Arrested Recruitment

[jessarose13]

Sorry this took so long!

I woke up to a 7:30 AM call from my Pi Chi letting me know when I could pick up my schedule- I still had at least one invite! Running to the student center, I opened my schedule to see....

LINDSAY
TOBIAS

My heart dropped. I wasn't surprised I lost Maeby, but I kept scanning my schedule for Lucille. It had to be a mistake- I couldn't understand how I had felt such a connection with Lucille yesterday, but they didn't feel anything. I sprinted back to my dorm room, called my mom, and just cried for an hour. I had been so confident that Lucille was my home, and to not be visiting them for pref just felt wrong. I tried so hard to rationalize it, but couldn't think of any reason for my being cut (of course, now I understand these decisions aren't always personal, ect.). Seeing other girls walk to the Lucille house for pref stung, but I was determined to do the best that I could at the houses I was invited to. It was a gift I had a full schedule every round of recruitment, and I was still thankful two houses wanted to see me again.

LINDSAY: I set my sights here. I had felt a connection here all recruitment, but had never given them a chance. Pref was my opportunity to really sell Lindsay to myself. I was picked up by an active I'd talked to during philanthropy round, and we had a good time. She was a founding member of the sorority, and I got a whole new appreciation for the effort these sisters put in to making Lindsay successful. They served chocolate covered strawberries, and I spent half the time staring at mine wondering how on Earth I was going to eat that without making a mess! A sister gave a beautiful speech about how Lindsay made her feel accepted after a battle with self-image, the sisters serenaded us, and we were given their sorority flowers. I left Lindsay knowing I could find a home here, but wondering if I had made a good enough impression to receive a bid- and also still feeling the loss of Lucille.

TOBIAS: Tobias had been lackluster for me all recruitment, but I knew pref could change things! Their ceremony was beautiful, and we also received a token (if I shared what it was it would definitely reveal the sorority!) that was impressive. I was rushed by three actives at the same time, none of whom I'd talked to at previous parties. A girl I'd talked to second round did stop by and said something nice about how "the whole chapter was talking about me/they're so happy to see me at pref/she knew I'd come back/ect", which was very sweet, but made me feel guilty because I hadn't had the same feelings about them. I actually found parts of this party slightly weird- food distribution was strange, sisters sat at your feet, making it feel less intimate than Lindsay's, and there were some parts of the ceremony that felt a little uncomfortable.

Remember when I said my first resolution for rush was to not SIP? I sat in the computer lab for almost an hour deciding whether or not to do it. I was truly unsure about whether I would accept a bid from Tobias, and if I would be able to put my heart into a chapter I hadn't felt at home with. I'd always been adamant I wasn't rushing just to join any sorority, but that if I didn't click, I wouldn't join. However, after a long conversation with my Pi Chi, I decided that I didn't want any what-ifs. I'd rather try out Tobias than not receive a bid at all, and always wonder if I would have loved being a Tobias. So I ranked

1. LINDSAY
2. TOBIAS

...and waited for bid day!

[ChioLu]

Looking forward to the conclusion!

[AZTheta]

Reading these recruitment stories, I think to myself "this is just SO HARD for today's PNMs". There really isn't any fool-proof method for MS, is there? 33, I think it was you who posted some time back about putting all the names in a hat or something of the sort. Do you remember? Was it you? More and more I ponder the whole recruitment process and I am truly grateful that NPC sororities continue to grow despite all the challenges and cultural changes.

Anyway, jessarose, I've been following, and I commend you on how you dealt with your disappointment as well as your joy throughout the week.

One last thing: ABC chapter may be tops at Arizona, and in the cellar at Penn. And so what? It's just for four years, and that is a blip in the big picture of life. What I have experienced that truly matters is the lifelong connection that sorority membership brings with it. It's there for the taking. This is hard to convey to 18 year olds. I have many close Theta friends, and I also have many close friends in other GLOs. We have the shared sorority experience, and honestly I'm grateful for the Panhellenic connections I have.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by AZTheta

One last thing: ABC chapter may be tops at Arizona, and in the cellar at Penn. And so what? It's just for four years, and that is a blip in the big picture of life. What I have experienced that truly matters is the lifelong connection that sorority membership brings with it. It's there for the taking. This is hard to convey to 18 year olds. I have many close Theta friends, and I also have many close friends in other GLOs. We have the shared sorority experience, and honestly I'm grateful for the Panhellenic connections I have.

I completely and totally agree. Once you are out of school, it's more of a greek or non-greek, no letters. Some of my dearest friends have been in other sororities, and I'd be all the poorer for not knowing them - which takes nothing away from my own sorority sisters.

If I could impart only one piece of wisdom to a PNM, I'm sure this would be the theme.

[33girl]

I’m not sure if it was I who proposed the hat, but it certainly would be easier.

As a side note, if Lucille couldn’t keep other groups’ names out of their mouth, being released from them might not be all bad.

[BraveMaroon]

Originally Posted by chi-o_cat

Do you have Pop-Pop in the attic?

"The mere fact that you call making love "pop-pop" tells me you're not ready".

- Michael Bluth

[FSUZeta]

Chi O cat, “I don’t understand the question and I won’t respond to it!”

[jessarose13]

I'm glad everyone is sharing so much amazing advice and insight! These are things I would have loved to hear during rush, so I hope some PNMs are reading

Anyways, the final installment!

I spent all day looking at my phone, dreading the sound of my ringtone. When it hit four and I hadn't received a call from my Pi Chi, I knew I had a bid waiting for me. It felt like Bid Day pre-festivities took hours- I learned that one of my Pi Chis was a Lindsay and the other was a Tobias (go figure). Envelopes were handed out, and as I stared at my bid, one of my Pi Chis grabbed me in a huge hug.... because...

we were both now part of...







LINDSAY!!!!!


also known as......













ALPHA GAMMA DELTA


Through all the drama of recruitment, I ended up in a chapter I truly love. One of the girls I talked to first round that made me feel so at home is now my big, and the house I was so concerned about not having is now my home! I'm so grateful for my sisters and couldn't be happier to live with purpose every day.

Thanks for following along y'all!

[UVASquirrel]

YAY!!!!! Welcome to the nut house!!! Not sure if you want to reveal, or if you did earlier and I missed it, but which chapter???

[jessarose13]

Originally Posted by UVASquirrel

YAY!!!!! Welcome to the nut house!!! Not sure if you want to reveal, or if you did earlier and I missed it, but which chapter???

I'll PM you

[FSUZeta]

Congratulations! One of my favorite girls from the freshman dorm floor was an AGD and our houses were back door neighbors to each other.

[TLLK]

Congratulations on finding your home with Alpha Gamma Delta!

[jessarose13]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

Congratulations! One of my favorite girls from the freshman dorm floor was an AGD and our houses were back door neighbors to each other.

Thank you! I have a family member who was a Zeta (also at FSU actually!) and ZTA has a very special place in my heart.

[*winter*]

Congrats on Alpha Gamma Delta! Must be fun to be part of the history of a newer chapter!

[FSUZeta]

Good reading.