Okay, Okay, carnation's retro rush thread (ie, how not to do recruitment)

[carnation]

It was the rush counselor. She had said she would be calling the floor phone if any one of us upperclassmen didn't get a bid.

[AlwaysSAI]

All of these cliff hangers just are not fair!

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by carnation

It was the rush counselor. She had said she would be calling the floor phone if any one of us upperclassmen didn't get a bid.

That's kind of embarrassing. I mean, not that word wouldn't get out, but imagine someone answering the floor phone and yelling "Hey Patty PNM, the rush counselor is on the phone for you..." and then Patty yelling "Debbie Downer, it's your turn...".

[violetpretty]

Did you not have individual room phones?

[carnation]

The individual room phones were turned off during rush in the PNMs' dorms. Back then, with no cell phones or computers, silence meant silence unless maybe you sneaked out somewhere to use a phone in, I don't know, a fraternity house (then you would have been in double trouble if caught).

[AnchorAlumna]

Carnation, you are such a TEASE!
"The phone rang."
Was it a dark and stormy night?!?

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by carnation

The individual room phones were turned off during rush in the PNMs' dorms. Back then, with no cell phones or computers, silence meant silence unless maybe you sneaked out somewhere to use a phone in, I don't know, a fraternity house (then you would have been in double trouble if caught).

I love these little reminders of how much authority institutions used to have. Assuming we could rule out computers and cell phones some way, imagine the complaints the university would get from momma and daddy today if they did something similar.

[carnation]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

Carnation, you are such a TEASE!
"The phone rang."
Was it a dark and stormy night?!?

No, I'm sure it was a hot and sunny Alabama morning!

We all clustered around the phone. The RC trilled, "Just wanted you guys to know that you all got bids!" Split feelings here: we were glad to know that but she had also told us the phone would ring only if someone had been dropped. Our hearts were still pounding.

A few hours later, we were on our way to the Social Center. Some of you have described the beautiful bids you received; well, all the rushees got the same type of bid. It was (wait for it): A COMPUTER CARD!

And God had smiled on me. My card invited me to become a member of

PI BETA PHI!!

[Low C Sharp]

I knew the ending was happy for carnation, but it's a nice surprise to hear that the other upperclassmen got bids, too. Did they accept them?

I love these little reminders of how much authority institutions used to have.

I know! Some of the old women's dorms at my college still have these special hooks on them. If you had a male guest (which was permitted only during certain daylight hours), the door had to remain open by 12 inches, and the hook held the door open by exactly that distance.
________

[Hopeful_Bubbles]

Originally Posted by carnation

No, I'm sure it was a hot and sunny Alabama morning!

Aww- you went and ruined the great, grainy, black&white scene I had going in my mind! I love stories with happy endings, even if I know they're coming. Great story!

[AlwaysSAI]

YaY for Carnation & Pi Beta Phi!!!

[carnation]

There were about 10 other upperclassmen rushing from my dorm. One dropped out when her group of choice dropped her but the rest got the groups we wanted; I recall that one went Tri Delt and one went KD. Now I do want to say that some didn't get the sororities they wanted in the beginning, it was more like they got what they wanted once all the groups that didn't want upperclassmen had made their cuts.

Let's see, other random memories: the Orange Bowl Queen pledged, after being fought over tooth and nail by all the groups. However, she spent a lot of time partying and flunked out; she was never initiated. The 2 girls in my recruitment group who never smiled once during rush and always looked mad, even in parties, also managed to pledge great groups--?? Maybe they were socially prominent?

One girl in my rush group was the sister of a girl who'd rushed three times to try to pledge a certain sorority and was finally successful the third time. Little sister pledged the same sorority but depledged weeks later.

[UGAalum94]

You tell a great story, Carnation! Thanks for posting!

Originally Posted by carnation

One girl in my rush group was the sister of a girl who'd rushed three times to try to pledge a certain sorority and was finally successful the third time. Little sister pledged the same sorority but depledged weeks later.

Wow. Was this a group that did informal or are we talking about a junior who kept repeating formal preffing but never ranking high enough to get her group? Or dropping out when they cut her and rushing the next year?

At least she wasn't among the people I've heard about who simply withdrew from classes and went elsewhere if they didn't get a group they liked.

[carnation]

No, this was a very elite group that Big Sis had somehow focused on from year 1 even though Auburn has many outstanding chapters. I don't know at what point she was cut from them in the first 2 years but it was during formal rush.

[violetpretty]

This reminds me of a PNM of mine when I was a Rho Gamma. She wanted me to call her regardless of whether she got a bid or not (I double checked with PHA to make sure this was ok) because she only attended one chapter for preference. She did get a bid from the group and she was ecstatic and very relieved. She screamed so loudly that I had to move the phone away from my ears!

Also, when you dropped all but two chapters, this reminded me of when of when another PNM in my group told me that she wanted to suicide her legacy chapter after skit round. The rules on our campus forced her to rank all of her chapters after skit round. She did suicide after preference and join her legacy chapter though.

Great story, carnation! It was interesting to see how things were done back then!