[adpiucf]

I love that the PNMs are posting so actively, but...

Ideally, if it is known that the person is rushing your alma mater or if your sorority is represented on her campus, I honestly think it would and could be a good thing in the spirit of recruitment silence to refrain from posting in that thread from the day recruitment begins through Bid Day. I don't think it's necessary to elaborate, and I know some may see it as unrealistic. I'm not trying to censor anyone-- just be fair to the PNMs and this process (which was established pre-Internet!).

The same goes for their pseudonyms! The whole reason for the pseudonyms was to eliminate shameless plugs or preference for your sorority in the posts. I know, I know-- you may not know what sorority "Yellow" is-- but the comments "Oh I love Yellow! Yellow all the way!" ... I just think that defeats the whole purpose.

I've also been seeing some subtle plugs for individual sororities in the posts. I'm not expecting anyone to change their screen name or signature, but I think its time to stop commenting about the pseudonyms and saying "I hope its XYZ" or something to that effect.

I feel the that NPC and the sororities need to address silence and the Internet-- it just feels like a double standard right now.

And another thing: if you don't know about a campus's recruitment culture, please keep your 2 cents for the McDonald's drive-through! While one southern campus may cut you for not having 5 recs at each chapter, another southern campus may not fill that mold. In that respect, better to encourage the PNM to get recs to make her feel prepared and confident-- but is it really necessary to put the fear of God into her if you don't have experience with that campus's recruitment?

Now, to the PNMS:
Remember that a sorority is a cross-section of the women at the university—you can easily --truly-- find your niche in any of them. All sororities are devoted to the same ideals—friendship, scholarship and service. And the sorority you join is not the one you graduate from—it is constantly growing and evolving because of you and your fellow members!

You don’t have to love every single member—but you should feel like this is an organization where you can make friends and be yourself without putting on an act. You can’t possibly expect to be best friends with every single member of any org. Acquaintances with some, friends with many, best friends with a select few—that’s true of any group!

Bottom Line: The chapter you don't connect with today can be the one you love in the next round-- and choose to accept a bid to if offered to you! Keep an open mind and maximize your options.

Also, while you're not revealing which chapter is which, chances are you may tell us who's who of the pseudonyms after recruitment... and we do go back through the thread to read your impressions of "Yellow" which we now know is really XYZ sorority... it can cause some hurt feelings, depending on what you've said. So if you're going to be brutally honest in your posts, don't reveal a who's who at the end.

ETA: Random things keep coming to me. I'm not hating on anyone, and I don't want the PNM's to be in the dark... but I feel this is the time for them to be going to a recruitment counselor for recruitment-specifics... and for everyone to be more discrete during recruitment week.