So today, "Friday", is the second day of the first round. LaRhonda, Annie's Rho Gamma buddy, told us to meet her at the Armory because Annie will be gone on an OA (orientation) retreat and will not be here for this weekend. I noticed a lot of PNMs were wearing dressy jean outfits for this round, so I decided to wear nice jeans with a black 3/4 sleeve wrap shirt, the black wedge boots, and some silver jewelry. I feel much more confident now that I know what to expect and I even thought of questions I can ask members if conversation lulls.
I met LaRhonda at the Armory, and she hands me my nametag and my pile of calling cards. I notice that there are only 6, so that's very reassuring that Annie gave me 8 the first night instead of me forgetting to give Millie my card. I asked LaRhonda how much of a big deal it was and she said not to worry.
Seriously, after being a Rho Gamma, I realized how insignificant the things were. I mean, we take attendance at each party. The chapters know who comes through the doors.
First, we went to
Chicago. Their house is HUGE and stunning. Again, I always seem to be the one to step to the front of the line. I was excited to go here, because I had heard good things about them. That changed when I met Liz. She told me that she literally just got to the house and was a little flustered, so I told her what happened to me yesterday and she didn't laugh about it. She just sort of stared at me. I tried coming up with conversation, asking her about the philanthropy and her interests. Turns out we both dance; I like tap, and Liz likes jazz (funny how I named them Chicago
). When we were doing the philanthropy activity, I couldn't get the glue to hold the things together and I felt like she was judging me. So then we got up and went on a house tour. I am wondering why I am still only talking to her. Shouldn't I be talking to someone else by now?
Probably she wasn't in any sort of group since she was running late and they weren't counting on her. So we start up the stairs on a house tour and Liz asks me about my winter break, if I went on vacation anywhere. Her tone made me uncomfortable, as if the "right" answer would be, "Oh yes, my family goes every year to Bali." Anyways, their house is amazing. I told her I definitely want to live in the house of whichever sorority I join. No enthusiasm. So, Liz and I walk into a single that I am drooling over. This girl has a leopard print rug, pink tulle draped over her bed on the wall, and this cool sequined dress tacked to the wall. I got to meet the girl who lives there, Aly. She was awesome! I asked her if by any chance she likes Betsey Johnson, since her room looks like a boutique. Aly said that she just wrote a paper about her and we talked about that for a little while. Except Liz wasn't really involved in the conversation and awkwardly tried to get me out of the room. Then it was time to go and Liz used slightly more force than was necessary to guide me to the door. I wanted to like
Chicago. I liked Aly, but Liz was pretty rude to me. I felt like I didn't get to meet enough women in
Chicago. I would like to go back to see if Liz was a fluke.
Rent was largely forgettable. I met one girl named Elaine, who was from Boston. We just talked about how much we both like Boston. We were working on the philanthropy activity (which involved puffy paint) and I got some paint on my arm. I asked her where the bathroom was so I could wash it off and she gave me a funny look like I was trying to snub them.
Rent seems to have a good mix of Jewish and non-Jewish girls and they seem pretty involved, both of which are reasons why I was excited to see this chapter, but I just didn't connect with Elaine. I wouldn't mind going back though to meet more sisters.
Next was
Wicked. I could tell the chapter is very diverse, which, by now is something I decided I want in a sorority. Not everyone is a size 2. I met Michele, who had a really cute nose ring and black streaks in her blond hair. (She looked kind of like a non-trashy Christina Aguilera with a normal person’s body). I thought this might be my sort of chapter because they were unconventional sorority women. Caitlin did the philanthropy activity with me and we talked about Dance Marathon, which sounds like a lot of fun. Teresa, one of the girls who lived in my room the previous semester, was recruitment chair and I said hi to her. Wicked painted the halls of their bedroom floors in their colors. I loved it! Every girl I met was different, yet I clicked with all of them.
The next chapter we visited was
Hello, Dolly! Lots of PNMs are excited to go here. Kelly (from high school) waved to me when I walked in. I didn't really click with anyone here. I met Lauren, and she wasn't very talkative. I started talking about Kelly, isn't she great blah blah blah. I met Keemia and Vicki, who were much more enthusiastic and talkative, which helped me feel more at ease from my awkward conversation with Lauren, but I didn't really feel a connection. I am not crazy about
Hello, Dolly!, but I don't hate them.
West Side Story. Wow. I went in with a blank slate and came out appalled. Both of the girls who I met were completely braindead and pretty much only interested in partying. One girl, Sarah, was like “We’re really chill and we just like to drink. Do you have a fake?” During the house tour, we went into one sister’s room and there was a poster of James Dean, and Sarah asked me if James Dean was dead. Then, Sarah couldn’t remember their philanthropy, and she asked her sister what the
West Side Story Foundation does, and as fate would have it, she didn’t know either. After we left, some PNMs are saying that this chapter hazes really badly. I wrote a big gigantic “NO” in my booklet for
West Side Story.
Phantom of the Opera was okay. Their chapter house is pretty. I saw Karen and she was surprised to see that I was going through recruitment. I didn’t really connect with anyone though, since most conversation didn’t go past “What’s your major?” I talked about how I was thinking about adding education as a major (I'm a bio major) to teach high school, since I met Michelle, who was an education major herself. At least three times I started to say something and then forgot my story halfway through. Michelle must have thought I was a total flake, but I was really just tired since it was getting late (or maybe it was contagious from being at
West Side Story). When I went on a house tour, one sister complimented my haircut. (My hair is bobbed.) I wouldn't mind going back here, but it's not my favorite. I think LaRhonda is definitely in
Phantom.
Les Miserables, last party. I felt bad because I knew that this was a Jewish chapter and other girls in my Rho Gamma group were being little twits because it was the last chapter of the night and round and they knew they wouldn’t pledge a Jewish chapter, so they wanted to be rude so they wouldn’t have to go back. I decided I would be inquisitive and at least give them a chance. They seemed really nice and were talkative even though it was the last party, but conversation didn’t get very deep. They talked about how their pledge class (Spring 03) is really close, and how they all live in the house this year. I thought that was kind of sweet. I wouldn't mind going back to
Les Miserables since the girls were really nice, but I don't think I fit.
The only chapter I really liked tonight was
Wicked. I would like to go back to
Phantom, Chicago, and
Rent, even though they were only ok.
West Side Story was my absolute least favorite; I wouldn't pledge there in a million years.
Overall,
Anything Goes and
Thoroughly Modern Millie are my two favorites, with
Wicked at a close second, and
Chicago,
42nd Street,
The Producers,
Hairspray, and
Phantom of the Opera in a close third. I am open to most of the chapters.
Tomorrow, I get my invites back for skit round. We can go to up to 8 chapters, and we can decide which ones we want to go to if we get more than 8. I am so excited that I will probably be the first one at the Union tomorrow!
Threaded Mode
