[phoenix16]

Open House-Day 2:

After an all too brief night, I was up and out again for the other half of the chapters.

Chili was up first. Today, on top of the cold weather, it was raining! Thankfully, the ladies were gracious and let us wait in a back room. Once the round started, I completely forgot about the weather. I fell in love with this chapter! The women I talked to were bubbly and we spent the round discussing their philanthropy and our involvement on campus. When the round ended, I was not ready to leave, and not because of the rain!

Basil was up next, and there was a break in the rain so we were waiting outside. Right before the round started, a car full of guys drove past and yelled at us. My Rho Gamma proceeded to shout back some choice words, but she was drowned out by the round beginning. Once we walked in, I was stunned. The energy at this chapter was overwhelming! During their presentation, I could hardly understand what was being said due to their shouting. The women I talked to had the same over-the-top energy. The women I talked to were nodding vigorously at my answers and smiled like "Tour Guide Barbie." I was relieved when the round ended and I could relax. I did not want to return to this chapter if the women were all like this!

Cardamom let us wait in a back stairwell, as it was raining again. This round was much calmer than the last, and I was instantly at ease. The women were easy to talk to and had a great deal in common with me. The conversations were deeper than normal, and I felt that I could fit in well with this chapter. I left hoping to return the next day!

Mustard was next. This chapter surprised me! I tried to ignore the tent talk, but it's hard being a sophomore. The women I talked to were genuinely friendly and I enjoyed my time here. As much as I liked this chapter, I had a feeling that I didn't fit the group that normally joined. I hoped I would be invited back, but was expecting not to be.

Dill was a good round as well! Many of the PNMs I knew said some negative things about the chapter, but I honestly didn't see it. The women I talked to were sweet and the conversations flowed well. I liked this chapter a lot and was hoping to get to see more of them.

Fennel was immediately after lunch. I LOVED this chapter! It quickly became my favorite. All of the women were upbeat and smiling and wanted to know more about me. Once conversation turned to sisterhood and what it meant to us. We both ended up getting teary eyed! I left feeling like this chapter was a good fit and desperately wanting to be invited back.

Ginger was yet another great chapter! There was very clearly a "fun" atmosphere here and the women were goofy and obviously comfortable being themselves. I immediately loved this and wanted to see more. The women I talked to were involved in similar things as I was and the round flew by quickly.

Rosemary. I honestly was shocked at this chapter. Even at chapters where I was less comfortable, the women still made some effort to engage me and get to know me. They were trying to find sisters, after all! But at this chapter, the one woman I talked to for the entire round clearly did not want to talk to me. It was like pulling teeth to get any answer about her or the chapter. She would not make eye contact, was slumped in her chair, and had her arms crossed. I tried my best, but I did not want to be invited back, as they clearly did not want me there.

Cloves followed, and I still had a bitter feeling from the previous round. Thankfully, the women at this chapter were friendly and wanted to talk to me. The issue this time was the noise! We were talking in a front room that echoed like nothing else, and I was constantly asking the women to repeat themselves. We were all shouting to hear each other, and it led to a difficult conversation. From what I heard, though, I liked the women. I just felt that I would not be returning since they couldn't learn much about me.

Nutmeg was the other chapter that I loved while doing research. I was hoping that my experience here would be as good as at Cinnamon. No such luck. This was the one chapter that I was "double-rushed" at during open house, and the other PNM was clearly the interest of the sister we were talking to. I was almost ignored! I tried to stay engaged, even if I wasn't talking or being asked questions. Luckily, we talked to more than one woman and they were much more polite and engaged us both equally. I wanted to love this chapter, but I didn't want to go somewhere that did not want to talk to me. I did not expect an invitation back.

Poppy Seeds was the last round of the day! I had made it! If the women of this chapter were tired, I would have never guessed. Their energy was through the roof, but they were also down-to-earth and relaxed when I was talking to them. The women I talked to told me stories of their sisterhood and how much they loved living with such great women. I found myself smiling and expressing that what they described was what I wanted! I wanted a family in the sorority I would join. I left thankful that my day ended well and wishing to return.

With Open House round over, it was time to rank the chapters. All I needed to do was pick my "bottom 6," but I had clear favorites as well. I ranked the chapters as follows:

Top (In no particular order):
Paprika
Cayenne Pepper
Coriander
Curry
Cinnamon
Sage
Marjoram
Chili
Cardamom
Mustard
Dill
Fennel
Ginger
Cloves
Nutmeg
Poppy Seeds

Bottom:
1. Basil
2. Garlic
3. Cumin
4. Thyme
5. Oregano
6. Rosemary

The two that I definitely wanted back were Cinnamon and Fennel.

After ranking, I went straight to bed. Philanthropy round and the first set of cuts would be emotional!