My Unique Recruitment Story

[RaggedyAnn]

Originally Posted by aggieAXO

too funny! I guess I rushed in this period as well. We were told to stay by the phones (landlines that is).

and the landlines were attached to the wall, LOL.

[Calliope]

Again, I'm really sorry but there's good news and bad news:

Bad News - my recruitment doesn't end with this post.
Good News - I have it all written already so updates will come quickly!!

I know that I'm lacking on details, but in all honesty I think I've already given away too much. Plus - my recruitment story started back almost a decade ago now, so there's been a lot of time for the incidental details to get fuzzy!

I don't really know how "unique" this really will wind up being, but to me it seems pretty out of the ordinary! With that, let's continue...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Eventually rush ends. Rachel gets a bid to Slytherin. Everyone else that I am good friends with get bids to Hufflepuff. I spoke with Greta a few other times that semester and tell her how disappointed I am that so many girls who received bids decided to eventually drop out from pledging. Someone like me who really saw the value of the sorority for what it was, would never have dropped out of something because it was too hard. Great apologizes again, and tell me that I can try Informal Rush in the Fall.

Enter Fall of my sophomore year. I am now a sophomore and it’s time for informal rush to begin. I visit Greta again to tell her I’m still interested. She informs me that none of the sororities have opted to do Informal Rush this semester. Great. Foiled again.

So Spring comes again and I sign up for Formal Rush one more time. It’s me and what feels like a bunch of freshman. I already feel awkward and wonder if this is something that I really want to go through again. I come to the conclusion that yes, I do. I owe it to myself and I owe it to the group of girls who are my sisters in spirit, whoever they may be. Ultimately, I believe in the system, I know that I would have a lot to offer the sorority. I am going through formal rush again.

Truth be told, much of my second rush is a blur. I do remember that I still was heads over heels in love with Hufflepuff. I felt a lot more confident this time around because I had a lot of friends in all of the sororities, but the most in Hufflepuff. In fact I’d say I was almost inseparable with about 15% of the sorority. (We're a small school - everyone knows pretty much everyone)

However, Rachel (my roomie from Freshman year) took special care to introduce me to as many people in Slytherin as she could. I no longer felt that Hufflepuff was the only group for me. I would be perfectly happy in Slytherin as well. Of course, I would still prefer Hufflepuff, but never let any of the three groups know that. But I definitely hinted to Hufflepuff that I kinda loved them (but knew despite all of that, I could be happy anywhere.)

So next is pref day. Dejavu. I am the last person with an appointment for the day. I am so freakishly nervous that I’m going to have a repeat of last year. I sit down with the Rho Chi. She asks me to hold on a moment. Darn, I think to myself. Here we go again.

To my surprise, she apologizes for the wait, but I was a little early and she had to run to the restroom because she hadn't taken a break all day. What? Am I not going to Greta’s office?

She pulls out an envelope. I open it and listed on there are my prefs for the next night…

Slytherin.

That’s it.

I’m disappointed, but I figure I will make the best of it. I liked Slytherin and I love Rachel. I know that people don’t always get their first choice, but things do turn out for the best. Maybe I am meant to be in Slytherin.

However, there’s another problem…

[CougarGrad]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggg gggggghhhhhhhhhhhh

[twinkle555]

Ommmmggg.. your rush was a (pardon my French) shitshow lol

[Calliope]

Originally Posted by twinkle555

Ommmmggg.. your rush was a (pardon my French) shitshow lol

Spoiler alert!


It actually gets WORSE!! LOL

At least I can laugh about it now!

[ADPiTigergurl]

Originally Posted by Calliope

Spoiler alert!


It actually gets WORSE!! LOL

At least I can laugh about it now!

ok so i thinkits safe to say we all just wanna know how it ends....

[Calliope]

Ok, before I let my trainwreck rush continue, I want to explain something. My school was very very small and the Greek Life, while prevalent on campus, really wasn't that big of a deal. I never had any recommendations - I didn't know that such a thing existed for greek life and it was never mentioned by the greek life office. Even if I had, the only person I knew in any sorority was my Gryffindor cousin from Year 1 (but of course I didn't know that until I went to the Gryffindor rush party, so I wouldn't have asked her anyway.) I had a cousin at another school who was also greek, but her GLO wasn't on my campus anyway.

Another thing that made my initial "no-pref" rush so shocking was that at the orientation meeting it was made clear that every girl who had ever gone through rush since greek life started on my campus (maybe about 10 years before I rushed the first time) had received a bid. So when I was dropped, I was absolutely shocked, but moreso hurt than anything else. Life goes on, after all, but feelings can't be glossed over and sometimes stick with you, especially if you're a little insecure and shy to begin with!

But anyway, I digress. I'm not that person anymore and I'm over what had happened to me. I won't lie, but it did take a long long while. I've already said that the story isn't over yet, and believe me - it will actually get worse before it gets any better.

So without any more delay, here's my next installment. (I feel like there needs to be some kind of telenovela type music or something!)

-------------------



I think I had mentioned before that I was on softball scholarship. We had a new coach this year who didn’t care that rush was this week and had scheduled practices that coincided with the end of formal rush. Since I was on the team and on scholarship, I had to make my way to the diamond for a practice right in the middle of the pref party. I had to get there in time or else risk some real trouble!

Greta tells me that I will have 0% chance to receive a bid if I don’t go to the pref party. I know if I don’t go I’m done. I decide that my best bet is to go and stay for as long as I can, and explain to the sisters immediately why I can’t stay for the whole thing. I decide I have to try, so that is what I do.

The pref party at Slytherin is beautiful. It’s an entire sit down gourmet dinner (at least my school cafeteria standards). There are flowers everywhere and the student lounge is transformed into a ballroom, complete with a tastefully handmade gold cardboard chandelier. (Maybe my memory has exaggerated this a little bit, but I do remember it really was beautiful.)

While I had a great time at the party, in my heart of hearts, I just don’t see myself as a Slytherin. I still believe I’m truly a Hufflepuff, but they don’t want me so I might as well make lemons out of lemonade. I don’t let on, but I do apologize to the Slytherins that I have to leave for practice, and I get going. On the way out, my Rho Chi meets me and has me sign a pref card. Against my better judgment, I list Slytherin first because they actually preffed me. Then I put Hufflepuff, and finally Gryffindor.

The next morning I’m awake really early. Today is Bid Day! Just as I’m getting ready to leave for the student center, my phone rings. (If you think you know what comes next, you’re probably right.) I pick it up, and it’s Greta. She tells me that she’s awfully sorry, but I shouldn’t come to bid day because I have not received a bid. I start crying on the phone right there.

I’m almost hysterical. I don’t need friends. I don’t need to feel better about myself. I don’t NEED to join a sorority to be happy. However, it’s something I want to do and it’s something special I need to be a part of! I’m inconsolable and I’m pretty sure I’m hiccupping as I’m talking to her. I’ve always been the perfect kid who did what everyone else wanted her to do and never did anything for herself. This was something I wanted to do for myself, regardless of how my mother didn't really want me to do it. I didn’t care about prestige or social status. I wanted to be a part of something that connected me to women like me across the country and throughout history. I wanted to be ME.

Greta is obviously uncomfortable. She tells me she doesn’t have any other phone calls to make but that I can try informal rush in the Fall. Thanks, Greta. That really makes me feel better...again Not.

------------------------

Don’t worry, the story STILL doesn’t end there. But like I said, it got worse before it got better!!

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Calliope

Another thing that made my initial "no-pref" rush so shocking was that at the orientation meeting it was made clear that every girl who had ever gone through rush since greek life started on my campus (maybe about 10 years before I rushed the first time) had received a bid.

Unless you this was Tufts or Creighton (and if it was you would be approximately 125 years old) this just simply is NOT the case. What a horrible thing to say. I think I'd almost prefer the "4000 rushees begin rush but only 750 of them get bids" hyperbole.

And if it WAS Tufts or Creighton (although Creighton doesn't do it anymore) you would have had a guaranteed bid - you would have been in a group on your first try.

[annabella]

What kind of awful advisor gets "uncomfortable" when they have to give someone bad news (not to mention actually stating she didn't have to make any other phone calls)? I don't care what group you're advising, whether it's chess club or panhellenic, giving bad news should be an anticipated part of the deal.

[ree-Xi]

What????

[Calliope]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Unless you this was Tufts or Creighton (and if it was you would be approximately 125 years old) this just simply is NOT the case. What a horrible thing to say. I think I'd almost prefer the "4000 rushees begin rush but only 750 of them get bids" hyperbole.

And if it WAS Tufts or Creighton (although Creighton doesn't do it anymore) you would have had a guaranteed bid - you would have been in a group on your first try.

It's not any of those schools, actually. I know now that it wasn't true (hello! Poster child right here!) and I actually found out after the fact that I wasn't the only one dropped the second time I rushed. It actually became more and more common each subsequent year until another group was added to campus (And I bet you thought that I left Ravenclaw out! winkwink) They just had more girls rushing than they had spots available. I can't blame them for that. In that scenario there's going to be someone who is left out - just why did it have to be me?! Twice!!

I don't blame my school's greek life for what they said. Who knows? Maybe I was just so starry eyed that I misunderstood - maybe they said most everyone gets a bid? I can't go back in time and listen again, though, so I'll never know.

Originally Posted by annabella

What kind of awful advisor gets "uncomfortable" when they have to give someone bad news (not to mention actually stating she didn't have to make any other phone calls)? I don't care what group you're advising, whether it's chess club or panhellenic, giving bad news should be an anticipated part of the deal.

As for Greta, I really don't blame her either. It's just an uncomfortable situation all around - I'd be really uncomfortable too. I wound up getting to know her very very well and she's a lovely person. I do remember that I kept asking her questions when she called since I was trying to figure out what went wrong, and she probably just felt at that point that ripping of the bandage would be less painless in the long run. There's just really no good way to handle that situation. Looking back, I'm actually glad that she was so blunt with me. I needed to face reality. It sucked, but it was still reality. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!


~~~~~~~

Ill try to get another update up tonight, but I'm a glutton for awards shows and the SAGs are about to start! (Forgive me if you have to wait until tomorrow!!)

[ree-Xi]

This story reminds me of this one:

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...d.php?t=110468

Except that one was "unique AND sad". This one is just "unique". Their words, not mine. I don't get the purpose of this one either.

[Calliope]

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

This story reminds me of this one:

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...d.php?t=110468

Except that one was "unique AND sad". This one is just "unique". Their words, not mine. I don't get the purpose of this one either.

Mine is definitely not sad. It might seem that way right now, but I promise you it's not. (Plus - unlike what I think of that other thread, this is actually true!)

I'm actually annoyed that I used the "unique" in the subject especially after that debacle of a thread from the link above. But I started this thread almost a year ago, so please don't hold the "unique" against me!!! LOL!

As for the point of the story, there actually isn't one. I just like reading the Recruitment Stories, and I figured I'd share mine. There's no "moral of the story" or anything like that.

Anyway, the awards are on now! Adios for now!

[preciousjeni]

This thread is ridiculous. Just finish the story. Good lord.

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

I don't get the purpose of this one either.

Here's my theory. She never actually got dropped from any house. She probably started telling a story during the first recruitment and then dropped out to prolong the misery. Then she went through the second recruitment and started to tell the story again. When she didn't finish the second time around, they all dropped her because they were fed up. She's using this thread to get back at sororities in general.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

This thread is ridiculous. Just finish the story. Good lord.

Thank you.