Colorful Recruitment!

yoursforever · #1 05-19-2015, 10:01 PM

I went through a deferred recruitment this January and I figured now would be a good time to post my story with some reflection. I rushed at a large school with a fairly non competitive greek system: only 3% are dropped completely and everyone who makes it to pref is guaranteed a bid if they maximize their options.
My school has 12 sororities and since I'm not creative I'm going to do colors:
Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Indigo
Purple
Pink
Magenta
Black
Brown
Grey
I will say that I came in with some stereotypes about the chapter in mind (I know it's bad) but I tried to go in with an open mind!
Rush took 5 days: first round was 2 days, then second, third, pref, and bid day!
I'll try to update this as fast as I can.

yoursforever · #2 05-19-2015, 10:15 PM

Round 1:
The first house I visited was Red and I absolutely loved it. The house was gorgeous and I felt like I really got along well with the girls. 2 were active in the same religious group as I was. However, I got bumped 5 times in a short party so I didn't get to talk much with each person.

Next I went to Orange and although I had high hopes because I knew a few girls, I really didn't like it. The two girls I spoke to seemed cold and disinterested.

Then I went to Yellow, which is a top dog at our school. The house and the girls were absolutely gorgeous, and one had the same uncommon major as I did, so we bonded over that. However, one literally grimaced when I mentioned that I was a feminist, which really turned me off.

Then came Green, another top dog. The girls were very bubbly and friendly, and I had a lot of fun. I wasn't sure if I saw myself fitting in with them socially though.

Then I went to Blue, which I'd heard some not great things about. However, I really bonded with the girls I talked to and I felt like I could really fit in there. Their house was also gorgeous and I really liked it.

Then came Indigo, which is a top house at my school but also has a reputation for being unfriendly, and I definitely felt that. My rushers basically stared right through me and seemed more interested in the PNMs around me.

The last house of day one was Purple. The rusher and I were both clearly very tired and our conversation was lackluster. I didn't remember much afterward.

The next day started with Pink and I loved it. I felt like I clicked really well with all the girls and they just seemed so sweet and friendly.

Then I went to Magenta, another house where I knew some girls. The house was small so we had to do rush in the dorm rooms, but the girls were friendly and sweet, and overall I had a good time.

Next was Black. The girls were really bubbly and fun, but we were all crammed in one room and it was super loud. I felt like I was screaming at the rushers, but I still liked them.

Next was Brown, which doesn't have the best reputation at my school. However, they're known for having a strong sisterhood. I really liked the girls that rushed me, but the house didn't leave a strong impression on me either way.

Last was Grey, again a house with girls I knew. The house and the girls were gorgeous, and I felt like I had a decent conversation, but I wasn't sure if I'd fit in.

After the end of round one, I ranked my bottom as
2. Purple
3. Yellow
4. Orange

The next day I got my list, and saw that I was invited back to Blue, Pink, Magenta, Black, and Brown. I was pretty bummed that I didn't even come close to going back to 9 (the max) and that Red, my absolute favorite had dropped me, but I was glad I wasn't going back to the ones I didn't like, and I was pretty happy with most of my list.

clemsongirl · #3 05-19-2015, 11:07 PM

Woooo yay a recruitment story! We haven't had one of those in a while! Keep up the speedy posting pace and you might be our new favorite!

thetalady · #4 05-19-2015, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoursforever

.... and everyone who makes it to pref is guaranteed a bid if they maximize their options.

Just FYI, this is how it works with NPC sororities during formal rush on virtually every campus

yoursforever · #5 05-19-2015, 11:38 PM

For philanthropy round, I went first to Blue. I was really hoping to love it but it just wasn't that memorable to me. I did really like their motto, as it was very feminist and I love that.
Next I went to Pink, my favorite that I'd been asked back to. I tried really hard to make a good impression but felt like I maybe hadn't clicked well with my first rusher. My second rusher and I got along really well though, and I left still loving the house, but I wasn't sure if I'd be asked back.
Then I went to Magenta. The girl I had spoken to the day before brought me to the presentation, but another picked me up and I stayed with her the whole party. We didn't really click at all. I didn't expect to be invited back.
Then I went to Black. I thought I really clicked with my rushers and I talked a lot about what their philanthropy meant to me. I still liked the house and I was confident when I left.
The last house I went to was Brown. I must admit, I wasn't thrilled about it because of its not great status on campus, but it seemed okay to me. The only strong opinion I got was that the house smelled weird that day, but I didn't strongly dislike it, but it was far from my favorite.

Because I only went back to 5 houses, I didn't rank them that day.
The next day, I got my list and saw that I had 3 parties out of a possible 6:
Blue, Pink, and Brown. I was sad about Black because I thought I'd made a good impression, but I was very excited about Pink. I was definitely still biased against Brown though. I went in deciding to give it my best shot.

yoursforever · #6 05-20-2015, 01:56 AM

On skit day, my first house was Blue again. I don't remember their skit so it couldn't have been very memorable, but I had a decent conversation and thought the house was nice. I didn't click well with my last rusher though.
Then I headed to Brown, which I wasn't thrilled about still. Their skit was fun but a little cheesy, which I probably was just perceiving because I didn't really want to be there. The sisterhood really stuck out to me though. During the skits, the sisters were standing along the walls laughing and chatting, which warmed me to the house a little.
My last house was Pink and I was so excited! I was picked up by a girl who had rushed me before and we really hit it off. The skit was funny and charming and I loved it. However, my second rusher was a disaster. When I asked her what her favorite thing about her sorority was, she started talking about how her sisters supported her through her parents divorce. But it soon turned into her nastily ranting about her parents' custody battle etc, and I didn't really know how to respond. By the time my next rusher got there, we didn't really have time to talk. As she was taking me out, she apologized for not really having the chance to learn about each other.

Again, since I only went to 3 houses, I didn't rank them. Even though my experience at Pink wasn't great that day, I still wanted them the most and was so nervous. Every time I saw a girl in Pink letters I got so anxious! When I finally got my list I was very disappointed to see only Blue and Brown. I was also pretty jealous because the other girls in my group were talking about how they got these three houses they were so excited about and how they could never choose. One of my friends was only invited back to Magenta, meaning she would definitely get a bid from them, and was very excited. I was still okay with the prospect of Blue though, and since I was never big on sororities to begin with, I was okay with the possibility of maybe being in Brown. At least I was guaranteed a bid at that point.

Wynter · #7 05-20-2015, 03:31 AM

Please do finish this!

But it soon turned into her nastily ranting about her parents' custody battle etc, and I didn't really know how to respond.

hahaha omg, poor girl probably needed to vent :P

jolene · #8 05-20-2015, 07:45 AM

Yay! Recruitment thread! Do many schools do a deferred rush?

Sciencewoman · #9 05-20-2015, 07:52 AM

Thanks for the fast-paced posting!

I'm hoping you had an "aha" special moment at Pref!

yoursforever · #10 05-20-2015, 09:55 AM

On pref night, I wasn't very excited. I already knew I would pref Blue but I wasn't thrilled about either choice. But since pretty much all my friends were rushing, I didn't want to be left in the dust.
First I went to Brown, and to be entirely honest, I was not at my best. It's horrible to look back on, but I hardly talked to the 2 poor girls rushing me. I sat in the pref ceremony thinking about how little I wanted to be there. To be entirely honest, I just never gave the house a chance. I was just completely opposed to being in that house.
Then I went to Blue and was paired with a girl I hadn't clicked well with earlier in rush. The conversation was forced at best, but I tried to keep it up. I left feeling terrible about everything.
I ended up preffing Blue and decided not to suicide, because I didn't want to wait a year to join a sorority. My rho gamma also told me that I was more likely to get Blue if I didn't suicide. I don't know if I was overly confident or what, but I just kind of went with it.

Bid day rolled around and I had a pretty bad feeling about what was going to happen. I opened my envelope and saw that my bid was to...

... Brown
I went to bid night pretty sour, and it didn't help that I was tired and my bid night buddy kept trying to engage me. I was such a nightmare. Girls were coming into the house sobbing, not out of joy, and it was just bad. I'd heard that a lot of girls who get Brown drop on or right after bid night. I actually knew a few from my dorm who had done so the year before.

I didn't drop though. I told my parents I would wait until the new members bonded more, and I eventually realized that the reputation I'd heard was completely untrue. People sometimes call us ugly and boring, but we have gorgeous girls and tons of girls who have fun. We're just an incredibly diverse house, which isn't a bad thing. It took me until I got my big to really get settled in my house, but I've met some amazing people and made some really great friends. Also, we only had one out of 40 member drop her bid. Our house is on the rise, and I'm so grateful for my sisters and that I didn't drop. I'm now a proud, initiated Chi Omega, with a chair position within recruitment and plans to live in the house next year. My best advice to everyone is to stick it out and not to get caught up in reputation. Every sorority has its perks, even if it's a hidden gem. Just don't give up too soon, and make sure to give it your best shot before deciding it's not for you.

carnation · #11 05-20-2015, 09:59 AM

I thought you would end up Chi O by your username--I remember the song that the Chi Os sang at my daughter's wedding!

KellyO97 · #12 05-20-2015, 10:35 AM

I was thinking Chi O too! Pretty sure I know the university...congrats, sister!

Coming from someone who was in a "bottom" chapter many years ago, I can tell you I wouldn't trade my experience for all the popularity in the world. I'm so glad you took the time to form friendships and get to know the sorority before making a decision.

DeltaBetaBaby · #13 05-20-2015, 10:41 AM

Congrats! My cousin is in that chapter, and she's awesome ;-)

Sciencewoman · #14 05-20-2015, 09:46 PM

Congratulations on Chi Omega! Thanks for sharing your story and your positive outlook!

KDCat · #15 05-22-2015, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoursforever

Our house is on the rise, and I'm so grateful for my sisters and that I didn't drop. I'm now a proud, initiated Chi Omega, with a chair position within recruitment and plans to live in the house next year. My best advice to everyone is to stick it out and not to get caught up in reputation. Every sorority has its perks, even if it's a hidden gem. Just don't give up too soon, and make sure to give it your best shot before deciding it's not for you.

Congrats! You made the right decision and you are reaping the rewards!

I hate the whole "tier" talk. It's such an immature, high school mentality. It's one of the drawbacks of recruiting New Members who are 18 years old.