[tld221]

Ok and i'm back! So the "next day," i go to visit the remaining houses. I had a long day with classes and didnt have time to go home and change to something more presentable. So here I am going to rush day 2 in my usual jeans and sneakers. Hot, right?

Alpha Epsilon Phi - They were VERY formal with their open house. all of the members were wearing a white blouse, knee-length black skirts and pearls. They served us tea or something really fancy, i dont remember the details too much. but the conversation was really stiff. one girl asked me what my favorite color was. i said "red, why?" and she says "how do you feel about green?"

and me, clearly weirded out and confused by where the conversation is going, i answer "...it's a nice color... why?" and the girl rushing me says "no reason, just asking." and then she turned to someone else! it was SO weird. another girl stands up and says some words, in particular about how they liked being a small chapter and wanted to keep it that way... yeah, not exactly what you want to say to a room of hopeful PNMs.

Delta Phi Epsilon - i really liked them! from the few DphiE on GC, i'm guessing the official colors are purple and gold? anyway, when i visit their house, their decorated in purple and white - NYUs colors. On the way in the house, Annie is on her way out and looks really happy! She says she had a good time and was only leaving cause she had homework. Anyway, the girl rushing me, Holly, shows me around the house (there are only 3-4 PNMs in the house, again, informal) which isnt all that much interesting, since all the houses have the same layout. I ask her if their sorority is NYUs sorority because of the color thing, and she says "Kinda... we're the Alpha chapter." I have no idea what that means, but i;m guessing its a good thing? Anyway, she's a junior i think and talks about the stuff she does on campus, including writing for the WSN (school paper), playing intramural sports (which are a little more popular than the sports teams) and being an RA. Coincidence... all the things I want to do in college! I wonder how she juggles all her activities, works, AND is in the sorority... and she says "trust me, many people who are greek do a lot... you'll get the hang of it. and i'm studying abroad next semester so i'll have a break." anyway, we talk some more, and she asks me why i want to be in a sorority...

and i freeze! no one has asked me that before! i thought it was just assumed that if you wanted to be in one, you just signed up and hope that they pick you. so i stammer back some gibberish... and she says "i really like you and all, but you have to know WHY you want this because if you don't, you'll become that bitter sorority girl that hated her house and thats no fun."

So i chewed on that for a minute as i walked to the next house downstairs...

Kappa Psi Delta - this local i felt like attracted all the Asian girls and that made me uncomfortable. i know that's not very PC. anyway i was there for all of 10 minutes and it was sooooooo uncomfortable. I'm 5' 7" and, well no size 2, but all these girls were like 5' 2" and REALLY skinny and talked about clothes, makeup and Asian pop stars. I tried it out but you could not PAY me to stay here.

Zeta Sigma Phi - i liked these girls - pretty fun, none over the top pretty like models, and i felt like i was just hanging out with the girls. They had a casino night. I learned the basics of poker and blackjack and they made mocktails with the faux martini glasses. fun times. there was no pressure and even though it was late at night and a schoolnight, i never felt like they were kicking us out. I recognized one of the PNMs from my classes, and she's having a good time too. This group was cool, but more on the indifferent side.

Alpha Kappa Delta Phi - i was so discouraged from the first group i literally stopped by their house to sign their sign in sheet to say I was there. I know its horrible but in my mind, these girls were going to be like the other sorority i mentioned above.

I went home still wondering, is this what i want? After seeing all 7 houses, at best i was just OK about this greek life thing. I felt like, if i didnt get a bid from any house, i would be OK.

Anyway, ranking the houses, even though NYU doesn't require you to:

Theta Phi Beta
Delta Phi Epsilon
Zeta Sigma Phi
Alpha Sigma Tau

Then they kinda taper off from there, AEPhi at the bottom. At that point, i didnt even rank KPsiD and aKDPhi cause to be honest i didnt see myself in the "Asian" sorority. Could i see myself in a "white" sorority? Hmm...

I call my then-bf, Chris, who is a few years older than me. He was a Syracuse alum and the minute i tell him i just came from rush, he flipped his lid. I think he called me everything outside my name for even going through rush and that "just please dont go Chi-O." i say "who is Chi-O?" and he says "this girl i know, she was awful and she was a Chi-O, that's all. but theyre the orange and red sorority, dont join them" me and Chris haven't been together long, and this was our first fight. I didn't want this to break us up. would it?

hmm... we'll see.