|
so all right one last little bit before I go cook diner- sorry- was hoping to blow through this, but a lot like rush, some times its a process :-)
I could hear knocks up and down the hall floor that night. Thank goodness no knock came on mine! Apparently the hardest cuts came between 2nd and third rounds and the next morning the bathroom was almost silent. You could see girls with red eyes and hushed whispers of roommates that had been cut and were heading home, (one of the reasons I have heard that Ole Miss no longer does Rush before classes start)- legacy’s that had gotten calls from their moms saying they were going to be released, etc… I made my way to Fulton to see what damage had been done to me; all the while thanking God that I at least was getting to go to Fulton. Somebody wanted me! We were told that we could accept up to 6 invitations for this round. I hesitantly opened up my card and stared in disbelief. EVERY SINGLE HOUSE had invited me back!!! Whhhhaat??? Even Nordstroms where I didn’t have a rec and got the feeling that they had not liked me during second round!!! I honestly could not believe it. I was quite simply stunned, and elated at the same time. However I was also very un-prepared. I had been purposefully not ranking the groups in my head or listening to tent talk in the dorms because I knew that I was lucky to be invited back to any of them. Now I had decisions to make, something quite honestly I did not think was possible for an out of state non greek knowing girl! I thought about it long and hard and decided that my two most awkward houses were the ones to go, so I cut Sears- where my rusher had had as much enthusiasm as a dental patient off to a root canal and TJ Maxx.-which had been the opposite the girl had been TOO excited to see me. (We are talking golden retriever at the end of a 2 week European Vacation excited to see me- it had really freaked me out- the girl had all but slobbered on me!).
This round was skit round and so I made my way to Neiman Marcus first. Their skit was fabulous. Funny, touching, everything a skit should be. It reinforced everything I loved about them during Coke round. I really liked the girl who rushed me and all of the other sisters that I met. For the first time since rush had begun I started imagining being a part of this group, and it felt good!
Skit round is ALSO where I had one of my worst rush moments. My second house of the day was Nordstroms. After their door song the actives started gathering us up, but no one called out my name! No one! And I stood there outside on the sidewalk all by myself as everyone was heading into the house. My RC’s both came over and looked at my invite card with me to make sure I really was where I was suppose to be, and I was! It was HORRIFYINGLY HUMILIATING! One RC ran up and grabbed a girl right before the door was shut and showed her my invite card. I wanted to die. I honestly wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. The active came over and grabbed me. And not in a nice voice said “someone messed up, we weren’t expecting you until tomorrow’s party”…. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. There was no apology or even sympathizing with how I must have felt. It was horrible…. The active acted like she was doing this huge favor for me, and explained that no one was there to bump me and she would somehow squeeze me into a space to watch the skit… uhm gee thanks. After that I zoned out, I just couldn’t get into a skit that touted sisterhood and belonging when it was clear I didn’t belong or at least they weren’t big on making people feel included.
After that fiasco was Barneys. They did a cowboy theme, which baffled me. I didn’t get it then and 20+ years later I STILL don’t get it… And even worse it seems like everyone else at the party DID get it!! There was much laughter and applause during the skit… Much like the other parties with them, I didn’t get the feeling that I fit in or that they liked me. Conversation was really forced all though I can also say my head and heart were probably not 100% into it because it was still at the Nordstroms house reliving that disaster!
My last house of the day was Bloomingdales. This was the third round in a row that this house was my last house of the day. I always came here exhausted, overwhelmed and “not on my A game”. Their skit bad- painfully bad, seriously I mean painfully. I was embarrassed for them and as I looked around the room I could tell I was not the only one who felt that way. The girl who was rushing me was nice, but forgettable and again I left without a real good feeling as to who they were.
The next day I started out by visiting Marshalls. I honestly don’t remember their skit, but I do remember how friendly the house was, with all of the girls that had previously rushed me coming over to speak. It was nice. It didn’t make my heart thump like Neimans did, but it was nice. I also gaveJC Penny’s another chance- their skit was goofy and the sisters were all so sweet, one of the girls who rushed me had been one of my “orientation people” and was very excited to see me. This sorority had a REALLY GREAT reputation back in my home state so I was really trying to like them! (gee preconceived notions carry from campus to campus ☺ )
Okay will try and finish this up either later tonight or tomorrow AM.. but have to go feed a hungry husband now!!!
|