A Very Merry 2014 Recruitment Story!

[greekgal14]

Thanks for taking the time to read my recruitment story! I went through fall formal recruitment a few months ago and I thought this would be a good time to share my experience. I have been lurking on this site for a long time and I have found past recruitment stories so helpful! Because it is the holiday season, I thought that a Christmas movie theme was very fitting! Here they are:

Christmas Vacation
A Christmas Story
Elf
Home Alone
The Santa Claus
The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
Miracle on 34th Street
The Polar Express
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Because my high school sends several students to my University every year, I knew a handful of girls in about half of the houses. I also went into rush as a legacy—my mom was a member of The Grinch. I was so excited to visit each house and find one that was the perfect fit for me. During orientation, I got lots of good info and met my awesome rho gammas! I was totally ready to begin recruitment.

Round 1: Open House Day

The Polar Express: I knew several girls in The Polar Express from high school. I was super nervous! The first girl I talked to took me to a cute little table in the corner so it was nice and quiet. We totally hit it off right away! We skipped the normal small talk and talked about our summers and our mutual love for a music artist. We had so much in common and she made me feel so comfortable! I did not want her to leave, but I was passed off to a girl I knew from high school. We were never particularly close, but it was nice to catch up with her too. I really enjoyed my time here and I left thinking that I would love to return!

Miracle on 34th Street: The first girl I talked to was really sweet, but we didn’t have very much in common. We hard a hard time getting past small talk topics and there were a few awkward pauses. I was bumped to a girl who was a lot more talkative, and we seemed to click much more. We had a great talk about leadership positions and ways to get involved in the chapter. These girls are SO INVOLVED not just in their chapter, but all around campus, which is something that is really important to me! I wish I could’ve gotten to talk to this second girl more. I left with a good feeling and I want to go back.

The Santa Claus: Here I was taken to the dining room, which was totally beautiful, but soooooo loud. I had to yell into each girls’ ear even though I was only about six inches from her face! Every girl I talked to here was super sweet and easy to talk to, but I talked to 4 different girls here and because I was bumped so frequently none of my conversation ever got past normal small talk. I left this house not really knowing what to think of it, and I wanted to go back to get a better feel for it.

The Grinch: This was my legacy chapter! I talked to three girls at this house. The first two were very sweet but not very memorable. Our conversations were fine but they didn’t really stand out as anything spectacular. The third girl I talked to told me about all of the leadership positions they have in their chapter and about all the different kinds of events they have throughout the year. She was super informative and I enjoyed our conversation. I wanted to return here.

A Charlie Brown Christmas: I also knew several girls from high school in this chapter. The girl that picked me up at the door was super easy to talk to and fun! We chatted about our mutual clumsiness and people and places we know back home. A few other girls came up to chat with us and to say hi. One of the girls is in one of my classes, but she totally didn’t recognize me, or at least didn’t acknowledge that she did, and it was slightly awkward. I enjoyed my time here and the girls were very nice, but almost too nice, like in a fake way. I left wanting to go back to get a better feel for this house.

Elf: The girl who picked me up at the door here was actually a friend of a really close friend so we totally bonded over that right from the start! She was so genuine and easy to talk to. We chatted about pinterest and sisters and we exchanged random funny stories. She was so great and I didn’t want her to leave, but I was bumped to two other girls who were really great too. In each conversation I consistently got the feeling that these girls have a super tight sisterhood, and that is totally something that I want. I got great feelings from this house and I left really hoping that I would return!

Home Alone: The first girl I talked to was sweet, and we had a fun conversation about vacation spots and natural disasters. The second girl I talked to was so quiet, and the room was so loud, that I couldn’t hear a single word she said. She went on and on about something and I just smiled and nodded. The third girl I talked with was nice enough and I’m sure she had good intentions but said some things that kind of put me off. Like things you shouldn’t say during recruitment. I left this house with no burning desire to return.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The first conversation I had at this house was fine but nothing memorable. I honestly can’t remember what we talked about. The second girl I talked to told me all about all of the wonderful events they have throughout the year, and they have a ton! These girls seem super involved, which is awesome. I didn’t feel like I really hit it off with either girl here, but they were both nice and pleasant. I left feeling like I wouldn’t mind returning here.

A Christmas Story: I immediately clicked with the first girl I talked with. We chatted about Netflix shows and music and dorm life. I remember just laughing a ton while talking with her. I was sad when I got bumped, but the girl I was bumped to was just as great as she was! All of the girls in this house seemed like so much fun and I felt so comfortable and at home here. I left totally in love with this house and really hoping I would return!

Christmas Vacation: This house was extremely loud! I had a very hard time holding a conversation just because I had to keep shouting and repeating myself because the girls I talked to couldn’t hear me. I talked to two girls here, and I do not remember what we talked about at all. Both conversations were pleasant and fine but neither left a lasting impression in my mind. I left feeling like I wouldn’t mind returning, because I would like to get a better feel for this house, but at that point I wouldn’t have been devastated not to return, either.

We were to rank eight houses “1”, one house “2”, and one house “3.” A this point I had a pretty clear top three in A Christmas Story, Elf, and The Polar Express, in that order. These were the houses where I felt as though I made the strongest connections and where I felt most comfortable and at home. I also felt as though I had a very clear 2 and 3. But when it came to everything in between, I was completely lost. I’ve read so many of these rush stories, but I never grasped how hard it would be to get an impression of a house in less than half an hour. I felt very confused, but relieved I didn’t have to narrow it down to any less than 8. This is how I ranked:

1.The Polar Express
1. Miracle on 34th Street
1. The Santa Claus
1. The Grinch
1. A Charlie Brown Christmas
1. Elf
1. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
1. A Christmas Story
2. Christmas Vacation
3. Home Alone

I returned to my room completely exhausted. My roommate, who was also rushing, was already back. We chatted about our experiences from round 1. Her favorites were The Santa Claus, Elf, and A Christmas Story. Stay tuned for round 2!

[sigmagirl2000]

Thanks! There hasn't been a story in a while! I don't know who I'm rooting for yet

[Alpha O]

I'm excited to see how this turns out!

[TriDeltaSallie]

Thanks for sharing your story!

[1964Alum]

YES! Please continue!

[thetalady]

Since this is not being told in real time, we would LOVE to see the next chapter soon!!

[ASUADPi]

To the OP:

As your recruitment has come and gone, might I suggest you type out your story and proceed to post it daily. There is no reason for you to drag it out as the school year has come to a close and finals are now over.

[greekgal14]

Round 2: Philanthropy Day

I was so anxious to get my invitations back for philanthropy day. I was really hoping to see A Christmas Story, Elf, and The Polar Express, but at the same time I knew I would be thrilled just to get a full schedule of 8. My rho gammas began to hand out schedules. Mine looked like this:

The Polar Express
The Grinch
Christmas Vacation
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Miracle on 34th Street
Elf
The Santa Claus

At first I was thrilled; I had a full schedule! But after taking a closer look I realized that I didn’t get invited back to A Christmas Story, and that definitely shocked me. I thought I had my best conversations there, and I felt like I had really connected with everyone I talked to. Oh well, I had only been there for a matter of minutes and I had plenty of great houses on my schedule.

The Polar Express: I loved this house during round 1 and I was so excited to be going back! I was picked up at the door and immediately taken to the living room to watch a short video about their sorority. It was super cute and really well done. After the video, I chatted with the girl who picked me up at the door. She was nice and we talked about our hometowns. Time was up before I knew it and I left feeling slightly conflicted. I had loved this house so much during round 1, but my connections during round 2 just weren’t as great. I also found it quite odd that they didn’t really mention their philanthropy at all. I decided I wanted to come back to give them another chance.

The Grinch: I was excited to return to this house too. Just walking in the door it was obvious that this house is so passionate about their philanthropy! I was paired with a girl who walked me through different displays of their philanthropy events each year. These girls are so involved and obviously very proud of the work they do for their philanthropy. I really clicked with the girl I was talking to too, and she had a personal connection to their philanthropy which made it all the more special. For the second part of my visit we watched a short video about their philanthropy, which was incredibly moving. I left this house having thoroughly enjoyed my time there, and hoping to return!

Christmas Vacation: This house was similar to The Grinch in that I was paired with a girl who showed me around various displays of their philanthropy events. The events looked super fun, however the girl I was talking with was obviously very shy and our conversation was kind of flat. I was paired with another girl to watch their video, and it was so loud in the room that I couldn’t hear the video or the girl! I left this house with the same feelings as round 1, that I wouldn’t be devastated to not return, but that I wouldn’t mind going back either.


Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: This house was obviously very passionate about their philanthropy too! I talked to two girls at this house, one was extremely talkative, going on and on about their various philanthropies, which are all great, but I barely got a word in! I was bumped to a girl who was exactly the opposite, she didn’t say much, and just asked me if I had any questions. I got awkward once I ran out of questions. My experience during round 2 left me questioning if I wanted to return to this house.

A Charlie Brown Christmas: I was excited to return to get a better feel for this house. I hit it off immediately with the girl I was paired with. We talked about philanthropy but we also talked about movies and mutual friends we had. I remember laughing a lot at this house. Before it was time to go, the president came over to us and chatted with us a bit. She seemed like a total sweetheart. I loved this house during round 2 and I left really wanting to return.

Miracle on 34th Street: These girls were also super passionate about their philanthropy! We watched a short video here and then I chatted with two girls. They both were really sweet and there was never a lull in the conversation. The party was over before I knew it and I left wanting to return.

Elf: We watched a short video at this house as well. After the movie I chatted with the girl who picked me up at the door. We were from the same hometown, but she had gone to a different high school, so we talked a lot about that. We also talked about their philanthropy, which she was super involved with! It was obvious that all of the girls in this house were really involved. It honestly intimidated me. She was so sweet and I left definitely wanting to return.

The Santa Claus: Here I was picked up by a girl from my hometown. It was such a relief to see a familiar face, I felt like I could let my guard down just a little bit. We had a good time catching up, and she talked a little bit about their philanthropy events, which sounded really cool. I was passed off to another girl I really hit it off with. We chatted briefly, then some girls got up and shared how their philanthropy had affected them, which was really touching. I left definitely wanting to return.

I was exhausted by the time we went in to rank. I had loved so many of the houses, but I would say at this point my top three were Elf, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and The Santa Claus, in no particular order. I also had a pretty clear bottom two in my mind. Here is how I ranked:

1.The Polar Express
1.The Grinch
1.A Charlie Brown Christmas
1.Miracle on 34th Street
1.Elf
1.The Santa Claus
2.Christmas Vacation
3.Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Roommates favorites were the same, but the order was now a little different. She loved A Christmas Story, The Santa Claus, and Elf during round 2. Stay tuned for round 3!

[greekgal14]

Round 3: Sisterhood Day

We were told to expect heavy cuts coming into this round, so I prepped myself for the worst. I was hoping to see some of my top three, but I knew that I would be happy with any. I was handed my schedule and it looked like this:

Elf
A Charlie Brown Christmas
The Grinch
Christmas Vacation
The Polar Express
The Santa Claus

I was thrilled! I had a schedule full of houses that I loved, and I was over the moon! Miracle on 34th Street had dropped me, but they weren’t a standout to me, and I didn’t let it get to me.

Elf: Here I was paired with a senior who was super involved! She told me lots of stories about different events and philanthropies and stories of the Elf sisterhood and I really fell in love with this house during this day. All of the girls seemed to be so close, and a tight sisterhood like that was really important to me. She also showed me around their house, which was really beautiful. I could totally see myself living there one day. I left on cloud nine!

A Charlie Brown Christmas: I was super excited to go back here after the great time I had during round 2. I was paired with a senior here as well, and she held a position on the executive board, so it was really cool to hear all about that and how it works, because getting involved in the sorority is definitely a priority for me. Their house is totally gorgeous! Each room is so perfectly decorated; I could totally see myself living there too. I ran into a friend from high school here, and it was so fun to see a familiar face and to reconnect for just a few minutes. I left this house overjoyed as well; so far round 3 was my favorite of all of recruitment!

The Grinch: I was eager to return here after round 2 as well. These girls also seem like they have a super close sisterhood, which I love, and it would be so cool to be sisters with my mom! Their house was massive, and I had a great time during my tour. The girl I was paired with was very sweet but pretty shy, and our conversation kind of lagged. The tour definitely helped spark conversation though, and she told me lots of stories about living in. Like I said before their sisterhood seemed so close, and I couldn’t help but think what fun it would be to live with all of your friends.

Christmas Vacation: Here I was paired with a girl that I clicked with right away. She was so fun to talk to and it was easy to see that she was super passionate about her sorority, which made me excited to be there. Their house was stunning (I feel like I am repeating myself a lot, but really, all of the houses on my campus are completely beautiful). It was like a big maze and I can’t imagine trying to find my way around if I lived there. Each room was so full of personality, and my rusher kept commenting on how each room perfectly reflected the girl who lived in it. (Side note: I was very impressed about how she seemed to know every single girl in the house and all of their personalities. I think this speaks to the quality of their sisterhood.) I left here definitely wanting to return.

The Polar Express: I was excited to return here. I had loved this house during round 1, but was only so-so about them during round 2. Their house was very unique, but very tastefully decorated. It looked like something out of an anthropologie catalog. I clicked with my rusher just fine, but our conversation doesn’t really stand out to me. One thing I do remember is that when she was showing me each room, she often commented on how she didn’t even know the girl who lived in it (contrasted with my time at Christmas Vacation, where my rusher seemed to know everyone). This led me to believe that their sisterhood was not very strong. This might’ve been an unfair assumption, but that is the feeling I had when leaving this house.

The Santa Claus: I was paired with a girl that played the same sport as me in high school, so we hit it off right away and chatted a lot about that. We got along so well and I could totally picture myself being sisters with her. Their house was totally beautiful (sorry, repetitive) and it had lots of character. Halfway through the tour I was passed off to another girl that I had a great time talking with. I was enjoying myself so much that I completely lost track of time, and my time there was over before it seemed like even ten minutes went by. Every girl I had met in this house so far I totally clicked with, and I felt totally comfortable here. I left definitely wanting to return.

It was time to rank and I was completely conflicted. I had thoroughly enjoyed myself at five houses, yet I could only choose three to rank as 1s. I knew that my bottom three would include The Polar Express, but I did not know what else to rank 2 and 3. After what felt like hours of mulling it over, I ultimately decided to rank Christmas Vacation as 3, because even though my visit during round 3 was fantastic, my visits during rounds 2 and 1 were less than stellar. And finally, I chose to put The Grinch as 2. Although I did enjoy my time there, I just did not feel a connection like I did at my remaining three houses. Here was the final ranking:

1.Elf
1.A Charlie Brown Christmas
1.The Santa Claus
2.The Grinch
3.Christmas Vacation
4.The Polar Express

I knew that pref night would bring heavy cuts as well, but I knew that I would be truly happy to receive an invitation to any house, and because of that I felt great. Roommate was still loving A Christmas Story, Elf, and The Santa Claus, and those were her top three.

[ladybug12]

Great story thus far! Thanks for sharing it with us. Recruitment stories have been too few and far between this year....

[DeltaBetaBaby]

I always love seeing the stories where the top choices change so much from round to round.

[PearlGirl13]

Originally Posted by ladybug12

Great story thus far! Thanks for sharing it with us. Recruitment stories have been too few and far between this year....

And this one seems to be very, very carefully written to not hit anyone's hot buttons (tiers, "don't see myself here", had a favorite going in).

I wish we would see more of the older style recruitment stories when girls shared their unedited versions and we all followed along rather than criticized every move the poor girl made.

[greekgal14]

Round 4: Preference Night

I was so excited for pref night! Roommate and I got all dolled up and walked over together. I felt so confident after round 3 that all of my nerves were gone, and all that was left was excitement. In hindsight, I was pretty cocky going into pref night. I had gotten the maximum amount of invitations every round and I had most all of my top houses every round as well. I strutted right on up to my rho gamma and she handed me my schedule, which looked like this:

The Grinch
Christmas Vacation
Elf

What? What happened to A Charlie Brown Christmas and The Santa Claus?! This must’ve been a mistake, I double-checked the name on the schedule. Yep, it was mine. I was in shock. I had such amazing, stellar conversations at both of those houses the day before and I had made such great connections and I thought they really liked me. I could totally see myself there. What went wrong? I was totally devastated. (Side note: I went full-on drama queen right then. I am fully aware that I was totally overreacting.) I still had Elf, which I loved, but that was the only house I could really see myself in at that point in time. I did enjoy my time at both The Grinch and Christmas Vacation, but I just couldn’t picture myself at either one of those houses.

I had a break before my first party, so I went back to my room and called my mom and cried. She pointed out how I was acting like a big baby, and how I was very lucky to still have a full schedule of houses that I enjoyed, including one if my favorites. Her encouraging words calmed me down, and before I knew it, it was time to head for my first party.

The Grinch: I was called in by the girl I had met during sisterhood day, the one who was really shy but very sweet. We chatted for a while about rush and our families back home and about the sisterhood of The Grinch, which seems very strong. The conversation with her definitely flowed better during pref, but still didn’t feel completely natural. Some seniors got up to share stories about how the sorority had impacted their lives and their college experiences. Some stories made me tear up. I thought about my mom, and all of the stories she told me about her time as a Grinch. She is still great friends with her sisters today, and I’ve always wanted the lifelong sisterhood that she has. I left this house feeling much better. Although this house hadn’t been my favorite throughout rush week, I could see myself accepting a bid here and becoming close with the girls in this house.

Christmas Vacation: This is a house that I had ranked at the bottom every round, but always ended up on my schedule. As I walked from my first party to this one, I couldn’t help but think this might be a sign, and I was determined to go in with a clean slate, and really give them a chance. I was called in by the girl I had met during sisterhood day, the really passionate one I had a great conversation with the day before. She talked to me one on one about how much her sisterhood meant to her, and she started to tear up just talking about it, and it was obvious that the Christmas Vacation sisterhood was very strong. Their ceremony was very beautiful and well done. Seniors once again gave speeches about the impact their sorority has had on their lives, and by the end there wasn’t a dry eye among the active Christmas Vacation sisters. I did not tear up here, but they were definitely quite touching. I left this house with mixed feelings. I really loved the girl that pref-ed me, but she is the only person in the whole house I had met that I could really see myself calling a sister. I just didn’t feel a strong connection with the rest. If I were offered a bid, I decided that I would still accept, but leaving the party it was still second to The Grinch in my mind.

Elf: I wasn’t nervous at all until I got to this house. My stomach dropped. I felt so much pressure. I had loved Elf each and every round, and after the heavy cuts going into pref night I felt like all of my confidence was lost. I had no clue who would be calling me in as there were a number of girls I felt like I had made a strong connection with in this house. I anxiously waited. I was finally called in by the very first girl I had talked to during the very first round. I had such a great connection with her and I was so relieved when I saw her face again. We ate a yummy dessert then went to talk one on one. Our conversation was so candid and natural. In that moment, I felt like I could really let my guard down for the first time all night, and really the first time during all of recruitment. I didn’t feel like I needed to impress her. I didn’t realize how hard I had been trying all week until I didn’t feel like I needed to try anymore. It was then that I knew that I really wanted to be an Elf. Their ceremony was beautiful, and the speeches from the seniors made me tear up. At the end of the party, I gave my rusher (who felt more like a friend) a long hug and I accidentally let it slip that I hoped I would return tomorrow for bid day.

Before we went to rank, I found a quiet spot to call my mom. She had been such a rock for me throughout all of recruitment, and it was so hard for me to tell her my true feelings after pref night. She was very supportive, and she emphasized that she only wanted me to be happy—regardless of whether or not I ended up in her sorority. My ranking was easy:

1.Elf
2.The Grinch
3.Christmas Vacation

I put all three down because I would truly accept a bid to any one of those sororities. I realized how lucky I was to have such a positive experience at all three houses I visited. Roommate felt the same way, but in the end she listed A Christmas Story as her number one. Stay tuned for bid day! Any predictions?

[etadrisophila]

My prediction: you are offered and accepted a bid to Christmas Vacation!

[sigmagirl2000]

She can't (okay 99% couldn't have) have gone to christmas vacation unless her legacy group is the only one without a legacy policy. I'm guessing Grinch.