A Wicked Recruitment: Fall '08

[Smile_Awhile]

A quick Preface to the beginning of my tale: I was not educated about Greek life at the beginning of my journey. Please do not take my initial impression about what it was to heart, as they’ve done a complete 180 in the three months since I entered university. Thanks.

I come from the South- I’ve always had a vague idea about sororities and fraternities, and had some friends who were intent on going through recruitment. Throughout my senior year, I was set on not going through recruitment; there was no way I would fit in a sorority. My parents were just fine with that- my mom attended a school with no Greek life, and my dad was not a Greek, though there was a large system at his alma mater. Neither never really mentioned the thought, although I do recall my father asking if I intended on going through recruitment- I believe my response was “Heck no!” The people I did know who were already discussing such things were… let’s just say not my type. They were the blonde bombshells who loved partying, and I was the sweet, intelligent girl. I didn’t think there was any way I’d ever fit into a sorority. I already had two biological sisters- I didn’t need thousands more!

Finally, after a four hour ceremony, I graduated from high school. In the fall, I was attending Performing Arts U (PAU for short). At my school of choice, performing arts are huge- it’s not unusual to have two student productions going on in the same weekend, with at least three more in rehearsal. While it is fairly small, it’s a great fit for me. PAU’s unique environment plays heavily into my experience.

At some point in June, I received a call from a sophomore at PAU. She was the same major as me, and was also a member of a sorority. We talked about our department, she asked if I had any questions, and then asked if I was considering going through recruitment. I told her I really didn’t think so- I didn’t think it would be a good fit for me. She said that she had the same thoughts, but decided to do it anyway. She absolutely loved it. After we hung up, I just shrugged it off. I still wasn’t going to do it.

Fast forward to July. I was preparing for my college experience, and since I happened to be bedbound for a few weeks (I had my appendix removed), I was researching anything and everything I needed to accomplish before I got to school. One day, while looking through the mail for my housing info, I received a nice thick packet from Performing Arts U. I was absolutely sure it was my housing info- wrong! It was actually a letter from the Greek Life Advisor at my school, advising all of us girls about Recruitment, which would be happening during my first week on campus. It came complete with a booklet that contained brief bios on all the fraternities and sororities, as well as the typical “Why Go Greek” section. I leafed through it, and put it into the recycling. Nope, not interested.

But after getting that booklet, I started thinking. I really wanted a social life in college- something that was sorely lacking in my high school career. Was going Greek a good way to do that? Through the magic of Facebook, I asked some sophomores at my future campus. They recommended I try recruitment, “just to meet some people.” I was initially resistant. If I wasn’t going to fit in, why even bother trying? But the idea kept bumping around my head… until one late night I decided “Why the hell not? I can always drop out if I hate it.” I filled out my application (“Why so many questions about involvement in high school?”), and sent it off into the wonders of cyberland.