Vintage Missouri Recruitment!

[tigerivy]

Originally Posted by vintagemizzou

Day 4- Pref
This day we could go to three houses, I got my list and I had been cut by Portugal. I was a little disappointed because they were definitely in my top two, but I was very happy to be retuning to England and was glad that Monaco hadn't released me. I still had a tough decision to make Finland or Denmark? I decided to release Finland over Denmark because I had just had such rough conversations there all week and I knew that Denmark at least really wanted me.
First up was Denmark. They had scared me a bit with their over-zealous ness during the week, I really felt a true bond between the girls and knew that they wanted me to be in their sisterhood. I was very happy there and thought that I could probably be very happy there.
Next up- Monaco. Monaco was lovely, but I really felt like I was going through the motions, smiling, talking, etc. I knew that it wasn’t really making my heart sing to be there.
At both Denmark and Monaco, I was really impressed by the ritual and beauty of their ceremonies. Both houses made it clear that I would be a good addition to their houses and that they wanted me. But I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be one of them. They were both wonderful houses, but I wasn’t swept away with desire to be a member. Also, both of the ceremonies were beautiful and meaningful, but I wasn’t quite understanding why the girls in the house, especially seniors, were crying. I vividly remember sitting there thinking “you still have your entire senior year together- why are you all upset?”.
I had England last. This was the house that had comforted me and had seemed the most “real” during the week. At the pref ceremony, the president talked about sisterhood and shared some funny stories. The fact that this ceremony was a little more lighthearted and not filled with tears and a somber attitude was exactly what I needed. I talked to the same girl as the day before. I knew that I wanted to be in this house. I wasn’t feeling like I was having to put on a show or project myself to be the type of person I thought they wanted… I knew that they wanted me for me. At this point the words of my sister-in-law “you will just know when you have found your home” came true. I really wanted to be in England.
It was easy for me to pref my houses.
England
Denmark
Monaco
I talked to my mom that night and told her that I loved England and really only wanted to join it. She asked me why I had put the other two on the card at all and I explained that suiciding a house was a very bad idea, but I knew she was right. If I didn’t get England, I wasn’t sure I would be able to join the other two houses.
Again, looking back this was a silly outlook. I would have been VERY happy at any of the sororities at Mizzou, but I am just trying to explain how I felt in that moment.

Bolded part- I remember thinking the same thing. I was like "we aren't at a funeral!" But then when I was a senior going through recruitment, I got all teary eyed too!

[vintagemizzou]

Bid Day-
I stood on the Quad with 1000 other PMs (sandwiched back between the cheerleader and the golden girl again) and got my bid card. While I was holding it unopened in my hands, I remember thinking how sad I was going to be if it were Denmark or Monaco. I was already thinking about ways to politely decline the bid from either of those houses, because I thought that if I declined the bid, maybe another girl who really wanted to be in those houses could. I can’t reiterate enough how silly this thought process was. Being Greek, especially at a campus like Mizzou, in any chapter is amazing. I was definitely not being rational.

I'm not sure how bid day works at other campuses, but at Mizzou, all the PMs stand on the quad in lines and are given sealed envelopes. You hold the envelopes while the recruitment counselors reveal which chapter they are parts of and then there is a huge countdown. At the end of the countdown, the PMs rip open their cards and see who their bid is from. The seniors from each of the chapters are waiting on the quad, and the PMs run to their seniors who lead them back to the chapter houses for bid day.

The girls standing next to me were both "Totally positive" they would get the chapters they wanted. I was a unsure and scared. Holding that envelope in my hands was so frightening. After the countdown, I opened my envelope. All around me there were hundreds of squealing, jumping girls (and a few crying, sullen girls). I wasn't sure what I would be.
I opened the envelope and read...



...


...


...


ENGLAND!
I was so excited!!! I ran to the chapter house and met my new sisters. The minute I walked up the lawn to the house, I knew that getting released from Spain was the best thing that could have happened to me- I would have made myself try and fit in there to be like my sister-in-law. At England, I knew I would be able to thrive on my own two feet. And if Spain hadn't released me, I know that I wouldn't have even given any other chapters a chance.

I am happy to report that I went on to hold many positions in the chapter and am actively involved in my local alumnae group. I hope I didn’t offend anyone with this story, I was just trying to explain how I felt at the time.


I just wanted to share my story of how someone who wanted to drop recruitment after being cut from “the one” found a place that was perfect for her. If you get cut from a house you think is perfect, do NOT drop out of recruitment- you might be shutting the door to the house you were meant to be in! In each house there are the smart girls, the intimidatingly-pretty girls, rich girls, sporty girls, religious girls, party girls- do not judge a chater….keep and open mind and you will find your home away from home in Greek Life.

Oh, and my chapter?
England is
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Alpha Phi!