I didn't get my first choice - it gets better.
 

It seems that many pnms and their mothers (!) struggle with not getting invited back/bids from their first choice sororities. I thought maybe it would help if those of us who have experienced this and come out on the other side shared our stories.

I remember well the shock of being released from my first choice sorority before skit day. Here I was, a sophomore with a proven academic record, stellar extracurricular activities, relatively attractive AND a legacy - and I wasn't invited back. It might have been the fact that when asked how I was I burst out in tears because I had just received word my aunt had died. It probably was the fact I was a sophomore. Either way, I was stunned. Because I had been focusing with laser-like intensity on that one chapter I had not even given the others much attention. I was going to be a member of ____________, so really, why worry much about the others.

Luckily, I still had invitations to the other sororities. I had two choices for pref, and was firmly convinced I would get my first choice. (See above for rationale). I was singing my first choice sorority's song as my Rho Chi handed me my bid - to my second choice. HOW could this have happened? I thought we had a great conversation at the pref ceremony - why didn't I get my first choice? What to do? Well, I knew that as a sophomore the odds of me getting a bid next go-round were slim to none. I also intuited that Gamma Phi really, really wanted me. It's nice to be wanted, so I went to the house.

The women were SO excited to see me. My pledge sisters were great, and I decided I would be the best Gamma Phi since Helen M. Dodge. I threw myself into sorority activities, spent time with my pledge sisters, volunteered and before I knew it I couldn't imagine myself as anything BUT a Gamma Phi. I married while still in college, so was an alumna, but I served as an advisor and continued to be active.

It's 26 years since I was initiated. I am president of an alumnae chapter and also serving as president of the local alumnae panhellenic. Gamma Phi took a chance on me, and in doing so gave me a priceless opportunity. I am so glad I took a chance on my second choice.

Please - please - pnms and moms: don't close the door on a fabulous opportunity because you had initially seen yourself as an XYZ and they have cut you. As long as you have an invitation you have the chance to be a part of something GREAT. There's not a one of the 26 NPC groups that doesn't have a network of incredible women, leadership training, and a strong sisterhood. No chapter will be perfect - but every chapter offers you the opportunity to help it develop into something even better than it now is, and for you to affect positive change - for both you and your chapter.

YAY!!! Like, like! I hope that the moms, and pnms out here read your post!

You are inspiring!
 

What a great post. Your advice is an important read during recruitment season. Thanks for sharing!

My daughter needs to read your story before bid day tomorrow! Thanks for sharing!!!

Great post, and really something all PNMs should take to heart.

It does get better.

I rushed in 1989 at the University of Kansas. After the first round of parties, I was only invited back to two chapters - AOII and AGD. I liked both, and I was a legacy at AOII, so I was happy. I was cut from rush completely after round 2. I was crushed. My sister was very angry. The chapter advisor called her very late at night, and told her that I was cut for grades. Now, my grades were ok, not fantastic, but above the panhellenic cut-off. I had good activities - I had spent the summer studying in the Soviet Union and I showed horses. When the Rho Chi knocked on my door the next morning, I was heartbroken. My sister called me not long after, told me she was sorry that her sisters did that to me, and said it would be ok. My mom sent me flowers.
On bid day, as everyone else was getting ready to go pick up their bids, I got a phone call in my dorm room. It was AOII asking if I wanted to accept a bid from them. I said yes immediately, but then it hit me. I wasn't good enough for you to go all the way through rush, but because you didn't get enough members, now I am? The pledge period was very hard for me. Suddenly, this chapter that I was in love with during the first days of rush was very different, and I wasn't sure if I liked it. I considered depledging, but thankfully, I had a pledge mom and fellow pledge sisters who really wanted me there.
I stuck it out. It got better - I served as an officer, went to convention, and eventually became a chapter advisor. I am not currently involved as an alumna due to life commitments, but I may be again at some point.
If you've made it this far, congratulations! ;) Life doesn't end because you don't get your top choice or you don't get any choice. Things happen for a reason. I have amazing sisters who do amazing things, and if fate hadn't intervened, I would not have gotten to know them.

To add a personal note: When I went through rush (yes rush, back in the day it was RUSH) I had the most amazing conversation with two different girls at two different houses. Dropped...(ok, one house kept me for the second round...unheard of for a Jewish girl back then) Thud........I was horrified. I was upset and horrified (when I realized why I wasn't invited back for a few minutes.

I joined my sorority. Did I "know"? Did I have the "feeling" Was it a "fit"? Not a clue. As a just turned sixteen year old, how could I know?

..........fast forward......LOTS of years. Some of my best friends are my sisters. Not all....some. I'm going to a wedding in a few weeks.......six sorority sisters (and spouses), their children (very adult)........Did I know this when I opened my envelope?

No. Wouldn't have called this one. But boy, am I glad I opened my envelope and my heart.

Fabulous idea, SWTXBelle! Read my story here: http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ight=razorback. I agree, it does get better!

Thank you all for your kind words. This thread had a tone of compassion not often seen on a typical day. Very timely and heartfelt advice.

The whole "you'll end up where you belong" thing is true - it's just that sometimes where you THINK you belong is not where you actually DO.

Great story. I remember my daughter telling me that when she opened her bid she'd be happy anywhere. That's what the whole thing is about. Being part of the greek system. Sometimes I think the smaller houses have girls with a lot more spunk and drive. I also think they have a smaller, tighter knit community (feel free to disagree if you're from a house of 200 and feel close to everyone!)

I had chills reading these stories!!! I love the quote " I opened my bid and I opened my heart.". I too have been in weddings of my kkg sisters, and am the proud godmother to my roommates daughter! Who knew??

So to make my story long and sweet (sorry, can't do short apparently), once, during informal recruitment, I had a first choice sorority. They did not bid me and I was really, really bummed about it. I loved their philanthropy, their colors, their symbol, all the women I met, the whole shebang. I wondered why they didn't like me and thought that maybe I'd never get to be in a sorority.

Flash forward a semester and I started hanging out with Sigma at informal events. I had friends in the chapter, but not close ones, though I did like the women I was meeting and wanted to give them a chance. Well they also wanted to take a chance on me and gave me a bid. For the whole first semester I wasn't really sure if I'd done the right thing. I loved initiation though, and was looking forward to starting a chair position in the spring. That next fall (2010) I went through formal recruitment for the first time and started to really fall in love with Sigma. I also did Greek Sing and started doing a lot more for recruitment. This past spring I became ritual and sisterhood chairs and continued to help out with recruitment quite a bit. My involvement begot my love, because I became more connected from the inside out.

What else helped me to know I picked the right one? When I moved on the floor, my friends in Sigma became my family in Sigma. They truly became my sisters. We fought and stole clothes and laughed and stayed up too late and watched movies and shared our souls and were there for each other, no matter what. Living on the floor gave me a true sense of the sisterhood inherent in a sorority.

So still kind of long story short? You can't know, that day you see your name on the bid card, what will become of your next few years. Much less can you understand the stories of alumni and how they stayed involved in each others' lives forever. Though when I was a freshman and sophomore I thought I was above Sigma, but truly she was far above me, patiently waiting for me to come to my senses and seek her out for guidance. And guidance I've gotten, and I've learned, grown, and loved so much for the opportunity. So PNMs, give it a chance. This may just be the door that opens up to a wonderfully rich and diverse future. Close it and you can still go on, but keep it open and you never know what it could bring. There are hundreds of thousands of sorority women who would not trade their sorority experience for anything and you now have a chance to join them. If I were you, I would make absolutely sure in every way possible that this was not for me before I declined it.

My freshman year, I was disdainful of the idea of joining a sorority - I was a "good girl" who purposely went to a Christian school to avoid the kind of wild partying I assumed went with the territory of Greek life. However, throughout the year, I met some wonderful girls in a particular sorority with a reputation for being the kind of girls I wanted to be friends with: "good girls." They were sweet, involved, social girls with the top campus GPA, and the only bad thing I ever heard anyone say about them was that they were "too nice."

As a somewhat introverted person, I craved deeper friendships, and I decided to join a sorority. But not just any sorority - this sorority. I saw recruitment as a mere formality - everyone I knew expected me to join this sorority. Though I ended up considering 2 others, XYZ was still where I thought I'd end up. My closest rush group friend told me after our first party there that she "just knew I'd be an XYZ." It wasn't even for popularity reasons - though they were well-respected on campus, they certainly weren't the "top" group. I really loved my time at their parties, laughed with the actives, and had deeper than surface level conversations.

And then, before pref - I was cut. I was completely shocked. I'm one of the most insecure people I know, and I felt personally rejected. Another friend in my group couldn't stop herself from bursting out, "They cut you? You're like the ultimate XYZ." Very helpful to hear :rolleyes:

But thanks to an amazing Rho Chi, I picked myself off and headed to the parties I did have. I was nervous and reluctant but determined to have a happy ending, even if it wasn't the one I originally planned. I focused on the groups I did have, and received a bid to my (new) first choice.

Did I have what-if moments? Sure. For a little while, every time I met a new XYZ that I hit it off with, or had a moment of feeling left out of my pledge class, I wondered what happened, or what could have been. But I realized that, quite frankly, I was being a bit of an idiot with my attitude before rush, and any time I spent worrying about XYZ was time that I could have spent throwing myself headfirst into my new home and falling deeper in love with it.

And I did fall in love with it, after becoming super-involved and attending every event possible. (You can fall in love after having another group break your heart; you just might have to work at it. Don't be upset because you expected it to "just happen," it doesn't always work that way). I found I had become ridiculously judgmental - a girl's worth is not determined by whether or not she drinks. Over time, I realized that while the girls of XYZ and I shared a lot of similarities obvious to outside onlookers, there was something intangible that I shared with my sisters - a certain sense of humor, a component of our personalities - something that bound us together and made us fit despite being very different. I'll always call some XYZs friends, because we are similar - but I'll always call Thetas my sisters.

Worth repeating.

Notice a theme? If you want an awesome Greek experience, open your heart and dive in. You decide how happy you'll be!

I've been hemming and hawing over posting in this thread for a few days now. I finally decided to just do it.

Most long time GCers know my story (or I would assume they do). If you don't know it--do a search for all the threads I've started and you'll know which one to pick.

Needless to say, I didn't get into my first choice sorority. But, I did get into SAI. SAI was not an organization I considered until the spring of my sophomore year and I considered her only because I was (or thought I was) simply out of options for greek life. I accepted my bid because being a part of any sorority, to me, was better than being a part of none. My first year as an SAI was difficult. I didn't feel accepted or loved by my sisters. Once pledging was over, it seemed like no one cared about little old me. I ran for office and was elected. It was my time as an officer (I ended up serving in three positions for two years), is what really cemented my love for SAI. I took a little who I bonded with tremendously and she helped me see that I can't just wait for relationships to start--they must be nurtured. As I worked for SAI with SAIs, I formed friendships with my sisters that enhanced my collegiate experience as a member.

Now, as an alumnae member continuing to work with other SAIs, I have found women that I can rely on consistently. The SAIs from my alumnae group have become my closest friends. I can call any of them for lunch or just to chat. And, I, in fact, did both to two different sisters just last week.

Did I jump for joy when I received my SAI bid? YES.
Did I know then, how much it's sisterhood would come to mean to me? NO.
Did I know that my chapter would go on to call me the most gung-ho SAI they'd ever had? NO.
Did I have any idea that I would go on to [almost] charter an alumnae chapter and serve on a National Committee? NO.


And, as far as Alpha Gam is concerned (and I hate to be cliche)--it's not something I became, it's something I've always been.

Hugs and kisses, sis!

Great post! I feel the same way about Gamma Sigma Sigma. My short story: I never went through any recruitement, I wanted to but I was so shy. So I figured I could at least see what GSS was all about, since that wasn't as intense as recruitement! And it was...an interesting ride.

Did I immediately feel a connection? No. Some of the people were cool, I had stuff in common with some of the sisters. A large group were all Education majors and/or pledged in the same PC (pledge class)...so they were amazingly close and had all these shared experiences. I was kind of scared off, because...well, what if I didn't find "my" group? Everyone else seemed to have found theirs already. And our PC was only 4! Tiny.

Two of the girls in the PC, I don't know what happened to them, I enjoyed the stuff we did together as pledges, but are they lifelong friends? No. The other girl- she is awesome! We talk all the time online (she is in another state) and we've been this way for 10+ years! Annndddd...one of the "established groups" happened to be a bunch of girls who were slightly older (like me) and I fit in great with them! We were kinda over the college party stuff, so we would go to clubs and bars in the city and dance and have fun. My Big is so much like me- even to this day, when I post a weird or overly political FB status, she is always agreeing with me!

Point is, this big group of women (45?) looked like something I'd never find my place in, in the beginning. But within that group (and keep in mind most NPC sororities are MUCH larger!) I found "my" people- girls I had so much in common with, girls who were there for me then, and still are. The likelihood that a PNM will find her niche in a group that CHOSE her based off of their own unique Membership Selection criteria, is just that much higher.

So...hang in there. NOTHING seems like a perfect fit in the beginning. Remember that feeling in the pit of your stomach when you were dropped off at college and your parents pulled away? I do! I remember thinking "OMG I will nevvvvvvver feel at home here." But in a few weeks, that all changed. Same deal on new jobs, new neighborhoods, etc.

Ok my story is actually a pre story. . . My brother (KA)- told me before rush "it dosent matter if u GET into THE BEST sorority. . .as long as u graduate from THE BEST" well I didnt know about accepting a bid from the best. . . But I am an alum of the best

Not being competative, I assume most of us say we are in the best. . . So if the chapter is big youll find ur group in the chapter. . And if its small you can make a huge difference.

(forgive me I was posting from my phone)

BEST is subjective - what is best for you might not be best for me. But EVERY sorority can help YOU be your BEST. You can give your best to a chapter, and I'll bet dollars to donuts your chapter ends up being truly the BEST sorority for you.

a young friend of mine had a less than stellar recruitment(her opinion) at a very competitive school, but she did receive a bid and accepted it. when i heard from her mother, she said that daughter was going to give it a try, but was not sure that daughter would stay with it. i invited her mom and her to come over to greekchat and read this thread. i hope they did.

thank you all for posting your own experiences. i know if my young friend reads them, it will give her the boost she needs.

I ♥ this thread so much. I was lucky and got my first choice, but I never went through formal rush. I went through colony rush, for Gamma Phi and wasn't chosen. But in the spring they held a huge COB event, and was one of the few chosen to become a sister. I love reading these stories, because I've always wondered what would have happened if I'd gone through formal! :) Thank you all for sharing some much needed perspective to the world of recruitment. And you are so right in saying that every one of the sororities have an amazing history and network of women. To belong to any of them should be a privilege.

Gamma Sig came into my life much later, and was such a blessing. Again, I feel privileged to be part of an amazing organization, that has done nothing but enhance my life and bless me with life long friendships.

Amen!!!

I've been lurking for a long time and finally decided to join/post, and I knew I would have to chime in on this one! I had gone into recruitment with what I now know is a terrible mindset....me and my roommate (and best friend) were interested in one chapter and one chapter only. They cut us both right before prefs and I was devastated.

My roommate decided to drop out of recruitment entirely, and that was what I was planning to do, despite the fact that I had been invited to 3 other chapters for pref. My mom convinced me to go to the pref parties anyway. I suicided Theta Phi but still wasn't even sure if I wanted to pledge.

I am so, so, so, so thankful that I listened to my mom and went to prefs!! Now I can't imagine NOT being a Theta Phi. If I could go through recruitment again and pick any sorority, I would still pick TPA. I really fell in love with my chapter and my organization during my pledge period. I know thats not what you want to hear when you get cut from the chapter you fell in love with, or received a bid to your second choice, but trust me, STICK IT OUT. You will definitely be glad you did.

One of my rec girls got her second choice last year. She went through recruitment at Ole Miss, and I don't think it can get anymore competitive. Even so, everyone (even those who know and are very realistic about ultra-competitive schools) expected this girl to get her first choice. Why? Because she always has. She's one of "those girls" that everything always works out for. I don't believe she had ever experienced any significant disappointments until Ole Miss Bid Day 2011.

And disappointed she was. She even considered declining the bid. But then -- she decided to trust the process. She went to her Bid Day party...and never looked back. She was one the happiest pledges I've ever known, and is now one of the happiest actives. She can't imagine being anywhere else and is so glad that things turned out like they did.

Often times, you discover that second choice was number one all along.

I wanted to update on my young friend, another young woman who excelled at everything she attempted until she went thru recruitment. She went over to her sorority house a couple of times following receiving her bid during formal recruitment before she decided to drop. Her sorority was gracious about it and told her that they would hold her bid for her, should she change her mind. Friend got involved in several campus activities, but she felt that something was missing and in the spring she returned to the sorority with an entirely different attitude. They welcomed her with open arms and she appreciated the sisterhood they were offering her for a 2nd time. She was initiated in the spring,and is so glad that she had a 2nd chance.

PNMs, not everyone will be so lucky as my friend. If you are unsure, give it more than a week before you make your decision. Things turned out alright for my friend, but once someone turns down a bid, they might be kissing their only chance at sorority membership goodbye.

As a Recruitment Counselor chair, I LOVE THIS THREAD! I've counseled so many women encouraging them to give their second chance a try. I was lucky enough to get a bid from my top choice, but I know MANY women who didn't and who are perfect in their organizations.

TRUST THE PROCESS! It works. It really does.

I ultimately got my first choice on my bid card, but I struggled a lot during recruitment and had a lot of hard cuts (my story is around here somewhere). I loved my chapter, but we struggled, and it was tough to go through the heartbreak of not making quota every year.

Last fall, my collegiate chapter closed. This was more than eight years after I graduated, but we'd struggled with numbers since before I was even there. I was sad, and it brought up a lot of sad feelings about being in the chapter that, ultimately, nobody else wanted to be in. And I'm totally embarrassed to admit, more than twelve years after I ranked my final pref houses, I actually felt some regret and thought to myself that maybe I should have made a different choice.

But then I also thought about the fact that, in my chapter, I was essentially a "big fish". When I say we struggled with numbers, we were still over a hundred women, and I held virtually every office I wanted to hold, had a lot of friends, and when I spoke at chapter meetings, people listened to me. So, while I had to get over the ego blow of being in a less-popular chapter, I got to be a leader in that chapter.

I'm not a charismatic person. I'm definitely an introvert, and I build relationships one at a time, not by being the center of attention in a big group. I really think that I would have gotten lost in the crowd in a chapter full of really outgoing women. It was easy to think, as I was going through rush, that if I was in a chapter with all these really cool girls, I'd be a really cool girl too. But with the wisdom of age (HA!), it's pretty clear that I would have just been the awkward introvert in a chapter full of cool girls.

Delta Beta Baby, I know that our GLO will recolonize your chapter when the time is right. I think with the rapid growth of Greek Life on many campuses, a recolonization has a much higher chance of success when the GLO has the opportunity to get that colony started off on a more level playing field.

I appreciate your words. And I look forward to the day when you can stand on the steps of your chapter's house on Homecoming or Founder's Day!

Thanks!

Really, though, some of my best friends are from my collegiate chapter, and that's what matters more than anything else. Sure, it's sad not to be able to go visit ye olde chapter house, but that's not the thing that really affects my daily life.

DBB -
I ABSOLUTELY know EXACTLY how you feel. Losing my chapter felt like a punch to the gut - and then waiting, waiting, waiting . . . yes, my chapter sisters were/are incredible, and yes, they were/are still a part of my life. Gamma Phi Beta is bigger than Gamma Chi chapter, and I've loved my alumnae chapter sisters and have been involved all along.

Still, going back to campus - as I did often since my eldest daughter became the 3rd generation Bobcat from our family - and not having my sorority home to go to hurt. 20 years is a long time to wait!

But the thrill of my chapter returning - the absolute JOY that I feel - well, I can only hope that some few years down the road you too get to experience it.

Spam Bump Again

What a wonderful thread. My story is like many of yours. I didn't get a bid from where I thought I "ought" to be. But Alpha Gamma Delta found me, I said "yes," and I have Lived With Purpose for 41+ years.

My chapter, too, is closed. That absence affects me to an extent that only fellow GCers understand. (It would certainly be hard to describe it to a non-Greek!)

Bump to top...

I missed this the first time around, but I completely get what you are saying. My experience was very similar.

The downside is that (baring a bona fide miracle) I don't think my chapter will ever be coming back.

I've been meaning to post this on here for awhile, and I really hope it helps someone!

I had a dream recruitment all the way through pref night. We could have a maximum of 2 houses, and I got my two remaining favorites. I struggled with which one to choose but finally made my decision and went off back to the dorms for the night. I knew there was a chance that I would get my 2nd choice, but in past years at my school, most girls usually get their 1st choice. I didn't realize that the huge increase in girls rushing might affect things.

As you can guess by now, I was VERY surprised on Bid Day to see that I had not gotten my 1st choice! I ran to the house and participated in that day's activities with fake enthusiasm. All my new sisters were SO excited, including one of my best friends who had listed them as her 1st choice and was THRILLED! I obviously didn't want to ruin the day for anyone or be a spoiled brat about it, but I sobbed my eyes out when I got back to my room. My roommate, who didn't rush, tried to comfort me, but I was crushed.

I tried to remind myself that at some point I had loved this 2nd choice, but I felt betrayed by Pref night at my 1st choice. I was close to several upperclassmen there, and a Senior I really looked up to had talked to me that night. She asked me if I was going to another house that night, and when I said yes, she proceeded to tell me some very moving things about making the right choice for myself, but that she could see me in their chapter, it made her who she is, all the actives who had met me were so impressed by me and wanted me as their sister, etc.

I read these threads, but I was angry and thought all these happily ever after stories didn't apply to me in the slightest. (I wanted to bold this because if anyone is reading these thinking...yeah right! I hope this helps). I had accepted a bid so if I dropped than I wouldn't be able to rush for an entire year, and it really wasn't feasible to think I would get in my 1st choice as a Sophomore. I was angry and sad for a full week, and I even went to one of the school counselors at the health center because I felt so awful. Another thought that lingered in the back of my mind which I full well knew was awful but still existed...I felt like my new sorority was one of the lower tier ones, and people would instantly label me as loser if they knew I was in it. It pains me to remember that I even thought that back then! My mindset of cool vs uncool was like that of a middle schooler during that time.

I decided to wait out new member period and drop out if I was still really upset by the time initiation came around. Very slowly, things started to get better. I got a new member "sister" before my big, and that was one of the first things that started to make me feel better. She was SO nice! We hung out a couple of times, and she gave me the most thoughtful little gift bag with shirts and other sorority themed things. Going to my first chapter meetings also helped because I saw how strong the sisterhood was in my chapter. Also, I started to come to the realization that I would have felt terribly out of place in other sorority's pledge class, and I felt really comfortable in mine.

Anyway, it took me awhile to warm up to my 2nd choice, but I am SO GLAD that by some chance of fate, this all happened. I really think I would be miserable in the other chapter. I realized mine isn't a low tier at all, we are actually one of the strongest, and it's because we have so many amazing girls who support EVERYONE in the chapter. I'm super proud to be where I am! It actually took me a couple of months to realize truly how happy I am here, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I have leadership positions which I probably would have never pursued otherwise (I didn't have any leadership positions in high school, and my sisters have given me the confidence to do so), and I have an AMAZING big and family who I don't think I would known otherwise. I actually keep in contact with women as far back as my Great x5 Grandbig.

I am working on my daughter's recruitment story. Suffice it to say - slightly southern school (not SEC). No recs. Indeed, she did not decide until very last minute to go through recruitment. I was in a sorority. No chapter on this campus. I knew what we needed to do. I sent links to this site and all went ignored. I backed off. She signed up for recruitment but decided 4 days before recruitment she was not going though. Changed mind at last minute. Dropped from her favorites. FF two days after bid day, receiving what she "heard" was not good sorority. And I quote "Mom, I LOVE these women, they are the best sisters ever. I would not belong anywhere but here. How could you have let me even consider any other sisterhood."

To diznuts
 

Your DDs story suggests that most of the time there are happy endings. I agree with so many on this site who recognize there is a life time match for everyone if the PNM goes into recruitment with an open mind and heart. Someone has said take a look at any sorority chapter's website to view happy young women involved in wonderful philanthropies, fun sisterhood and social activities. May we all Greek women give each other positive support though out our lives. Aloha nui loa.

Two things: I joined AEPhi at USC and transferred to UCLA where I joined AEPhi. BOTH chapters are now gone. I pass the AEPhi house at UCLA often. And when my girls were at SC I saw my old house. It is now a fraternity. Are they taking care of the wood paneling? Where did all the books and pictures go? Sad...

Disnutz: I too wrote my daughter's story. And she went into recruitment with the same mindset. She did just fine. Congratulations to your daughter!

ellebud -congrats to your daughter too! My heart is happy to see my daughter having a wonderful time attending her first member meeting and her first chapter meeting. I was also warmed to see how well this sorority did in recruitment and the warm congrats from all of the national fraternity sisters. I know my daughter, who has always wanted a sister but has only her brother, now has a wonderful sisterhood to call her own. And all of my sisters (from way many 20 years ago) are loving watching her journey as well. I think that is ultimately what made her decide to go all the way, despite stupid tent talk. She sees how I am still fabulous friends, not only with my own sisters, but with a number of other panhel sisters from other sororities on campus. She has said how awesome it is that all of us are such good friends so many years later.