When did you KNOW?
 

I think oftentimes choosing a sorority is a lot like finding your husband. People say you will just know when the right person comes along. I think that is often (but not always!) the case with choosing a sorority. At some point in the process you just KNOW this is the place for you. You might not even be able to explain it to someone else, but something just clicks.

When did you know that "ABC" was the place for you? Was it a song? Something someone said? The first moment you walked in the door? Something done in the pref ceremony? Or was it later after you opened your bid card? Joined your new sisters at the house?

What sealed the deal for you? :)

It was the first night of recruitment--theme night. I had a random conversation with one of the girls I was paired up with about glasses vs. contacts. We literally spend almost the entire time on that conversation and it didn't feel akward or staged. I never had that same feeling at the other sorority, so that is when I knew.

I knew the first night, the first party. I walked into the house, saw the girls singing and clapping on the stairs, and I immediately felt this overwhelming sense of being home come over me. There isn't any other way to describe it.

I went through informal rush and was encouraged to rush by a woman in another sorority with whom I worked. I received a bid from her chapter as well, but I never felt there what I felt at Tri Delta. It was hard to tell her that I was choosing another sorority, but she was so very supportive, even buying me DDD gifts after I pledged. :)

The biggest confirmation after the fact was during initiation. I was so amazed by how well the beliefs of Tri Delta fit with who I was as a person. I remember being overwhelmed with joy that DDD was the perfect fit for me. :)

I rushed in fall 2005. But by spring 2005, I knew Phi Mu was the place for me. Many of the girls had spent the entire '04-'05 academic year becoming my new friends and making me feel very welcome on a campus where I knew barely a soul (even though it was sophmore year) and my closest friend at the time had flunked out. I was going through the process of putting my life back in order, and Phi Mu fit in really well into the scheme of that.

I technically knew before recruitment, since my school is deferred, invites pnm's to a few events in the fall and with only 3 very different sororities. Going to one of ZTA's fall nights was what made me decide to rush and it was then I knew I wanted to be one. Just the way the girls acted on campus, the friendships, the fact they were real, and how they all were so different but all shared the same bonds. It was at the preference ceremony though where I couldn't imagine myself anywhere else. And it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I loved it while in college and can't wait to be more involved with an alumni chapter, once I move closer to one!

Can this be moved to a more appropriate forum?

If the moderators think this is in the wrong place, they can certainly move it. My intention was to get more people to share parts of their rush/recruitment stories to illustrate how much the "aha!" moment can vary from woman to woman.

Same with the chants/songs thread. All of us here have little bits of our stories to share that PNMs will find interesting, even if we don't share our entire rush/recruitment story. :)

Most of the recent PNMs I know had their "moment" after recruitment. Like a lot of our recruitment story posters, they would fall in love with a group, think it was their perfect match, get cut, find a new favorite, get cut, and then they finally chose from what they had left. They fell in love after the ceremony, kind of like an arranged marriage.

Almost 15 years ago, it was probably the third day (pref was on the fourth day) when I began to remember some of the sisters that I had met on days one and two and met my "rush crush". I knew then where I wanted to be.

I think I started to know at the end of day one of Recruitment. Kappa was my first party, and I LOVED it. I remember leaving thinking, If they're all this great, it's going to be a hard decision! But at the end of all the parties, I knew deep down which group of girls I really had clicked with. While the other groups had been nice, I hadn't felt a connection like I had at Kappa. As the week went on, I felt it more and more strongly. Like a lot of PNMs I had gone in with my heart set on one group, and it wasn't where I ultimately ended up. But as I went through Recruitment I just knew the one I went in thinking was "perfect for me" really wasn't. Luckily, Kappa was! :)

I went through COB and had seen some other houses. I walked into the DZ house and all the girls were so welcoming and laid back. After a couple of minutes of talking to them I just knew that was where I wanted to be. I just felt so comfortable and everything felt genuine.

The next night when I was offered my bid, I was told I was given 24 hours to think about it but I was beyond ecstatic and accepted on the spot!

I knew the third night of rush when I was talking with my mom about the houses. I got excited when I even talked about Gamma Phi Beta...thats how I knew it was the house for me.

We all understand that here, but it might not be the best analogy to share with PNMs... ;)

I was in my dorm room waiting to get picked up and right before I opened the door I thought "oh @#$% I really hope XYZ isn't behind this door, because I really want to be an ASA."