I didn't find this forum until a year after my daughter went through recruitment and a couple of years after my niece went through - daughter "B" at Texas Tech and niece/cousin "J" at Ole Miss. Oh - the drama, the worries, the sleepless nights and the angst (primarily mine!) - yeah, they were bruised slightly but had very happy endings. Would have loved to have shared their stories back then - but maybe another time.
I will share another story that I hope will help some moms and dads and daughters going through recruitment now relax and smile a little.
Well... several months before daughter "B" headed off to college, my husband was scratching his head about all the talk about recruitment - local recs, thinking about outfits, legacies (yes, "B" is a legacy) - the usual yakking, worrying, thinking, etc. Well, one day he said that he and our beloved girl mutt, "K" were going to form a "fratority" - just he and the pup. Daughter "B" and I said no way - that we would recruit "K" into our own, new sorority first.
Hence the three of us - mutt "K", daughter "B" and me - "C" -- formed our own sorority - Kappa Beta Gamma. Our colors are Grape and Cherry snowcone. Our symbol is a heart with a paw print stamped in the middle. Our mascot is "any cute, adorable pup". Our philanthropy is the SPCA or any dog-loving organization including guide and service dogs. Our slogan is "Friends forever, together forever." (Obviously, we had some time on our hands and really got into it)
Our meetings are in the "big bed" - ie Dad's and my king size bed. Each meeting commences with a "puppy cuddle fest" and belly-rubbing session. And, we choose a new sorority song at each meeting which can range from some 50s/60s classic to a cool new top-10 or sometimes a treacle ballad.
Well, "B" went off to college but we talked daily about Kappa Beta Gamma and I think it helped (well, I like to think it helped) that after each recruitment party we could say "well, we will always have Kappa Beta Gamma". Are these girls KBG candidates? Did any of the girls talk about dogs?
I even found that there really is a small national called Kappa Beta Gamma and I found a KBG pin on ebay!!! Alas it was too expensive but I thought it would have been neat to send that to "B" right before the conclusion of her rush.
Finally, after she joined a sorority and got involved in school and activities, we hadn't heard from her in a week or so "K" and I sent her an email that went something like this - "The sisters of KBG met in the big bed on Tuesday and after a cuddle fest, the sisters reluctantly agreed that sister "B" would be placed on probation for being incommunicado. At this time we must ask that she refrain from wearing her grape and cherry snow-cone, puppy t-shirt and KGB letters." Naturally, "B" called immediately and was enthusiastically reinstated with lots of phone hugs.
"B" just started her senior year and we talked this week about recruitment and how she ended up right where she belonged (which, by the way, after Day 1 parties - her eventual home was #4 on her list. You never know!) and how she, pup "K" and I are still founding members and actives of KBG.
Thanks for letting me share an unusual recruitment story. Oh, and one more thing - we have considered recruiting a couple of neighborhood pups but none have met our high standards yet. One boy dog was an excellent candidate - but, well, he was a boy. Now please don't go crazy - but no cats allowed