Impression...

[Glitter650]

OK I have a question for you all (especially the ladies) What, besides the girls in your chapter made you want to join your organization ?
I mean I know there's that whole... you just kinda "click" thing, which is ultimately most important... but what did your house do at their parties that made them stand out and made you say wow... I want to be a part of that or even just wow.. those are some impressive decorations... or little things they did that just made you feel welcome/wanted, or made the chapter seem well organized or whatever... or a really cool party theme...what impressed you ? I mean I think I remember reading that someone's chapter put the PNMs names on their plates in chocolate at pref... or one chapter ALWAYS offered to get a drink for me... that kind of stuff...

[nauadpi]

I did not go through formal recruitment, but I was invited to a large cob event in the chapter room. The big thing I always remember about that night was the fact that the girls would just talk about anything and everything with me. Also they were doing a kareoke (i cant spell sorry) night and were willing to make complete fools of themselves. I felt really comfortable with this group of women as I sat there. They had been joking with me from the moment they picked me up infront of my dorm. I think the other thing that got me was that they werent all tooth picks or all short...The key factor in life for me is I am 6ft tall and in no way a size 6...So it was really nice not to feel entirely out of place. I think the best way to describe my chapter was that we would make a pretty good football team...we have larger women who would make great defense and blockers, while we also have some smaller women who would make great running backs...Ok...cant believe i just compared my sorority to football...Anyways after blathering so much it really just came down to comfort which I really hadnt found at my school yet at that point.

[nyrdrms]

I went into rush with the intention of suiciding a particular sorority. They were the only ones that I had met prior to rush, and were, in part, the reason why I signed up for rush.

During the first round of parties, I changed my mind. Suiciding was out of the question from that point on because another sorority had caught my attention. I'm probably not the best at telling you what stuck out in the party, as far as the party itself goes, that made me consider joining Gamma Phi Beta instead, but I remember watching the sisters and how they interacted with each other. That was a big seller for me...the fact that they seemed to genuinely care about one another.

I missed the second round because of dance practice, but the third round (skit night) Gamma Phi Beta couldn't perform their skit because the tape was messed up. And it didn't seem to bother them at all. They just enjoyed having that extra moment to get to know the rushees.

And during preference, Gamma Phi Beta had a more sincere and meaningful party. In the other party, I remember seeing all the sisters who weren't preffing rushees standing in the background and I could hear them talking. It was as if it didn't mean anything to them whatsoever.

As many of you may already know, AGD is the only NPC on my campus. I had pledged into a local sorority on my campus before I joined AGD, and I was treated horribly. Don't get me wrong, I have the biggest respect for locals, and I know that all locals aren't like the ones on my campus, but it was a really traumatizing experience for me and I couldn't believe I let myself even be associated with an organization like that [even if it was for just a short while].

One night, after a pledge meeting with the local, I found myself sitting on the stairs at the Campus Center just crying by myself. It had been a horrible night and I had made my decision to quit the local. I just couldn't take it anymore. Coincidentally, AGD was having their meeting down the hall and some sisters saw meon the stairs on their way to the bathroom. I was already familiar with AGD because one of my friends [who incidentally became my sister-mom] was already in it. Anyway, these girls made it a point to help me to the bathroom to clean me up and they even sat with me till I was okay again. I thought to myself, "hey...if these girls are any indication of how the rest of AGD is like...what the hell am I doing wasting my time with the people who treat me like crap?"

Of course I was scared to give Greek Life another shot. I knew these girls were really nice, but I didn't know for sure if they did the same things to their members.

I was invited to a waterpark outing that November and I was convinced that these girls were honest, down to earth, I found out that I shared a lot of things in common with them.

I kept in contact with my friend and she made sure that I went to the following semester's rush parties [since it was still called 'RUSH' back then ]. The semester I pledged was simply amazing.

So began my life as an AGD.

[AOIIalum]

Like nauadpi, I didn't go through Formal recruitment. I received invites from a couple sororities for open rush, and went to AOII's party because I knew one of the girls from high school.

I was blown away by how many sisters told me how sad they'd been that I didn't go through Formal, and how glad they were that I was there that night. Talk about making me feel special! They also made sure I talked with a bunch of different people and not just the one I knew already. When I got my bid the next day (talk about a real RUSH!) I knew I wanted to be a part of AOII.

Christin

[DGMarie]

you can do is to sincerely be interested in what a PNM has to say. What a major turn off (and terribly obvious) it is to speak to someone who has just asked you a question and watch this person nod in vague agreement while staring into space....

ooops. I guess this part belongs in the what "not" to do to impress PNMs!

When I rushed Delta Gamma (the first time way back in 1988) I was impressed by the personal attention they showed me. They knew my name, my major, where I was from, all the things on my info sheet without batting an eye and they were genuinely warm and interesting. They got along well, they smiled and were happy. They also did not overpower the room with 200 other DGs (I went through COB in the Spring). It wasn't intimidating at all.

Now, my name on the dessert plate in chocolate, I'd have fallen off the chair!!

[Munchkin03]

This might sound really shallow, but one of the things that helped me choose my house over the other was presentation. The women in my house had everything put very-well together, especially the house. Everything looked lived-in, but very clean--including our downstairs lounge, storage area, and chapter room. The women I met during Recruitment were very well-spoken--no "like", "ummm", and "ya know?", and no one Upspoke! Even the parties were well-orchestrated. It was that total package--the quality of everything from the entrance and bathrooms to the nametags we received at parties--that made me choose.

[maggieaxid]

one thing i noticed about the girls in my chapter before i rushed is that they were always together with girls from other chapters- either eating lunch together with other members of other orgs and that they always sat out on the fountain together to chat in between classes and stuff.

[gphiangel624]

The thing that made me want to join my chapter from the start was the genuine friendship and fun I had with the girls. When I was rushing, summer rush was still allowed on my campus and I got calls from chapters over the summer that I met during orientation. I was turned off by one chapter because the first thing they invited me to was a "clothing optional" keg party at a fraternity house... no thanks, not my type. I declined. Another chapter would call me almost every weekend, but I had to decline because I had a season pass to Magic Mountain and went nearly every weekend... I think they thought I was lying to them.

But then there was Gamma Phi... the very first rush event was a laid back barbecue at a house 4 of the girls shared... a ton of the sisters were there and I was scared to go, but ended up clicking so well with a group of the girls that they invited me to a KA party that night... I'd recently met a KA while working at the mall and we'd been talking a little, but I didn't think he'd even be there. Turns out, he lived at the KA house and it was his birthday... I had so much fun with these girls that night, just meeting a ton of people and being myself (a big dork) that I couldn't wait for rush... We even stole a set of the guys' wooden letters and we had them all the way through July until about October when I pledged... they didn't get them back until we threatened to paint them pink... I love how I could just act like myself around these beautiful, friendly, and amazing girls the first time I met them... I've only been able to do that around one other person ever (coincidentally, my best friend, who's a Kappa)

[GPhiBLtColonel]

...because they chose me! Basically Gamma Phi could have cared less that I was in ROTC -- they seemed actually proud! I was embarassed to admit being in ROTC in nearly all the other houses when I went thru rush. But at Gamma Phi, I just never felt ashamed about who I was. I later learned as a pledge that service to country is actually part of our object:
Object of Gamma Phi Beta
The object of this organization shall be to develop the highest type of womanhood through education, social life, and service to country and humanity.
Oh, the Gamma Phis also never seemed fazed that I was a band geek either.
Bottom line: I really felt at home in Gamma Phi!

[gphiangel624]

Oh, the Gamma Phis also never seemed fazed that I was a band geek either.

GPhiBLtColonel... I wasn't a band geek in high school, but I hung out with them cuz I was a colorguard (ie. flags for the non-geeks) geek... I spun for 4 years and taught for 3! And my chapter never made me feel like I was inferior or anything (although I was damn good... hehe)!

[DGMarie]

colorguard (flags) for 4 years in U of SC marching band (and TBS sister as well). Never had more fun!

[ZTAtinkerbell1]

I went through informal recruitment for Zeta and one night after a Crown event they invited me to help them make signs to congradulate The New Pike class that got initiated. We spent half the night waiting for them to get out of initiation and finally gave up and went to Stake 'n Shake, there I got the chance to really bond with the girls... Here it is a couple of months later and now I am the one on the otherside trying to figure out wheather or not I want the new new girls in... It is a tough job.. but I love it! I am glad I am where I am at and I belive that getting my bid for Zeta and accepting it was definatly one of the best decisions I have made in my entire life.... I have never for one moment doubted that I am in the wrong organization at all! I love my sisters and life would be awful without them! Thank god for ZTA!!!

[KillarneyRose]

Well, everyone gave such great reasons for choosing their sororities so I have to chime in on behalf of the shallow rushers! I wanted to become a member of my sorority because all the fraternity boys thought they were the campus goddesses (boy, that sounds even dumber now than it did when I was originally told it 18 years ago! ), because it was the sorority with the Panhel officers, cheerleaders and Golden Girls, because it was the sorority with the prettiest suite, because the sisters partied like rock stars and were invited to become li'l sisters at the houses on the Hill, because they all wore the cutest outfits....TOLD you I was shallow!!! LOL

I have to say that I am one of the very few lucky ones who found a meaningful, real, lasting sisterhood underneath all the trappings. I guess I found my home in spite of myself!

[RubberSoul]

Yeah, I have to second Tracy on the power of shallow!!!!!!!!! When I went through rush my attitude was "I don't care where I end up as long as it is one of the big 3." There were 3 chapters on my campus out of all the sororities that were the ones with the pretty girls, the money, the cute boys, etc. Right or wrong, that is where I felt I belonged. Honestly I feel I would have been perfectly happy in either of the other two I looked at besides Chi Omega. Fortunately, like Tracy I found that the girls in my chapter had a lot more going for them than just the outward impression, and I still find myself a proud and involved alum.....