Cutting or pledging a group for dumb reasons

[33girl]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

At one of our recruitment events a few years ago, I overheard one PNM saying to another that she would only consider joining our sorority because our letters "flowed" better than the other two... and that ASAs letters were too symmetrical.

Fortunately, she didn't come back after that.

I take it you don't have A Phi A on campus as their letters are TOTALLY symmetrical. That might have given her a conniption.

This is gone now since no boys are allowed at Bid Day, but one of the really dumb ones used to be "because they're mixing with ABC fraternity on Pledge Pickup night."

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I take it you don't have A Phi A on campus as their letters are TOTALLY symmetrical. That might have given her a conniption.

If she had seen that, it probably would have sent her running!

[southernsugar]

I was an idiot during recruitment and decided not to join any group that had more than 3 girls from my high school... which was nearby and always sent a ton to my university. I had about a third of the chapters that fell under that, including ones I did like, but I thought "oh no! I'll never make new friends in a chapter of 200 if I already know 10 girls!". . .
of course, in my pledge class, there were three from my high school in a sorority that didn't have other actives at the time.

[thetygerlily]

^^^ Bumping because this thread just made my Monday... and today is exactly a year since it was last bumped.

Here are the very special 18-year-old thoughts that went through my mind about letters, colors, and symbols. Luckily with only three chapters we weren't required to drop any of the groups, so none of this was used as drop criteria!

Kappa Kappa Gamma: I didn't like that it had a repeat letter, and the Gamma didn't look Greek enough to me. My university's colors were navy & white, so Kappa's blue & blue didn't leave much room for variety. The owl was a little odd, but the key was pretty- definitely my favorite badge.

Kappa Alpha Theta: I loved the way the full name sounded, and that their nickname was a Greek-looking letter. Black & gold were a bit harsh, but I liked the simplicity of the kite badge.

Delta Gamma: Both letters were fully Greek, which made it seem more special or interesting (and somehow the Delta made the Gamma look more Greek when side-by-side). And they didn't have a Kappa letter like the other two! The white enamel on their badge seemed too strong at the time (although now I think it looks really classy on the DG badge), and I didn't like the Hannah dolls everywhere.


Then for someone else's story... I know one woman who chose her GLO before school started. She researched all three organizations and determined which one she thought would be most beneficial for networking after graduation She was dead set on joining that org, regardless of the chapter itself. And yes, she joined- but I'm not sure whether the org actually helped her post-college.

[AnotherKD]

Loving that this was bumped!

I knew a guy who rushed KDR hard because he was on the crew team and liked that the house had "Rho" in it.

Myself, I hate to say it, but I didn't look at SDT very much because their letters looked like "EAT" to me... even though I got to know them after rush and everyone was great. There were a few sororities whose houses were kind of far away from campus, at least away from the main grouping of sororities, and so I didn't really want them either. (Again, this is coming from a 17-year-old's mind.) Another house seemed too gloomy, as their walls and carpet were a really dark color. I can't remember what else I thought, but I am quite embarrassed that I felt that way back then. I may have ended up elsewhere, but I'm glad I chose KD.

[UofM-TKE]

I went through fraternity rush as a first semester freshmen with 4 other guys from my dorm. We all planned to pledge the same house (bad idea, but who knew any better)?

When we got to the Kappa Sig house and walked into their foyer, I saw a nice version of their coat of arms on the wall. I immediately told my guys that we couldn't pledge here and we all left. The reason was that Kappa Sig has a Caduceus (entwined snakes) on their COA and I thought that this meant that they were a medical fraternity and so, not for us.

I was 17 and hadn't a clue.

[Preston327]

Last semester when I was trying to drum up interest for the new fraternity that contacted me (Phi Delt) the response I got from a lot of people was "I don't want to pledge a group that won't let me drink." Attempts to explain that it was only an in-house ban on alcohol and that as we had no houses that provision likely didn't apply fell on deaf ears.

[Gusteau]

Originally Posted by UofM-TKE

I went through fraternity rush as a first semester freshmen with 4 other guys from my dorm. We all planned to pledge the same house (bad idea, but who knew any better)?

When we got to the Kappa Sig house and walked into their foyer, I saw a nice version of their coat of arms on the wall. I immediately told my guys that we couldn't pledge here and we all left. The reason was that Kappa Sig has a Caduceus (entwined snakes) on their COA and I thought that this meant that they were a medical fraternity and so, not for us.

I was 17 and hadn't a clue.

LOL, I was strongly opposed to any group that used snakes, I have a paralyzing fear of them. Kappa Sig and Theta Chi were out right away. I was also turned off by Phi Kappa Sigma because they almost exclusively refer to themselves as "The Skulls" and I thought it made them sound sketchy.

[aephi alum]

Originally Posted by Gusteau

I was also turned off by Phi Kappa Sigma because they almost exclusively refer to themselves as "The Skulls" and I thought it made them sound sketchy.

One of my dorm floormates was turned off from greek life when he visited for campus preview weekend. This was a weekend in April where all admitted women and minorities are invited to spend Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on campus, go to lectures, go to social events, etc. The prefrosh stayed with current students, and of course fraternity and sorority members were highly encouraged to be hosts as this allowed them to do a bit of pre-rushing. When my floormate arrived, he'd been paired with a host from Phi Kappa Sigma, who greeted him with an exuberant, "Hi, nice to meet you! I'll take you on over to Skullhouse." The term "Skullhouse" put him right off...

[peppermint23]

A lot of girls don't want my house (Sigma Delta Tau) because the letters look like the word "EAT". Okay, sort of, except it's not an epsilon, it's a sigma, and what they stand for is very beautiful and special.

Other bad reasons I hear (not that we all don't consider these at some point):

- I just want to party with cute guys/drink/go to mixers
- I love their mascot/crest/colors. It's so me!
- My friends want Tri Delt so I should be a Tri Delt.
- The girl I talked to wasn't pretty/as pretty as me
- They look like losers/sluts/etc.

[GammaPhi88]

When I went through rush I wanted to cut one house immediately because they wouldn't stop touching my knees. I HATE when people I don't know that well touch me, and this girl was freakin stroking my knees! I don't know if I cut them or they cut me...either way I think it worked out.

Of course, before I got to school I decided I ONLY wanted Alpha Phi or Gamma Phi Beta because they're Alpha chapters at my campus. Of course, once I got to campus I realized how different both those chapters were. Still, I had to be in an Alpha chapter....until I went through rush and realized how no one else judged chapters that way. Funny how things ended up.

[BeeVee]

Mostly at my school, which is a small, private, Christian instution, we mostly get dumb resons for not accepting a bid if it's not from your first choice club and about the size of the club.

Example: "God told me that if I didn't get my first choice, I shouldn't pledge."

Kind of absurd and really annoying because it is the most overused excuse in the book at my school.

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by BeeVee

Mostly at my school, which is a small, private, Christian instution, we mostly get dumb resons for not accepting a bid if it's not from your first choice club and about the size of the club.

Example: "God told me that if I didn't get my first choice, I shouldn't pledge."

Kind of absurd and really annoying because it is the most overused excuse in the book at my school.

I know faith and religion are very personal and private things, but I laughed, HARD. Do groups who do not accept people say "God didn't want us to pledge you!" because that would also be awesome.

I'm going to bring Magic Cheezburger legislation to my sisters

Sorry the Magic Cheezeburger said "Sry I eated it" and that's why we didn't offer your pwecious snowflake angel a bid. We tried again and got "Srsly" and "WTF?" so we were unable to put her as a first or second choice. All of the women we extended bids to came up "U Can Has" or "OMG! YES!!1!" and that is why they were on our first bid list. Please direct your concerns to Ceiling Cat & Basement Cat. Oh, have you seen the LOLruse's bucket?

[Barbie's_Rush]

Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel

Sorry the Magic Cheezeburger said "Sry I eated it" and that's why we didn't offer your pwecious snowflake angel a bid. We tried again and got "Srsly" and "WTF?" so we were unable to put her as a first or second choice. All of the women we extended bids to came up "U Can Has" or "OMG! YES!!1!" and that is why they were on our first bid list. Please direct your concerns to Ceiling Cat & Basement Cat. Oh, have you seen the LOLruse's bucket?

Won't you ever learn not to talk about membership selection rituals in public?

[agzg]

Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel

I'm going to bring Magic Cheezburger legislation to my sisters

Sorry the Magic Cheezeburger said "Sry I eated it" and that's why we didn't offer your pwecious snowflake angel a bid. We tried again and got "Srsly" and "WTF?" so we were unable to put her as a first or second choice. All of the women we extended bids to came up "U Can Has" or "OMG! YES!!1!" and that is why they were on our first bid list. Please direct your concerns to Ceiling Cat & Basement Cat. Oh, have you seen the LOLruse's bucket?