Urban Legends About Recruitment

[ellebud]

So, I was out and about today in my part of town. As I have said, when I was a young 'un we all pledged the same houses. That has, happily, changed.

So....there I was, minding my own business in a small store when three moms and daughters (and a friend) so four girls were shopping. One girl was headed to "my" school (where my daughter goes), one to the school across town, and the other two, we'll just say the midwest.

One mother, who's daughter is going through where my daughter went through (and pledged), said, "Well, don't bother with ......, ......, ......., and .......
Their pledge classes are already filled. They've had secret meetings all summer!!! They have their pledges all tied up."

The other mothers agreed.

OK, I opened my mouth. I firmly told them that no.....there had been no secret meetings, pledge selection or anything.

What do you know and how do you know it?

She was snide and I was curt. I wished the girls luck, said recruitment was NOT set in stone and they should have a great time.

Has anyone else heard recruitment Urban Legends?

[HannahXO]

-You got dropped because of a "Computer Glitch." 99.9999% of the time, you didn't.
-If you "suicide," the computer automatically drops you
-If you are a legacy, you're a lock

I'm sure I'll think of more!

[IndianaSigKap]

If you take the food, they'll cut you. Or if you eat all of it and don't leave some on you plate, they'll cut you. I always thought those were funny.

[BraveMaroon]

The room they take me to during the party determines whether they keep me or cut me.

No. Rush is about choreography. I am taking you to the sun porch because that is my designated spot, and it's where I take everyone I rush. Last year, I was staked out in the date room, and next year maybe I'll be in the foyer. It means nothing.

They hide all the fat/ugly sisters in the kitchen at rush.

I came back at the beginning of my sophomore year with a haircut that was at best, unfortunate. I should have been more specific with the stylist. It was really, really bad. Super short with long, sweeping bangs. There was nothing I could do. And I was terrified they were going to ask me not to rush. They didn't - I just did my best, smiled and got through it.

Now, it should also be said, that hair aside, I was a terrible rusher. I just never connected well at parties.

But, if you needed someone to blow up, tie and place three hundred balloons at 6AM, I was your girl. I could write funny songs, design costumes and sweep up glitter like a champ.

Once we had a new member class, I made friends, and I loved my new sisters, but I just didn't get the rush gene.

My senior year, they put me out of my misery and asked if I'd stay behind the scenes and do paperwork between parties. I was glad to do it.

So, yes, there are people working behind the scenes for a variety of reasons. In my case, it was because I was more effective there.

PS - My hair grew out and looked much better...eventually.

[DTD Alum]

Originally Posted by BraveMaroon

The room they take me to during the party determines whether they keep me or cut me.

No. Rush is about choreography. I am taking you to the sun porch because that is my designated spot, and it's where I take everyone I rush. Last year, I was staked out in the date room, and next year maybe I'll be in the foyer. It means nothing.

Complete lane swerve, but I was told anecdotally by close friends that this was the case in at least two sororities at the school I went to, one a "top tier" and one a "middle tier". Comments were more or less to the extent of, "I was really nervous because they are assigning me to rush in the __________ room, and that's where the girls we really want are taken," or "Knowing what I know now, I was surprised I got a bid because in retrospect they put me in the __________ room on the first day." So while I can't tell you for sure, these comments clearly seemed to indicate that some chapters at my school do pre-evaluate you to some extent and PNMs are "filtered" (for lack of a better word) to be in certain areas or meet the "best" rushers. I remember thinking how crazy organized and pre-destined it seemed at the time, and it really stuck with me. These weren't PNMs, these were girls who had gone through rush on their side multiple times so it seemed much more concrete than an urban legend.

[BraveMaroon]

Originally Posted by DTD Alum

Complete lane swerve, but I was told anecdotally by close friends that this was the case in at least two sororities at the school I went to, one a "top tier" and one a "middle tier". Comments were more or less to the extent of, "I was really nervous because they are assigning me to rush in the __________ room, and that's where the girls we really want are taken," or "Knowing what I know now, I was surprised I got a bid because in retrospect they put me in the __________ room on the first day." So while I can't tell you for sure, these comments clearly seemed to indicate that some chapters at my school do pre-evaluate you to some extent and PNMs are "filtered" (for lack of a better word) to be in certain areas or meet the "best" rushers. I remember thinking how crazy organized and pre-destined it seemed at the time, and it really stuck with me. These weren't PNMs, these were girls who had gone through rush on their side multiple times so it seemed much more concrete than an urban legend.

Yeah, to be fair, I can't say across the board that it's an urban legend, but in my experience and specifically with the first parties, there was no method to our madness, except that you had a spot you were assigned to for traffic flow reasons only.

One exception to that might be if we knew a legacy was coming through at a certain party, we may try our best to match her with someone she would mesh well with - but even that was beyond our control sometimes.

The sorority I remember this rumor being applied to - you either rushed in the formal living room which was upstairs, or they took you downstairs to a den area. I went downstairs, which was the alleged code for "cut" - and yes, I was. Those two things may be related, or not.

I think that the legends obviously originate from somewhere, and in most of them there's some fragment of reality that got distorted over years and years.

Or, like mythology, they were created to explain the inexplicable. Like those mysterious computer glitches that drop you from all the best houses right before 3rd round... Hmmm.

[ree-Xi]

If a sister introduces you to another sister while bumping and says "Suzy PNM likes to go swimming," it means she isn't getting a bid.

[ellebud]

If you pledge XYZ sorority NO guy will date you or want to be seen with you--EVER!

(Oh, my daughter ate and drank EVERYTHING she was offered during recruitment. Would have had more, if offered. She was hungry.)

[TriDeltaSallie]

If you use the bathroom, you will get dropped.

[TriDeltaSallie]

If the President and/or Recruitment Chair come over specifically to meet you, they are probably going to drop you.

If the President and/or Recruitment Chair come over specifically to meet you, you are definitely getting a bid.

[KSUViolet06]

There's always one chapter "suspended for hazing."

Or "about to be suspended for hazing."

There's also typically a story to go along with it that has been substantiated by the messenger's roomie's brother's cousin.

[lovespink88]

Originally Posted by BraveMaroon

They hide all the fat/ugly sisters in the kitchen at rush.

I came back at the beginning of my sophomore year with a haircut that was at best, unfortunate. I should have been more specific with the stylist. It was really, really bad. Super short with long, sweeping bangs. There was nothing I could do. And I was terrified they were going to ask me not to rush. They didn't - I just did my best, smiled and got through it.

Now, it should also be said, that hair aside, I was a terrible rusher. I just never connected well at parties.

But, if you needed someone to blow up, tie and place three hundred balloons at 6AM, I was your girl. I could write funny songs, design costumes and sweep up glitter like a champ.

Once we had a new member class, I made friends, and I loved my new sisters, but I just didn't get the rush gene.

My senior year, they put me out of my misery and asked if I'd stay behind the scenes and do paperwork between parties. I was glad to do it.

So, yes, there are people working behind the scenes for a variety of reasons. In my case, it was because I was more effective there.

PS - My hair grew out and looked much better...eventually.

I was a terrible rusher as well. I think I would have been more effective doing paperwork stuff too. Although then I would have missed the chanting and singing which I adored! (not sarcasm, I know it sounds like it!)

Originally Posted by 33girl

There's a scale underneath the porch and each rushee's weight is recorded as she enters.

LOL.

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

There's always one chapter "suspended for hazing."

Or "about to be suspended for hazing."

There's also typically a story to go along with it that has been substantiated by the messenger's roomie's brother's cousin.

I read to fast and thought you said "super hazing". I was all "WHAT IS THAT???"

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by dgdramadawg

When I was going through recruitment, I was told that the reason the shower heads in Brumby, the all-girl dorm at UGA, are so low is because "every year a girl tried to hang herself when she got dropped by the houses she wanted." Nevermind that they were just built that way in 1966, not moved later on...

Some of these "urban legends" that some of you have mentioned can be true, though. Depends on the chapter and the campus culture. But for the most part, they're all nonsense.

Sadly, that IS the reason that there is no greek life at Georgia Wesleyan (and why both ADPi & Phi Mu have no Alpha chapter). Someone didn't get the bid she wanted and hanged herself. This one dates back to something like 1904 or so.

[als463]

Originally Posted by honeychile

Sadly, that IS the reason that there is no greek life at Georgia Wesleyan (and why both ADPi & Phi Mu have no Alpha chapter). Someone didn't get the bid she wanted and hanged herself. This one dates back to something like 1904 or so.

As a Phi Mu, I was told the same thing. Apparently the girl who didn't get the bid was the President's daughter (or something). I wish they would bring back both Alpha Chapters. That would be a dream colony come true!

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by als463

As a Phi Mu, I was told the same thing. Apparently the girl who didn't get the bid was the President's daughter (or something). I wish they would bring back both Alpha Chapters. That would be a dream colony come true!

It used to be in our Pledge Books! When it went online, so much of the fun stuff was left out.

And YES, it would be awesome if the Macon Magnolias could both return to our Alpha chapters!!!