Pref ceremonies

[SydneyK]

Reading all the recruitment threads has me thinking about my own rush experience. Yes, even though it was over a decade ago, I still think about that week.

I know that I must've preffed three sororities, since I ranked three. But for the life of me, I can't remember a THING about one of their pref ceremonies (not surprisingly, the one I can't remember was the one I ranked 3rd). Has that happened to you? I remember KD's (obviously, since that's who I pledged) and one of the others. In fact, I can still remember the lyrics to one of the songs that second group sang. But, I don't even remember being in the third group's party.

For those of you who have been out of school for a while, are there pref memories that you still have? Or have you, like me, completely forgotten about some of them?

[PenguinTrax]

Sounds awful, but I can't remember the pref ceremony for ZTA or Alpha Xi Delta, but the one from Chi Omega sticks in my mind. Go figure, lol. Probably because the room was so dark and hot!

[adpiucf]

We only had 2 pref ceremonies back when I rushed, as there were only seven sororities.

What do I remember? Quite a bit!

ADPi: I remember walking in, having my name announced, and being invited to take a flower from a basket. I was a little nervous: was this a test? What if I picked the wrong one? I blindly reached out and grabbed the nearest stalk among the roses, astromerias, carnations, etc. It was a carnation. Then-- talking to the girl who had rushed me the day before. We sat in her bedroom and sat on her bed, chatting. Her roommate sat on her bed with another PNM. It was quiet and low. She led me into the chapter room which was draped in white, with draped risers for us to sit upon. It was really beautiful. The sisters sang songs and gave testimonials. It was really touching. At last the president gestured to a column atop which sat an empty vase. She said that each of the flowers we had selected when we walked in stood for an individual attribute-- sisters then spoke about the flowers. Turns out my little carnation stood for courage and loyalty! We were invited to place our flowers into the empty vase to complete the bouquet. I got really emotional.

ZTA: I remember walking in, having my name announced and being invited to a take a flower from a basket. Sound familiar? LOL. The girl who had rushed me the day before greeted me and we sat at a table in the chapter room to talk. I think there were floating candles as a centerpiece, but I could be wrong. The ZTA's wore long white dresses with turqoise sashes-- it was a beautiful choice for dresses!!! I can't remember much about the pref ceremony. We were standing, and my knees started to lock. I remember looking around and seeing a lot of familiar faces of ladies I'd been going to the parties with, as well as the great sisters I'd met that week. The room was subdued and dimly lit, giving the ceremony an air of romance and mystery. I liked the atmosphere, but felt that I was having to try too hard to muster the same emotions I'd felt at the first party where the waterworks had just flowed from beginning to end.

After the parties, I met with my PNM buddy, who had just left Pi Phi and DDD. We went to the Student Union to compare notes. We handed in our pref cards... and the next day each of us got her first choice!

[oldrusheenowmom]

I think memories are great and fun to do-- but does this give away a special part of recruitment for the pnm's- I feel hypocritical because I love reading the memories as they bring back some of my own; however, I don't want to "spoil the specialness of the night." Opinions???

My pref ceremony can be summed up in one word:

CHEESECAKE.

[tunatartare]

Originally Posted by OTW

My pref ceremony can be summed up in one word:

CHEESECAKE.

That sounds like a great pref ceremony.

[flirt5721]

Originally Posted by PenguinTrax

Sounds awful, but I can't remember the pref ceremony for ZTA or Alpha Xi Delta, but the one from Chi Omega sticks in my mind. Go figure, lol. Probably because the room was so dark and hot!

It wouldn't help even if you did remember. Our Pref Ceremony was changed last year. I think it is a lot better now

[GtownGirl98]

Since I didn't go through formal recruitment.. I can only tell you about AGD's since I went through the colonizing pref. The whole week was different for me... since I really didn't feel as if I was being "rushed". I know that I met with alumnae one day, then made stuff one night with a bunch of girls from other schools, we didn't have "skit" night, so Pref was just different. I remember sitting with a girl from UK and they were all in black (days before we wore red). They talked about this thing called "The Purpose" which was printed on a pearlly looking paper in the form of a pearl. Then they did the ceremony where we all stood and then I went back to the dorm. I have ADD so I normally space out when people talk too much... so I don't remember much else. I remember going back to my dorm room and praying about the future. If God's plan was for me to be an AGD then I would get an invite back... if not... then I would go through formal rush. See I thought that I wanted to be something different (because they were the group to be) but I also knew that I wanted to be special. So the next day I put up my pearl (no one told us we couldn't have them) and the next night I pledged AGD.

I'm glad that I did because I was apart of something. I am not a member with a number in the thousands, I'm number 33. That is the coolest.

[PenguinTrax]

Originally Posted by flirt5721

It wouldn't help even if you did remember. Our Pref Ceremony was changed last year. I think it is a lot better now

The ceremony has changed more than once, I should think, since I experienced it 24 years ago. Probably before you were born!