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DAY 4:
Day four arrived and wow – this week was going so fast! I was getting more and more anxious each night to receive my schedule. I knew that a lot of girls would be dropping out of recruitment, or would be cut from all the houses, and I was secretly nervous that I’d get my schedule and there’d only be one house on it. It was all so nerve-wracking!
In our Pi Chi meeting, the tone was a bit more serious. It was coming down to the wire. There were fewer girls in the group then there had been at the beginning of the week. As my Pi Chi called my name and handed me my schedule, my hands were clammy and I felt a little shaky. I looked down at the little piece of paper, and this is what I saw:
Watermelon
Orange Crush
Dr. Pepper
Strawberry
Pink Lemonade
Vanilla
Cotton Candy
I wanted to cry at first glance. Where was Strawberry Banana, the house I had loved so much all week long? Where was 7Up, where I was a legacy and had really felt the connection? How about A&W, and Red Raspberry – houses I’d had a great time at and felt at home with?
I was taken by surprise. Why didn’t they like me enough to keep me? It was a bit of a blow to my confidence – until I counted and realized that I had seven sororities on my list – the maximum for the day. I knew girls who only had one or two left! I was SO BLESSED and I didn’t even know it!
Dr. Pepper, a house that was so incredible in every way, that I had tried to cut, had asked me back! And Cotton Candy, filled with girls who were prettier and skinnier and probably a lot smarter than I am, had wanted to see me again! Obviously, all these houses on my list had seen something in me! I put myself in a better mood and set off on the right foot.
At Watermelon, I tried with all my might to enjoy myself. The house tour was fine, and the girls spoke highly of their philanthropy. I still didn’t love it, though, and left feeling kind of “blah.” A girl who stood next to me outside the house as we were lining up started crying on my shoulder, after telling me she’d been dropped from Cotton Candy, where her mom had served as President years before. I felt guilty because I had been asked back there (of course, I didn’t tell her that!) but I assured her that she’d find her place. Today, I realized, a lot of hearts were being broken.
At Orange Crush, I walked in and knew I wasn’t supposed to be there. The girls were trying really hard, and I was as polite as possible. Their house was amazing, but it didn’t feel like home. The philanthropy was a good cause, but it didn’t impact me and I had no connection to it. The dues were also more expensive than I had money for (I’m paying for the dues myself) and I just had a feeling it wouldn’t be the house for me.
I started to feel a little worried at this point, because I wasn’t connecting with any houses on such an important day.
At Dr. Pepper, it was like a huge show! Their house tour was so put together and rehearsed, like no one else’s I had seen! The philanthropy was different, and I liked how they had a girl share her personal story about it. But when I was looking around, I couldn’t see myself putting on this show. My life has never been about making everything perfect. I do things well, with love and a lot of effort, but I realized right then and there I wasn’t as intense as most of the Dr. Peppers were.
Back at Strawberry, I was feeling a little disgruntled. I still got stares from the alumnae, and one actually followed me around the house I took my tour, and kept craning her neck to read my nametag! It was so obvious that she had recognized me from my recommendation. I didn’t really connect with the philanthropy, and I didn’t like the house as much as some of the others. I knew how great of a chapter Strawberry was, but I couldn’t picture myself in it, as hard as I tried. It’s funny, because before recruitment, I totally saw myself as a Strawberry!
At Pink Lemonade, I felt super happy to be back. The girl who brought me in was so precious. We hit it off immediately, and I felt a great connection to her. The philanthropy didn’t seem to be as important and hard-hitting as some of the houses had made theirs seem, but I still really loved the vibe at this house. As I took my house tour, a friend of mine whispered in my ear, “I HATE THIS HOUSE.” It made me feel a little depressed, because I liked it so much. But as these two tiny little cheerleader-like girls were giving us a tour of the upstairs, I realized that I didn’t see myself fitting in looks-wise with Pink Lemonade. I’m not huge, but I’m taller and bigger than most of the girls in the house. I hate to say it, but I felt a little awkward surrounded by girls who were so much smaller than I was.
Despite my self-confidence issue, I loved Pink Lemonade, though, and knew that I’d definitely be preffing them tonight.
On my way over to Vanilla, I was stopped by a friend from my Pi Chi group. She asked me how my day was going. I told her I’d been cut from my absolute favorites, but I was headed over to Vanilla right now. She took my hand and said, “You are going to absolutely LOVE Vanilla’s philanthropy!” I stared at her quizzically. She explained what it was all about, and said, “It’s so YOU!” I looked at her, smiled, gave her a big hug, and ran down the street to Vanilla.
I was excited before I even got inside the house. A girl who I hadn’t met yet that week took me in and sat me down to watch a video on the philanthropy. I noted how pretty the house was decorated and how happy the girls were to have us in their home. I watched the video, and was so moved by the message that I started to cry. Some other girls had tears in their eyes, but I was straight out crying -- big, fat tears. The girl from Vanilla looked at me and was like, “Omigod! Are you okay?” She handed me tissues and I told her how much I loved what Vanilla stood for, because it truly hit home with me. She made me feel better by sharing some funny things about Vanilla and giving me the house tour, which was different from all the ones I’d been to. She was so enthusiastic about Vanilla and seemed to love it so much. She had so much to say, and I was so willing to listen. As I looked around, I realized that Vanilla had been a house I had liked all week long… but something inside of me told me that this was it. Vanilla was “the one.”
Throughout the week, my Pi Chis had talked about “getting that feeling” that a certain house is the one for you. And although the houses I loved earlier on I had gotten cut from had been amazing, I didn’t have the same feeling at those houses that I had at Vanilla. At Vanilla, I felt comfortable. I felt comforted and loved. I felt like they wanted me there, and it wasn’t just a big show for recruitment. These girls were real and true and down to earth and different.
I walked outside (the last PNM to get out the door!) with the girl from Vanilla and I didn’t want to leave. I thanked her and ran across the street, with only Cotton Candy left to visit. But before I lined up, I leaned against a car on the side of the road and called my home phone. No answer. My mom’s cell phone. No answer. My dad. He answered.
I started bawling. He started freaking out, asking what was wrong. I said, “Dad, there’s nothing wrong. I’m just so happy. I found the house. Vanilla is where I need to be!”
My friend who I had run into earlier spotted me and asked me if I was okay. Wiping tears off my cheeks, I said, “YES! I’m crying because I’m happy. This is a good cry!”
I checked my watch. Three minutes to get to Cotton Candy! I had to pull myself together. I knew I had made my decision. Vanilla was the one. But I still had to go through with the rest of the day.
Cotton Candy was spectacular. They had such a strong philanthropy, and the girl that rushed me was laidback and easy to talk to. She made sure all my questions about the chapter were answered. The house was ridiculously nice. I felt like I was in a dreamland. But just as I had felt at Pink Lemonade, I didn’t feel like I fit in with the girls. I was cut from a different stone, or something… I’d be happy there, but I didn’t get “that feeling” as I’d had at Vanilla.
The preference line was SO long. Girls were consulting with Pi Chis. I liked overhearing what other girls were preffing. Some sounded sad. Some were so happy. I just knew.
Top 3:
Vanilla
Pink Lemonade
Dr. Pepper
Bottom 4:
Watermelon
Cotton Candy
Strawberry
Orange Crush
I put Dr. Pepper in my top because I was slightly curious. At this point, I wasn’t afraid that I wouldn’t get a bid from Vanilla. I knew it was meant to be. But I really wanted to see if I’d be invited back once more…
I still don’t know why I preffed Watermelon over Cotton Candy. I really didn’t care for Watermelon all week, despite its excellence reputation. I think it was because I fit in looks-wise with Watermelon. At Cotton Candy, I would stick out in a crowd. I wish I had switched those two… you’ll see why soon!
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