[Lovethesand]

A few days have passed and Debbie is going to make it (just like I, her dad, and everybody else knew). Her school has a great Welcome Week program and instead of hiding out in her room wallowing she’s out there checking things out. She’s been to a few sessions each day and is looking forward to additional ways to get involved. She’s picked up her football tickets so she’s thrilled about that. She loves the rec center and is taking lessons and looking forward to the different classes.

Debbie’s talked to a few older students and they’ve asked her about recruitment. She said some ask cautiously if she got a house so there are girls who don't. They’ve all told her it was great she got a house and South Beach is a good house. Debbie asked if the house is treated differently because it’s new and the reputation of the house is positive on campus. She’s starting now to remember why she liked them from Round 1 (THANK YOU!).

She had the option Bid Day weekend to move into the dorm that a lot of South Beach members are housed in. They have their own floor. She decided not to for a few reasons (emotions, logistics, too lazy). She’s met more of the South Beach girls and she says everybody is sooooo nice. I know Debbie is going to make it because we’ve already ordered the South Beach dry erase board calendar from PB Teen. What says "I'm ok" more than PB Teen South Beach room accessories?

My husband said we, ok me, handled this exactly the right way. I don't know if I did but I sure tried. Let her have her moment, let her deal with it, and she’d be ok. My Debbie can be quite the DQ (Drama Queen) at times. But she can also be quite level headed and reasonable when she needs to be.

Her recruitment would definitely not classify as a picture perfect recruitment. The only rounds she had max houses was the first and last rounds. She had a lot of cuts very early on. I think she thought she was prepared for recruitment but it was a great unknown to us and I think she (and me) was naïve about the deep cuts she was going to take. I’d tell other newbies like us (no legacy, no recs, barely above minimum GPA) that even with the great resume of extracurricular activities, leadership, and philanthropy, that GPA is the easiest cut. They’re never going to see the great resume if you can’t get pass the GPA cuts. That said there’s still hope for most girls out there. Keep an open mind, keep your chin up, and keep going until they stop inviting you back . It’s an emotional roller coaster but like Debbie said to me yesterday, “I’m not going to quit. I’m looking forward to it.” I love Debbie and I’m so thankful that the young ladies of Alpha Omicron Pi welcomed her to their family.