Recruitment Story :)

[GuitarGreek]

I’ve been looking at this site for a long time, and I was inspired to write my own recruitment story.

I had 6 sororities to choose from. I knew next to nothing about sorority life going into it, and I was really looking to fit in somewhere. I wasn’t the stereotypical sorority girl, and my friends from back home were completely confused when I said I was thinking about joining. They thought I had lost it. In reality, my roommate had convinced me that this was a good idea. She didn’t want to go into the process alone, so I figured I’d sign up. To this day, I still don’t think that my friends from home completely comprehend what it is that sororities do, and why the hell I decided to go through recruitment, and I don’t think they ever will. Because from the outside looking in.....

So I met my Recruitment Counselor and she was amazing... very bubbly, very happy, very willing to help everyone out. Throughout the process she was more than excited about every party we were invited to, and she was more than comforting when we were cut by our favorite houses. She made the experience so much easier for me.

(I’m going to name each chapter different... Greek letters. I figure that makes sense).

Round 1:

It was a whirlwind. Numerous cheers, songs, sisters. I was overcome with enthusiasm, and fear, and worry, and excitement. And in the process I met some truly wonderful women.

Alpha - This chapter was considered to be one of the best on campus, but I guess I didn’t see it. Overall, the girls were nice enough, but something just threw me off. The first girl I talked to made me feel like I wasn’t worthy enough to be in her sorority. She kept saying things like, “Well, you know, you need to have a high GPA to be a sister. Like, really high. We don’t take just anyone.” It was really awkward. What do I say to that?!... “Yeah, I heard all the sororities have minimum GPAs. That’s definitely a positive about being in Greek life... the focus on academic success...” Then she’d bring up something else. “Well, you also need to do community service, and some of it’s hard. It’s not just collecting money from people. Have you ever done any?” Ahhh. But then I was able to talk to another sister who very nice, and she answered a whole bunch of questions for me. When I told her I was from out-of-state, and then told her specifically where I was from, she introduced me to another sister who lived very close to me. It was good that I was able to talk to another sister, but the conversation didn’t flow. I left here kind of disappointed.

Beta - My first impression of the Betas was that they were cute and spunky, and just really excited. They were so nice, but I felt like they were just a little too peppy for me. “The Cheerleader Chapter” is what I referred to them as in my head. I thought they were adorable, but they were the complete opposite of me. I didn’t really think I’d fit in here.

Gamma - Gamma was amazing. They were everyone’s favorite. The girl that I talked to at this party was more than willing to take me around and introduce me to her other sisters. She was friendly and bubbly, and I was afraid I was a little too nervous. At times I felt like I couldn’t say anything because she dominated the conversation. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. I think she was just really excited, and she clearly loved her sorority. Who wouldn’t?!

Delta - This chapter seemed to be struggling a bit. They were really nice, and they really seemed to care for one another, but you could just tell that their spirit was a little crushed. With the way that some of the PNMs were treating them, I wasn’t surprised. They were trying so hard, and I could see that they really struggled to get PNMs to see how amazing they are. The girl that I talked to was so sweet, and she genuinely enjoyed her sorority. I had to be double-rushed here, but I didn’t mind at all. The Delta really seemed to know what she was doing, and she made an effort to talk to both of us PNMs. I wanted to love this house, but I left feeling kind of indifferent.

Epsilon - Epsilon had a reputation. I never really heard anything about any of the chapters before rush started... except about the Epsilons. Don’t get me wrong, I was all about going out, having a few drinks, making trips to McDonald’s at 3am, and not being able to wake up until 2pm the next day... but I didn’t want to do that every day. I figured that there are obviously stereotypes about sororities, and I didn’t want to believe the ones I heard about this chapter... especially after I had already seen many different sides of the sorority spectrum today. But I got to their house, and the girl who rushed me was talking about her boyfriend. She asked me if I had one, too. At the time, I didn’t, and she asked me why not. Uncomfortable! Then she started talking about going out on the weekend. She wouldn’t say anything bad, but she would allude to things that probably weren’t appropriate to talk about during recruitment. She then asked me what I like to do on the weekends, and I told her I like to go out with friends. She asked specifically what we’d do. I said we’d go out to dinner, to the movies, hang out in the dorms, etc. I think she was looking for a “more exciting” answer from me, but I wasn’t about to jeopardize my chances of getting into ANY house just to sound “cool”.

Zeta - Zeta was great. These girls were really down to earth. The sister I talked to asked me what I like to do in my spare time, and I told her that I play guitar. She thought that was awesome. Her boyfriend was in a band, and she said, “Hey, they’re looking for another guitar player..” We laughed, and the rest of the conversation flowed well. I met one other sister who was HILARIOUS. She was clearly the life of the party, and she loved being the focus of attention. After talking to her for a bit, I asked my original Zeta some questions... of which I remember none now... but she was more than willing to answer all of them for me.


My rankings:

Zeta
Gamma
Delta
Epsilon
Beta
Alpha

[jentopianfir]

I happen to play some guitar, myself. Your story is really interesting so far. Keep going!

[ZTA72]

I posted last night, but I think my laptop battery was dying as I hit send, and my post is not here, sooo
I think you had a very interesting round 1 and sounds as if you had some both tough and good encounters. Please continue with your story.

GO Zeta! (no matter who they are in RL)

[lovespink88]

More please! I like smaller recruitment threads, I can actually keep track of all of them lol

[CougarGrad]

That's an interesting first round, all right. I'm curious to see where this goes. Keep it coming when you have time!

[GuitarGreek]

Recap of rankings:

Zeta (down to earth, had good conversations with 2 of the girls)
Gamma (everyone’s favorite, had an amazing time, might have been a little too nervous)
Delta (struggling chapter, good conversation, felt indifferent about it)
Epsilon (heard rumors of bad reputation, wasn’t sure of the sister’s thoughts of our conversation)
Beta (“Cheerleader Chapter”, didn’t know if their personality fit with mine)
Alpha (considered a “better” chapter, two awkward conversations, left a little disappointed)


When I got my invite list, I was extremely nervous. It seemed like I had been waiting forever to see it, but I still remember pausing and taking a deep breath before I looked at it. I finally glanced at it to see...

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Zeta
Delta
Alpha

First, the chapters that I wasn’t invited back to... I wasn’t too surprised that Gamma wasn’t on there, but I was still a little disappointed that they weren’t listed. I didn’t really mind either way if Epsilon invited me back. I wanted to meet more of their sisters to see how they truly were, but I didn’t get a chance to do that. Beta I wasn’t really surprised about at all. Again, everyone was very nice, but I just didn’t seem to fit in.

As for the chapters that I was invited back to... I was very excited to see Zeta back on my list. I wasn’t too surprised that I was invited back to Delta, and I wanted to see where things went during the next round. Alpha was kind of a shock. I guess that maybe my answers in the awkward conversations were good ones. But either way, I figured it can’t hurt to go back and try again.

I thought it interesting that I was left with one chapter that I was really excited about, one that had me guessing how I felt, and one where I left feeling a little disappointed. I figured this next round would give me a better look into the three of them.

Round 2:

Zeta - Once again, I had an amazing time here. I was paired with a different sister than the last time and we got along very well. We worked on the philanthropy project together, and their national philanthropy meant a lot to me for personal reasons. Another sister and PNM sitting next to us joined in on our conversation and we were all having a great time. We all started talking about movies, and most of us liked the same ones. We were quoting lines from them, and laughing hysterically, and everyone around us was looking at us like we were crazy. I also really liked the PNM, who was one of those people that you just click with automatically, and I kind of hoped she ended up being my sister no matter which chapter we joined. I left here feeling really good about my chances of being accepted by this sorority.

Delta - I was paired with a new sister this round. This time I was able to talk to her one on one. Our conversation started off a little slow, and I thought it was going to be torture talking to her. I noticed one PNM near me who was clearly not interested at all in talking with the sister she was paired with. It was heartbreaking. The sister was trying so hard, but the PNM was practically rolling her eyes at her. I was already feeling so-so about this chapter, but I still wondered why everyone was treating them so poorly. Anyway, the sister I was paired with started asking the basic questions and the conversation was slow. At one point, though, she mentioned that she used to be on a fencing team (random, right?) ... but I LOVE fencing. I was also very interested in learning more about their philanthropy. I knew very little about it and I wanted to know more about how they help with that cause. I was feeling a little better about this chapter than I was in round 1, but I still wasn’t completely convinced that this is where I was meant to be.

Alpha - I wanted to see what this house had to offer in round 2. I was paired up with a new sister, and we seemed to get along ok, but the conversation wasn’t really flowing. I found out that she had just recently joined the chapter, and I figured she didn’t have much experience with this whole recruitment thing. I know that sometimes it’s difficult for me to talk to new people as well, so I didn’t completely hold it against her at that point. But another sister came over and talked with us for a bit and she was great. I think she opened up the conversation a little between the first sister and I, and the three of us actually really seemed to be enjoying each other. And Alpha’s national philanthropy was something that I could see myself working with very closely. I was definitely in a better mood leaving this sorority following this round than the last.

I knew who I was going to rank first, but it was a toss up between 2nd and 3rd. I finally just wrote something down and hoped for the best...

Zeta
Delta
Alpha

[gogreekmom]

I am really enjoying your story and I especially appreciate your rankings recap -- for an old girl like me the recap memory jogger makes reading the new portion of the story much more enjoyable (without constantly scrolling back to read your earlier opinions of each chapter). Thanks!

[AlphaXi_Husky]

Originally Posted by gogreekmom

I am really enjoying your story and I especially appreciate your rankings recap -- for an old girl like me the recap memory jogger makes reading the new portion of the story much more enjoyable (without constantly scrolling back to read your earlier opinions of each chapter). Thanks!

I agree!

Looking forward to hearing what happens next!

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by gogreekmom

I am really enjoying your story and I especially appreciate your rankings recap -- for an old girl like me the recap memory jogger makes reading the new portion of the story much more enjoyable (without constantly scrolling back to read your earlier opinions of each chapter). Thanks!

Another fan! Keep 'em coming!

[twinkle555]

Loving your story!! Hmm...Im gonna vote for ALPHA! Go ALPHA!

[Tropical_Dancer]

I really like reading your story thus far too, I think I will root for delta

[CuriousWildcat]

More please!

[LttleMsPrEp]

I'm loving this story and I like that you're keeping an open mind. Go Zeta!!

[ZTA72]

Originally Posted by Zeta13Girl

Update??? ... Please.

Maybe she's on spring break?

[GuitarGreek]

Sorry it’s been a while! But I’m glad everyone has enjoyed reading, and that people are appreciating the recap. I know I get confused reading stories, and I always forget about each chapter after a few days!

Ok, now on with the story...

Recap of rankings:

Zeta (Amazing time, talked with 2 sisters and a PNM - who I loved - felt good about my chances of being invited back. Philanthropy: Meant a lot to me for personal reasons)
Delta (Slow conversation that picked up, feeling better about the chapter but not sure of my overall feeling about it. Philanthropy: Did not know much about it, interested to learn more)
Alpha (Slow conversation but another sister helped it along, definitely in a better mood about this chapter after this round. Philanthropy: I could see myself working closely with it)


I looked at my invite list to see...

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Zeta
Delta

I wasn’t too disappointed that Alpha wasn’t on my list, but I was happy that I got to meet some great women from that chapter.

I was very excited to see that Zeta had invited me back. I knew I had made some great connections with the sisters, and I couldn’t have been happier to be able to attend their preference party. I was actually pretty happy to have Delta on there as well, as I really wanted to see where things went with this chapter. The girls were really sweet, and I could tell that they were trying very hard to make me feel at home with them. I felt as if this round would give me a definite idea as to where I wanted to be...

Round 3:

Zeta - When I arrived, I was greeted by the really funny girl that I met at the first party, but today she was a little more serious. We still laughed and joked around, but we both knew that preference round was supposed to be meaningful. She asked me a few questions about how recruitment had been, and had expressed to me that she knew how stressful it can be. While I knew that every sister had obviously been through recruitment in the past, it was comforting to have someone talk about it with me, and to know that someone understands what I was thinking and feeling. Without going into too much detail, she shared her own recruitment experience with me, and then went on to say how she ended up exactly where she was meant to be. She said that I’d find my home, wherever it was, and that I’d have the time of my life. It meant a lot to hear someone say that, in the middle of recruitment, understanding how competitive it can be. This was someone who obviously wanted some wonderful new sisters, but who understood that Greeks are one, no matter which letters they’re wearing. And although I had only talked to her once before, it seemed like I already knew her really well, and I thought that I could talk with her about anything. Then the ceremony started. It was BEAUTIFUL. Everything flowed wonderfully, and I knew that the sorority meant a lot to these girls. The part of the ceremony that truly involved the PNMs was PERFECT, and I definitely started to cry. I noticed that other PNMs and sisters were crying, also, and I could see how much this touched everyone in the room. When it was over, another sister who was standing near me kind of put her arm around me and just smiled. Just reading that here might sound creepy, but it actually wasn’t, and it meant a lot to me. Nothing had to be said between us... it just felt right. The time flew by, and I found myself not wanting to leave.

Delta - When I got here, I was able to talk to a sister that I hadn’t met before. She was so nice, and she really did everything to make sure I was having a good time. She briefly asked me some questions about myself, and then she talked to me about how much Delta means to her, and about some of the great times she had with her sisters. She told me how much she struggled through her first year of college, how homesick she was, and how her major had left her too busy to make friends at first. She said she went through recruitment clueless, much like I did, only to find the “true beauty” in everything a sorority has to offer. She said (and I’ll never forget this), “It’s like having the time of your life with your best friends, but also knowing that no matter where you are, and no matter what happens, you’ll always share a bond that no one can touch.” The ceremony was gorgeous, and it was adorable, and it allowed everyone to express how they felt about the sorority, and about each other. The whole thing fit perfectly with how the chapter was. It truly represented how these girls acted within the sorority and out. Some sisters shared personal stories, and while most of these experiences were happy, I found myself crying. And I don’t think I cried because of what the sorority meant to the sisters (even though it obviously meant a lot), I think I was crying because I could see what the sorority could do for me personally. I saw myself becoming a better person because of it. It was so touching how much everyone seemed to care for one another, no matter how poorly some PNMs had treated them throughout the week. They clearly had a strong bond that couldn’t be broken by a few people who couldn’t see what wonderful women they are. Like with Zeta, I found myself loving this chapter.


After preference, I felt as if I was exactly where I was meant to be. The problem was, I thought that I fit perfectly with two different sororities! I thought I was going to struggle through recruitment because I didn't receive enough invites, or because I was turned down by my favorites. Now I had two chapters that I loved, and I couldn’t choose between the two of them!

I closed my eyes, hoped that everything would work out in the end, and made my last-minute decision...