A Spring 2000 Retro Thread - Yes, I Went There! :)

[polarpi]

I know, I know…many of you are looking forward to the retro threads coming to an end I figured that I could try and help bridge the gap to our first recruitment of the fall, and it’s something I wish I could’ve done when I went through recruitment in Spring 2000.

I’m not going to give fake names, since while not each chapter was a fit for me, each chapter at Valparaiso was a wonderful organization and had a lot to offer each individual going through recruitment. They just weren’t for me

Now, for a little background: I went through formal recruitment as a sophomore, which wasn’t *that* common (from what I could tell), but wasn’t much of a problem for the chapters. I debated my freshman year going through recruitment, and decided before the end of the first semester that I didn’t want to go through at that time. Of course, I wished I hadn’t made that decision when I sat with one of my best friends in the hallway of our dorm after she returned from her bid night and talked for FOUR hours about everything she experienced. I thought about trying COR that semester, but I had gotten super involved with a number of activities on campus and it never seemed to work out.

In the fall of 1999, I was rooming with one of my best friends from freshman year (who had joined KD through COR within a week of formal recruitment), and I still remember the night when a bunch of her KD sisters came to our room to extend bids to a number of our friends…excluding me. It was a hard night to sit there and keep smiling when all I could feel was my heart breaking; I decided to go through formal recruitment that January.

The chapters on campus at the time I registered for recruitment were as follows:
Alpha Delta Pi
Alpha Sigma Tau
Chi Omega
Delta Delta Delta
Gamma Phi Beta
Kappa Delta
Kappa Kappa Gamma
Pi Beta Phi

Before recruitment started, I had my heart set on joining KD – just because that’s where all my friends were. I knew a *few* people in the other chapters, but I was so determined that I wanted to join the same sisterhood as my best friends (PNM’s, it’s always good to remember to go where you believe you can make the most of your membership, not just the most popular or where you know everyone who’s already there).

(Additional side note: I had talked to a few family friends around the time I had decided to go through recruitment – they were members of a sorority in Illinois, and gave me some advice as to what they looked for in PNM’s during recruitment, including tips for outfits each day.)

As the winter break ended, I flew back to school from San Diego ready to get this experience started….

[honeychile]

I can't wait to hear this! One of my best friends works at Valpo, and her daughter will be starting there this semester. Unfortunately, her dd is super involved already, so she isn't sure if she's going to rush or not.

[howtheSunrose]

I'm not tired of retro threads at all! They're keeping me entertained until school starts. Let's hear it!

[polarpi]

Returning to school, that Sunday night we met with our Rho Chi’s to discuss what to expect for the week of recruitment. My Rho Chi was really sweet (and I already knew what sorority she was a member of, having seen her wearing letters before their disaffiliation the previous December) and made each of us in our group little bags that we could throw our makeup and other necessities in, as well as breath mints, a pad of paper, and a pen to jot our notes on between rounds. I *think* (as I don’t have any notes or journals from this period of time to use to recall ) the following night was an orientation with the sororities (and maybe the PNM’s? Things are a bit of a blur) that was designed to get us all excited for the coming week (not that it was THAT difficult )

Tuesday morning, I was at the sorority dorm a little early, dressed in a nice sweater, khaki pants, and black dress shoes. Before the first round of recruitment began, the Panhellenic President, Vice President of Recruitment, and Greek Advisor all welcomed us and encouraged us to have fun and really look at what each of these organizations was about. We also learned, at that time, that Alpha Sigma Tau would no longer be participating in formal recruitment, so that first day we had a break during the parties for the time we would have been visiting their chapter room. (The chapter was closed shortly after formal recruitment ended). Each chapter was going to be talking about one of the eight reasons to go Greek (the theme of that year); while the Panhellenic Exec talked about the reason Alpha Sigma Tau had been assigned to share with the PNM’s.

I do not remember the specific order that I went to the organizations in (except for ADP), so I will just share what I can remember of each organization from the first round:

ADP: First party of formal recruitment – unfortunately, I’m also the first person alphabetically in my group, so my heart is pounding a million miles a minute that I have to be first in the door of all parties, but especially during this first party, I think I was ten times more nervous than ever. When I got into the room, the formal recruitment chair greeted me and introduced me to her sister, who led me to one side of the room. I had the chance to talk to her and a few other sisters, and then the chapter sang a song for us (to this day, it’s how I remember the Greek Alphabet in order!)

CW: Don’t remember too much from this party – these women are super smart and great on campus. I remember that their chapter room was very well decorated and that I enjoyed talking to the women I had the opportunity to meet.

DDD: One of my neighbors from freshman year joined this chapter during formal recruitment the following year. I also knew a few of the girls from classes, and enjoyed talking to those women I had the opportunity to meet (sound familiar? )

GFB: The women in this chapter are absolutely amazing. I really loved the people I met in the chapter that I talked with, and I still remember the large camel that was in the corner of their room. (Almost everyone who went through recruitment with me remembers that camel!)

KD: The first party I felt somewhat relaxed at – I knew the majority of the sisters already from my roommate and friends, so the women I got to talk to were ones that I hadn’t spoken with before or hadn’t spent much time with previously. I still absolutely loved this chapter and would have really enjoyed becoming part of their sisterhood.

KKG: My roommate from freshman year joined this chapter; while I didn’t talk to her, I saw her across the room and was a little nervous about being in this room. (We didn’t exactly end the year on good terms). I knew some other women in the chapter, and while I enjoyed the women I talked to, I knew that if I had the opportunity, I would drop this chapter first (not that I didn’t love the girls in the chapter, just that I knew that I wouldn’t be happy here).

PBF: I honestly can’t remember anything from this chapter, but I was willing to give them another chance if I had the opportunity to return to them the following round. (During following years, they became our “practice” partners when we had all chapter workdays and worked on recruitment conversations – these were some great women!)

So at the end of the day, I think our Rho Chi told us what time to be at the dorm the next night. Classes began the following morning, and I had warned my Rho Chi that I may be late to recruitment, as I had a night class that was scheduled to run through at least the first party. She assured me that the sorority that I would have attended first would be notified about the class conflict, and I went off to my room to go relax (and not talk to my roommate at all about recruitment!)

[polarpi]

Wednesday afternoon, we went to the student union to see which chapters had invited us back for philanthropy round, and to determine our schedule for the next two nights (3 chapters per night). When I opened my envelope with my invitations, I had been invited back to:
ADP
CW
DDD
GFB
KD
PBF

So I had a full schedule for the round (yippee!) I again made sure that it was known that I might be late to that night’s parties, and they told me they’d make sure that it was known to the chapter I’d be visiting first (Pi Beta Phi).

Again, since I don’t remember *many* specific details, I’m just going to write what I can remember.

ADP: Worked on embroidering quilt squares that were then going to be sewn together into a large quilt to take to (I think) a nearby RMH. All I remember from the craft was thinking that my skills really stunk, and I was having a hard time working on the craft and talking at the same time.

CW: Putting together toiletry kits – talked to a few different ladies here than the last round, and was surprised that I still enjoyed my time with the chapter (I honestly wouldn’t have pictured myself with this chapter when I went through recruitment).

DDD: Worked on little beanbags (I think, or boo-boo bunnies?) for their philanthropy. I had a lot of fun with the girls I talked to (again, this would not have been a chapter I probably would’ve seen myself returning to for personal reasons, though every one of the girls in the chapter was super nice!)

GFB: I remember moving around the room a couple of times (the furniture had ALL been moved out of the room) while we worked on putting together books for one of the chapter’s philanthropies.

KD: Again, I felt really relaxed here – I remember putting together a caterpillar-type object, but mainly I remember talking with the girls more and looking at photo albums.

PBF: My first party of the round (Wed.) – I was actually out of class early and made it to the sorority dorm before the parties began, so I was able to attend the party as if there had been no conflict at all! I can’t remember our craft here or any of the other details from this round.

(Sorry - I *really* wish I could remember more of the details, it seems like all I keep saying is the generic “oh they’re all great” and “I worked on the craft”…not that the chapters at Valpo aren’t great!)

So, the second round came to an end, and the next day we’d be getting our invitations. There was a little conflict that I unfortunately could NOT avoid…..




(P.S. The rest of the story will come tomorrow - I'm off to get some sleep!)

[polarpi]

The next day, I returned to the student union to see my invitations for the night’s third round parties (Theme Night). I had been invited back to:
Alpha Delta Pi
Delta Delta Delta
Kappa Delta

Three parties (out of four) – not bad!

Now, the conflict – I had signed up to take a test for my program prior to registering for recruitment. I had been given (bad) information that it was not being offered at Valparaiso on that Saturday, so the nearest location for me was driving down to Ball State University, which meant I’d have to completely miss the third round of parties. (I later found out that it WAS being offered at Valpo, but I didn’t realize it in time to make the change with ETS and didn’t have it in me to risk showing up at the testing location that Saturday at Valpo and not be able to take the test). So, before recruitment began, I made sure that I had written a letter to all the chapters on campus that I was unfortunately going to be missing the third round of parties, and hoped that I would still be considered for membership in their organization (or something along those lines). Yes, I knew that this could hurt my chances, but at the time I didn’t realize if I *could* change my location and I also was using the time to go see family (that lived in Muncie).

I told my Rho Chi how I would “rank” the remaining chapters (if I was invited back to all three for preference), and then left that afternoon after classes to drive down to Muncie….

[polarpi]

I spent the next morning taking the PPST, and then drove back to Valpo (the time difference between NW Indiana and the rest of the state really helped me out in this case!) and arrived back in time to receive my invitations for Preference that evening. I had been invited back to:
Alpha Delta Pi
Delta Delta Delta

When I saw my invites, I was crushed – I still loved the ladies of Kappa Delta, and was disappointed that my chance to join their sisterhood and be with my best friends had been taken away. However, I returned back to my room (where my roommate was quickly gathering her things to head over to the chapter room) and began to get ready for preference that night. I walked over to the sorority dorm and put my best face forward.

The first preference party I went to was Alpha Delta Pi. I remember being led by the woman I talked to first on the first day of recruitment over to a small café table with two chairs. She handed me a note that she had written to me, and I immediately started crying. She told me about how being so far from home (she’s also from CA) was hard, but the women in the chapter had made it a little easier to be away from all that was familiar. The chapter sang songs, passes around the badge, and we made a wish in the wishing well (which I still don’t remember the wishing well, but have been told this is the case, so… )

I then attended the preference party of Delta Delta Delta. When we walked in, the woman that was preffing us gave us a pearl bracelet to wear. We talked at large tables with others, and then I remember a chapter member talked about what the chapter meant to her and then a song was sung by other chapter members. As we left the room, we were asked to place the pearl bracelet on the tree by the door and to make a wish.

We walked from the sorority dorm to the student union, where we were told that we would be ranking the chapters in the order of where we’d wish to receive a bid from the following day. I sat and thought for a while, and then wrote down in the following order:

1. Alpha Delta Pi
2. Delta Delta Delta

I turned my preference card into the Panhellenic Exec and left the student union to return to my room. As strict silence had begun, I had originally hoped to hang out with some of the girls in my Rho Chi group (so that I didn’t have to worry about being in the room with my roommate and avoiding the huge elephant in the room with us ), but that didn’t wind up working. I wound up falling asleep before my roommate returned to our room that night…..

[polarpi]

The following day, I woke up and spent the morning working on schoolwork. We didn’t go over to the student union to begin bid day activities until around 2:30 or 3 (I think).

When I did get to the student union, those of us who were there for bid day were milling around the lobby, and I began talking with one of the girls that was going through recruitment. As we were called into the Great Hall, she and I continued to talk quietly and wound up standing next to each other.

We were handed large manila envelopes as we walked in the room and were told to stand in a circle and then sit on our bids. (Yes, they tortured us! ) Most of the details of all that we did escape me, but we watched a video montage of pictures from the different chapters. The Rho Chi’s did their reveal (BTW, mine was a GFB), and one of the chapters had not had a Rho Chi that recruitment, so a chapter member had been sent over to collect their new members and was standing on the side for that point.

The moment had finally arrived…..I opened my manila envelope and pulled out a smaller white envelope…..which I opened and pulled out the bid card.

As you pretty much already know from my signature, it read something along the lines (since I *think* the Panhellenic Association did all the bid cards – I’d have to go through boxes of my stuff to determine differently):

“The Panhellenic Association of Valparaiso University is pleased to extend you a bid to Alpha Delta Pi”

The girl I had been talking to was looking at her bid, and we shared with one another – we had BOTH been extended bids to ADP! We shrieked and gave each other the hugest hugs, and ran over to our chapter representative. Before the newest members left the Great Hall, we were introducing ourselves to our fellow new members and learning different cheers to sing on our way back to the dorm.

The roar in the ADP chapter room when we walked in was so overwhelming – they were screaming and cheering and giving us hugs all over the place! This was the largest new member class our chapter had taken since their chartering, and everyone was super excited.

We spent the night playing a number of getting to know you games, meeting our New Member Coordinator, and just beginning the lifelong bond.

As I continued my education at Valpo, I learned that although I may not have joined the same sisterhood as ALL my friends from freshman year, I still remained very close with many of them, and I began to grow into the person I am today. While I still hold the KD’s at VU in the highest regard, I know that I was supposed to be an ADP – I had many opportunities to hold leadership positions and go through the crazy ride that was my experience that may not have been available had I joined any other chapter on campus.

Yes, my chapter did close after I had graduated But I still hold every second of my time in the chapter as some of my greatest memories from college, and the women I met there continue to be very important in my life. For example:

My bid day buddy turned into my roommate the following year, and we studied overseas together and I stood up in her wedding two years after I graduated from school.

My New Member Coordinator is still a good friend, sister, and one of my favorite GCers

I still talk occasionally with the girl who first met me at ADP on the first day of recruitment – and for the next few years after I joined, we still talked about how nervous *I* was on that first day, and the Formal Recruitment Chair just took one look at me (in her nervousness) and knew that I would be a sister by the end of the week.

Thanks for letting me get this all out – if I had known about GC when I went through recruitment, I probably would’ve fed you the story then!

[AlwaysSAI]

What a great story!!

[adpi*violet]

Yeah- great story!
Pi love, "Your" NMC

[howtheSunrose]

Glad you found your home in ADPi!

[texas*princess]

What a great story!!

Adpi love & mine -- t*p

[honeychile]

*sniffle*

It wouldn't be the same without you!! I'm so glad that you got your bid to ADP, sister mine!