Life's Lessons Learned

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My daughter just completed her parties for sorority recruitment at Ohio University. She is an OSS student who had no friends/connections in any of the chapters at this school. She is a double legacy to one chapter on campus. Ohio has nine chapters on campus. We had been informed that Ohio is not a competitive campus, but we obtained recommendations to each of the chapters. She had no pre-conceived ideas of any of the chapters. The sororities hold informational sessions and are actively on campus recruiting young women to sign up for recruitment. She was well informed of the recruitment process and the disappointments it can sometimes bring. She was the last of her friends to go through fall recruitment and saw how many of them were dropped by chapters they loved, only to find the home that was right for them.

My daughter loves Lilly Pulitzer so I will be naming the chapters in honor of Lilly dresses.

Friday night -Kickoff night- This is a gathering of all the PNM’S. They get to meet their Rho Gammas and get assigned their recruitment groups. She was told 400 girls were participating in recruitment this year. She said both of her Rho Gammas were adorable.

Saturday -Day One – Break the Ice Day –

Bernadette- She said this chapter was just okay, nothing special. She felt lukewarm about this chapter. Basic conversation, nothing beyond “where are you” from and “what’s your major.”

Whitaker – One of her teachers had written a recommendation for her to this chapter and the letter was beautiful. Again, nothing special. She only talked to two girls here.

Adelson – She had great conversations here and really liked all of the girls she spoke with in this house.

Sadie – One of her favorite teachers from HS wrote her recommendation. She loves this teacher so expected to love this chapter. She had great conversations and enjoyed speaking to all of the girls. She said the conversation went beyond the basics.

Augusta – This is her legacy chapter and she was nervous going into this house. All of the other PNM’S seem to want this chapter, so this only added to the anxiety. She said all of the girls here were very nice. She had great conversations and even found one who loved her favorite show Pretty Little Liars. One of the girls asked her if she had any sisters that were greek. She told her both her mom and sister were members of this organization, but that she was keeping an open mind to all of the chapters. She was hoping her answer was okay.

Bowen – She enjoyed talking to all of the girls and hopes to return for the next round. Again conversations went beyond the basics.

Twyla- She really liked the girls in this chapter and they seemed very diverse.

Blayney – Some of the girls from this chapter helped her move her stuff into her dorm on move in day. They were all very nice and cute. She had great conversations here and hoped to return.

Worth – She said she felt lukewarm about this chapter as the conversations were very basic and she only talked to 2 girls at this chapter.

At the end of the night they had to rank their top seven and bottom two. They ranked their choices on paper.
She ranked in no particular order –

Top 7 -
Adleson
Sadie
Augusta
Bowen
Twyla
Blayney
Worth

Bottom 2
Bernadette
Whitaker

Sunday -Day Two – House Tour Day –

She went to her meeting spot and received her list; she had received her top seven.
She said many of the girls in her group did not have full schedules.

Adleson – She said their house is amazing. She really likes all of the girls she talked to here today and is hoping to return for the next rounds. All of these girls seem really genuine and down to earth. This is another very popular house with the PNM’S.

Sadie – She loved this house again today. She said all of the girls were really nice. She was introduced to the recruitment chair and the president at this house. She had a great time here. She said although their house looks large on the outside it is really not that much bigger on the inside than the others. She hopes to return.

Augusta – She loved this house and said it was amazing. As she was walking up the stairs, one of the girls from the previous day said “hi.” The girl rushing her again asked about any sorority affiliation. She answered in the same manner. She said that at one point she said y’all, the girl rushing her said “Y’all, where are you from?” She found this to be funny. She felt great about this house and it was her number one choice. She said all of the PNM’S are in love with this house, even using the word obsessed for some of them.

Bowen- She said their house was pretty and she liked all of the girls she spoke with, one of them was an officer but she couldn’t remember her title. She almost wore a skirt for this round, even though it was casual. She was thankful she didn’t’ because one of the girls had the same exact skirt on she would’ve worn. She is hoping to return.

Twyla – Again she liked the diversity in this chapter and all of the girls she spoke with she wasn’t in love with the chapter and would be okay returning or not returning.

Blayney- She did not have a great time at this chapter today. She said all of the girls she spoke with seemed kind of snobby and not really her type. She didn’t really say anything about their house.

Worth – She said their house was okay and the conversations felt very forced. She doesn’t see herself in this chapter.

They have to rank their top 5 and bottom 2 this night. Her Rho Gamma said that their top 2 rankings and their bottom 2 rankings were the most important tonight.
They will not get their invites for the next round until Friday.

She ranked in no particular order – Again, they ranked their choices on paper.
Top 5 –
Augusta
Bowen
Adleson
Sadie
Twyla

Bottom 2 –
Blayney
Worth

Friday - Philanthropy Round – They were to meet their Rho Gammas at 4:15 for their lists. She was very nervous and anxious to receive her list. She went to her meeting spot to receive her list. She did have a full party schedule. Many in her group only received 2 or 3 invites. She had received invites from Adelson, Sadie, Bowen, Twyla and Blayney. Four of her top five and one of her bottom two. She texted me and told me she had been cut by her legacy chapter with a sad face. Where was Augusta? How did this happen? Isn’t this a non competitive campus? Why would a double legacy be cut? Now these questions, were from my oldest daughter and me, not the daughter going through recruitment. While her sister and I sulked, my daughter taught us both a lesson. She texted me after second parties and said “Mom, I wasn’t meant for them and it’s okay. They just didn’t like me and its fine. I really love Adelson.” The lesson she reminded us of is one we had instilled in her all along, find a chapter that best fits you whether it be your legacy chapter or one of your own.
My daughter is very easy going and gets along well with anyone she meets. She rarely gets upset and really doesn’t let the little things bother her. She has a great attitude and I am so proud of how she handled her rejection. There are girls on her floor who received invites to Augusta, and she is fine with that. She wishes them well and knows that what is meant to be will be. She did tell me later that she cried all the way to her first house on Philanthropy day but pulled herself together before she got in line. She said her Rho Gamma never said a word to her, and could tell she was upset.


Bowen – She thought their philanthropy was really cute and she had great conversations here, all with girls she hadn’t spoken to before.

Adleson – She loved this house again today. She feels a connection with each girl she has spoken with in this chapter. She can relate to their philanthropy.

Sadie – She said their philanthropy is really cute, and she enjoyed their presentation. She likes this house again today, but not as much as Adelson.

Twyla- She had a good time here today, and again likes their diversity.

Blayney – She was indifferent to returning to this chapter, and again said it wasn’t a good fit for her today.

She asked her Rho Gamma waht quota would be and was told it would be different for each chapter.
She ranked in no particular order – Again, they ranked their choices on paper.

Top 3

Sadie
Adleson
Bowen

Bottom 2
Blayney
Twyla

Today was preference round. She received her top three, she will be returning to Sadie, Adleson and Bowen. Many girls have dropped out of recruitment. There were five in her group who were completely released. Her Rho Gamma told them that these were not the usual return numbers and that’s why many had dropped and been released.

Sadie – She said their ceremony was nice, but she just wasn’t feeling like it was her home today. She said the girl she spoke with brought up her legacy status and told her that it is a known fact that Augusta always cuts legacies. She thought this was a rather strange comment; she had moved on from being released and just didn’t want to bring up any of the emotions again. She also, had never spoken to this girl before.

Bowen – She really like their ceremony and the letters that each of the girls had written. She would be happy in this chapter.

Adelson – She truly fell in love today with this chapter and the girl who was with her today. She loved all of the letters and sentiments the chapter gave to her during the party. She said their ceremony was amazing.

She went to rank her chapters, and had a long wait, as this time it was all done on the computer. Her Rho Gamma really didn’t give them any advice and told them it’s too complicated to explain, the computer just matches you. She wanted to ask what quota would be, but by the time she was done ranking her Rho Gamma had left.

She ranked –
Adelson
Bowen
Sadie

She receives her bid tomorrow at 11:00 a.m., she was told they had to sit on their bids until after the Rho Gamma reveal.