My recruitment story

[Blueink]

alright alright I'm going to give an update, but don't get too excited it's not quite over yet.

Everyone walks into the union to rank the 1 and 2 choices. My RC and I talk for awhile... well really I guess I more cried. This is never how I (or really I think how anyone) dreams rush will turn out. She called over some other girl who was like in charge of rush, and I guess on hand for girls like me who clearly were having a tough time. They encouraged me that it wasn't about what house I was in, it was about being Greek. So eventually after about an hour I went to the room where we were going to list the 1 and 2 choices. I'm standing in line waiting and waiting, and I can't do it. I can't wait in line to rank my number one choice and number two choice when I wasn't in love with them. So I left. No first choice, no second choice, I guess this would be dropping out? I'm not sure but I just walked out.

If I thought today was hard, man tomorrow (bid day) was even worse. I woke up feeling okay, got dressed and went downstairs to go to my classes and get on with my life. There are suddenly girls everywhere wearing the bid day shirt for the sorority they were in. Those rushing find out where they got a bid in the afternoon, so these were just actives. Everywhere I turned someone was wearing a shirt, they were EVERYWHERE. No escaping it. My day was going terrible, not only was I still beating myself up about why I didn't get any of my top 4 choices, but it was just like rubbing salt in my wound seeing the girls everywhere. I saw my RC on the bus and just avoided her like she was the plague. So I got back to my room and was feeling really shitty.

Then my phone rings and it's the director of Greek Life. I'm freaking out, like oh no I'm in trouble for not ranking 1 and 2, thinking of all the things that I could be in trouble for, why was this guy calling me! So he explains how he knows I didn't rank but Moonlit path wants to offer me a bid still, and if I want to accept to come to bid day like any other student and I could have it.

So I sit down and think about what to do - - -

[AlethiaSi]

You're killin' me smalls!

[ErinBee]

OMG, please don't let us wait any longer. I'm dying over here.

[Benzgirl]

You are not playing fair, BlueInk

[Blueink]

Well I mean I really did have to think about it!!!

So I decide to just go for it, and I go to bid day and partake in all of the activities with Moonlit Path I meet my pledge class, we go back to the house and hang out outside have some munchies, etc. Basically just get to know the girls better.





Fast forward about 3 weeks.








I've been going along doing my thing with Moonlit Path and things just aren't clicking like I was hoping, and like the R.C's said they were. I had nothing in common with my pledge class mates, nothing in common with the girls. It was just awkward and it just obviously wasn't the right house for me. I made the decision to de-pledge which wasn't easy, I felt bad these were nice girls, but it just wasn't the house for me. So after depledging and doing all of that glorious stuff, I go on with life. . . . .

( it almost seems unfair to give such a HUGE decision such a short post, but I don't know what else to say. Moonlit path isn't a bad house, and the girls are nice girls, but I don't know how to explain my feelings exactly, it's just one of those things I think you know. )

[Blueink]

no more for tonight but I promise I'll try and give at least one more update by Monday morning... =)

[AOII Angel]

Blueink...I'm glad you gave it a chance. Recruitment can be really difficult on PNMs to really get an idea of what a chapter is about. You gave it a shot, I'm sorry it didn't work out for you. I guess it just proves that your first impressions were correct for you.

[breathesgelatin]

So this was all a year and a half ago during fall recruitment 2006??? don't leave us hanging!

sorry though that Moonlit Path didn't work out for you....

[Blueink]

Okay so yes I depledged Moonlit path. Like I said it was a hard choice, but not one that I've regretted. Sure it was weird to watch my other friends get initiated into moonlit path, and other sororities they were in, but like I said I just moved on, there is plenty enough to do here without being Greek.

I continued to talk up going Greek to my girl friends from my floor. When spring rolled around I had been invited to a couple of "interest parties" and I went with my friends. (don't worry I knew I couldn't get a bid because I was bound to moonlit path) so we just went to check things out, really more I was going for them to show them what it was all about! And also for me to see if my feelings were the same for the houses I had liked.

Really my friends and I only made it to two of the parties, Sensual Amber and Mango Mandarin.

(Informal recruitment at my school is just when the houses have parties and see who's interested so it's completely different than formal.)

So we go to Sensual Amber they show us around the house again, it looks like one room has been redecorated, and that is actually the room we ended up talking. The girl that was talking to me was really nice and down to earth, but I made it really clear about Moonlit path, and that I was there for my friends. We were just kind of hanging out having a nice time. My friends both had a really nice time at the house. The next day they both got calls asking them if they wanted bids. They asked for some time to think about it, as they had some other houses they wanted to see. To my surprise I also got a call, which was weird- I explained about Moonlit path, and boy it sucked to have to explain that when this had been one of my top two choices!! I asked them to keep me in mind for fall though!

We also went to Mango MandarinI had an excellent time here too, my friends seemed to enjoy themselves, I actually had two different friends with me at this house, one was a legacy to Mango Mandarin, and the other was just interested. Once again I made it really clear about not being able to accept a bid, and the next day I got another call. (Which once again sucked to turn down a bid to one of my top two choices!)

So that was sad/weird to have to turn down both bids when they were my top two! I was just like why couldn't they have offered me bids in the FALL!!! Ahhh! (In hindsight I think it was because of my H.S. grades) but I doubt I'll ever really know!
As for my friends: the two that went with me to Sensual Amber ended up going Coconut Lime Verbena, the two that went with me to Mango Mandarin, neither of them joined a sorority.

Slight sidetrack:
I ended up applying for an RA position which was something I had really wanted to do and Moonlit path had told me I had no chances of doing, so I applied, and got an Alternate Position for the 2007-2008 year. My mom was bummed about it, but I was happy in my mind it was perfect. I would be an alternate, not get the RA job for fall 07, rush again, be successful, and then magically for the spring semester 08 I would get the RA job and everything would fall into place...

This is what I did know though, the experiences from the Interest parties really helped to boost my confidence & get me SOO excited for fall 2007. . .

[ErinBee]

AHH!! Then what happened? I am so hooked to this story. It has to win some award for most cliff hangers.

[FSUZeta]

could it be that because the opportunity to join a sorority had to be tabled until the fall, that you were more relaxed and yourself when you took your friends to the informal events? you know, the pressures off, kind of thing?

no matter what, i can't wait to learn more!

[Blueink]

Okay so you have heard all about my 2006-2007 experience. All summer I was anticipating fall rush. I couldn't wait to get started! But I'm sure no one will be surprised when I say that I have another bump in my path towards rushing.

One week before school starts I'm baking some sugar cookies & my cell phone rings. I didn't recognize the number; the area code is from by my school though. I hesitate to answer, but eventually I do. Then I was offered an RA position for the 07-08 year. This was shocking news and unexpected to say the least. I was excited though, packed up my stuff and headed down to school to be an RA. The year starts off well & I see the signs go up for fall recruitment. I go talk to my boss to make sure that it's okay if I rush. This is when he tells me that I can't do it. I was mad/angry/sad/disappointed. I had been waiting for what felt like forever. There was no way to convince him otherwise so I was unable to go through formal recruitment. He said that since I was a first year RA I was going to be very busy and stressed out, especially around homecoming and basically that was his reasoning for why I couldn't do it.

As the semester neared an end I talked to him about spring informal, he started giving me the runaround, not saying yes or no. Over break I got to thinking what was important to me and whatnot. I decided that rushing was something that I really wanted to try again & I knew I would regret it if I didn't. When we got back from break I went to the supervisor of my building (and my supervisors supervisor) she didn't say yes, but she didn't say no. She told me to go to the interest parties that interested me and then we would talk about it.

I had made up my mind that I liked Sensual Amber & Mango Mandarin I planned to attend both parties, and also maybe Warm Vanilla Sugar.

After the past year I had more time to get a look at the girls in each of these houses, what they were about, where I felt comfortable etc. Going into the interest parties, it kind of worked out perfectly Sensual Amber who was my first choice had the first interest party, and then later in the week Mango Mandarin & Warm Vanilla Sugar had parties.



And now I've got class - I will update within 24 hours I promise!!

[LegallyBrunette]

Originally Posted by Blueink

I go talk to my boss to make sure that it's okay if I rush. This is when he tells me that I can't do it. I was mad/angry/sad/disappointed. I had been waiting for what felt like forever. There was no way to convince him otherwise so I was unable to go through formal recruitment. He said that since I was a first year RA I was going to be very busy and stressed out, especially around homecoming and basically that was his reasoning for why I couldn't do it.

I've heard other stories about Resident Life forbidding RAs from going through recruitment and I've always wondered if they can actually do that. In theory, aren't RAs picked based on their maturity and such--basically, why would it matter if you're going through Recruitment so long as your work as an RA isn't suffering?

Sorry, I'm having a hard time expressing myself here. That Res Life could do this always seemed ridiculous to me.

PS, great story! hurry back & update!

[FSUZeta]

Originally Posted by LegallyBrunette

I've heard other stories about Resident Life forbidding RAs from going through recruitment and I've always wondered if they can actually do that. In theory, aren't RAs picked based on their maturity and such--basically, why would it matter if you're going through Recruitment so long as your work as an RA isn't suffering?

Sorry, I'm having a hard time expressing myself here. That Res Life could do this always seemed ridiculous to me.

PS, great story! hurry back & update!

i've heard too many times of girl r.a.'s wanting to rush and being told they could not by their supervisor. i think part of it has to do with some of the supervisors having chips on their shoulders when it comes to anything greek. it would be worth investigating whether they actually can forbid the girls from rushing or not.

can't wait to hear what happens next!

[Benzgirl]

My brother was an RA and we had an RA in our chapter. No one discouraged it. At our school it was not anti-Greek. They did stress that you had to balance your commitments.