Recruitment at its finest

So, I wish I had pre-planned blogs that I had all written up and could just copy/paste/publish every day. Because, knowing my track record, I will be really, really, really excited about this blog this week. Next week? I'll probably forget about it. So if I had material pre-written, that would be great. No such luck here. Instead, I get up and think "what do I feel like writing today?" And then, something comes out...

But with all the talk about recruitment lately (I know, I know, two days worth), I figured it was time to share my recruitment experience. It's a retro blast from the past! And yes, I'm surprised that four years can constitute a "retro blast from the past" myself... But here we are.

So, as previously stated, four years ago, as a bubbly blonde-haired freshman, I signed up for and went through recruitment. My school, Rocky Mountain University, isn't very Greek, rather it's a western school where about five percent of the student population is Greek (if even). And back when I signed up for recruitment, the sororities had deferred recruitment. What did this mean for me? Well, entrance was based on a semester of interaction, rather than a month or two. And I feel like I may have been more impressive coming straight from high school, rather than the interim person I was Spring semester of my freshman year. After graduating high school, I was so sure of my status as a shining star (as all incoming freshmen are). Midway through freshman year, I was still sure I was a shining star, but lacking quite the same confidence in my character.

It also meant that less girls went through, and thus, less girls received bids to the houses they wanted most.

But I knew I wanted to join a sorority. I had two main reasons. First, I wanted to change and clearly this was the way to change. I was sure of it. But, I also wanted a family. I was beginning to grow apart from my best friends (or, so I thought) and I missed my mom. So, really, these were things that were important to me. I mean, and a party couldn't hurt, right?

When I went through recruitment in the spring of 2007, there were ten sororities at RMU and I was determined to get into one of them. I didn't take very detailed notes, so I apologize, but here is the story to the best of my memory...

Recruitment lasted for seven days during January 2007. Let me explain something about January 2007, it snows. And, it was awful. The sidewalks were icy, it was cold, and we stood outside for long periods of time. But let's start at the beginning.

Day One (Thursday): Preview Day
Let's see.... Preview Day is not nearly as exciting as it sounds. We went to a large classroom and learned about what the process would be like (we would go to varying numbers of houses over the course of a week), we would get a plastic baggie, and that we had Rho Gammas to help us. Then we met our Rho Gammas, but more about them in a minute. The last thing we learned was that we should "trust the process." Remember when I said that yesterday? Remember? Here is where that gem came from. And, because I have that life philosophy (see: "ques sera sera..."), I believed it. So, next we met our Rho Gammas/Rho Gs. My group had two women, Shaina and Janie. There were about ten girls in my group, including me. I don't remember most of them, but one girl, Kayleigh and I became pretty good friends through recruitment. She didn't end up joining a house though, which was always sad to me. Everyone shared why they wanted to join a sorority. I came up with all my friends being guys, which was pretty much true at that point. Let's be honest, public speaking isn't really my thing and wanting a family or wanting to change seem like pretty embarrassing reasons to a nineteen year old. We parted ways and knew we would be back there at eight AM the next day. Some girls went out, but if I had to be beautiful and somewhere at eight AM, I was sleeping.
Day Two (Friday): 1st Datebook Day One
I was pretty much up at six, if I remember correctly... And I took a bus to the same lecture hall we were in before. Today, each group would go to half the houses, and then the other half tomorrow. My Rho G group had a pretty convenient schedule, all our houses were on the same side of campus. Armed with my baggie and dressed in my most casual business casual attire. When in doubt, always overdress. It will get you far in life. Anyway... Back to the sororities. Since I don't really remember my day to day experience, I will be telling it as I told one of my best friends, Keith, later. Remember when I said to talk it over with someone who wasn't involved? Mine was Keith.

The first stop of the day: Alpha Alpha Alpha. There was a lot of dancing, screaming, jumping, smiling. Their shirts were a really ugly paisley purple color. But, they were really nice and there was this vibe to the house. They were nice. I liked them.

The second stop of the day: Kappa Upsilon Eta. They were a lot quieter and smaller. Another local chapter was helping them, and I didn't get to talk to any girls from RMU. I didn't really like that.

Third: Psi Sigma. This was one of the houses everyone wanted to be in. The physical house was gorgeous and all the girls were blonde and beautiful. And they matched perfectly. I so desired to be a Psi Sig... Until I got inside and was double rushed... The girl with me was from the same home town as our rusher. No matter how I tried to get into the conversation, I was shunned. It was horrible.

Fourth: Zeta Epsilon Theta. They were really nice and I had a good time. That's really all I remember.

Fifth: Eta Theta Epsilon. These girls were so much fun! They had a dance party and it looked like a blast! I really longed to dance with them.

So, at the end of my day, I ranked the ones I had visited so far in my head. My mental ranking was as follows:

1. Eta Theta Epsilon
2. Alpha Alpha Alpha
3. Zeta Epsilon Theta
4. Psi Sigma
5. Kappa Upsilon Eta

The next day was another eight AM wake up.

Day Three (Saturday): 1st Datebook Part Two
This day was pretty much the same as the day before. The only difference was the different houses. So, let's get to it.

First: Kappa Epsilon. I was one of the last girls to be called and that's pretty much all I remember... Oh, and their slide show was "The Fabulous Life of Kappa Ep."

Second: Alpha Zeta. I longed with all my being to be an Alpha Zeta. They were the house I most wanted. And they wore this cute pink shirt/black skirt/high heel combo that I envied more than anything.

Third: Kappa Psi Sigma. I really don't remember anything about this house... I feel terribly, but... Yeah....

Fourth: Gamma Gamma Zeta. Their house was huge! I knew that being here would be the end all be all. But they didn't appeal to me nearly as much as the Alpha Zetas... I just had nothing in common with them...

Fifth: Gamma Kappa Lambda. I knew a girl in this house and she was awesome. They were so laid back. And I got to talk to one girl. It was great. I would have loved to be a Gamma Kappa Lambda too.

So, this time, we really did get to rank the houses. I rethought through my visits of the day before and I decided that maybe I'd overlooked a few houses. My final order when as follows.

1. Alpha Zeta. I really longed to be one with my entire being.
2. Alpha Alpha Alpha. They still really stuck in my mind today, so I moved them up.
3. Gamma Kappa Lambda. So laid back...
4. Eta Theta Epsilon. So fun!
5. Zeta Epsilon Theta.
6. Gamma Gamma Zeta.
7. Kappa Epsilon
8. Kappa Psi Sigma. Even though I don't remember much about them, I know I preferred them to Psi Sigma.
9. Psi Sigma. And even though I really disliked them, I would have rather been a Psi Sigma than a Kappa Upsilon Eta.
10. Kappa Upsilon Eta. I feel badly now, but no one wanted to be a Kappa Upsilon Eta.

Day Four (Sunday): Philanthropy Day
It was snowing today. I ran out in high heels to catch the bus and was forced to go get warmer shoes. I went to high school all the time in high heels because I had these warm dress pants. But they made me change anyway... So I got driven to campus and the lecture hall. We got back our schedules and I was so excited. Until I looked at mine. Where was Alpha Zeta? Where were Gamma Kappa Lambda and Eta Theta Epsilon? I was initially heartbroken. I longed with all my being to be an Alpha Zeta. But, on the bright side, I had two of my top five: Alpha Alpha Alpha and Zeta Epsilon Theta. There was the silver lining. I also had Kappa Upsilon Eta. No one wanted Kappa Upsilon Eta... But, Keith's sister was one, so maybe they were better than yesterday... If I had any chance of talking to some RMU Kappas, of course.

My first stop today: Zeta Epsilon Theta. We made flower pens. It was fun and the girl I talked to was super nice. Their house was also really pretty.

Second stop: Kappa Upsilon Eta. This time I got to talk to a bunch of girls from RMU. It was great and they were all really excited that I knew Keith's older sister. I forgot our craft. But I was happy to talk to some RMU girls.

Third stop: Alpha Alpha Alpha. This house was beautiful. And I really enjoyed the coloring we did for our craft. The girls were really nice.

I was really envious of the other girls that had seven houses to go to, but Kayleigh and I enjoyed some lunch. At the end of the day, I thought about my rankings and went with the following:

1. Alpha Alpha Alpha.
2. Zeta Epsilon Theta.
3. Kappa Upsilon Eta. Don't judge me. I was nineteen. What did I know?

Day Five (Monday): Skits Day.
I was mostly happy with the way things turned out the day before, though I was still really disappointed about Alpha Zeta. I really longed to wear their pink shirts and black skirts combo... I got back my schedule today and it was only a bigger downward spiral. Zeta Epsilon Theta had not invited me back. And they had been in my top five all along. But, I pulled myself together and accepted that I still had Alpha Alpha Alpha. And that was what was important.

First stop: Kappa Upsilon Eta. They did a song and dance routine about sisterhood. It wasn't very interesting. They were still excited that I knew Keith's older sister.

Second stop: Alpha Alpha Alpha. Their skits were hilarious. And they were still really nice.

I had a pretty easy time ranking today.

1. Alpha Alpha Alpha.
2. Kappa Upsilon Eta.

I went to bed as soon as I could because school was the next day.

Day Six (Tuesday): Preference Night
Here's what I've decided. Recruitment should never happen during school. What a horrible, horrible idea. I rushed home and then rushed back in the closest thing I had to a cocktail dress: my graduation dress. Which I would call more a Sunday brunch dress, but it worked well enough, I think.

First stop was once again: Kappa Upsilon Eta. The girl who preffed me was lovely. We ate cheesecake, laughed, and had a great time. Keith's older sister was even there and she donned a black dress to hug me and convince me that I could find a home in Kappa.

Second stop: Alpha Alpha Alpha. We ate sorbet and the girl who preffed me was so nice. She was a singer. And just really great. They sang this beautiful song and I bawled in front of a bunch of strangers... I was surprised too.

I had a hard decision in front of me. Kappa Upsilon Eta had really grown on me... But did they only like me because of Keith's sister? And Alpha Alpha Alpha made an impression on me the very first day. And I cried...

It took longer to sort out than that, but there's the reader's digest version. Which I'm usually horrible at giving... But it's been four years.

With confidence, I ordered my houses as follows.

1. Alpha Alpha Alpha
2. Kappa Upsilon Eta

And I signed my bid card. I was still stressed out, so I really really needed my bed.

Day Seven (Wednesday): Bid Day
The second first day of school. Seriously. Recruitment and school do not mix! I wanted to nap for a week. Four years later, I have a record of getting notoriously ill afterward. Just this past year, I had an upper respiratory infection. It was nasty. My point being, no school during recruitment!

Anyway, the night before our Rho Gs had told us that they would call us if we did not receive a bid. So I nervously watched my phone all day and prayed that I would not receive a call from Shaina or Janie. It was one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of my life.

But luckily, I did not get a phone call.

I did get in a fight with Keith over where I got a Bid to, because apparently he was privy to that information.... Probably from his sister. That's totally illegal, by the way, just saying. Anyway, I went to the ballroom in a terrible terrible mood.

I met up with my Rho Gamma group. They had written us letters. It was really sweet. And then there was a big reveal where the Rho Gs revealed their houses. It turned out that Janie was an Alpha Zeta. I was so envious. I wanted to be her more than anything. But, it also turned out that Shaina was an Alpha Alpha Alpha. That was alright with me.

Bids were distributed and I opened mine tentatively. I had received a bid from Alpha Alpha Alpha.

I went to the house with excitement because I had found my home.

And really, looking back on it, I have no idea why I longed so much to be an Alpha Zeta. Those Tri Alpha girls knew where I really belonged and they were right. I love my house and sisters more than anything. The point being, trust the system. You'll end up where you're supposed to be.

And tomorrow, something less sappy! Promise.