Returning to school, that Sunday night we met with our Rho Chi’s to discuss what to expect for the week of recruitment. My Rho Chi was really sweet (and I already knew what sorority she was a member of, having seen her wearing letters before their disaffiliation the previous December) and made each of us in our group little bags that we could throw our makeup and other necessities in, as well as breath mints, a pad of paper, and a pen to jot our notes on between rounds. I *think* (as I don’t have any notes or journals from this period of time to use to recall
) the following night was an orientation with the sororities (and maybe the PNM’s? Things are a bit of a blur) that was designed to get us all excited for the coming week (not that it was THAT difficult
)
Tuesday morning, I was at the sorority dorm a little early, dressed in a nice sweater, khaki pants, and black dress shoes. Before the first round of recruitment began, the Panhellenic President, Vice President of Recruitment, and Greek Advisor all welcomed us and encouraged us to have fun and really look at what each of these organizations was about. We also learned, at that time, that Alpha Sigma Tau would no longer be participating in formal recruitment, so that first day we had a break during the parties for the time we would have been visiting their chapter room. (The chapter was closed shortly after formal recruitment ended). Each chapter was going to be talking about one of the eight reasons to go Greek (the theme of that year); while the Panhellenic Exec talked about the reason Alpha Sigma Tau had been assigned to share with the PNM’s.
I do not remember the specific order that I went to the organizations in (except for
ADP), so I will just share what I can remember of each organization from the first round:
ADP: First party of formal recruitment – unfortunately, I’m also the first person alphabetically in my group, so my heart is pounding a million miles a minute that I have to be first in the door of all parties, but especially during this first party, I think I was ten times more nervous than ever. When I got into the room, the formal recruitment chair greeted me and introduced me to her sister, who led me to one side of the room. I had the chance to talk to her and a few other sisters, and then the chapter sang a song for us (to this day, it’s how I remember the Greek Alphabet in order!)
CW: Don’t remember too much from this party – these women are super smart and great on campus. I remember that their chapter room was very well decorated and that I enjoyed talking to the women I had the opportunity to meet.
DDD: One of my neighbors from freshman year joined this chapter during formal recruitment the following year. I also knew a few of the girls from classes, and enjoyed talking to those women I had the opportunity to meet (sound familiar?
)
GFB: The women in this chapter are absolutely amazing. I really loved the people I met in the chapter that I talked with, and I still remember the large camel that was in the corner of their room. (Almost everyone who went through recruitment with me remembers that camel!)
KD: The first party I felt somewhat relaxed at – I knew the majority of the sisters already from my roommate and friends, so the women I got to talk to were ones that I hadn’t spoken with before or hadn’t spent much time with previously. I still absolutely loved this chapter and would have really enjoyed becoming part of their sisterhood.
KKG: My roommate from freshman year joined this chapter; while I didn’t talk to her, I saw her across the room and was a little nervous about being in this room. (We didn’t exactly end the year on good terms). I knew some other women in the chapter, and while I enjoyed the women I talked to, I knew that if I had the opportunity, I would drop this chapter first (not that I didn’t love the girls in the chapter, just that I knew that I wouldn’t be happy here).
PBF: I honestly can’t remember anything from this chapter, but I was willing to give them another chance if I had the opportunity to return to them the following round. (During following years, they became our “practice” partners when we had all chapter workdays and worked on recruitment conversations – these were some great women!)
So at the end of the day, I think our Rho Chi told us what time to be at the dorm the next night. Classes began the following morning, and I had warned my Rho Chi that I may be late to recruitment, as I had a night class that was scheduled to run through at least the first party. She assured me that the sorority that I would have attended first would be notified about the class conflict, and I went off to my room to go relax (and not talk to my roommate at all about recruitment!)