a reluctant PNM faces the music

[madoug]

So glad I just read this thread for the first time. If I had on day one.... the suspense would be a major stressor.... great job, can't wait til the ending.

[facethemusic]

PREF PARTIES!!!




Piano - Standing outside this house, I looked it up and down. Could I really see this place as my home for the next four years? Despite everything my mom had said, I still wasn't convinced. Lost in thought, I suddenly felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around to see Amy standing behind me in line. We hugged but didn't have time to update each other because it was time to go in.My face lit up when I was greeted at the door in hushed whispers by my musician friend from Philanthropy Day. I was beyond excited to see her again. She quietly led me to my seat and then joined the other sisters at the front of the room where the presentation would take place. While I was waiting for the presentation to start, I remember watching the sisters up at the front of the room and realizing that my mom had been right about them being beautiful. I can't say much about the presentation without giving away the sorority, but it was absolutely beautiful and had me in tears. The further it progressed, the more in love I became with these sweet and beautiful girls. By the time it closed with a heartfelt poem, I was bawling like a baby. The sisters led each of us away to talk one-on-one. My musician friend handed me a tissue and asked how my week had gone and what my thoughts were toward Piano. I said exactly what I was thinking - that I'd felt nothing but comfortable and at home here all week, but I'd set my sights on other "favorite" chapters and not allowed myself to see how right Piano had felt all along. Then she handed me a folded piece of paper, which I unfolded to reveal a handwritten note. As I started reading, it brought fresh tears to my eyes to read my new friend's sweet and encouraging words about what Piano had seen in me this week. But the end of it was the game changer. We weren't allowed to take our notes with us, but it doesn't matter, because I remember the last few lines of mine almost perfectly.

When I met you on Philanthropy Day, you were wearing a cute silver cross necklace, and the more I talked to you, the more I was convinced that it was more than just a fashion statement to you. I know that being a woman of faith going through recruitment can make you feel like a sheep among wolves, but I want you to know that here at Piano we have so many girls that are striving for the same thing you are. My sisters have infinitely bettered my walk with Christ and I know Piano can do the same for you.

WOAH.

Notice the underlined part?

Nuff said.

Needless to say, this had me sobbing all over again. I assured my friend that they were happy tears but didn't have time to explain because it was time to go now. She led me to the door and told me she sincerely hoped to see me tomorrow, and I returned the sentiment, meaning what I said with all my heart.




Violin - I had to hurriedly put my face back together outside this house, frantically dabbing makeup in all the places where my tears had washed it away. I was greeted at the door by a cute short brunette. I smiled calmly on the outside but was in full panic mode on the inside - I could NOT for the life of me remember this girl's name, when I had met her, or what we had talked about. We looked at each other for a few awkward seconds as she looked like she was trying to read my expression. Finally, she stuck her hand out and introduced herself. She introduced herself. I realized there was a reason I couldn't remember her name - we had never met - and that she was caught off guard by my pretending to recognize her. Well, isn't this awkward. I was frustrated because I knew the is wasn't how Pref was supposed to work, but I masked my disappointment. The ceremony was sweet and heartfelt, and I was somewhat appreciating it until a girl stepped up to the microphone and started to read the first few lines of a poem. They sounded vaguely familiar....it was Piano's poem. Stolen property. Claimed dishonestly to be Violin's own. Underneath my perfectly-polite-PNM appearance, I was seething mad. How dare they assign someone I had never met to pref me and then try to pull on my heartstrings with the same poem another house had already used to steal my heart? If I wasn't already sorely disappointed with this Pref party, the very end sealed my decision. Each sister had made the girl she was preffing a small item with an adjective written on it; a trait they had seen in us that week. My hostess handed me mine, and it read outgoing. "Yeah, I just guessed since I don't know you. I hope I guessed right," she shrugged. Um....nope. WRONG. I thanked her and tried to appear appreciative, but I was ready to just get OUT of this house. I felt like a number here, a nameless face, dehumanized by a house that was fighting tooth and nail to make quota not really caring WHO they pledged as long as they pledged SOMEONE. I didn't like the feeling.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by facethemusic

PREF PARTIES!!!




Piano - Standing outside this house, I looked it up and down. Could I really see this place as my home for the next four years? Despite everything my mom had said, I still wasn't convinced. Lost in thought, I suddenly felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around to see Amy standing behind me in line. We hugged but didn't have time to update each other because it was time to go in.My face lit up when I was greeted at the door in hushed whispers by my musician friend from Philanthropy Day. I was beyond excited to see her again. She quietly led me to my seat and then joined the other sisters at the front of the room where the presentation would take place. While I was waiting for the presentation to start, I remember watching the sisters up at the front of the room and realizing that my mom had been right about them being beautiful. I can't say much about the presentation without giving away the sorority, but it was absolutely beautiful and had me in tears. The further it progressed, the more in love I became with these sweet and beautiful girls. By the time it closed with a heartfelt poem, I was bawling like a baby. The sisters led each of us away to talk one-on-one. My musician friend handed me a tissue and asked how my week had gone and what my thoughts were toward Piano. I said exactly what I was thinking - that I'd felt nothing but comfortable and at home here all week, but I'd set my sights on other "favorite" chapters and not allowed myself to see how right Piano had felt all along. Then she handed me a folded piece of paper, which I unfolded to reveal a handwritten note. As I started reading, it brought fresh tears to my eyes to read my new friend's sweet and encouraging words about what Piano had seen in me this week. But the end of it was the game changer. We weren't allowed to take our notes with us, but it doesn't matter, because I remember the last few lines of mine almost perfectly.

When I met you on Philanthropy Day, you were wearing a cute silver cross necklace, and the more I talked to you, the more I was convinced that it was more than just a fashion statement to you. I know that being a woman of faith going through recruitment can make you feel like a sheep among wolves, but I want you to know that here at Piano we have so many girls that are striving for the same thing you are. My sisters have infinitely bettered my walk with Christ and I know Piano can do the same for you.

WOAH.

Notice the underlined part?

Nuff said.

Needless to say, this had me sobbing all over again. I assured my friend that they were happy tears but didn't have time to explain because it was time to go now. She led me to the door and told me she sincerely hoped to see me tomorrow, and I returned the sentiment, meaning what I said with all my heart.




Violin - I had to hurriedly put my face back together outside this house, frantically dabbing makeup in all the places where my tears had washed it away. I was greeted at the door by a cute short brunette. I smiled calmly on the outside but was in full panic mode on the inside - I could NOT for the life of me remember this girl's name, when I had met her, or what we had talked about. We looked at each other for a few awkward seconds as she looked like she was trying to read my expression. Finally, she stuck her hand out and introduced herself. She introduced herself. I realized there was a reason I couldn't remember her name - we had never met - and that she was caught off guard by my pretending to recognize her. Well, isn't this awkward. I was frustrated because I knew the is wasn't how Pref was supposed to work, but I masked my disappointment. The ceremony was sweet and heartfelt, and I was somewhat appreciating it until a girl stepped up to the microphone and started to read the first few lines of a poem. They sounded vaguely familiar....it was Piano's poem. Stolen property. Claimed dishonestly to be Violin's own. Underneath my perfectly-polite-PNM appearance, I was seething mad. How dare they assign someone I had never met to pref me and then try to pull on my heartstrings with the same poem another house had already used to steal my heart? If I wasn't already sorely disappointed with this Pref party, the very end sealed my decision. Each sister had made the girl she was preffing a small item with an adjective written on it; a trait they had seen in us that week. My hostess handed me mine, and it read outgoing. "Yeah, I just guessed since I don't know you. I hope I guessed right," she shrugged. Um....nope. WRONG. I thanked her and tried to appear appreciative, but I was ready to just get OUT of this house. I felt like a number here, a nameless face, dehumanized by a house that was fighting tooth and nail to make quota not really caring WHO they pledged as long as they pledged SOMEONE. I didn't like the feeling.

You do realize that the same couple of poems get passed around and claimed by everyone, right? I can even guess what it was.

[carnation]

What she said. Piano could have even ganked it from Violin. The songs are the same way; every group out there has a version of "Today". Change the colors and mascots you're singing about and voila!

[MaryPoppins]

Originally Posted by carnation

What she said. Piano could have even ganked it from Violin. The songs are the same way; every group out there has a version of "Today". Change the colors and mascots you're singing about and voila!

Amen, what Carnation said!

[AOII Angel]

But she heard it first at Piano so Violin must have stolen it!

[ADqtPiMel]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

You do realize that the same couple of poems get passed around and claimed by everyone, right? I can even guess what it was.

Right? Absolutely ridiculous.

[Tulip86]

Originally Posted by ADqtPiMel

Right? Absolutely ridiculous.

I get that it's normal that all groups all use the same poems and songs but I get how an 18 year old girl who loves 1 chapter, and dislikes the other can interpret it differently.

[ADqtPiMel]

Originally Posted by Tulip86

I get that it's normal that all groups all use the same poems and songs but I get how an 18 year old girl who loves 1 chapter, and dislikes the other can interpret it differently.

Yeah, but it's still completely ridiculous to be "seething mad" and call it "stolen property."

[facethemusic]

P.S. If you have any inklings of what two chapters these are based on the vague details of the Pref ceremonies, please keep it to yourself!! Don't ruin the surprise!!!

[drgnlady]

Given the intelligence of this PNM, I'm sure she realized her misconception after the fact and is just giving us her feeling in the moment. Face the Music is one of the most refreshingly self-aware PNMs ever on GC!

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by Tulip86

I get that it's normal that all groups all use the same poems and songs but I get how an 18 year old girl who loves 1 chapter, and dislikes the other can interpret it differently.

Originally Posted by drgnlady

Given the intelligence of this PNM, I'm sure she realized her misconception after the fact and is just giving us her feeling in the moment. Face the Music is one of the most refreshingly self-aware PNMs ever on GC!

This is what I'm thinking, too. Rush can be such an overwhelming process - a process that deliberately takes people on emotional roller coaster rides. Combine that with 18 year old women taking the ride for the first time, having little clue as to what expect... I can completely see how facethemusic would feel like the material had been ripped off. Especially considering what MC said about the lack of the rusher's sincerity.

[facethemusic]

Oh my! I'm so sorry for causing so much confusion over this y'all!!

Originally Posted by drgnlady

I'm sure she realized her misconception after the fact and is just giving us her feeling in the moment.

^Exactly right. I now know that at least half the chapters on campus use some version of this poem on Pref Day. I think it's unfortunate because it probably confuses a lot of PNMs as it did myself, but I understand why it happens - it's a great addition to any Pref ceremony. I was just saying how I felt in the moment - my pref experience at Piano had been so wonderful and my experience at Violin so poor that "copying" the poem made Violin the bad guy in my mind. Ridiculous, I know, but you're just so emotionally high-strung during rush....

By the way, y'all have gotten me curious, so I've been on Google trying to figure out who (if anyone) the poem actually belongs to. I've found some stuff that seems to point to Piano as its original source, but I'm not 100% sure and my curiosity has now been irreversibly aroused. I'll let y'all know what the poem was at the end of my story and see if any of you have any insight.

On with the story!!

[MaryPoppins]

Originally Posted by facethemusic

On with the story!!

Yippee!

[FSUZeta]

the different groups make it their own, by inserting "ABC" or "DEF" at the appropriate time. In my experience as a recruitment advisor, the chapters are about changing up everything concerning recruitment every year, basically reinventing the wheel as it were, but not spiffing up the pref. ceremony at all. Not that they are especially attached to it, but that it is too much work.

Add to that that ABC might think that they were the first to use the poem, while DEF thinks the same thing, and there you have it. Neither is "giving it" to the other group.