, the more I visited Carnation, the more I was beginning to feel that maybe they weren't for me. I liked every girl I met and I absolutely felt that they were some of the sweetest girls in the whole Greek system, but they seemed a little...goody goody. The girl who was showing me around informed me that they had a 12pm curfew when they lived in the house, including on weekends! I didn't want my sorority to mother me--I wanted to make friends who wanted to have fun and be wild (not TOO wild) and live it up! I felt torn as I left Carnation because I liked so many of the girls but I felt like I might want a different thing than they were offering.

Azalea - The girl who toured me around Azalea was one of the most incredible girls I met during my entire Rush process. She was hilarious, self-deprecating, honest, genuine, adorable, and most of all, a great listener! She genuinely wanted to hear everything I had to say, and had funny and insightful comments on all of it. Talking to her was the easiest and most natural conversation I had had. Every girl I met in every room of Azalea was the same--down-to-earth, genuine, and totally easy to talk to. By the time I left, I even had inside jokes with a few sisters! As the first girl was escorting me out to the door, I had to fight the urge to hug her and thank her for showing me that I wasn't meant to be a Freesia after all! How could I have overlooked the amazing and wonderful girls in Azalea? I knew that there was still a major cut before Preferentials, and even if I made it to Prefs, Azalea STILL might not give me a bid, but as I left Azalea, I squeezed my eyes shut and wished with all my heart that they had felt the same sense of belonging that I had.

Daffodil - I truly enjoyed my time at the Daffodil house. Every girl I met seemed fun and friendly and cute! I particularly liked one girl, whose dry and sarcastic humor matched my own. However, the girl I toured with was so bubbly and bright that I found myself struggling to keep up--I felt like I was faking it a little bit to fit in at Daffodil. It seemed like half of the girls were funny and smart, but the other half I met seemed a little bit ditzy. I really like to be around people who challenge and stimulate me intellectually, and I wasn't sure Daffodil could do that for me. I also couldn't shake the feeling that I just wasn't quite being myself at Daffodil. Nevertheless, I had had such a consistently great time there that I had faith that I would fit in, and thought that maybe any semblance of a "mismatch" was just a paranoid hallucination of mine. I knew that, if I got one, I would certainly accept a bid to join Daffodil's pledge class.

Daisy - The first two girls I met at Daisy had been almost total opposites, and the third was totally different as well! This gave me some reservations about the overall personality of the girls in Daisy, but at the same time, the idea that they accepted all sorts of girls all made me think that maybe their diversity would be a positive aspect. I liked this third girl the least of all that I had met. She was a little bit cold--she didn't really ask me any questions. After I finished talking, she just stared at me. Eventually, I had to ask her a question to keep the conversation going. I felt like I was rushing her! But, like at Daffodil, I'd had such great previous experiences at Daisy that I didn't want to judge them based on just this one girl. I wanted to give Daisy the benefit of the doubt, but I had some reservations. I knew that I wouldn't be upset to get a bid from Daisy, but they weren't my top choice.

That night, I went to bed happy, knowing that I had 5 great houses and I could be happy in any one of them! I crossed my fingers that Azalea would invite me back and tried to get my beauty sleep before Prefs.

Wow, talk about an engaging story with a great plot! Can't wait to see more. Too bad I cannot access this site at my job. I'm crossing my fingers about Azalea.

i remember having to "rush" a few sorority members when i was going thru recruitment (yes...i can actually remember that far back!). i felt awkward carrying the brunt of the conversation, but was glad i was able to. it seemed to work out for me, because i was invited back to each of the houses where i basically had to take the lead. hope it worked out as well for lucykate.

Can't wait for the next installment even though my two flowers are gone.

A CURFEW??? I didn't know anyone still had curfews.

Curfews were made to be broken.... I can picture myself sneaking into the house after curfew with one or two other sisters! Those make for the best memories. Too bad we don't have houses at our campus :(

more! more! (please)

Aww! Azalea sounds amazing!

The next morning, I wasn't too nervous to get my list back because I had liked all 5 houses. I guess my love for all the houses had shown through because I had gotten asked back to all 5! I had a difficult decision to make.

I decided to cut Daisy because I had had the least consistent time there. Though I had met a couple of amazing girls, I had met some girls that I did think would make good sisters for me. Then I was between cutting Carnation or Marigold. I am not proud of this, but the other PNM's words about Marigold being full of "weirdos" were still echoing in my ear. Even though deep down I KNEW that Marigold was a good house for me, I cut them from my list. That meant I would be returning to Azalea, Daffodil, and Carnation for Prefs.

Carnation - This was my first house at Prefs. Though I had had some very good times here, my conversation with the girl I was paired to Pref with was awkward and strained. I found myself starting to panic! What if Marigold had really been the right house for me and I had cut them based on some stupid hearsay about who's "popular" and who's not? I put on a smile and forced myself not to think about it, but I felt awful. I felt like it would just be too karmically perfect for me to end up not getting a bid from any of the three because I was meant to be a Marigold! While my time at Carnation wasn't awful, I knew that I should have cut them and not Marigold. Nevertheless, I still liked many of the Carnation girls and knew that I would be alright if I ended up pledging there.

Daffodil - I loved Daffodil! They were a good house on campus and had many cute, sweet girls who seemed to really enjoy being Daffodils. However, I ran into the same problem here that I had run into before--I felt like I was faking it to be as peppy and perky (even ditzy) as these girls. I'm very sarcastic and can be rather cynical and I didn't know if any of the girls in Daffodil would appreciate that. Their Pref ceremony was nice, but I don't have any really strong memories of it. I remember girls getting up to talk about what being a Daffodil meant to them, but none of it made a strong impression on me. But, I still liked Daffodil a lot. I knew that I could have a great time with the Daffodils and felt totally confident that I would be happy pledging there.

Azalea - Prefs here more than lived up to my expectations. The ceremony was serious but not too somber. Two girls got up to give a very moving talk about what being Azaleas meant to them--they even cried and made ME tear up a little! The girl I was paired with made me feel TOTALLY comfortable. She joked about eating all of the food which made me laugh and made me happy because I was STARVING and was glad she didn't mind if I totally went to town on little quiches while we talked. Many other sisters came up to me and told me how much they wanted to meet me because of the amazing things they had heard. Everyone was so real and I remember laughing so much here. What I remember most, though, is reading the letters they had written me. All of the chapters wrote letters for the girls who came to Prefs. At the other two houses, my letters said things like, "You're so sweet," "I've heard such great things about you," or "We think you're a really nice girl," and other sort of generic compliments. But the letters from Azalea made me realize just how well these girls had gotten to know me. One wrote, "I was so impressed by your poise, humor, and self-assurance...I think your personality and spunk would be a fanastic fit!" Another wrote, "You are so real, so fun, and I just want to hang out with all the time. I was so happy to see you were coming back for prefs!" One even wrote, "Of all the girls I met, you were the most memorable because of your amazing personality and genuine smile. Talking to you was just like talking to one of my sisters." When I had finished reading the letter, there was no question that I wanted to be an Azalea.

Some girls took a long time ranking their choices, but I knew immediately. I quickly wrote:

Azalea
Daffodil
Carnation

That night, I slept about as soundly as anyone can sleep before bid day! I knew that I had three amazing houses and I couldn't go wrong with a bid from any of them. Still, I dreamt all night of wearing Azalea's letters the next evening.

In the morning, my Rho Chi called to say that I needed to come pick up my bid. My heart was POUNDING as I ran out into the quad to meet her. She handed me my envelope and my hands were shaking, I was so excited! I wanted to wait to get to a secluded spot before I opened my letter, but I just couldn't wait. I ripped it open and it said...










AZALEA!






Better know as,






ALPHA CHI OMEGA!!!!!!!!!

I was so happy, I immediately started crying and called my mom! My mom told me that when she was in college, even though she wasn't Greek (she had rushed and dropped out--which she FORBADE me to do, she said it was a horrible mistake), her best friend had also been an Alpha Chi, but she had been waiting to share the news so she wouldn't influence my decision! I was so happy, and I haven't stopped being thrilled since!

Formal recruitment starts this week, and this year I'll be participating in the process from the other side. I hope that I can help other PNMs realize just how incredible my chapter is! Thank you everyone for reading my story!!

yay!! that was a good story. what school is this?

Please tell us more (at least the school)

Congratulations, my sister! :D
LITB
Good luck to all of you in recruitment coming up!