[pumpkinpie]

I was so incredibly nervous, and had spent days picking out the perfect outfits. Because I’m the first in my immediate family to go Greek, I didn’t really know what to expect. I researched all of my school’s sororities, but kept an open mind going in – you never know where your true home will end up being!
Also, a word of warning to future PNMs: I decided to wear wedges the first night despite all my school’s attempts to dissuade us from wearing heels…I sure learned my lesson! Wear flats the first night – you will be walking and standing for 6-8 hours. Your feet will thank you!

Okay, enough blabbing, let’s get on with it

Jack – My first party of the night! Their door song was a bit overwhelming to us unsuspecting PNMs, but managed to get us pumped up. I loved their colors, symbol, philanthropy, and especially their enthusiasm. Despite my nerves, I felt that I had great conversations with the four or five girls I spoke with. Jack ended up being my favorite chapter of the evening, and I sincerely hoped I’d be invited back the next day!

Santa – I only ended up speaking with two girls at this party, which disappointed me. The women I talked with were very nice and held up their end of the conversation well, but I didn’t feel the connection I’d felt at Jack. By the end of the night, I had trouble remembering what we’d even discussed.

Sally – This was the house I’d been most looking forward to visiting! In my research before Recruitment, I’d loved everything about my school’s Sally chapter. I was able to meet three or four women, who were all incredibly welcoming and sweet. Even though we mostly discussed the standard questions (name, major, year, etc) I definitely wanted to return the following morning!

Mayor – I went in not knowing much about Mayor, but left liking them. They seemed to have a strong sisterhood and cared deeply for their philanthropy. I met a girl with a name similar to mine (which is a rather unusual one), so we ended up talking together most of the time.

Here we got a 15-minute break to grab a quick snack and run to the bathroom. We’d been walking and talking for four hours by this point…I was pooped! Everyone’s voices were already noticeably scratchy.

Lock, Shock, & Barrel – This house is colonizing at my school this year. Rather than spend our party talking, we got to spend it sitting down (halleluiah!) while listening to a short presentation. Because Lock, Shock, & Barrel won’t be conducting their Recruitment process until Spring semester, they dropped from Fall Rush the following day.

Oogie Boogie – This is the most non-conventional sorority my school offers. Oogie Boogie was the first house that I was paired with another PNM in my Rho Gamma group to meet the actives. All the women we spoke with were sweet, but seemed to be a little uncomfortable talking with the PNMs. I didn’t feel that I’d fit in with this chapter.

Zero – Zero is the most – for lack of better word – infamous chapter at my school, known for their partying and “Elle Woods” look. But I managed to keep an open mind, and ended up loving the house! The women I spoke with seemed genuine and were not as intimidating as I’d imagined they would be. I had fun conversations, and crossed my fingers I’d get another chance to get to know them better.

Dr. Finklestein – The last house – finally! I’ll admit that I was a little bit “out of it” at this point, given that it was midnight and I’d spent the last eight hours being engaging, smiley, and enthusiastic. Lol! I was again paired with fellow PNM at this chapter. The two women we spoke with at Dr. Finklestein seemed to struggle with keeping both of us PNMs engaged, and I didn’t feel like either of us had made a particularly strong connection with the sorority.


At long last, the night was done! I was absolutely exhausted, starving, and was craving a hot shower. Before leaving for the day, my Rho Gamma group met up a final time to fill out our Preference forms. My rankings were as follows:
1 – Jack
1 – Sally
1 – Zero
1 – Santa
1 – Mayor
2 – Dr. Finklestein
3 – Oogie Boogie