Stupid Rushee's not so stellar recruitment!

[33girl]

I think I know who it is (for everyone who hates posts that say that, this one is for you) but I'm not telling ANYONE.

[ComradesTrue]

I am fairly certain as well- one line gave it away to me. Another great retro story that has a point! You absolutely do not have to have warm fuzzies throughout every round and instantly feel like your have met your best friends on bid day. Those things take time, and yes, meaninful sorority experiences can be found in houses that you didn't initially think were for you.

Thanks for sharing.

[LAblondeGPhi]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I just have to note that everytime I see in this thread in "New Posts," I think it says "Salman Rushdee's not so stellar recruitment." What a story that would be.

(And yeah, I know it's "Rushdie.")

I think a Salman Rushdie recruitment story might be hilarious... or super awk.

No fatwas, please

[ThetaDancer]

Originally Posted by Stupid Rushee

The alum that drove me to prefs turned out to be my sister’s adopted Grand Big Sis. She was really cool and came around all the time since she was in grad school. Since it was the first semester that pledge periods had been shortened to 6 weeks, Big Sis/Lil Sis came really quickly. I didn’t know anyone except for my sister. The day before I had to list my preferences for Big Sis, a girl in my Psych class introduced herself to me. She was in my sister’s pledge class. The next night, I put her name down for my Big Sis since I really didn’t know anyone else. Turns out that that alum was her Great, great, great, great grand big sis, and she'd driven me to prefs in my Big's car. She had hand picked me to be in their family and told my Big to meet me. Mandy and I turned out to be great friends, too, over time. The masculine girl from Watermelon’s party came through COB in the spring and pledged Cherry. I thought at the time that Cherries just wanted her because Apple did. I really couldn’t see what they saw in her...and I still don’t because she ended up sleeping with my Big Sis’ fiance! (She tried to friend me on Facebook recently...yeah right!) The important thing I learned is that you're never going to like everyone.

It took me some time to feel that Cherry feeling. Moving into the dorm my second semester helped. We sat up late on most nights in our foyer talking. That's when I really started feeling close to my sisters. Our Chapter Adviser realized that I was artistic and enlisted me to make decorative letters for the dorm windows. This got me started doing projects for the chapter. I don’t think I’d have known I was good at finishing projects if she hadn’t seen it in me. I ended up painting Big Sis/Lil Sis presents and party cups for half the chapter. I took an office- House Manager then ran for a bigger office the next fall. I realized that the more I did with the chapter, the more I started to feel that feeling of sisterhood. I never thought about dropping out since Cherry was a jumping point for joining other groups on campus. After a semester or so, I realized that Cherry was my life!

I ended up taking 3 Lil Sisters, and lived in the dorm the rest of my time in college. I never did like the singing and dancing....thank God that only really happened at rush! My last year, I decided to become a Rho Chi. Luckily, my rushees were smarter than me and actually used my expertise. I thought the experience would be easier than singing and dancing for a whole week, but I was emotionally drained by the experience. Recruitment is such a tough time for women. So many of my rushees had disappointing experiences due to grades, some were like me and just didn’t get the whole deal and some didn’t get the chance to join a sorority. I was baffled because each and every one of the women in my group were awesome people. I couldn’t see how the chapters, including my own, could cut them. I came to realize that recruitment is an imperfect process. For every girl who joins her dream chapter, there is a girl who has to make the chapter she joins into her dream chapter.

I am grateful that I got to join Cherry. I was lucky that my experience, my bad attitude and my stupid behavior didn’t ruin my chance to join a sorority. I lucked out that my sister and her sisters really did want me around. I have no illusions that I was the perfect rushee that got cut for no reason! Instead of seeing me as Greek material for having a sister in another chapter, talking about my sister at every party made them all think I wanted to be a Cherry. I’m lucky that I wasn’t discouraged by not “feeling at home” and not clicking with my new sisters after a short week of rush. After all, I’d only spent approximately 4 1/2 hours with the Cherries before I was one of their “sisters.” Cherry grew on me over time. I’m glad I had the luxury of time!

There are so many words of wisdom in this post, and I hope some PNMs get the chance to read your story. Thanks for sharing!

[lovespink88]

Thank you for sharing this, this is definitely something that all PNMs should read!

[twinkle555]

Very cute story and I'm glad you got the chance to be a Rho Chi.....so who are you? lol

[jennyj87]

Great story! Sometimes you aren't always completely connected through recruitment. Personally it was greek week and the next years recruitment where I truely felt connected.
What sorority!?!?!

[Stupid Rushee]

Sorry I didn't do my reveal last night...I was soooo tired after being on call all weekend! I am AOII Angel, and I am a proud AO "Cherry" Pi!

Apple= Kappa Delta
Strawberry= Phi Mu
Sigma Kappa= Watermelon

The school was Northeast Louisiana University, though, the name has changed to ULM. Luckily, the skits are a thing of the past. Each chapter actually had skits that they did every single year...KD did the Wizard of Oz. In the lat 90s, the greek system hit the skids with only 10 women going through recruitment each fall. Sigma Kappa, unfortunately, couldn't survive with Quota that low and an already small chapter. Looking back, I see pictures of the Sigma Kappas and remember the amazing women who are alumnae of that chapter and wish that college women could see past the ugly comments and see a group worthy of their time.

Off my soapbox! Hope you enjoyed the story.

[BabyPiNK_FL]

I had a feeling Strawberry was my sorority. A lot of girls have such an aversion to pink. I LOVE IT! I would drown myself in pink if I could!

For me, while I understand why it's important to emphasize giving each group a chance, and as a Panhellenic Council member I did just that, I don't think I could do a group that didn't give me the warm-fuzzies. But I think that's because I'm such an emotional person. I'm glad you found your home. And I'm glad you did the right thing by continuing and working hard for your chapter.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by BabyPiNK_FL

I had a feeling Strawberry was my sorority. A lot of girls have such an aversion to pink. I LOVE IT! I would drown myself in pink if I could!

For me, while I understand why it's important to emphasize giving each group a chance, and as a Panhellenic Council member I did just that, I don't think I could do a group that didn't give me the warm-fuzzies. But I think that's because I'm such an emotional person. I'm glad you found your home. And I'm glad you did the right thing by continuing and working hard for your chapter.

I agree with you BabyPiNK, everyone is so different. There are people out there that wouldn't get the warm and fuzzies if you wrapped them in a heating blanket! If you get those feelings, great...follow your heart. If you don't get them, don't assume that sorority life is not for you!

[kiteflyersmom]

AOII Angel,

Thanks for a great story. I love reading your posts and although I haven't been around here very long, I have come to regard you as one of the most wise, kind, and thoughful posters on here.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by kiteflyersmom

AOII Angel,

Thanks for a great story. I love reading your posts and although I haven't been around here very long, I have come to regard you as one of the most wise, kind, and thoughful posters on here.

Thank you, kiteflyersmom. I do try.

[twinkle555]

Yay AO-CHERRY-Pi!! <3