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my whole rush story in one post!
Well...I figured I might as well post my recruitment experience now that I have had time to reflect on it. One of the downsides I see to informal recruitment (at my school anyway) was that it was only a couple of days long and it was really hard to reflect and formulate opinions about all the chapters in such a short period of time. After visiting every house, I tried to gauge how the chapter felt about me (ie- whether I felt they would cut me or keep me) and how I would feel if they did cut me.
There were 7 chapters participating in informal at my school.
House 1:
All of the girls at this chapter were very sweet, and I really liked their house. I have a friend in this chapter so I tried not to judge them too quickly, but I felt really uncomfortable in thier house and like I just couldn't be myself if I were to join this chapter. I felt like I had to put on a fake personality to relate with the girls in this chapter. My conversations were nothing special and although I clicked really well with the first girl I talked to, it just seemed to go downhill from there. I was almost certain they would cut me and I decided I would be sort of relieved if they did.
House 2:
I have to admit that I really liked the girls in this chapter. Everyone seemed very genuine and friendly, and I got along with them well. They were considerably smaller than House 1 and most of the sororities on campus, for that matter (when I say 'considerably smaller', I mean a sixth of the size of the average sorority on campus). Even though I really wanted a larger sorority, I tried not to let that interfere with my decision since there are benefits to a small chapter. However, I didn't get a very good feeling about the chapter in general--they don't seem very well-established and I wouldn't be at all surprised if the chapter closed in the next couple of years. Ultimately, I think the chapter really liked me but I decided I wouldn't be too disappointed if they cut me.
House 3:
House 3 was pretty similar to House 2 in the sense that both of the chapters are very small and the girls seem very genuine (unlike how I felt in House 1). This chapter is unique because it is a very new, faith-based local chapter. (Why and how they were recruiting with the rest of the NPC sororities I don't know). The girl rushing me was kind of awkward and refused to make eye contact with me, which made things a little strange. I have a friend in this chapter also, but I didn't feel like I fit in very well here. I would also be afraid of being discriminated against for my religious views (which are markedly different than theirs) and that's not something I want. I decided that I wouldn't be very surprised if they decided to cut me (but I was pretty sure they wouldn't because they need people) but I would not be disappointed if they did cut me.
House 4:
I really liked this house. I couldn't see much of the house because there were so many people everywhere, but the parts I did see were really nice and I felt very much at ease with these girls. I got along really well with the first two girls who rushed me, but I didn't have much in common with the third one and she was really fishing for discussion topics, which resulted in a lot of awkward silence. Their song and dance was really cute, and I got a very good feeling from the chapter. I felt that they would most likely ask me back and I would be very disappointed if I didn't get asked back.
House 5:
The girls in this house were very nice as well, but I didn't feel like I fit quite as well as I did with House 4. The first girl I talked to was asking me all kinds of strange questions so that she could remember me, but it came off as a little odd. I didn't feel like I clicked well with the second girl either, though I thought their house was pretty. This chapter didn't sound like it was very active either, so overall I just felt like this house was OK. I thought they might ask me back, but I wouldn't be too disappointed if they didn't.
House 6:
I was pleasantly surprised by this house. I didn't feel like I made the greatest impression here, but all the girls I talked to were really nice and they had the cutest dance! Their house looked like it would be a cool place to hang out, and this house sounds really active both socially and with community service, which I really liked the sound of. I didn't get quite as good of a vibe as I did with House 4, but I still felt that I could ultimately see myself here as one of my top 3. I determined that there was about a 50/50 chance they would ask me back, and I would be a little disappointed if I got cut from this house.
House 7:
This house took me by complete surprise. I went in not expecting much from this house because I don't know anyone in this chapter. I loved the inside of their house (the outside is another story) but the inside was SO cute and I loved the colors. I felt like I clicked with every single girl I talked to! We had great conversations-- not the same repetitive conversations like in the other houses-- but about classes, shopping, music, etc. I felt really at home here and I loved the girls I met. I decided that I was 90% certain they would ask me back and I would just be shocked beyond words if they didn't.
So, even though we didn't rank on the first day, if we had my list would have gone like this:
House 4
House 7
House 6
House 2
House 5
House 1
House 3
Day two:
I went to my Rho Chi early the next morning to pick up my list of parties, and I was shocked at what I saw! Houses 4 and 7, my two favorites, had cut me! (And yes, I was shocked speechless for about five minutes that they had cut me). House 1 had cut me as well, although that was no surprise. I found out that 4 and 7 had fewer spaces than the rest of the houses, although most of the girls I talked to who got invited back to 7 felt like they hadn't fit at all and really didn't like it. Anyway...back to day two:
House 3:
I went back to House 3 first, and my experience on this day pretty much confirmed what I had felt before. They had this cute little craft that we did, but I felt rather neglected by the girls in this chapter; I was sitting at a table with them and they weren't talking to any of the rushees at all! I tried to start conversations but the girls didn't really seem to be interested in talking, so I just felt really misplaced.
House 2:
We went to House 2 next, where we talked to the girls some more and they did this neat little ritual with all of us. I felt like I got along quite well with these girls, but I just couldn't see myself in this chapter. Of course, I ended up talking to the same two girls as I had talked to the previous day, which may have had something to do with it.
House 5:
I felt better about this house on my second visit, but still not quite at ease. I talked to 5 or so girls and watched a slide show with them. The girls I talked to were really nice, but I didn't really feel like I fit here either. As I was leaving, a girl ran up to talk to me and was frantically asking me how I was and I couldn't for the life of me remember ever seeing her before. She insisted that she had rushed me the previous day, but I think she must have been confusing me with someone else because I remember both of the girls who rushed me. I was a little embarassed because I couldn't figure out who she was, but I really don't think she rushed me. Do mix-ups like that happen often?
House 6:
I felt a lot better about this house on the second day. I loved all the girls I talked to, and I could really see myself in this house. I got a house tour and I liked their house (though it seemed a little cramped for such a large chapter!) There was an interesting ordeal in which I had to use the restroom (all the houses had been giving us drinks and I wanted to be polite by drinking them, so I ended up drinking just way too many shirley temples or whatever they gave us) and I was handed off to a grand total of 5 people before I could use the bathroom. Apparently, the girls were told not to let us use the restroom unless the president and house mom were around because they could be accused of dirty rushing (?) It made for an interesting experience, anyway...
As much as I liked House 6, I didn't feel like the house was very unified. I felt like there were rifts between some of the girls, and I don't really want to join a sorority that has cliques in it. I might be nitpicking, but I really want to join a good organization that I'm going to love. I also wanted to explore all of my options, and I know that all of the houses will be recruiting in the fall and the ones that recruited this spring will be able to take more members in the fall. I have been invited to a few COB events, but I turned them down. I think that at this point, I am just going to wait until fall recruitment. If House 6 has COB (also there's a rumor going around that another one that didn't rush might COB), I might look into it, but otherwise I will wait until fall.
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Especially at large chapters. Plus, rush usually isn't the most stress-free time. I'm not saying join a group where you walk in and can practically hear the sisters hissing at each other 
but don't let the fact that everyone isn't superduper best friends forever with each other put you off.
Linear Mode
