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Classes, classes, classes. Monday was one of my busier days that semester, and I can honestly say that I don't remember a whole lot about how classes went that day because I was too distracted to pay much attention. Lucky for me it was earlier in the school year, right?
I had a good feeling about that day. I'd enjoyed myself the days before, I was discovering that I liked one of the chapters a lot more than I had on the first day, and I'd had what I felt were good conversations at my favorite both days. If I could just make it through that night's parties and preference the night after, I could maybe, possibly become a sister to one of those amazing organizations.
When my last class of the day got out, I had a few hours before we were supposed to meet up with Mandy for our schedules, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to grab a bite to eat. I made for the cafeteria, got a nice grilled cheese sandwich and some fries, and sat down to eat.
...
And then my phone rang.
Mandy's name and number flashed on my caller ID.
I'd heard of this - it was what so many of the girls in my Rho Chi group were afraid of. Being cut. Being dropped from recruitment. Was it really happening to me? Maybe she just had something else to talk about. A change in the meeting place, maybe.
I answered the phone.
It wasn't a change in the time or place for the meeting. No, of course it wasn't. She was letting me know - and it honestly sounded like she felt bad for me - that I'd been released from recruitment and that I didn't need to show up tonight to pick up my schedule. She said that this happens sometimes, and that I could register with the Greek life office to let them know I was interested in spring informal recruitment, and that if I wanted to talk I could call or text her anytime. I thanked her. We hung up.
I ate, but I was only barely aware of the food. Dropped. I'd been dropped. I remember trying to frantically pinpoint where I'd messed up - had my questions been insensitive? Had I said something bad about something one of the girls liked? Were my grades too low? I'd graduated high school with a 3.7, but maybe they were looking for girls with a solid 4.0.
Informal recruitment... I didn't know if I wanted to do it or not. Would it be the same? Different? Mandy'd said that the spring recruitment was a more relaxed way of getting to know the girls on a personal level, and that it worked well for people who didn't have the time for formal recruitment or for people who'd been too nervous to get to know the other girls.
It might be good to try, maybe. I'd had my first taste of Greek life and I'd loved what I'd found there.
The chapters had been full of girls who had something to contribute to the world around them. During the next semester, I'd focus on getting good grades... and discovering what I had to offer a chapter. After all, if I went through with this and it worked out, not only would I be gaining sisters, but they'd be getting me as a sister, too. Sisterhood is a two-way street, after all.
Over the next few days - as the shock of being dropped started to wear off, after I heard that Alison's friend from high school had pledged Hong Kong, as I got to know the other people living in our dorm and as I got better at balancing school and work - I decided that I wasn't going to let one failure keep me down.
Come spring, I was going to give informal recruitment a try.
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