A Mani/Pedi Recruitment - Page 2

CeCe Newbie · #1 08-16-2011, 03:18 PM

Loving this thread so far! Good luck with the rest of your recruitment!

aesovs · #2 08-17-2011, 08:48 AM

So I got my schedule back for the next two days (Philanthropy Round)!

Here it is:
Hen Party
Rosie Lee
Boom Boom Pow
Aston
Lara's Theme
Jaffa
Let's Plie
Tea With The Queen

I was upset that No More Waity, Katie, Pink Ribbon, and Some Enchanted Evening dropped me. I thought the conversations had gone so well - especially at Some Enchanted Evening! I was also a little disappointed to see Aston, because I had tried to drop them. But I decided to keep my head up and be glad that I got 8 parties...some girls only had 5 or 6 out of 11. It stung a little to hear that my roommate was invited back to 11 and my other roommate 10, but I had really really liked some of these chapters during Open House and decided to be happy about that instead of brooding about my un-full schedule. I was also told that some of the houses may have dropped be because I'm a legacy and they figure that I would pledge there. Oh, well! I had a really really great first day anyway! Here's how it went:

Hen Party: Absolutely loved this house. I had really good conversations with both girls who rushed me--they were fun conversations, more so than any other I'd had so far. Their craft was really cute and easy, so I was definitely able to do it while still talking, and the song they sung was cute too! I could really see myself here and I hope I'm invited back next round!

Rosie Lee: This house was kind of weird. The girl rushing me was nice, but didn't seem interested in talking about Philanthropy! Their slide show was fun, but yet again didn't really make a point of the community service they do. I didn't have time to do the craft here, but I don't think anyone else did either! A ton of girls came over and introduced themselves and talked with me...at one point I had four or five girls rushing me at the same time. I'm not sure if it was meant to be a scare tactic, but it didn't rankle me! I just carried the conversation on and found a cool connection to one of the rushers. I'll go back to this house if asked (especially considering it's one of my legacies), but I doubt they'll ask me back.

Boom Boom Pow: This house was fun, but it's definitely not my favorite. My rusher was really sweet, but the conversation wasn't very interesting to me. This house, despite its bad reputation, has the most diversity of any of the chapters on campus that I've seen, which would be a plus, I just can't get very enthused about it. This is one of the houses I'm considering dropping.

Aston: I really loved this house today - I was actually glad that I wasn't able to drop them! I absolutely love their philanthropy - it's something very close to my heart, so I was able to really have a good conversation about it. Their craft was easy too, so I made sure to do it. I'd love to go back to this house, and I'll be really disappointed if they drop me.

Lara's Theme: This is hands-down my new favorite house. I really feel like I hit it off with the girl that rushed me (but who can ever tell?). There wasn't one awkward pause or lull in conversation, and she seemed like someone I'd be happy to call my sister. Their craft was more difficult, but I tried my best. I keep hearing rumors about the order you leave the house...and I left with one of the first groups. I'll be really upset if they drop me, though, so I hope I'm invited back!

Stay tuned for the rest of the round!

aesovs · #3 03-02-2012, 03:16 AM

It's been awhile, I know! I'm now an active member in my sorority, and you'll soon find out which one that is! Now because it's been a few months, this is probably going to be less detailed. I somehow managed to lose all of my rush notes, but I'll try and remember.

Jaffa: I wasn't really sure how to feel about this house. All of the girls were really sweet, but the conversation just wasn't there. I wanted to like it because it's one of my legacies, but I just felt awkward. The craft was cute, but I could barely concentrate on it. I also ended up falling while standing up! I'd be happy to go back and get to know the girls a little better, but it's not really one of my favorites.

Let's Plie: I liked this house pretty well. My rusher was really sweet, although the conversation was difficult at first. We happened to be wearing the same bracelet, which considering what it was, it was unique. I wasn't a huge fan of the craft, but I was just happy to be having an easier time talking than at Jaffa. I still like this house a lot, but I have a bad feeling about it...the conversation ended on a really awkward note.

Tea With the Queen: I still absolutely adore this house. I did work with their philanthropy during high school, so I definitely had things to talk about. My rusher even brought her big over, which I thought was really sweet! I can't remember whether I liked the craft or not, but there was a really funny song/dance number that I loved. I would definitely say that this house is my #1 choice at the moment.

At the end of the round, we were asked to rank our top seven houses and our bottom four. Because I only went to eight parties, I could only put one on my list that I would rather not go back to. Here's how I did my ranking:

Top
1. Tea With the Queen
2. Hen Party
3. Lara's Theme
4. Aston
5. Rosie Lee
6. Jaffa
7. Let's Plie

Bottom
1. Boom Boom Pow

Now on to Skit Day!

aesovs · #4 03-02-2012, 03:33 AM

When I got back my schedule for Skit, it looked like this:

1. Hen Party
2. Aston
3. Lara's Theme
4. Boom Boom Pow

I was absolutely devastated that Tea With the Queen dropped me, especially considering that it was a legacy. Even though Jaffa and Rosie Lee were legacies too, I hadn't clicked there as well as I did at Tea With the Queen. It was just really tough. I was a little upset about Let's Plie too, but I kind of felt that one coming. I was excited to have Hen Party and Lara's Theme back, though! I could easily see myself at either house!

Now, on to the skits...

1. Hen Party: The girl rushing me was one of the girls I had for Philanthropy Day, and I absolutely loved her! She remembered me, too! We had a pretty good conversation - definitely no awkward pauses. Their skit was so funny it had me in tears! After that, I absolutely knew that if I made it to pref, they were my #1 choice.

2. Aston: I had a pretty good time here. Not nearly as good as Hen Party, but I definitely came out of the house thinking I could see myself there. I didn't have a whole lot in common with the girl that rushed me, so it got a little awkward at times, but she was really sweet and actually ended up being in their skit, which was hilarious! I would really, really like to be invited back!

3. Lara's Theme: Today, this house wasn't as fantastic to me as it had been in previous rounds. The girl that rushed me seemed disinterested in me, although she could've just been really tired. I struggled really hard to make conversation, and I felt like I was rushing her instead of the other way around. Their skit also wasn't my favorite...it just kind of missed the mark for me. I left thinking that I would definitely go back if asked, but that it might not be as perfect a fit as I thought it was originally.

4. Boom Boom Pow: I don't really know how to feel about this house. The girl that rushed me was fabulous - I seriously had the most refreshingly real conversation with her. I felt really comfortable talking and didn't feel like I had to put on a façade like I did at some of the other houses. Their skit, however, was just really not funny. The drink they served was sublime, but I had a really hard time watching the skit. I got the feeling that the other girls at the party felt the same. Despite my wonderful conversation, I felt pretty sure that I wouldn't want to come back to this house.

At the end of the day, I could rank three houses as my top choices and one as my bottom choice. I ranked them like this:

Top
1. Hen Party
2. Aston
3. Lara's Theme

Bottom
1. Boom Boom Pow

We're coming into the home stretch...pref is next!!

aesovs · #5 03-02-2012, 03:43 AM

When I got my schedule for preference day, it looked like this:

1. Boom Boom Pow

I almost cried. I'm usually not a very outwardly emotional person, but it was just really hard for me to have every single one of my favorites drop me...and to have the one house I'd tried to drop invite me back. I tried to take this in stride, because I knew it probably meant that they really wanted me, but I still walked into the house feeling kind of numb.

When I got to the house, the girls sang a slow song instead of a door song, which was nice. The girl who rushed me was nice enough, but I just wasn't feeling a connection. They showed a nice sisterhood video and a few of the senior girls spoke, but I just wasn't feeling attached. I was about to cry, but mostly because I didn't know what to do. I wasn't sure whether or not I even wanted to go to ranking. I figured I could always drop out and try again next year, or even go for the sorority that was colonizing that year. After a few agonizing hours of deliberation, I decided to go ahead and sign a bid card. I thought that maybe I would warm up to the house during my pledge period, and if I didn't that I could drop.

At the end of the day, I ranked my one and only option left:

1. Boom Boom Pow

and I hoped to God that I wouldn't go bidless.

aesovs · #6 03-02-2012, 03:51 AM

So...today's the big day! Honestly, I was just ready for rush to be over. I knew that if I didn't get a call from my Rho Chi that I'd have a bid from Boom Boom Pow waiting for me. I still wasn't sure how to feel. I cried once I got home from my pref party and everything still kind of felt surreal.

I didn't get a call, so I got ready and went down to the stadium to get my bid from Boom Boom Pow, otherwise known as...

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GAMMA PHI BETA!!!!!!

DubaiSis · #7 03-02-2012, 04:33 AM

Nice. I'm glad it worked out for you and you're happy! And your closing advice is very wise. If a rushee/new pledge chooses to make the best of it, she will have a great experience.

And I'd like to point out you didn't like your chapter because of a bad skit. Picture that requirement in choosing friends the normal way. You love them, but the song and dance portion they performed for you so that you would be their friend fell a little flat. HA!

FSUZeta · #8 03-02-2012, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

Nice. I'm glad it worked out for you and you're happy! And your closing advice is very wise. If a rushee/new pledge chooses to make the best of it, she will have a great experience.

And I'd like to point out you didn't like your chapter because of a bad skit. Picture that requirement in choosing friends the normal way. You love them, but the song and dance portion they performed for you so that you would be their friend fell a little flat. HA!

love it! and congratulations on gamma phi beta!

IrishLake · #9 03-02-2012, 09:27 AM

Excellent story, and I'm so happy you didn't give up on G Phi B!

tinydancer · #10 03-02-2012, 10:09 AM

I wasn't expecting that outcome, but YEA!!! Congratulations on Gamma Phi.

Sciencewoman · #11 03-02-2012, 02:36 PM

Thank you for coming back and finishing your recruitment story, SISTER!!!

etadrisophila · #12 03-03-2012, 08:43 AM

Thanks for coming back to post - wonderful outcome. You clearly show maturity and wisdom beyond many of your peers.

I wonder how many others out there have recruitment stories to finish.

Next fall, it will be interesting to read your perspectives of recruitment from the "other side".

CougarGrad · #13 03-06-2012, 02:51 AM

Congratulations! You sound happy. Glad you stuck it out. Welcome to the Syracuse Triad.

aesovs · #14 03-06-2012, 02:58 PM

Thank you all! I'll definitely be back after fall recruitment to tell my story on the other side! We've already started weekend workshops and are doing spring teas, and let me tell you, I'm already scared/excited for rush week!

And DubaiSis, you are so right. I tend to get stuck on one negative and not see all the positives. After I got over the initial sting of going somewhere I thought I didn't belong, I began to see how well I did fit in. It also helped that everyone (actives and pledge sisters alike) agreed that the skit was awful! We're definitely changing that for next year...

KDCat · #15 03-06-2012, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aesovs

Thank you all! I'll definitely be back after fall recruitment to tell my story on the other side! We've already started weekend workshops and are doing spring teas, and let me tell you, I'm already scared/excited for rush week!

And DubaiSis, you are so right. I tend to get stuck on one negative and not see all the positives. After I got over the initial sting of going somewhere I thought I didn't belong, I began to see how well I did fit in. It also helped that everyone (actives and pledge sisters alike) agreed that the skit was awful! We're definitely changing that for next year...

I was extremely active in college theater, love performing on stage, and I HATE rush skits. There are so many ways for it to go bad and it has so little to do with what sororities do the rest of the year.

I know they're traditional on many campuses, but I wish National Panhel would put a stake in them.

A bad skit really turns PNMs off and I've seen it wreck recruitment for some great chapters.