I thought I was the only one doing this!

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I can't believe how fortunate I am to have found this wonderful forum! Until now I thought I was perhaps the only one pursuing alumnae membership! It is such a thrill to meet you all and I look forward to getting to know you! Here's my story - it's so similar to others I've read in this forum:

A little over ten years ago I went through the formal fall recruitment process and I immediately felt a connection to XYZ. It was the very first house I visited on the first day of “rush”, and it immediately made an impact on me. I was so nervous and not at all sure what to expect, and I ended up meeting the nicest, most down-to-earth people. XYZ set the standard for me that day for the rest of that week, and I remember how disappointed and uncomfortable I felt when I visited the next house on that first day and didn’t experience the same level of camaraderie!

XYZ was my top choice that whole week of rush. I very much looked forward to visiting there and seeing the smiling, friendly faces of the young women I was meeting. I ended up attending Preference Night at XYZ on the final night of rush, and I am almost certain (though one can never know) that I would have received an invitation to join because everything had clicked so much between us that week, and it just felt “right”. Unfortunately, I decided to drop out of rush that last night. I struggled hard with my decision that evening, but in the end, I was worried about making what seemed like such a big commitment at the time (my Rho Chis repeatedly mentioned how this decision was “for a lifetime”). I’ve regretted that decision on some level ever since. I can still remember walking out of the Greek office that last night – I can even remember where I was – and I remember feeling deep feelings of regret and disappointment. I never really shook that feeling as time went on. I always wondered, “What if?”

I considered going through fall rush again the following year, but I was unsure if it would be appropriate or silly, and since I had originally gone through rush as a sophomore, I worried that as a junior I might be “too old”. I was still friendly with the XYZs I had met through rush (i.e. we talked and said hi to each other when we saw each other around campus), but I was a little bit shy back then and perhaps didn’t pursue or convey my interest very directly to them.

Nearly four years ago I began researching XYZ on the internet and by requesting copies of their national magazine to determine whether or not XYZ had some kind of alumnae membership program. The fact that I was told I was “like an XYZ” once again that year had planted a seed in my mind. I did make and have maintained contact with them over the past couple of years, but for various reasons (I've moved a couple of times in the past few years and returned to school for another degree) I haven't pursued it diligently and consistently. But that's OK - good things take time, and from reading others' experiences on this forum, I'm relieved to hear that's typical.

Anyway, I recently have been in touch with XYZ again, and it's all very positive. Unfortunately there have been some changes and I'll need to contact/re-introduce myself for the third time to a new person at their HQ, but again, that's fine! I look forward to sharing my experiences with you...