So You Wanna Tell Your Recruitment Story...

[SWTXBelle]

Huzzah!

[Coug2012]

Thanks for this! I am going through recruitment in the fall and while I feel like I know most of these things I never know how I might come across if I happen to get caught up in the excitement of everything when I am actually going through the process!

[AOIIalum]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Don't ask us if we want to hear more, or to guess where you ended up, or any other stuff like that. I don't come to GC to play "choose your own adventure".

I almost hate editing down DBB's post, but this is so true. I don't want to pick option A or option B, I just like reading the stories!

[aephi alum]

aephi alum likes this thread.

And I second DeltaBetaBaby's comment on "This house all has women of a certain type, and I am not that type" = "This is the Jewish house and I'm not Jewish". We can see right through comments like that.

[melindawarren]

Love this thread.

Recently wrote a story. Here are my thoughts:

1. Make your theme interesting! I read so many stories with similar themes, but the ones I really remember had unique themes. I'd love to see something new and fresh, rather than another flower recruitment.

2. Also, stick to your theme wholeheartedly! Make it a fun story, too.

3. Don't disrespect anyone in your story. Never, EVER suggest that you're better than a chapter/person/whatever. It doesn't help people who are reading your story.

4. Remember that the readers want to be entertained. Try to keep hysterics to a minimum, and try to avoid too much stream-of-consciousness. I highly recommend waiting at least a day after each round before you post to sort through your emotions.

5. Have fun with it. Really, this is just for entertainment. The best way to remember even a terrible recruitment as something not so bad is to have an enjoyable story that you wrote to commemorate the experience.

I look forward to this fall's stories and I'm sorry I don't have anyone going through anywhere to write about!

[DubaiSis]

And I think we've gone a little overboard with the anonymity thing. If you went through rush at IU (or Bama, FSU, really just about anywhere) had a positive outcome and didn't bash anyone, there's no reason to not admit you're an Alpha Xi Delta from Iowa. I wouldn't do it if it's a LIVE thread (as in you're posting before you have an actual bid), but unless you have something to hide or be ashamed of, I don't think admitting your school is the end of the world.
Jewish is not a bad word. You can go ahead and use it, and it is a common issue for a girl to be torn about whether "the Jewish house" is right for her. The AEPhis and SDTs know this. You're not going to offend them.
If you have issues (justified or not) about the fill in blank chapter on campus, be honest with yourself first and with us 2nd. We can read through the BS and if you say I really liked the girls but I just don't know if I could handle the pressure of being in the small house (or the one with X reputation), you will get more respect than if you say I really liked this house, and then ranked them 12 of 12. There are up-sides and down-sides of being in the smaller chapter and admitting your concerns will go a long way toward getting helpful advice, if that's what you're after.

[facethemusic]

Eek! I recently finished my recruitment story and was definitely guilty of some of the don'ts on this thread - in particular, not putting it out in a timely manner, using a bad font color, and talking about my roommate's/hallmate's/Pi Chi groupmate's recruitments. I wish I could have another chance to do it again and this time avoid all these mistakes. I'm sincerely sorry for any annoyance I caused to those of you GCers who gobble up rush threads like cake. Hopefully the tips on this thread will help future recruitment storytellers to avoid some of the mistakes I made, because you only get to tell your story once. Again....I'm sorry.

[Tulip86]

Originally Posted by facethemusic

Again....I'm sorry.

Don't worry, yours was fabulous! And with a gazillion chapters, you can't really avoid the "wrong" colors.

A lot of people don't finish their story, drag it out for over a week and keep asking is we want to read more, that annoys me beyond belief.

[Splash]

Originally Posted by facethemusic

Eek! I recently finished my recruitment story and was definitely guilty of some of the don'ts on this thread - in particular, not putting it out in a timely manner, using a bad font color, and talking about my roommate's/hallmate's/Pi Chi groupmate's recruitments. I wish I could have another chance to do it again and this time avoid all these mistakes. I'm sincerely sorry for any annoyance I caused to those of you GCers who gobble up rush threads like cake. Hopefully the tips on this thread will help future recruitment storytellers to avoid some of the mistakes I made, because you only get to tell your story once. Again....I'm sorry.

Don't be sorry in the least. These "rules" are completely arbitrary.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by facethemusic

Eek! I recently finished my recruitment story and was definitely guilty of some of the don'ts on this thread - in particular, not putting it out in a timely manner, using a bad font color, and talking about my roommate's/hallmate's/Pi Chi groupmate's recruitments. I wish I could have another chance to do it again and this time avoid all these mistakes. I'm sincerely sorry for any annoyance I caused to those of you GCers who gobble up rush threads like cake. Hopefully the tips on this thread will help future recruitment storytellers to avoid some of the mistakes I made, because you only get to tell your story once. Again....I'm sorry.

As others have said, don't be sorry. We're just being a bunch of assholes in this thread. We like all stories, we just also get very demanding, here.

And "timely" is all relative. We understand people have lives. The only ones that really annoy me are the ones who are like "do you want more? tell me if you want more! I'm only going to post more if you leave me elevetybillion comments saying you want more".

[WhiteRose1912]

Originally Posted by facethemusic

Eek! I recently finished my recruitment story and was definitely guilty of some of the don'ts on this thread - in particular, not putting it out in a timely manner, using a bad font color, and talking about my roommate's/hallmate's/Pi Chi groupmate's recruitments. I wish I could have another chance to do it again and this time avoid all these mistakes. I'm sincerely sorry for any annoyance I caused to those of you GCers who gobble up rush threads like cake. Hopefully the tips on this thread will help future recruitment storytellers to avoid some of the mistakes I made, because you only get to tell your story once. Again....I'm sorry.

You apologize too much. Haters gonna hate!

(I personally love hearing about roommates/hallmates/cousins/imaginary friends/etc. It's like getting more recruitment story for your money.)

[wareagle93]

Originally Posted by Jen

I find it more interesting to read stories of people who have been posting here awhile. I think people are more invested when they "know" you a little better, so if it's important to you that people actually care about your story, spend some time on GC for awhile before you post.

^This.....that's what I did.

[AOII Angel]

If you can't tell us what sorority you ended up in, why are you posting your sorority recruitment story.

[WhiteRose1912]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

If you can't tell us what sorority you ended up in, why are you posting your sorority recruitment story.

Originally Posted by Jen

LOL, and if you plan on staying on GC, eventually you WILL end up posting in your orgs forum or you WILL mention which group you're in. So hiding where you end up is pointless.

Y'all telling me you didn't love this thread? Craziness.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by WhiteRose1912

Y'all telling me you didn't love this thread? Craziness.

Never saw it before today, but I still think she could have told us what her chapter was. (I think I know who this was, what school she went to and what chapter she is in anyway. It's like playing Clue. I think it's Miss Scarlett in the Study with the
Candlesticks!)