My Recruitment Story

[keyplayer]

The next round we could have up to five houses, but I only had four: Belle, Tiana, Ariel and Mulan. I was so excited to have Mulan on the list still, and the others I was willing to look at again, though I admit I was sort of focused on Mulan. The others to me were just places to visit until I finally made it home. Having only four seemed like a good thing at that point, because I knew exactly where I was going and it meant wasting less time to get there.

I got to start at my favorite house, and was once again blown away. We did a craft for the philanthropy and it was really cute and the girls I spoke with were so genuine and sweet. They all seemed so beautiful in their cocktail dresses and heels and so put together and I wanted to be a part of that group more than anything else. It was my top pick before I even looked at Tiana and Belle again.
Ariel was fun and everything, but the girls were wearing super preppy, super girlie outfits and I had no idea if I’d fit in with them if that was what they liked to wear. I was able to joke about wearing kids sized clothing with the girl rushing me, but I knew it wasn’t for me.
Tiana was good; I talked to a girl who had rushed me earlier in the week and we got along pretty well, but I still didn’t feel any real click. I liked the craft we did and the philanthropy they supported. The girls here were so nice and everything, but there was just something telling me it wasn’t it.
At Belle, I was so surprised. Their philanthropy was a cause close to my heart and I was rushed by the same girl who had rushed me the day before. We joked about how we were going to light our heels on fire at the end of rush and we talked so much that I never even started on the craft. Another girl joined our conversation and even though it was obvious she wasn’t close to the girl rushing me, it was so cool to see them interact. You could tell they loved each other and cared so much about the other even though one was a senior and the other was a sophomore and they might not have been super tight. I mentioned this and the first girl told me about how even though it’s a big sorority, the girls are close and even if you aren’t, if you need a friendly face on campus and you see a girl wearing her letters, you’re automatically best friends. They sit together in classes on the first day and eat together so no one feels awkward and I just loved that about Belle. This round certainly gave me a new perspective on the sorority.
I knew I was getting rid of Ariel as I narrowed it down to two, and that Mulan would be my first choice, and Belle was my second. I went to bed that night envisioning going to pref night at Belle and Mulan and then getting my bid from Mulan. It was perfect, at least in my head.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by keyplayer

The next round we could have up to five houses, but I only had four: Belle, Tiana, Ariel and Mulan. I was so excited to have Mulan on the list still, and the others I was willing to look at again, though I admit I was sort of focused on Mulan. The others to me were just places to visit until I finally made it home. Having only four seemed like a good thing at that point, because I knew exactly where I was going and it meant wasting less time to get there.

I got to start at my favorite house, and was once again blown away. We did a craft for the philanthropy and it was really cute and the girls I spoke with were so genuine and sweet. They all seemed so beautiful in their cocktail dresses and heels and so put together and I wanted to be a part of that group more than anything else. It was my top pick before I even looked at Tiana and Belle again.
Ariel was fun and everything, but the girls were wearing super preppy, super girlie outfits and I had no idea if I’d fit in with them if that was what they liked to wear. I was able to joke about wearing kids sized clothing with the girl rushing me, but I knew it wasn’t for me.
Tiana was good; I talked to a girl who had rushed me earlier in the week and we got along pretty well, but I still didn’t feel any real click. I liked the craft we did and the philanthropy they supported. The girls here were so nice and everything, but there was just something telling me it wasn’t it.
At Belle, I was so surprised. Their philanthropy was a cause close to my heart and I was rushed by the same girl who had rushed me the day before. We joked about how we were going to light our heels on fire at the end of rush and we talked so much that I never even started on the craft. Another girl joined our conversation and even though it was obvious she wasn’t close to the girl rushing me, it was so cool to see them interact. You could tell they loved each other and cared so much about the other even though one was a senior and the other was a sophomore and they might not have been super tight. I mentioned this and the first girl told me about how even though it’s a big sorority, the girls are close and even if you aren’t, if you need a friendly face on campus and you see a girl wearing her letters, you’re automatically best friends. They sit together in classes on the first day and eat together so no one feels awkward and I just loved that about Belle. This round certainly gave me a new perspective on the sorority.
I knew I was getting rid of Ariel as I narrowed it down to two, and that Mulan would be my first choice, and Belle was my second. I went to bed that night envisioning going to pref night at Belle and Mulan and then getting my bid from Mulan. It was perfect, at least in my head.

Cocktail dresses on philanthropy round? And you liked them better than the too preppy Ariel because you're a tomboy? Hmm...

[jenidallas]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Cocktail dresses on philanthropy round? And you liked them better than the too preppy Ariel because you're a tomboy? Hmm...

As odd as it sounds - she's legit. Too many real details about it. I know the school in question - anyone who is familiar with it would.

[victoriana]

Originally Posted by jenidallas

As odd as it sounds - she's legit. Too many real details about it. I know the school in question - anyone who is familiar with it would.

I'm glad that you can prove the OP's intentions are true. Personally, I never doubted her and I think what she is doing is cool. It bugs me when people jump on new posters and accuse them of being trolls or sock puppets just because their story isn't 100% consistent. I mean, I get that the volume of bullshit posters we get on here is pretty high, but that's no excuse to jump all over people, IMHO.

[jenidallas]

Originally Posted by victoriana

I'm glad that you can prove the OP's intentions are true. Personally, I never doubted her and I think what she is doing is cool. It bugs me when people jump on new posters and accuse them of being trolls or sock puppets just because their story isn't 100% consistent. I mean, I get that the volume of bullshit posters we get on here is pretty high, but that's no excuse to jump all over people, IMHO.

Her story actually IS consistent... So much so that I suspect she was in the same Pi Chi group as a fall rushee I wrote a rec for. At the time, I though my PNM's stories were "off" too but later visited the campus and found they were indeed correct. Some definite irregularities, but it's the school, not the poster.

[keyplayer]

So, if you couldn’t have guessed it by now, pref night rolled around and I got my list. Belle was on it, but Mulan was not. Instead, Tiana was where I’d be preffing. I was really upset, and I cried a little to my Pi Chi. She confessed that she knew I hadn’t actually had my “moment” at Mulan. I thought I had, and I thought it was perfect for me, but obviously it wasn’t if they didn’t want me. Looking back, getting cut from Mulan was the best thing that could have happened to me. I hadn’t actually found my home like I thought I had; my Pi Chi was right about that. So many other girls in my group had and I was desperate to believe that I had too, but looking back, I know I hadn’t. I’m grateful to have been cut because had I preffed at Mulan, I wouldn’t have given the other sorority a second thought, no matter how I felt about it. Because I got cut, I was able to look at Tiana and Belle with fresh eyes and truly find my home.
Thinking about my list, I had an idea of where I’d end up. I went to the Tiana party, and knew it wasn’t for me. Some girls were crying and all of the older sisters were as they talked about what the sorority meant to them, but I wasn’t. I knew where I belonged and it wasn’t there.

Going to the Belle party, I was pretty sure this was it. As soon as I entered the house and was greeted by the same girl who had been rushing me all week, it was confirmed for me. I had that “this is it moment”. I felt so comfortable and so at home and I did get a little teary eyed at the stories the older sisters told. This was from laughter because they had some truly hilarious tales of sorority life. Belle was the one for me all along, it just took getting rid of my Mulan blinders to see that.
I had no trouble filling out my pref card and my Pi Chi had a smile a mile wide when I told her I’d found it at Belle. I was crying when I told her because I was so happy.
Bid day rolled around and I was a nervous wreck. I knew there was no way in my heart I could accept a bid from anywhere other than Belle. It turns out my Pi Chi is a Belle, and I was thrilled when I found out. She gave me a huge wink as she took off her Pi Chi jersey to reveal the Belle shirt underneath. I hoped that was a good sign. She started handing out t shirts and bid cards with the letters facing the ground and behind our backs. I peeked a little to see the color, but it was neutral and told me nothing. I’d been praying for one in Belle’s color. As soon as she told us to open them, girls were squealing and crying. I jumped for joy when I saw the Belle name on the shirt I’d been given. My Pi Chi took my hand and sprinted with me to her-our-sisters, and I ran right into the arms of the girl who’d been rushing me all week. “Welcome home, rush crush!!” she said. And she was right. I was home.



And for all those curious, Belle is...
Kappa Kappa Gamma!! (if my username didn't already give it away)

0----,,


Mom again: I have very little to add. I was happy and relieved to have the process over! There were still some “bumps” in the road as she really concentrated on whether sorority life was for her-the stress of rush and starting classes had not really left her with much time for reflection. In many ways, I feel like rushing second semester would help girls figure that out before rush. Although, her twin brother is at a school with deferred rush and he has told us horror stories about what some of his female friends have experienced this fall. He is at a small school where almost everyone knows everyone, so missteps are hard to hide. I’m honestly not sure which system is better-both have pros and cons.

[amIblue?]

Welcome to Kappa! I thought you might be a sister from your user name.

I love a Kappa ending.

[keyplayer]

Mom again: I also have to applaud my daughter's Pi Chi. She later told my daughter that she knew all along that she belonged in KKG (her sorority), but she always gave my daughter totally unbiased advice, even when my daughter almost dropped KKG-so much so that my daughter was happily shocked when she found out that they were now sisters!

[jenidallas]

Yay!!! I knew from the beginning of this story that there were a couple of outcomes (from your first comments) - SO happy for you!!!

[KKGCaroline]

Congratulations & Welcome To Kappa Kappa Gamma!

I too had a feeling of a blue & blue ending based on your user name!

Head on over to the Kappa forum and introduce yourself!

[DubaiSis]

Originally Posted by keyplayer

Mom again: I have very little to add. I was happy and relieved to have the process over! There were still some “bumps” in the road as she really concentrated on whether sorority life was for her-the stress of rush and starting classes had not really left her with much time for reflection. In many ways, I feel like rushing second semester would help girls figure that out before rush. Although, her twin brother is at a school with deferred rush and he has told us horror stories about what some of his female friends have experienced this fall. He is at a small school where almost everyone knows everyone, so missteps are hard to hide. I’m honestly not sure which system is better-both have pros and cons.

This is something that has been discussed here a lot. Many of us will argue that the way we went through was the better way. From research that's been done (there was an article posted here this past fall), the pledge semester is hard on your grades, but it doesn't matter if that semester is your first or second of your freshman year, or even later than that. I personally liked getting it over with before classes start in the fall but schools seem to be going to a slightly delayed rush (of a week or two) because it seems to increase retention rates through the rush process. I don't know if it has an affect on retention rates through the pledge and/or active member periods. I really would NOT be a fan of winter rush at a Northern school, but a lot seem to do it that way and it works well for them!

[FleurGirl]

Hooray! Kappa endings are my favorite. Congratulations!

This story has a great message for girls going through recruitment either this winter or in the fall. You might be convinced that there is only one sorority for you and getting cut from them is the end of the world, but this is proof that breaking out of that "one and only" mindset can have a very happy ending!

[keyplayer]

FleurGirl, that is exactly what I wanted to show girls going through recruitment! I spent so much time reading these stories before heading off to school and each one taught me a little something different, so I'm hoping my story might show girls two things.
1. That the top house is the one that is right for you, regardless of what others say
2. The one that is right for you might just surprise you.

[FleurGirl]

Originally Posted by keyplayer

1. That the top house is the one that is right for you, regardless of what others say
2. The one that is right for you might just surprise you.

Well said, soon-to-be sister! Enjoy your new member period, I have no doubt it will be wonderful!

[PKTKKG]

Congratulations and welcome to Kappa! Thank you for sharing your story!!!!