My recruitment story

[ivygreekgirl]

I re-read my original post and it comes off as a little more negative than I meant it to be. I guess I should add that I was a first-gen college student in my whole extended family and I had no clue about Greek life.

I guess the point I wanted to make was that I knew in my heart that I chose a house that i would not be happy at. I think it's important to give all the houses an equal opportunity but if you know for sure in your gut that you aren't going to be happy in a particular house, don't force it and look at other options, whether it's remaining independent and foucsing on other campus orgs, re-rushing, joining a local sorority, etc.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by ivygreekgirl

I re-read my original post and it comes off as a little more negative than I meant it to be. I guess I should add that I was a first-gen college student in my whole extended family and I had no clue about Greek life.

I guess the point I wanted to make was that I knew in my heart that I chose a house that i would not be happy at. I think it's important to give all the houses an equal opportunity but if you know for sure in your gut that you aren't going to be happy in a particular house, don't force it and look at other options, whether it's remaining independent and foucsing on other campus orgs, re-rushing, joining a local sorority, etc.

A lot has changed since the early 00's, and for the better. I was also in a smaller chapter, and the constant pressure to recruit, recruit, recruit was indeed exhausting. Fortunately, RFM has really helped to level the playing field and allow more chapters to be successful in formal recruitment, instead of constantly playing catch-up and feeling rejected by PNM's every time around.

[chi-o_cat]

I never posted my recruitment story on here because it was just too long ago and I can’t remember enough details to make it worthwhile. But my story is very similar to this, except I did not attend an Ivy League school. I was also cut from all but the “struggling” chapters, and actually only made it to pref at one. I joined, and our chapter closed at the end of the school year.


Like the OP, sometimes I wonder “what if I’d tried harder at the other chapters” or “what if I’d done something differently.” I do regret that I never got to live in the house (one of the main reasons I was interested in joining a sorority in the first place), or have a little sister. But then I have to remember that if not for Chi Omega, I would have been dropped from recruitment altogether. And even having one year of the collegiate experience, at least I got to see what it’s like to go through recruitment (still called rush back then), be a pledge, have a big sister, go through initiation, have formals, etc.



I suppose one difference between myself and the OP is that I was actually quite clueless about the Greek system in general, and had no idea that a chapter closing (due to low numbers) was even a possibility when I joined. When I got my bid, I was thrilled and proud to joining a sorority- I didn’t know anything about “tiers” or that I was joining a “lowest ranked house”. I thought we were just the chapter that wasn’t quite like the others, we were smaller, and that was just how it would be for the next three years. When the decision was made that spring (after initiation), it came as a total shock to me.


I still stay in touch with some of my chapter sisters via Facebook, and I am involved with the local alumnae chapter where I live now. It’s a very active chapter, with events almost on a weekly basis. So that’s something I wouldn’t have now if one chapter hadn’t been willing to give me a chance all those years ago.