PinkBabygirl10's Informal Sorority Recruitment Thread

[Regina Filangie]

Originally Posted by 33girl

First off, in "accessories", the girl she's referring to and that pledge class went through in the fall and are already initiated. They will NOT be her pledgesisters - I don't know where that assumption came from. And if they were - so what? There's no rule that you have to do everything with the girls you pledge with the whole time you're active. If there was, I most certainly would have quit after a semester.
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This makes no sense to me. Ok they wouldn't be her technical pledge class, what I meant is that she will be spending 4 more years with these girls. In my chapter even when we had girls pledge as sophomores they still generally associated with the class of their graduating year. But why in the world would you join an organization where you didn't like the girls and didn't want to be around them? You're saying she can join but then not hang out with them... So what's the point of joining? Obviously you don't have to spend every waking moment with them but I'd hope you would at least enjoy being around them! It seems like her joining this group would just be asking for drama.

Pinkbabygirl- sorry this turned into a debate! Since you're the only one who knows the exact details just follow your heart and if you don't think a chapter is right for you don't feel guilty about not going to their event. But if you think this house could grow on you then definitely give them another chance! Good luck and I hope everything works out for you!

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Regina Filangie

This makes no sense to me. Ok they wouldn't be her technical pledge class, what I meant is that she will be spending 4 more years with these girls. In my chapter even when we had girls pledge as sophomores they still generally associated with the class of their graduating year. But why in the world would you join an organization where you didn't like the girls and didn't want to be around them? You're saying she can join but then not hang out with them... So what's the point of joining? Obviously you don't have to spend every waking moment with them but I'd hope you would at least enjoy being around them! It seems like her joining this group would just be asking for drama.

Umm, there are other girls older than her in the sorority. There will be other girls who join after her who will be younger. Perhaps she can actually talk to them and hang out with them!!

As for my example, my pledge class consisted of 5 girls. I found many other people among the remaining 40 sisters to hang out with. I was super close with some of the girls in my (college) class, not at all with others.

And like I said...there are going to be sisters in EVERY sorority you don't like and don't want to hang out with. Unless the sorority has 5 girls in it. If you say there isn't anyone in your chapter you don't like, you're either Pollyanna or lying through your teeth.

Plus, there's a BIG difference between the OP's original "I don't like this group because my roomie is in it and I don't like her" and the updated "there's all sorts of gnarly stuff I can't go into and I was treated badly during rush and there was an incident with my roommate." #1 I'd say you're being silly to reject the group because of one girl and because the group is new and doesn't know how to rush. #2 maybe you have a valid point.

Oh and one chapter's total would not be increased without the others increasing - she may have meant they have more open spots due to graduations or disaffiliations.

[UGAalum94]

OP, you are wise to try to keep to the positive stuff. Don't feel like you have to defend your decision to us. If you know a chapter well and don't like the girls, it's perfectly fine not to go to their parties. You don't have to explain or justify.


Many of us, however, know of chapters who PNMs didn't consider only because they were small, or new, or awkward at rushing, or had one girl they didn't like. Sometimes groups' reputations aren't based on what most of girls are actually like, but based on size or how selective they appear to be. What you said in your first post allowed us to project our goodwill and hopes for those kind of small chapters onto Accessories, but it appears that Accessories has other issues.


Again, don't worry about convincing us. Go to the ones you like!
Good luck!

[FSUZeta]

total is a figure that applies to all the sororities,and is usually a set number that is the same for all the sororities. the exception is a few campuses, where it seems that each chapter has a different total, sometimes based on the amount of members they can house.

you do not have to give us any reasons why you don't want to go back to all the sororities. what you have said makes me think that you have given this a lot of consideration and have not made snap judgements. those of us who suggested that you visit the maximum that you are allowed, were thinking that you could increase the likelihood of receiving a bid, but you certainly do not want to join a chapter where you would not be happy or more importantly, where you might be hazed.

i admire your desire to be discreet-it shows maturity. honestly though, i did not pick up in your original post that this group has a reputation problem-when i read it, i thought that it was just a typical new chapter, having growing pains and struggling with their first formal recruitment. i think others might have assumed the same thing, because a lot of us are very involved alumnae who have worked with colonies/new chapters. that is why the internet can be both a blessing and a bane!

you seem to have your head squarely on your shoulders and know yourself.
good luck!! please keep us posted.

[Drolefille]

Don't worry if we suggest something you don't like, we're going off of a different set of knowledge and you don't have to correct us. I think you're going about things in a good way and you'll be just fine. Sometimes we just blow smoke anyway

[KSUViolet06]

PinkBabyGirl10...this is informal! You certainly don't have to attend any chapter's events if you don't want to (for any reason).

[33girl]

Pink, sorry if you thought I was arguing with you, I was actually refuting the views of the poster I quoted. Honestly, all I got from your first post was 1) you didn't like your roommate and she was in the sorority 2) they were new and small and didn't know how to rush. The only "reputation" I thought you were referring to was that they were small and therefore lame-os because of their smallness. Personally, I and many other posters consider these very bad reasons not to give a group a second look. If they're a bunch of mean nasty sluts that sniff coke off the nearest flat surface and a goodly number of them have been bitchy to you, that's a different matter.

I know you want to be discreet and that's great, but sometimes it can prevent you from being clear. That's OK, it's all good in the hood.

[LOVEinZTA]

Originally Posted by 33girl

If they're a bunch of mean nasty sluts that sniff coke off the nearest flat surface and a goodly number of them have been bitchy to you, that's a different matter.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Wow, I nearly spewed diet coke when I read that, but very good point.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by PinkBabygirl10

It's possible that maybe all totals were increased, she only told me about her chapter. She said that if totals weren't increased, they would only be able to take 1 or 2 girls since that's all they had room for at this point since they met quota in the fall, and there would be no point in holding informal.

This could also be an answer to the question of how come all chapters are holding informal rush. They all seemed to meet quota or reach qouta through COB events in the fall, so it would make sense that this is the reason why they're all able to participate in informal.

Again, just some guesses. I'm not sure.

It's also very possible that pledge retention is not so great on your campus. Believe me, a sorority would rather say "total was raised" than "a bunch of girls deactivated/depledged", even if that happens across the board.

[Mercergirl2010]

The way your school does informal is very different from the way my school does it. The sororities who were participating in informal sent out special invitations to a just few girls, and we could arrive when we wanted to and leave when we got ready. I'm very interested to hear more about your informal recruitment

[FSUZeta]

if all the pnms in the session that you are attending leave at the 50 minute mark, then it might look odd if you stay around. plus the sisters might be busy getting ready for the next group to come. you might get a better feel for what to do when you are actually at the event.

good luck to you!!

[AChiOhSnap]

Originally Posted by PinkBabygirl10

A small update: Instead of rush being from February 13 - 19, it has been changed to: Feb. 13 is orientation/open house, and Feb. 16-18 are when the parties will be held. Many girls had problems with Valentine's Day falling in the beginning of rush, so they changed it.

I'm a little nervous because instead of about a week of parties, there will only be 3 days.

I don't really know how informal works, so I'm a little nervous. I heard that you can stay as little as you want or as long as you want at each party and only attend the parties you want. But I saw a flyer for EYESHADOW around campus, and on each of the three days of parties, from 4PM - 10PM, they have about six different 50-minute sessions that it says you can attend. But I'm wondering if you can stay longer than the 50 minutes and go into another session. I guess I'll figure it out when it gets closer to rush, and maybe they'll tell us at open house.

Ahhhh, there's a little less than two weeks until rush starts, but I wish it would just start already!

Sounds like you're excited I'd definitely play it by ear in terms of showing up and leaving. The chapter might not tell you "Oh listen, you have to go now" but it might be weird for them if you stick around while they're prepping for the next session. I'd just leave when all the other PNMs take off. They'll probably give you some direction at the parties.

On the other hand, if you're invited to stay at a chapter and you're having a good time then by all means stay. Just go with the flow. Good luck! I'm getting excited for you.

[adpiucf]

Originally Posted by PinkBabygirl10

A small update: Instead of rush being from February 13 - 19, it has been changed to: Feb. 13 is orientation/open house, and Feb. 16-18 are when the parties will be held. Many girls had problems with Valentine's Day falling in the beginning of rush, so they changed it.

I'm a little nervous because instead of about a week of parties, there will only be 3 days.

I don't really know how informal works, so I'm a little nervous. I heard that you can stay as little as you want or as long as you want at each party and only attend the parties you want. But I saw a flyer for EYESHADOW around campus, and on each of the three days of parties, from 4PM - 10PM, they have about six different 50-minute sessions that it says you can attend. But I'm wondering if you can stay longer than the 50 minutes and go into another session. I guess I'll figure it out when it gets closer to rush, and maybe they'll tell us at open house.

Ahhhh, there's a little less than two weeks until rush starts, but I wish it would just start already!

Each sorority will likely structure their informal events differently; just go to the open houses/invitationals and be yourself! Remember that this is a mutual selection: the sororities are interviewing you, but you are also interviewing them. You've had a semester to observe them on-campus, so while 3 days isn't a long time for recruitment, you had the benefit of the fall to see them in action and get a feel for their sisterhood. I hope it all works out!

The 13th will be here before you know it. I know you're excited; take this week to indulge in laying your recruitment clothes, get a pedicure and dress up on campus-- you never know who is watching! You may also want to stop into a few campus club meetings; there may be sorority women who are members. It will also be a great topic of conversation at recruitment when they ask if you are involved on campus: you can tell them that you've started looking into opportunities and attended X, Y and Z recently.

Channel that excited energy into a positive and good luck!

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by PinkBabygirl10

It's better to overdress than underdress, right?

YES.

(That's what my mamma always said.)

[FSUZeta]

i agree with you, i would hesitate to dress in sweats for a recruitment party, but you might not have to dress as if you were going out either. maybe something in between, a dressy pair of jeans, with heeled boots, and a nice sweater-assuming you are farther north than i? ask your panhellenic office if they can suggest the appropriate outfit for open house. good luck!!