Those of you who know me, know that UCF's Panhellenic community just concluded Formal Recruitment. It was a success to say the least as we placed 604 women into one of the 10 Panhellenic organizations and all 10 chapters made quota.
As I recovered today from sleep deprivation, I thought I'd check out a few things online. Little did I know as I browsed some websites that I would come across a PNMs story about going through recruitment at UCF. I found it fascinating to see recruitment through a PNMs vantage point. So, I thought I would post it.
Below is a transcript of what the PNM posted on another website. I deleted her identity because that doesn't matter. I also decided not to edit any of her posts so that everything you read is from her. Enjoy!
Greek Forum:
So maybe the shorts would have been a better idea, given the whole "sitting on the floor" deal. I love my Rho Gamma and the other ladies in my group--most of us are sophomores--and I can't wait till tomorrow! Starting the day tomorrow at Taxi Driver, and I have to get to school early to pick up my parking permit. I've got my bag packed and my clothes picked out! I'll post about my experience at UCF Day tomorrow night!
Oof! I am so completely exhausted... my day was 12 hours long at UCF today (granted, I'm including the time I was there to get my parking permit). Visited all 10 chapters, ate lunch, and waited 3 hours to turn in our choices.
So yeah here goes!!!!
UCF DAY:
Taxi Driver was the first house of the day. I already knew to expect cheering and stuff from reading the stories on here but OH GOODNESS. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS IN FOR! I was double rushed and bumped twice. One of my rushers actually was my roommate from last year, so it was nice to get to see her =] I didn't have a huge connection to this house today, but I know that I get along with my ex-roomie and therefore I'm guessing there are some others in her group I'll like too.
Rocky Horror was next. I was really excited to meet this group, but not gonna lie, I didn't really get that spark I was hoping for. I hit it off really well with one of my rushers, but only one of the three.
Paper Moon was the first house I really liked. I got along with my rusher so well-- our conversation flowed the entire time, they didn't bump or double rush, and we were a lot alike! The group was really nice and energetic, but not so much so that it seemed fake. You could tell they all really loved their sorority.
Star Wars was a sorority I had a big misconception about. The ladies I talked to were so nice to me and not fake at all. They totally understood where I was coming from when I said I wanted sisters and not just a bunch of people to go to parties with.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind was the second biggest surprise of the day to Star Wars. I didn't know what to expect at this house, I hadn't really heard much about it at UCF, but the second I walked in my rusher and I began talking like old friends. We were so similar! Regardless of where I pledge I totally can see myself staying close with her.
Kramer vs. Kramer was probably my biggest disappointment. I didn't really hit it off with any of the ladies I spent time with, but their philanthropy is so interesting to me. Hopefully I'll get to go back tomorrow for philanthropy day and show my enthusiasm for it.
Jaws was next. This is one of those sororities that everyone wants to join, but I decided to go in with a completely open mind and not let the stereotypes associated with the group sway my opinions. I ended up absolutely loving all three girls who rushed me--they were all big into sisterhood and philanthropy which are my two main interests as far as sorority life goes. I really liked this house and hope I'm invited back tomorrow.
Willy Wonka was crazy. I wasn't feeling too well (stupid Florida heat), and I was double rushed by a girl I had nothing in common with. The other girl being rushed (idk if this is proper terminology but I promise it makes sense in my head) was from the same town, high school, major, etc as our rusher. I just really didn't get a good vibe from her.
Grease was another big surprise. I had so much in common with the girl who rushed me and our conversation flowed really easily the entire time.
LAST HOUSE!!
Rocky was our last house of the day. My first rusher and I didn't really have that much in common, and I can't really say my second rusher and I had a lot in common either; however, the second girl who rushed me had very similar ideas about sisterhood and what a sorority should be to me, and I think that's why I ended up liking her so much.
At the end of the day (well... 3 hours after the end of the day), my rankings went like this:
(in order we visited... we don't rank our top 8 houses)
Taxi Driver
Rocky Horror
Paper Moon
Star Wars
Close Encounters
Kramer vs. Kramer
Jaws
Rocky
------------
9. Grease
10. Willy Wonka
As of right now, I definitely have my top 3/4 (which I'm sure you can tell by reading my descriptions of them), but I'm staying very open to all of my possibilities still. I'll update y'all tomorrow during the day with my list if I can, then I'll recap once I get home. I had so much fun today but I am so completely exhausted! I'm going to bed as soon as I post this, which is wayyyy early for me!
Hope everyone (especially the other ladies rushing at UCF) had a great day today! Thanks for all the well wishes; it means a lot. <3
Philanthropy Day:
So I got a call from my rho this morning while I was drivig to school and couldn't really pick it up. I have four houses today & don't need to be at UCF till 12:30. Great. I'm thinking this means one of my top four cut me and I'll be visiting grease instead of jaws. I'm not going to lie, I was kinda expecting it. I'm a sophomore and a grade risk, so I've expected heavy cuts after day one the whole time. I'll find out at 12:30. One good thing though is that this gives me time to eat breakfast and ~*maybe*~ read a Sookie Stackhouse book. Lol. I hope the other UCF pnms are getting invited back to all of their houses!
Just got my list. Heading back to rocky horror, grease, & taxi driver.
Thanks so much for helping me through the morning. I am so glad that I didn't have to pick one to drop today, I ended up loving all of them so much and can't imagine not going back to any of them tomorrow. So here goes Philanthropy Day!!
Rocky Horror was the first house I went back to this afternoon. I was really relaxed and my first rusher and I had a lot in common. Our conversation was really easy and I had lots of fun doing the craft with her. The second girl who rushed me was kinda awkward, but we were sitting at tables and one of my rushers from the day before was there so we talked a lot as a group.
Grease was where I went next, and I'm so happy that I got to go back. Everything that I had thought badly about them yesterday was totally wrong. I've gotten along really well with all the ladies from here. After today I can totally see myself in this house, something that was totally unfathomable yesterday.
Finally...
Taxi Driver was amazing. Their philanthropy is great--something I really feel strongly about-- so I was able to really connect with the sisters when we were talking about that. Everyone I have met in Taxi Driver has been really nice to me and very genuine. As of right now, I'm hoping I run home to Taxi Driver Saturday, but I know now that nothing is set in stone at all.
I was so frazzled thinking I only had been matched with four other sororities that when I found out I really only had matched three I was really sad. I talked to my Rho Gamma when I got there today and she helped me out a lot. She said the same things y'all did, but looking at it on the screen and hearing it out loud while watching the person tell you their story about how they were cut from their favorites is totally different. I 100% love my Rho and I feel like I was destined to be in her group, as cheesy as that sounds. I was really glad I didn't have to drop any today because I love them all so much now. I (obviously) have a favorite, but I can see myself being happy at any of the houses I have left. I'm glad I don't have to be the one to choose =P
Video Day:
Noon: OMG!!! I just got a call from my Rho Gamma and I'm going in for "four parties" like I did yesterday (I ended up just having the 3 parties plus a break where I got to go inside one of the buildings and chill out). I really hope I got invited back to all three!!!
Thanks everyone for your support! As much as I like going to all of the different houses, I can't wait for it to be Saturday so I can run home!
3:48pm: So I don't have to make any decisions. I'll update later.
6:35pm: I'm already back home from today's party. Yeah, just one. I was invited back to Grease, which on the first day was in my bottom two. However, after watching the video today and talking to even more ladies I can tell this is where I was meant to be. After all of the issues I had on the first day deciding whether or not I could, in good conscience, join this sorority, I'm glad to say my misconceptions have been corrected. I'm debating going ahead and telling y'all what sorority it is, but I'd like to hear what your guesses are first =P
Hope y'all are having a good day. I was having trouble being positive when I first saw my party list but I'm alright now. My Rho Gamma is REALLY the best.
8:56pm: I have no clue how I'm going to think about anything else until I find out if I got called back to go to Grease again tomorrow night for prefs. I want this so badly, and everytime I feel like it's going well and I am clicking with people I get totally rejected. I hate not knowing how this is going to end. D=
Preference Day:
5:26pm: Pref parties were moved up to 4, so now we need to be at school at 3:15. I'm still getting the text messages from my Rho Gamma so I'm assuming that's a good sign =P
I'll let y'all know how it goes later!!! Thanks for being so sweet, everyone. I don't think I've ever felt so connected to and loved by people I don't know before. I really appreciate all of you guys being here for me this week.
Soooo today was pref ceremony at Grease!! As if I didn't already love it, I love it even more now. I had the same girl rushing me today as I did yesterday. Honestly I get along better with her than I do with anyone else I can think of right now. Haha. We looked at her scrapbook, laughed, cried, and talked about tomorrow (which I don't think we were supposed to do. oops!). Even after all the heartache and stress of the week, I honestly can't see myself in any chapter other than Grease and I'm so glad it is working out this way. Since it's the only place I could be accepting a bid tomorrow, I'll go ahead and let y'all know that Grease is...
My original hesitation about this particular sorority was the fact that it is historically Jewish. However, I'll be the first to admit that I was totally wrong about them. I am so completely in love with these ladies, their philanthropies, and their sisterhood that I can't see myself joining anywhere else. I'll let y'all know what happens tomorrow.
Bid Day:
I've been texting my Rho Gamma all morning! They still haven't gotten schedules!! I'm like 99% sure I got in, but that 1% is totally killing me right now!
Hey everyone! I got the text saying to meet at the school at 11:30. I was so rushed trying to get ready. Lol. I'm so ready to run home to aephi!!!!
So the enormous post I've promised is waiting until tomorrow when I can properly form a full sentence. Yes, I ran home to AEPhi today! We went to dinner and a drag show for our bid day celebration. OMG it was so much fun!!! My favorite part was though that they sang songs from *Grease*!!!! We all sang along, got pulled on stage, were groped, etc. My alpha friend is a little weird but lol it's okay cause she's my pref buddy's little and they are always together =P I'm really happy but omg so tired. I see no way I could make an intelligent sounding post tonight. Sorry, but it'll have to wait! =P Thanks for the kind words everyone! I appreciate your support sosososososo much <3
There was another PNM that started to write about her journey through sorority recruitment at UCF and should she finish it, I will post that as well. Overall, I think we can learn so much about what the recruitment experience is like for the PNMs that will in turn, help tailor our efforts in creating an experience that isn't scary or intimidating. It also provides an insight into the chapters and how their recruitment efforts are portrayed by a PNM.
Makes me wonder if every PNM at every institution blogged about their recruitment experience, what would it say?
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