BETSYKATE'S SOUTHERN RECRUITMENT!

[Scandia]

Keep posting. I suspect what school this is.

[LucyKKG]

Haha yeah, I second the thing about the reality show. What a weird comment! I know I can be a weirdo, so I hope I don't unknowingly say something insane like that to a PNM at recruitment next week. Pretty sure I'll be alright.

[FSUZeta]

well, the poster is being discreet, so let's all please honor that and NOT publicly post which school we think she rushed at, or which sorority is what flower. if you are just going to pop if you don't show how clever you are, pm the op, please!

[betsykate]

If you think you know the code or the school, PM me! I would love to hear your guesses and I will gladly privately tell you which is which!

When we got our lists back the next day, I was ecstatic to see that I had gotten invited back everywhere I wanted! The only houses that had cut me were Lily and Tulip, my two least favorites. That meant I had 13 of the 15 chapters left, and since the maximum number of parties to attend for the second day was 10, I had to cut three. I cut Peony, Sunflower, and Orchid, without much hesitation. So that meant I had all of my favorites left! I felt invincible--a dangerous way to feel during rush, when anything can happen. Nevertheless, I started my second day with a huge smile on my face, feeling great.

At my university, the second round is skits, so I was excited to get to see more of the sisters in action. My first house in the second round was Gardenia.

Gardenia - Just like the first day, I was again bowled over by how pretty some of these girls were. I liked them a little better this time around because their skit was HILARIOUS! I was laughing the whole time and they seemed like they'd put a lot of effort into rehearsing it and making it great. After the skit, I had a nice but generic conversation with one of the sisters. Everything seemed to be going really well except that when she was showing me into the kitchen, I stepped wrong on one of my heels and FELL! I was laughing and I tried to play it off, but with the look the sister gave me, my heart sank. I was pretty sure I'd just gotten cut from Gardenia.

Marigold - Marigold's skit seemed like they'd thrown it together at the last minute. It wasn't very high energy or very well polished, but the girls on stage seemed to be having a great time with each other, which was encouraging. Afterwards, the sisters I spoke with where funny and honest, which was really enjoyable. We had an easy connection and I felt safe speaking openly with them--I didn't feel as judged as I did at Gardenia. When I left, despite the somewhat lackluster skit, I still felt good about Marigold.

Daisy - They had an amazing skit filled with tons of energy! They all seemed so excited and happy and the smiles on their faces were totally real. They wore ADORABLE shirts with their letters on them, and I found myself wishing I could wear their shirts as well--I felt like I'd be proud to announce that I was a Daisy to the whole campus. This time, I spoke to a girl who was a lot more risque than the girl I'd spoken with at first (the Disney girl). She made a joke that had me in stitches just seconds into our conversation! She was so funny and sweet that I found Daisy making its way to the top of my list.

Freesia - Freesia absolutely lived up to my high expectations. Their skit was fun, fresh, and full of energy. Afterwards, I had the chance to speak a lot of sisters who were all friendly, funny, and dazzlingly pretty. I loved every girl I met and felt like we had a very real connection. They even had several girls from my hometown (though no one I knew personally)--I felt so welcomed and happy. I was so nervous about making a good impression that sometimes I found myself rambling on or getting my words jumbled. I just wanted the Freesias to want me as bad as I wanted them! When I left Freesia that night, I thought for sure that I was meant to be a Freesia.

Rose - I was bored at Rose a second time this round. Their skit wasn't very funny and they all seemed a little too shy to be free and adlib on stage--I'm not like at all, I was an actress in high school and I LOVE being goofy! They all were quiet and demure, but I'm a little more outgoing, opinionated, and sarcastic. I knew that I wouldn't fit in at Rose, even though they were one of my roommate's favorite houses (she was rushing too!). The girls were nice, but I couldn't see myself being friends with them. I did meet one girl that I really did like, but I knew Rose wasn't for me. I made a mental note to cut Rose if I had the opportunity.

Daffodil - I had loved Daffodil the first time around so I went in with high expectations, but their skit was definitely disappointing. However, the girls I spoke with afterwards more than made up for it! Their positive attitudes and friendly energy made me feel comfortable and at home. They felt so welcoming and accepting! I knew that I would go back to Daffodil if I could. I found myself really beginning to become attached to them, but when I compared them to Freesia, I still felt confident that I was a Freesia.

Azalea - The main girl in Azalea's skit was so gorgeous that I had trouble paying attention to anything else--she was that pretty! Their skit wasn't perfect but it was one of my favorites, one of the girls in it was so funny and said a line that had me laughing for MINUTES! I mentioned that line to the girl I spoke with after the skit and she said, "Yeah, that wasn't in the script but I think we'll have to put it in after this!" Their skit also featured a very funny rap and had a song that got stuck in my head quite literally for days. Though I really liked their skit, I didn't connect as well with the girls I spoke with this time around--but I think that some of it was just because I was so confident I was going to become a Freesia that I was beginning to feel like I was wasting my time at other houses.

Pansy - Pansy had a great skit that was very creative and fun, but they stuffed all the PNMs into a TINY room and I was in the front row. I was worried I was going to get kicked in the face! The first day I had felt great about Pansy, but the second day I felt like they did not want me back at all. They barely paid attention to me, and when I spoke, I noticed the girls eyeing me and evaluating my shirt and my heels and my pants and my make-up and my hair and other superficial things. I felt very judged here. I was getting the impression that Pansy's values might not be aligned with my own.

Carnation - Carnation's skit was cute and wholesome. This time around, I didn't make any connections like I had with the Food Network girl the first time. Even though I didn't feel the instant connection like I did at Freesia, every girl here was sweet and genuine. I was a little less impressed, but I knew that I had had such an amazing time the first go-around that I wanted to give Carnation the benefit of the doubt. I knew that I would go back if I could.

Iris - Iris warned the PNMs that they were putting on a new skit this year, and I'm glad they did, because it wasn't very good. In fact, I felt almost awkward watching it--should I pity laugh? It had a few funny moments but mostly, it bombed, yikes. Then, the girl I spoke with afterwards had NOTHING in common with me. I liked her alright, but we just COULD NOT make a connection! I was trying really hard to like her and I could tell she was trying to like me, but the connection was just not there. At a regular party, I would have simply smiled and said goodbye to her, but we were stuck together. When I left Iris, I figured that they would cut me, but if they didn't I knew that I would cut them so that a girl who really fit in there could get a chance to go back.

That night, I thought about how much I loved Freesia! I still liked Daisy, Daffodil, and Azalea, and I felt good about Carnation, and I hoped that the pretty girls in Gardenia would want me back even though I'd tripped. I tossed and turned that night with excitement and nerves, hoping I'd have as much luck the second time around as I did the first.

[LucyKKG]

Oh man! I would die of embarrassment if I tripped at recruitment! That would be a foolish reason for them to cut you, though.

[texas*princess]

this is such a great story. i'm hooked

[carnation]

Originally Posted by betsykate

and I felt good about Carnation.

Well, of course you did!

[honeychile]

^^^
Gee, wonder why?



I love azaleas and gardenias! I love the way you're presenting your story!

[FSUZeta]

Originally Posted by honeychile

^^^




I love azaleas and gardenias! I love the way you're presenting your story!

me too....and who doesn't love carnations??

[Benzgirl]

Update?

[justabostongirl]

Originally Posted by LucyKKG

Oh man! I would die of embarrassment if I tripped at recruitment! That would be a foolish reason for them to cut you, though.

I'm glad our sororities didn't use that as a basis, because I'm one of the most clumsy people you will ever meet!

[Benzgirl]

Originally Posted by justabostongirl

I'm glad our sororities didn't use that as a basis, because I'm one of the most clumsy people you will ever meet!

We had a few steps down into the Informal Living Room, and I can't tell you how many PNMs slid down the stairs. It always made for good conversation, but I can't say we ever cut anyone because of it.

[betsykate]

When I got my list the next morning, I still had 7 of the 10 houses left--awesome! Gardenia had cut me--probably because of the tripping--but I wasn't too sad because they weren't one of my favorites. Iris had cut me as well, but if they hadn't, I would have cut them because I knew we weren't a good fit. But then I looked closer, and I realized that I hadn't been invited back to Freesia.

I felt awful! I had felt like I had such an amazing connection with the girls at Freesia! How could they have felt so differently? I was totally shaken! At first, I felt like I was going to spend the whole day crying. I had to force myself to remember that I still had 7 wonderful houses to visit: Daisy, Azalea, Daffodil, Marigold, Pansy, Carnation, and Rose. Since the maximum number of parties to attend for the third round was 5, I held back my tears and decided to cut Pansy and Rose. I knew I was very lucky to have to a full schedule and to still have many of my favorite houses, but I couldn't help feeling totally topsy-turvey at having lost Freesia.

After I had cried a bit and gotten out my sadness, I retouched my make-up, tidied up my outfit, and headed off to my first house for the third round, where the girls show us around their houses.

Marigold - I had been iffy on Marigold, and while I liked them, with my devastation over losing Freesia I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever actually pledge them. When I met with my first girl, I was fighting not to cry! She could sense that I wasn't feeling my best and she and her sisters were so kind to me that I found myself really, really liking them. They laughed and told jokes and seemed like the kinds of girls who would make wonderful and true friends. Even though I wasn't fully recovered from my shock, I really, really appreciated the kindness and acceptance of the girls at Marigold. However, as I was leaving their house, I heard one PNM say to another, "God, I hope I don't have to go to Marigold for Prefs--I heard they're all WEIRDOS!" I tried not to listen, but I found myself questioning: WERE they weirdos? Would pledging with them make me a weirdo? I wanted to ignore them, but I was just a new freshman and I didn't want to make a mistake by joining a "bad" sorority (how little I knew about what sisterhood is about!). I promised myself I wouldn't let their comments influence my decision.

Carnation - Carnation's house was absolutely INSANE. They have hands down the largest and most nicest house on campus. Winding staircases and private kitchens with spacious living rooms and luxurious furnishings...porches and patios...a grand piano...!! It was tough not to be swayed just by the fabulous living situation! However, the more I visited Carnation, the more I was beginning to feel that maybe they weren't for me. I liked every girl I met and I absolutely felt that they were some of the sweetest girls in the whole Greek system, but they seemed a little...goody goody. The girl who was showing me around informed me that they had a 12pm curfew when they lived in the house, including on weekends! I didn't want my sorority to mother me--I wanted to make friends who wanted to have fun and be wild (not TOO wild) and live it up! I felt torn as I left Carnation because I liked so many of the girls but I felt like I might want a different thing than they were offering.

Azalea - The girl who toured me around Azalea was one of the most incredible girls I met during my entire Rush process. She was hilarious, self-deprecating, honest, genuine, adorable, and most of all, a great listener! She genuinely wanted to hear everything I had to say, and had funny and insightful comments on all of it. Talking to her was the easiest and most natural conversation I had had. Every girl I met in every room of Azalea was the same--down-to-earth, genuine, and totally easy to talk to. By the time I left, I even had inside jokes with a few sisters! As the first girl was escorting me out to the door, I had to fight the urge to hug her and thank her for showing me that I wasn't meant to be a Freesia after all! How could I have overlooked the amazing and wonderful girls in Azalea? I knew that there was still a major cut before Preferentials, and even if I made it to Prefs, Azalea STILL might not give me a bid, but as I left Azalea, I squeezed my eyes shut and wished with all my heart that they had felt the same sense of belonging that I had.

Daffodil - I truly enjoyed my time at the Daffodil house. Every girl I met seemed fun and friendly and cute! I particularly liked one girl, whose dry and sarcastic humor matched my own. However, the girl I toured with was so bubbly and bright that I found myself struggling to keep up--I felt like I was faking it a little bit to fit in at Daffodil. It seemed like half of the girls were funny and smart, but the other half I met seemed a little bit ditzy. I really like to be around people who challenge and stimulate me intellectually, and I wasn't sure Daffodil could do that for me. I also couldn't shake the feeling that I just wasn't quite being myself at Daffodil. Nevertheless, I had had such a consistently great time there that I had faith that I would fit in, and thought that maybe any semblance of a "mismatch" was just a paranoid hallucination of mine. I knew that, if I got one, I would certainly accept a bid to join Daffodil's pledge class.

Daisy - The first two girls I met at Daisy had been almost total opposites, and the third was totally different as well! This gave me some reservations about the overall personality of the girls in Daisy, but at the same time, the idea that they accepted all sorts of girls all made me think that maybe their diversity would be a positive aspect. I liked this third girl the least of all that I had met. She was a little bit cold--she didn't really ask me any questions. After I finished talking, she just stared at me. Eventually, I had to ask her a question to keep the conversation going. I felt like I was rushing her! But, like at Daffodil, I'd had such great previous experiences at Daisy that I didn't want to judge them based on just this one girl. I wanted to give Daisy the benefit of the doubt, but I had some reservations. I knew that I wouldn't be upset to get a bid from Daisy, but they weren't my top choice.

That night, I went to bed happy, knowing that I had 5 great houses and I could be happy in any one of them! I crossed my fingers that Azalea would invite me back and tried to get my beauty sleep before Prefs.

[Scandia]

Wow, talk about an engaging story with a great plot! Can't wait to see more. Too bad I cannot access this site at my job. I'm crossing my fingers about Azalea.

[FSUZeta]

i remember having to "rush" a few sorority members when i was going thru recruitment (yes...i can actually remember that far back!). i felt awkward carrying the brunt of the conversation, but was glad i was able to. it seemed to work out for me, because i was invited back to each of the houses where i basically had to take the lead. hope it worked out as well for lucykate.