UIUC Rush Story

[Low C Sharp]

Ya'll quit bugging her, this is a great thread and I want to keep reading!!

Rats! This is what I was thinking, too. Now it's too late.

Look. We're talking about a process that involves thousands of young women devoting hundreds of thousands of hours over the course of each school year to their shmoozing skills, matching outfits, decorations, chants, song-and-dance routines, rotational techniques, and even seminars with marketing consultants.

It doesn't make sense to have an attack of the vapors when we learn that -- mercy! -- a consumer of this marketing is actually INFLUENCED by appearances! Break out the smelling salts.

If shallow marketing didn't work on PNMs, groups would not waste their time. I don't think anyone would have jumped down Vixen's throat for saying, "ABC's pref decorations were so beautiful! I felt like I was walking into a fairy castle! I decided right then on ABC!" But honestly, that kind of thing is even less substantive than attractiveness. You can probably learn more about the vibe of a group from the looks of the girls than you can from their skill at pinning Christmas lights to the ceiling.
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Http://Vaporizer.Org/

[TigerOwl]

JWSteele, Thank you!

[Sister Havana]

I'm curious to know which one is my cousin's house. I think I figured it out but I am not sure.

[SECMom]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

Rats! This is what I was thinking, too. Now it's too late.

Look. We're talking about a process that involves thousands of young women devoting hundreds of thousands of hours over the course of each school year to their shmoozing skills, matching outfits, decorations, chants, song-and-dance routines, rotational techniques, and even seminars with marketing consultants.

It doesn't make sense to have an attack of the vapors when we learn that -- mercy! -- a consumer of this marketing is actually INFLUENCED by appearances! Break out the smelling salts.

If shallow marketing didn't work on PNMs, groups would not waste their time. I don't think anyone would have jumped down Vixen's throat for saying, "ABC's pref decorations were so beautiful! I felt like I was walking into a fairy castle! I decided right then on ABC!" But honestly, that kind of thing is even less substantive than attractiveness. You can probably learn more about the vibe of a group from the looks of the girls than you can from their skill at pinning Christmas lights to the ceiling.

AMEN LowCSharp! I always like your posts...but then again, I am a musician....

[TigerOwl]

Oh and Low C Sharp---thank you too for your nice addition to JWSteele's words!

I might add one more small piece---These 1,206 registered PNM's, along with the over 2,000 collegians and advisors in the chapters ALL had to put on their marketing skills for 29 --yes I said 29 parties/invites within a 48 hour period-----yes I said 48 hour period. (Open house and 1st invite) No other university in the country has that many events happening in that short of time!

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

Rats! This is what I was thinking, too. Now it's too late.

Look. We're talking about a process that involves thousands of young women devoting hundreds of thousands of hours over the course of each school year to their shmoozing skills, matching outfits, decorations, chants, song-and-dance routines, rotational techniques, and even seminars with marketing consultants.

It doesn't make sense to have an attack of the vapors when we learn that -- mercy! -- a consumer of this marketing is actually INFLUENCED by appearances! Break out the smelling salts.

If shallow marketing didn't work on PNMs, groups would not waste their time. I don't think anyone would have jumped down Vixen's throat for saying, "ABC's pref decorations were so beautiful! I felt like I was walking into a fairy castle! I decided right then on ABC!" But honestly, that kind of thing is even less substantive than attractiveness. You can probably learn more about the vibe of a group from the looks of the girls than you can from their skill at pinning Christmas lights to the ceiling.

You are so right! That is why I really, really HATE recruitment! It is so false and cheesy! I hope no one joins AOII because they liked our dresses at pref! I guess some do, so I shouldn't be surprised. It really is hard to convince people that sorority life is more than just a popularity contest when we make our intake process one (speaking of recruitment in general not MS secrets of AOII so don't start that!.)

[blondebutsmart]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

You are so right! That is why I really, really HATE recruitment! It is so false and cheesy! I hope no one joins AOII because they liked our dresses at pref! I guess some do, so I shouldn't be surprised. It really is hard to convince people that sorority life is more than just a popularity contest when we make our intake process one (speaking of recruitment in general not MS secrets of AOII so don't start that!.)

Yes, this really turns me off. I would love to find a group of sisters to bond with and to find a philanthropy to contribute to, but this other stuff drives me crazy. It sounds like a lot of high school drama. (I want to leave that behind!)

I'm trying to remember, like someone else said, that not all the girls are like this. I wish the best for littlemissvixen and I hope that means she ends up in a place where other girls might be a good influence on her. Truly, I'm not trying to sound like some goody two shoes, I'm trying to convince myself that I should still give recruitment a try.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by blondebutsmart

Yes, this really turns me off. I would love to find a group of sisters to bond with and to find a philanthropy to contribute to, but this other stuff drives me crazy. It sounds like a lot of high school drama. (I want to leave that behind!)

I'm trying to remember, like someone else said, that not all the girls are like this. I wish the best for littlemissvixen and I hope that means she ends up in a place where other girls might be a good influence on her. Truly, I'm not trying to sound like some goody two shoes, I'm trying to convince myself that I should still give recruitment a try.

It all depends on the school's greek system. In really competitive systems, all of this really matters. You have to get past the popularity component before you can find out if you can have a connection with the groups. In smaller systems like at my alma mater, it's no problem. Sorority life is much more than pretty girls and pretty dresses (though there is nothing wrong with wanting to look your best!) I've become more of a feminist through the years. I truly believe that EVERY woman would benefit from and enrich the greek system. We can't change the ugly parts of recruitment until someone is brave enough to make the change. If you do decide to rush (and there are GREAT reasons to do so!) just be prepared to look past the superficial, ignore the gossip and decide for yourself what is right for you!
P.S. I'm blonde but smart, too!

[AnatraAmore]

Side Note: Large numbers of girls + little to no sleep = drama and/or brutal honesty.

[srmom]

You can probably learn more about the vibe of a group from the looks of the girls than you can from their skill at pinning Christmas lights to the ceiling.

Loved this quote! It made me laugh out loud because it is so true!

Pinning lights to the ceiling - Hee hee

[AnonAlumna]

Thanks for the 'balls' JwSteele and LowC. I think we are quick to forget that we (as the rushers) were probably pretty shallow too. We've all flipped through the picture books and paid more attention to the more attractive PNM's. I don't consider myself shallow, but I was guilty of it too.

I do agree with anyone who was more concerned about her anonymity being compromised. But, please, let's not sugarcoat this process anymore than it is. We all had some shallow biz-natches as our sisters...hopefully, vixen will fit in where she's meant to be.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

Rats! This is what I was thinking, too. Now it's too late.

Look. We're talking about a process that involves thousands of young women devoting hundreds of thousands of hours over the course of each school year to their shmoozing skills, matching outfits, decorations, chants, song-and-dance routines, rotational techniques, and even seminars with marketing consultants.

It doesn't make sense to have an attack of the vapors when we learn that -- mercy! -- a consumer of this marketing is actually INFLUENCED by appearances! Break out the smelling salts.

If shallow marketing didn't work on PNMs, groups would not waste their time. I don't think anyone would have jumped down Vixen's throat for saying, "ABC's pref decorations were so beautiful! I felt like I was walking into a fairy castle! I decided right then on ABC!" But honestly, that kind of thing is even less substantive than attractiveness. You can probably learn more about the vibe of a group from the looks of the girls than you can from their skill at pinning Christmas lights to the ceiling.

I'm not trying to presume/assume anything, but did you read the whole thread with all her posts?

While it was fun to read someone being so open, to reduce the problem mentioned in the thread to merely having trouble with judging groups by the girls' appearance is an oversimplification, I think. She was pretty openly dismissive of many groups. She's not obligated to like everyone, but some stuff can be left unsaid, and if they are said, you're probably going to get judged for it.

I agree that using decorations would be no better a method to rank groups, but it would be less likely to deeply offend anyone because it's so much less personal.