[Kristin AGD]

(I apologize, this is really long)

I was not originally supposed to attend the University of North Texas. But at the last minute my parents changed their mind, and so that is where I ended up. The school I was supposed to go to only had locals, and they had deferred rush. I had no time to sign up for rush at UNT, and I was extremely sad as the girls in my dorm were going through rush. UNT did not have a spring rush, so there were no opportunities as a freshman. So I signed up for formal rush as a sophomore. I spent my whole summer staring at my rush booklet, getting the right photos taken and planning my outfits. (This was before the days of the Internet & GC).
So I meet up with my rush group. We instantly click, most of us were sophomores. Then they start talking recs. I have no idea what they mean or any idea of their importance. I spent my summers in Rhode Island, so no one up there had given me any advice. Though they knew I was preparing all summer long, recs aren’t important up there. My group turned and all stared at me with pity when I asked what they were talking about. At first I was really annoyed. It wasn’t until we got our first invitations that I realized why. But my rush group rallied around me with support. Out of 7 groups I had only received three invitations. But they stuck by me, giving me pep talks. Some girls were cut entirely, so I knew I had been lucky to get those three invites. By the third day I was down to two. Alpha Phi & Pi Beta Phi. (I probably got the invite to Pi Phi due to a really sweet Pi Phi that lived next to me in the dorm). But when it came to pref, I only had Alpha Phi. Whom I love dearly to this day (it must be that Triad connection).
On bid day I hadn’t received a bid. I felt empty inside. It was one the most disappointing feelings I have ever felt. While preparing all summer I just didn’t know that you could go through rush, and not get a bid from anyone! What a shocker. (Alpha Phi had had a really great rush that year! It was all over campus they got most of their top bids). There was no COB, and again no spring rush. It was over for me.
My rush group rallied around me again. They became my best friends. One went to Pi Phi, another Kappa, one was Delta Zeta, and one was Alpha Phi. The others in our group had dropped out by second round. But these girls were so great. They called me all the time. We would go work out together, hang out and watch movies, go to fraternity parties together, etc. Even though it was somewhat a painful experience, I would have done it all over again just to have gained such great friends. I never was bitter towards the groups at UNT, hundreds of girls went through rush and my rush group informed me of the “sophomore bonus” program, and that the number of sophomore invitations were limited. When the choices were narrowed down, recs tipped the scale. I understand even more since reading some of these threads.

Later I transferred to UT Dallas. I was sitting in one of the main buildings when I noticed a table set up for Alpha Gamma Delta. We didn’t have that group at UNT, and I was interested. I knew nothing of the greek world outside of UNT. I started to look at their pictures, and one of the members starts talking to me. She was so friendly, nice and open. But after my experience at UNT I was a little gun shy, and thought I was surely too old for them. But they sat me down, took a Polaroid of me, and asked me to attend a rush party.
So there I was going to a rush party. Which was super weird anyway, but they didn’t have a panhellenic at the time. They were the only NPC group on campus. On bid day I was so nervous, I loved Alpha Gam immediately. Their purpose inspired me. I really felt as if I was where I belonged. I cried when I opened my invitation to join. And I knew I found the right place for me.
I probably would have been happy at Alpha Phi (probably the triad love), but it wasn’t where I was supposed to be.
So this is actually two great rush stories, that happened to one really lucky person.
I finally ended up where I belonged. (And I still have that Polaroid, a member gave it to me after I pledged.)