A Retro Recruitment Thread with Many Bumps Along the Way

[BabyPiNK_FL]

Your experience in Ravenclaw was very much like my experience in the chapter I eventually joined! It is awesome to feel so popular at the party!

[Leslie Anne]

Things sound like they're going well for you this year. I'm glad to hear that.

[Cutie_Hootie]

My second day of recruitment came. I heard a knock at the door and it was my Rho Chi with my invitations. I looked at it and then did a double take. Listed were Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. I looked at her with a question forming...and she looked at me and said, "I'm so sorry". I nodded my head because I couldn't speak. She told me to call her if I wanted to talk but otherwise she would see me that afternoon. I walked across the hall to Kristin's room. She opened it and said, "Well, my decision just became really easy". She had been cut by Slytherin, her second choice and the only one to hold a candle to Ravenclaw in her mind. Jill and Jess had both dropped Hufflepuff. I was in shock and wondering what I had done wrong to be dropped by Ravenclaw. I thought it was what I wanted, but of course I wasn't certain.

It wasn't too long before some of the women came back to the dorm to shower. The PNMs were supposed to try their best to stay out of their way and we were in strict silence. I saw Lori, my RA, who was a Ravenclaw. She walked past me towards the shower as I went back to my room to relax. Then all of sudden there was a knock at my door. I opened it and Lori quickly barged in and shut the door. She told me that I couldn't tell anyone that I had talked to her and then said, "I know you are upset. We are too. You have to believe that it wasn't because people don't like you. We all do. But you are a junior and with your grades...". I told her that I understood, but that I was disappointed. She said that she knew I would find a good house and that I would be happy there and that everyone in Ravenclaw was happy for me. Then she hugged me and left.

I really didn't know what to think and spent the rest of the morning thinking over everything that had happened.

[susan314]

Originally Posted by Cutie_Hootie

"I know you are upset. We are too. You have to believe that it wasn't because people don't like you. We all do. But you are a junior and with your grades...".

Aw...sorry you had to go through that disappointment. But truthfully, those are 2 issues that put together would be very difficult to get past at most schools.

At least we know your story has a happy ending somewhere along the line.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by Cutie_Hootie

. She told me that I couldn't tell anyone that I had talked to her and then said, "I know you are upset. We are too. You have to believe that it wasn't because people don't like you. We all do. But you are a junior and with your grades...". I told her that I understood, but that I was disappointed. She said that she knew I would find a good house and that I would be happy there and that everyone in Ravenclaw was happy for me. Then she hugged me and left.

Holy rush infraction Batman! Good thing you didn't tell. LOL.

[Cutie_Hootie]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Holy rush infraction Batman! Good thing you didn't tell. LOL.

I figure it was 12 years ago...I think I'm safe. Haha.

[BabyPiNK_FL]

I was cut bad from some of my "friendly chapters" too. I was also a junior with not so stellar grades. They weren't gross, but just not ideal enough to keep me around instead of a freshman with awesome grades.

The part that sucks is that (at least at my campus) most of these freshman join and their grades take a serious nose dive, where as mine have continued to go up since I had already taken my nose dive in freshman year! (See my honors activities below). In fact, this year I was awarded (1 out of 25 allowed at my campus) for "Who's Who in American Universities" (the title is long I know I got that name wrong!!) and made the dean's list. So that just goes to show, sometimes they're the one's missing out! Although I understand why they would not be willing to take the risk.

[Cutie_Hootie]

So after my disappointment that morning, I got excited for the second round of parties.

I started off at Gryffindor. To be honest, I didn't want to be there and wasn't sure why I had to be since I had rated them last the night before (silly me, not maximizing my opportunities...). They had a nice party that emphasized their sisterhood, but I was not receptive (I was polite, but inside I was counting the minutes). They showed a lovely slideshow and had a great skit, but I knew it was not the house for me. In retrospect, I feel sorry for the poor little sophomore that was hosting me. I don't think I was the easiest person to host.

Next I went to Slytherin. I loved this party! I was hosted by some close friends, so we visited a lot. It was a circus theme complete with caricature artists and a palm reader. The palm reader knew some trivial facts about each PNM and was very entertaining to listen to. I really enjoyed this party and enjoyed talking to the girls in the chapter. They were very friendly and outgoing, and I found myself thinking about Slytherin more and more.

My final party was at Hufflepuff. It was a Broadway theme, and I remember very little about the skit other than the kickline. Once again I was seated in the front. I had been picked up by another junior who I didn't know really well, and my escort during the skit was a senior who I had just met that day. She was really nice and I enjoyed talking to her. A lot of my fellow juniors came up to talk to me while we were waiting and somehow it worked into the conversation where else I had been. When I didn't mention Ravenclaw, everyone did a double take. One girl named Katie said, wait a second, you didn't go to Ravenclaw? And when I said no, she said oh, oh wow...we all had assumed you would be there today. Then we dropped it and continued chatting.

After the parties, I went back to fill out my preference list. Here is what I wrote:
1. Hufflepuff
2. Slytherin
3. Gryffindor

I really hoped hard that evening that I wouldn't be returning to Gryffindor the next day. Mainly, however, I hoped that I would be returning somewhere the next day...

[Leslie Anne]

Great update!

Originally Posted by Cutie_Hootie

somehow it worked into the conversation where else I had been. When I didn't mention Ravenclaw, everyone did a double take. One girl named Katie said, wait a second, you didn't go to Ravenclaw? And when I said no, she said oh, oh wow...we all had assumed you would be there today. Then we dropped it and continued chatting.

Eek! Another victim of one of the dreaded questions! I hope their surprise was because they thought well of you and not that they wanted the inside scoop.

[anygreekmom]

I'm so excited! I know what school this is and I've never seen it mentioned on GC. A good friend's daughter was in a sorority there (graduated a few years ago) and I'm trying to figure out if I know which one of your "houses" is hers! Looking forward to hearing the rest of the story.

[Cutie_Hootie]

Day three began with a knock at the door. I had been anxiously waiting for this...and I was invited back to both Slytherin and Hufflepuff. I was so excited and thankful that I wasn't going back to Gryffindor. My friends Kristin, Jill, and Jess had all been invited to Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. We were all thrilled for each other and excited and nervous for ourselves. For Pref I wore a basic black dress (so did the other three girls) and we all wore pearls. However, we had suddenly had a snowstorm, and were told by our Rho Chis that it would be acceptable to wear slacks, snow boots, or heavy winter coats because of the snow. The houses had been instructed (!) not to hold our slacks or snow boots against us!!! I opted to wear my heels anyway, and so did many girls, although I did see a few with boots on instead. However, I saw no one in slacks.

First I went to Slytherin. The Slytherins were wearing white blouses with full skirts in their color (Side note--they had worn these same outfits for years I found out later). I was met at the door by a very close friend of mine. We went upstairs to the living room where we had very beautifully decorated cookies and punch. Then they had all the PNMs sit on the floor as they gathered around us and sang a song. Then they sat amongst us as a few sisters spoke. They talked about how special their sisterhood was and how their sisters had always been there to support them through anything, good or bad. Then they showed a slide show. At this point I was in misery because my foot and leg had fallen asleep. I was not very comfortable sitting on the floor. I was also in tears after hearing these stories because I was questioning if this was the right house for me.

After the slide show, I got up (very carefully) and was surrounded by my friends in the house. They were all talking to me about why I would be a great member of Slytherin and why I should choose Slytherin. I was then given a poem by my hostess and we read it together. After we read it, I was to throw it in the fire and make a wish. I made my wish and was crying with all the girls. I kept telling them what a hard decision this was to make. Finally, it was time to go. I hugged everyone goodbye and left.

Then it was time for Hufflepuff. The Hufflepuffs were wearing black dresses with pearls. As we were coming in the door, our hostess met us and said, "Cutie_Hootie, the sisters of Hufflepuff wish to invite you to our preference party". My hostess was a good friend that I hadn't seen all week. After she met me at the door, she then took me downstairs where the lights were dimmed. Each PNM had a beautiful plate (with the crest imprinted at the top) that had her name written on it in chocolate along with a chocolate seashell that held delicious fresh fruit. We also had champagne flutes with the crest imprinted that held sparkling cider. The chapter members knelt next to us and talked to us as we tried to eat (I was so nervous I don't think I ate a bite!).

Finally, all the chapter members left us at our seats as they linked arms and made a circle around the room. Songs were sung (and I was already crying). Then another sister came over to kneel by me--it was Katie, who had been so shocked and excited the day before when she learned I wasn't going back to Ravenclaw. We went upstairs to the living room, where it had been turned into an almost all white room. All the furniture had disappeared. There were rows of white chairs in a horseshoe shape facing the window seats. At the window seats were a few of the chapter members, holding candles. They each spoke, telling us about the sisterhood and what it meant to be a member of Hufflepuff.

At some point, we given all given candles. While the room was filled with candlelight, one by one the sisters recited lines from their creed. They all recited the final lines together. It was breathtaking. We blew out our candles and lingered for a few minutes chatting. Girls were already lining the steps singing and other PNMs were leaving. I was still talking to some of the sisters. As I was walking back up the aisle, one of the seniors stopped me. I knew who she was and had actually always been intimidated by her. She said, "Cutie_Hootie, I'm really glad to see you here tonight". It was such a simple statement, but it had a huge impact on me. As we were walking out, Katie handed me a oyster shell, very similar to the chocolate ones we had eaten earlier. The shell had a pearl inside. She told me to take the pearl, throw it in the fountain, and make a wish. I made a wish (a different wish than I had at Slytherin), and we walked down the stairs. I was the last PNM in the house, and we stood talking for a second while I thanked her for being my hostess. Then I said goodbye and walked to the lecture hall to fill out my preference sheet...

[violetpretty]

Go Hufflepuff!

[AlwaysSAI]

I'm rooting for Hufflepuff too!!! YAY FOR BID DAY!!

[Faith4Keep]

Come on, BID DAY!!!

[Leslie Anne]

Count me in on rooting for Hufflepuff! That was a beautiful Pref ceremony.