A Throwback Recruitment Story!

[georgiagirl1992]

I've been lurking here for years and since theres not much business going on here during the summer I decided I would spice things up and post my own recruitment story!

Going into college, I knew very little about sororities. I didn’t even know any family members that had been to college, let alone join a fraternal organization. My dad’s southern accent was the cause of many laughing spells as I attempted to get him to pronounce the names of the sororities at my school and he still has a hard time saying the full name of my sorority. Needless to say, I was beyond clueless. As my friends around me rushed, they were getting “recs” (which I would later learn to be recommendations from alumni women in the sorority) and I decided to forgo those since, well… I didn’t know who to ask for one. I was also told by the panhellenic rush chair that year that they were not needed… GC had told me otherwise.
Now, I’m about two months away from being in my senior year at college (a very small, private school in the South) and this upcoming year I’ll be a Gamma Chi. Since I’m no longer affiliated, I’ve started to reflect back on my rush week as a freshman.

I waited to sign up for recruitment until I actually got to school, to make sure I was positive about my decision. Out of my close group of 6 girlfriends, all of which went to big SEC or ACC schools, only one ended up going greek. My best friend joined a sorority and dropped the day after bid day because she felt the women were too superficial. This definitely didn’t make my decision any easier, because it seemed that all the stereotypes I had heard about sororities were actually true.

Despite all of this I decided to sign up anyway. It couldn’t hurt to go through the process. A few days later I received a nice door dec stating I was participating in the process and attended an informational meeting were I met my Gamma Chi, Katie. She was so sweet and helpful and the reason I applied to be a Gamma Chi this year. Anyway, she took us out to get frozen yogurt and checked out our outfits before the big weekend came around! Finally the day was here and I was going to find out which, out of four sororities, was going to be my home.

I’ve decided to name the four after flowers:
Rose
Daffodil
Lilly
Buttercup

[MaryPoppins]

Can't wait! Oh hey buttercup is kind of on the light side for good visibility.

[georgiagirl1992]

It is! Changed it, thanks!

[georgiagirl1992]

Philanthropy Night:

All dressed and lined up, my Gamma Chi group and I were ready to attend our first round of parties!
First up was Rose:
I was greeted with lots of loud yelling and chanting. I remember a few PNMs and I started laughing at how loud it was! At my school, instead of door chants, the actives line up and sing chants as the PNMs follow through the small opening of women and are greeted by their rusher. I was paired up with a sweet girl who led me over to a table. Just before I sat down, the other PNM at the table spilled her water all over my chair. I was shocked and embarrassed but the actives took care of it right away and I was able to forget about the incident for the rest of the party.
My rusher was sweet but I didn’t really feel a connection. Another active came over and complimented my outfit, which I loved. We watched a skit about their philanthropy and did a craft, both of which I don’t remember very well. I do remember being led outside to look at a string of shirts hanging up and talking to a woman I met at my overnight visit. Soon it was time to file out and my rusher whispered in my ear “See you tomorrow!” at the door (which I now know is a seriously infraction).
Overall I felt pretty good about my time here and I was excited to see what was next.

Next was Lilly. I told myself I would not be a Lilly, from all of the tent talk I had heard, they were very wealthy and loved to party. I shouldn’t have listened but I was myself at this party anyway, I just was not as hyper aware of myself like I was at the first party. I ended up LOVING their philanthropy and felt such a strong connection with it. As I participated in the craft, I told my rusher about my experience working with people associated with their philanthropy. She was pleased and I felt that made me look good.
I also loved their symbols and their colors, so I was feeling pretty good about myself after I left this party, but I was still not sold. I told myself I was going to give them another shot.

Next was Daffodil. I had heard so much negative talk about this sorority before recruitment. They were the newest on campus and were still trying to build up their reputation. My suitemate, who was not rushing, asked one of her older friends that was also not affiliated with a sorority, about the stereotypes and she said Daffodil was known for not being very attractive or liked around campus. I remember visiting an interest fair at the beginning of the year with my Gamma Chi group and not thinking anything negative about them. They seemed to be very sweet girls.
They had a very big room to work with, but I think they pulled it off well. The walls were all covered with pictures from philanthropy events and cute t-shirts. My rusher was very awkward, however, and it felt like I was rushing her. There were a few moments where we just stood their staring at each other! I was passed off to another girl who was much easier to talk to and she got up in front of everyone and told us her special connection to their philanthropy. It was very heartfelt and I loved hearing her speak about it.
I left the party feeling alright. I was definitely not sold and probably let the tent talk get to my head a little too much.

Next we had a break and I was able to relax and get a snack from the little market on campus. It was nice to re-group and think about what I had seen and chat with my friends (not about recruitment, of course). I remember standing and chatting with one of my friends about how we hadn’t heard of some of the brands everyone wears, such as Lilly Pulitzer and Tory Burch (I’m from Atlanta and no one from my high school wore anything like those). A girl behind us made a snarky remark and I still remember how much that made me angry.

Finally, we made it to the last party, Buttercup. Their chant was so catchy, many of the girls kept singing it over the next few days of recruitment. I instantly felt at home inside the room. The lightning made everything feel very warm. A very cheery girl lead me over to a table and craft and told me a little bit about one of their philanthropies while a speaker got up and stood in front of us. She told us a story about how she graduated from my school a few years prior and how her fiancée died in a terrible accident as a firefighter. She talked and cried about how her sisters were there for her and sent her clothes and money so she was able to get back on her feet after she lost the love of her life. I was so touched by the story and I let my rusher know that.
After I finished the craft (which was actually pretty difficult, haha), I was bumped to another rusher who introduced me to some of her sisters and a few of them I had already met from my overnight visit. It was so nice to see some familiar faces and I was able to laugh with them about things that had happened that one weekend. I really didn’t want to leave, but I left this party with a huge smile on my face and I was sure I wanted to come back!'

At the end of the night we were told to select the three chapters we wanted to return to and leave the one that we did not want to return to. I ranked mine as follows (the order didn't matter):

Rose
Buttercup
Lilly

And I didn't select:
Daffodil

[ADPiEE]

I love throwback stories, thanks for sharing.

[TriDeltaSallie]

More? Please?

[georgiagirl1992]

I was nervous the second day, Theme, to receive my list. My other suitemate was rushing and got a knock on her door the morning before theme with the information that she was dropped from recruitment. I tried to not let it effect me and was overjoyed to see I was invited back to 3 houses (the max for this day):

Buttercup
Lilly
Daffodil

I was a little disappointed to be dropped by Rose, but I knew that they weren’t the best fit for me.

Buttercup: I got matched with a girl that I spoke with the first day and we had a wonderful conversation, their skit was amazing and so put together and I imagined myself jumping up and dancing right along with them! After their skit the girl with me led me around and introduced me to her sisters. I met the girl’s big sister, who happened to be the president and also spoke to a girl who felt the same way I did- once she found Buttercup she felt instantly at home. I left again with a huge smile.

Lilly: Their theme party was cute, but it bothered me a little bit that not everyone was involved. Most of the girls sat on the sides and cheered while a handful of girls actually performed. The girl that led me around was so sweet, however, and introduced me to many of her sisters, one of which was hilarious and had a big part in bringing her chapter together. I left this chapter feeling very comfortable.

Daffodil: I wasn’t very excited about returning to this party but I felt the same way about their skit that I did about Lilly's. The room was still slightly awkward but I was matched with a different girl from the day before and her and I had a much better conversation. I spoke with two girls later on in the day and almost didn’t want to leave.

After the three parties we were led to the same computer lab to rank our choices. This time I wanted to return to:

Buttercup and
Lilly

I left Daffodil alone.


The next night was the most serious of the three- Preference!

[KDCat]

My bet:

Pref is at Buttercup and Daffodil.

To her great surprise, she found herself loving Daffodil's pref and ranked them 1st.

Bid = Daffodil

(But that may be just because I'm a sucker for daffodils.)

[thetalady]

I bet we would all love to hear the end of this story today!!!!

[OPhiAGinger]

My bet: she ranked Daffodil #2, got a bid, declined it, and a year later joined the new Tulip colony on her campus.

[pinksequins]

Okay, I'll bite.
We haven't heard the rest of the story because there was this Thang!

[georgiagirl1992]

I was so nervous to get my invitations to pref and I let all the girls in my gamma chi group know! They all seemed cool and collected while I was shaking. My gamma chi took each of us into the hallway to let us know. She handed me mine and said "I think you're going to be very happy!" My invitations to pref were:

Buttercup and
Lilly

I was ecstatic and walked to Lilly with the biggest smile on my face.
Lilly: I went into this party with my mind made up. I just had to smooth sail through this party so I could get to Buttercup and have a good time. However, I was pleasantly surprised. I president invited me in and I sat down with my rusher, a girl I had gotten to know the day before. She complimented my dress and asked me how I felt about Lilly. I felt bad and lied, saying that I could really see myself here. She handed me two letters from sisters I had met that weekend, both telling me how they would love for me to be a Lilly and they had really enjoyed getting to know me over the past two days. I teared up and was so flattered.
Next the rushers took the PNMs to the middle of the room and a few girls read happy and heartbreaking stories about how their sisters had made them feel whole and happy. I was in tears again.
I left the party having very high expectations for Buttercup.

Buttercup: I was once again greeted by the president and my rusher was the girl that I had had over the past few days. We had a short conversation over cake and I read the letter on the table. It was a very sweet note from a girl I had met over my overnight visit. Later she came over to say hello. A sophomore got up and read a story about how her sisters helped her through a very hard break up the year prior and a few girls sang shortly after. My rusher then apologized, apparently there was supposed to be a video but it wasn't working.
I told my rusher how I had loved Buttercup all weekend and I really wanted to be a part of it. Unlike my rusher at Lilly, she wasn't very enthused. Soon the party was over and I left feeling very confused.

Many thoughts were running through my head. I never even considered joining Lilly the entire week. However, tonight, it seemed like they really wanted me. I received two letters at that party, and only one at Buttercup and it was from a girl that I had known for awhile now, no one knew. I didn't have any urge to cry there either, like I did at Lilly. It also seemed like Lilly really wanted me too, and I didn't get that feeling from Buttercup.

I did the only thing I knew to do- I plugged my gamma chi to the side and told her my story. She suggested that since I was wanting Buttercup the entire time, I shouldn't let one lost video ruin that.
So that night I chose

Buttercup and left Lilly alone.

[georgiagirl1992]

Bid day is FINALLY here. All the PNMs were gathered in a large room in one of the buildings on campus. One by one the gamma chi groups were called up and the PNMs stood in a line and were called out into the hallway so the gamma chi could deliver the bids.

I sat there anxiously. All day I had been telling myself no matter where I ended up, I would be happy. However, as I sat waiting for my group to be called, I was having second thoughts. I could really see myself in Buttercup and I was so happy I ranked them first, but would I really be happy if I got [/COLOR]Lilly? After shaking for the longest time, my group was finally called. About the third or fourth person down the line and my name was called.

Before I even ripped open the bid card I could see the letters peaking through. I became a new member of...












BUTTERCUP also known as...





























KAPPA ALPHA THETA

I screamed, jumped up and down and ran down the hall way and into the gymnasium into the arms of my new sisters. We had the largest pledge class that year in the history of the school! I'm so glad I found my HΘME!

[MaryPoppins]

Yay, georgiagirl1992!