A Bookworm's SEC Rush! - Page 3

IrishLake · #31 08-31-2012, 11:26 AM

(Off topic for the John Green fans. The author is a very good childhood friend of a friend of mine and her brother. In fact, a character in Looking for Alaska has quite a few things in common with her brother. She said it was very surreal reading a book set at their school, a boarding school in Alabama).

ErinHope, looking forward to the rest of your story!

kaeb · #32 08-31-2012, 01:47 PM

Haha I think John Green tends to do that! I have some friends who are very involved in the Nerdfighter community on YouTube, and it is SO surreal to read their names as the names of characters in their books—especially when they're vaguely obscure (to me) Dutch names...

ErinHope, best of luck!

ASUADPi · #33 08-31-2012, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticCat

A Hunger Games recruitment -- now that could be quite a story.

I'm shocked that no one has done it yet!

ErinHope · #34 09-01-2012, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaeb

Haha I think John Green tends to do that! I have some friends who are very involved in the Nerdfighter community on YouTube, and it is SO surreal to read their names as the names of characters in their books—especially when they're vaguely obscure (to me) Dutch names...

ErinHope, best of luck!

DFTBA! Who are your friends involved on YouTube?

ErinHope · #35 09-01-2012, 02:05 AM

This day is a defining moment in my rush experience.

7:15 AM Friday morning, I'm almost done getting ready to go to my 8 am class when I check my phone to see that my Gamma Chi had called me late last night. She left a voice mail telling me to call her back immediately. So I call her.

I have no parties tonight. None.

I'm trying to stay positive and fighting back tears, but neither of us understands what just happened. I was prepared for rejection. I knew there would be heavy cuts after the first round. But to go from 10 to 1 in one round? I didn't think it would happen to me. I did so well at philanthropy round! I had an amazing resume, was talkative and enthusiastic. My Gamma Chi is discussing my options with me. If I rank Lord of the Rings number 1 for skits and they invite me back for Pref, I'm almost guaranteed a bid. These girls want me. But do I want them? I thank my Gamma Chi for talking to me and tell her I need to call my mom.

After sobbing to my mom for a few minutes, I attempt to pull myself together and go to class. This doesn't work out so well. Paying attention in class isn't too hard because I know how to study and take notes. But I cannot stop crying. My mind just goes back to the rejection. What did I do wrong? Did they think I was being fake? Perhaps my interest didn't come across as genuine. Most likely there were simply a ton of awesome girls, or the way the computer and rankings work just screwed me over. I keep that in mind, but we all know how hard it is not to beat ourselves up in these situations.

I have three classes on Friday morning before getting a break for lunch. By the end of the third class, I'm still extremely upset, but feeling much more positive. There is always a light at the end of a tunnel. I can see it. I know it's there, and I know what's in store for me once I get there. It's just so hard not to succumb to the despair of the dark tunnel. It chokes you, it frustrates you, and scares the hell out of you.

My dark tunnel has two paths.

The first path. I know that if I make it through preference round with Lord of the Rings, I can be the sorority woman I want to be. I'm able to remind myself all of the great things about them. I have a few epiphanies about why I wouldn't fit in with some of the other sororities. I will rank them number 1 for skits and do my best to show them I want them, too, at Preference.

The second path is that I get dropped from recruitment before Preference. Yikes. I don't want to think about it, but I have to. If this is how it is meant to be, I will throw myself whole-heartedly into my other activities. I'm in a choir. I want to continue voice lessons. I'm planning to join the club swim team, a little family of its own. I will go to sorority events throughout the semester and participate in their philanthropies. I'll get to know the girls so that if I choose to go through spring informal rush, I will be a familiar face.

Things will work out the way they're meant to. I have faced this sort of rejection too many times NOT to know that it always works out. It will be okay in the end. Maybe not great, but okay. And okay is something I can live with.

Another great thing about this experience? If one of the worst days of my life is the day I was dropped from 9 sororities (favorites included) in one round, I have a pretty dang awesome life. Seriously, I am so blessed to have this life.

I got out of class and called my mom to tell her all of this. After that conversation, I had pretty much made up my mind. I am going to rank Lord of the Rings my number 1 and hope for the best.

That evening I went to our Panhellenic building to rank. I walked in there with my head held high, a smile on my face. I ranked, and then talked to my Gamma Chi. She has seriously helped me through so much. I had even hoped she might turn out to be my sister. I could see her fitting in with Lord of the Rings, but I really couldn't be sure what her sorority was. She told me how proud she was of me and how impressed she had been with my positive attitude. We cried and hugged a bit before I left to go back to my dorm. I was a little nervous, but knew absolutely that everything would be okay.

ErinHope · #36 09-01-2012, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KDCat

What are the pros? I just don't get it.

And this is where I get to respond with the pros! I think overall it is better to give the full schedule for each round. But in my case, I am so thankful I had all day Friday to confront the fact that all I had left was Lord of the Rings. As nervous as I was Thursday night for the first round of skits, I don't think I could have borne finding out that everyone cut me as soon as I arrived for the parties. I might have been crying in their party!

ErinHope · #37 09-01-2012, 02:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by owlsgohoot

Ok 1) I LOVE the fact that you included Paper Towns in your code. I'm a big young adult fiction fan, and John Green is my absolute favorite. I bawled like a baby through the last half of Looking For Alaska.

2) You're an awesome writer, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of your story!

Oh, and 3) You've got a fantastic name, from one Erin to another

Thank you, Erin! Haha, we do have an awesome name.

I love all of John's books, but since Paper Towns is my favorite, it was the only one I included.

I didn't want too many by the same author (Shakespeare being the exception!)

mizmama · #38 09-01-2012, 04:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErinHope

I walked in there with my head held high, a smile on my face. I ranked, and then talked to my Gamma Chi. She has seriously helped me through so much. I had even hoped she might turn out to be my sister. I could see her fitting in with Lord of the Rings, but I really couldn't be sure what her sorority was. She told me how proud she was of me and how impressed she had been with my positive attitude. We cried and hugged a bit before I left to go back to my dorm. I was a little nervous, but knew absolutely that everything would be okay.

What a wonderful attitude. My daughter had a similar, though not as severe, experience and her Gamma Chi was such a rock. She did turn out being her sister, too!

kaeb · #39 09-01-2012, 06:01 AM

Erin—I'm so sorry to hear that! That really sucks, and there's no way around it. All I can say is that you seem to have an awesome attitude, and I hope your story ends as well as mine did. It's horrendous being there, but you have to be strong (which I'm sure you are!) and know that you are a wonderful, valuable woman, and these women are missing out on you, big time. Hopefully they'll come to their senses soon!

Re: John Green, I'll mention them by their YouTube names: owlssayhoot & BooksAndQuills. I think those are/were their handles? I'm so used to referring to them by their rl names!

BraveMaroon · #40 09-01-2012, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErinHope

This day is a defining moment in my rush experience.

Another great thing about this experience? If one of the worst days of my life is the day I was dropped from 9 sororities (favorites included) in one round, I have a pretty dang awesome life. Seriously, I am so blessed to have this life.

Ok, are you sure you're a college Freshman? I have friends twice your age who don't have as solid a sense of perspective. I am enjoying your story and can't wait to hear the ending!

KDCat · #41 09-01-2012, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErinHope

And this is where I get to respond with the pros! I think overall it is better to give the full schedule for each round. But in my case, I am so thankful I had all day Friday to confront the fact that all I had left was Lord of the Rings. As nervous as I was Thursday night for the first round of skits, I don't think I could have borne finding out that everyone cut me as soon as I arrived for the parties. I might have been crying in their party!

I see your point.

You have a great attitude. You would be an asset to any chapter that choose you.

DDDMomma · #42 09-01-2012, 09:17 AM

You have me completely invested ... I am even downloading Paper Towns on my Nook.

amIblue? · #43 09-01-2012, 09:18 AM

Your maturity is astounding. Can't wait to hear more!

ErinHope · #44 09-01-2012, 10:12 AM

Thank you all so much for your support! I'm glad you're enjoying my story.
An update should be coming tonight!

ErinHope · #45 09-01-2012, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaeb

Erin—I'm so sorry to hear that! That really sucks, and there's no way around it. All I can say is that you seem to have an awesome attitude, and I hope your story ends as well as mine did. It's horrendous being there, but you have to be strong (which I'm sure you are!) and know that you are a wonderful, valuable woman, and these women are missing out on you, big time. Hopefully they'll come to their senses soon!

Re: John Green, I'll mention them by their YouTube names: owlssayhoot & BooksAndQuills. I think those are/were their handles? I'm so used to referring to them by their rl names!

Thank you so much! I don't think I've seen anything from BooksAndQuills, but I love owlssayhooot! I was a huge FiveAwesomeGirl fan back in the day (2008, lol).