[adpiucf]

*Round 1 & 2*

It’s our first day at recruitment! 10 years later, recruitment attire is very casual at UCF, but in 1997, we wore dresses everyday. The evening prior to Round 1, we met our Recruitment Counselor and our PX groups. Within my PX group, I have befriended two other PNMs named Kelli and Melissa.

I’m a sophomore majoring in Advertising, and I’m coming into recruitment with a ton of pre-conceived notions about the chapters. I also have an idea of the chapters I think I would like to join.

Today is Ice Water Day. All of the sororities are serving water. Most of them are wearing letters today. The first stop for our PX group is a classroom near Greek Park . We learn the Greek Alphabet and a song for each sorority that we will sing before we enter each of the houses. First stop is Delta Gamma!

I’m paired with a sister upon entering the house. I’m excited to meet the DG’s, as there were a few in one of my Physical Geography course last year. They were really nice girls. The DG’s play a getting-to-know you game in small groups. We’re sitting on the floor and I’m trying my best not to flash everyone in my dress.

A few additional recollections from the day…
At Tri-Delta, I spend the entire party talking to one sister. I don’t think this is going well… At KD, I meet a very energetic girl named Gina and we have a great talk. Still not meeting many other sisters. At Pi Phi, I’m surprised at how many familiar faces I see within the chapter. Wow, is their chapter room loud! Echo!
At ZTA, I’m a little hesitant. I know one of the chapter officers from another club I’m in, but the ZTA’s have a reputation for being beautiful party girls. Their house is a little dark, but once my eyes adjust indoors, yep—beautiful, beautiful girls. I have a great rusher that I absolutely click with, and all of my preconceived notions fly out the window! Who would’ve thought?!

ADPi. I am so nervous to be attending my last party of the day. My best friend Lisa is a member of this sorority. I really love these girls! My rusher is a junior named Tami, and she is awesome. She has to double-rush me and another girl. I’m usually very talkative, but this other PNM is stealing all of my questions. Mental note: must try harder at ADPi! Love the girls and feel very at home. Loved their paw print name tags and door song!

At the end of the day, we reconvene in the classroom. We’ll be attending events at all 7 houses again tomorrow.

Fast Forward to Round 2: Diversity Day. This is a day where all of the sororities get to show us how diverse their sisterhood is. Through skits. Amazingly, everyone’s skits are about different kinds of dancing. The moral? Whether you’re a line dancer, booty shaker or ballerina, despite your diversity, you can be a member of XYZ Sorority!

Memories of the Day: KD wins for originality. Instead of diverse “dances,” they do a bunch of short skits about sisterhood. Very cute. Kelli and I attended this party together and were double-rushed by a very cute Asian girl wearing army fatigues (she was in one of the skits). We are sure to tell her, “We LOVE KD!”

Better time at Tri-Delta today. I’m a little self-conscious about my dress, which feels like too big on me. At ZTA, I get to chat with the chapter president! I feel very special! We’re also doing house tours on this day at ZTA. My rusher at ZTA is very cool—she and her roommate have decorated their room in the house all in white—so pretty! I don’t remember what happened at DG, but my friend Kelli absolutely loves them!

Pi Phi has some phenomenal dancers. At Alpha Xi, I am excited to see my Orientation Team leader—she’s an Alpha Xi, too!

At ADPi, I am rushed by a girl named Michelle. I mention that I’m an advertising major and she looks around frantically for a girl named Sarah who is an upperclassman in that major, too. Eventually, I get to chat with Sarah, and she tells me there are a few ADPi’s in the program. I get to see my friend in the sorority, and she gives me a big hug. Mental note: I really need to make more of an effort at ADPi. I don’t feel like I’m trying hard enough, but I really like these girls!

At one of the sororities, all of the girls who rushed me have tongue rings and I am totally turned off by this. Tongue rings were big in 97, but it freaked me out.

At the end of the day, we meet with our PX and are given a ScanTron. We have to rank the 7 sororities as 4 “Number 1 choices,” one “Number 2,” one “Number 3,” and one “Number 4.” We can visit up to 4 houses tomorrow and Panhellenic is going to match up our choices with the sororities’ lists...