Recruitment Edition: Freshmen Blog — First Invite

Annie:

This morning, I was expecting the best, even though I stood in the mirror getting ready telling my suitemates that I loved certain chapters, but that there are other sororities and not just the ones I thought I connected with are the only ones for me. When I got my sheet, I was surprised. I even checked to make sure that the name was right because I didn’t believe it. Out of a possible thirteen, I only got eight chapters back. I was really heartbroken and discouraged walking to my first chapter, but my Gamma Chis were working at my first visit so it was nice to see familiar faces.
 
Since I only got eight back, I had a couple breaks in between which was really nice. I was able to come back to my room, wash my face and reapply my makeup so I didn’t look too sweaty and disheveled at each house. It was a challenge though not having a group lead me to each chapter and having to do it on my own. Let me tell you, trying to go from far Champaign to far Urbana in less than ten minutes in wooden sandals is not a lovely thing to do. My feet are torn up – having a on the bottom of your foot might be the most painful thing in the entire world.
 
Although I was disappointed I did not get invited to some houses that I felt really connected to, I had three that I was in love with. I had their invites in my afternoon so thankfully I got most of my sobbing over not getting some houses back out before I had to go to the ones I loved. I’m so, so glad that I have at least a couple houses that I enjoy going back to. During this invite I really felt like the chapters got to know me better and I could even see myself in the chapters during the skits.
 
The things that kept me going throughout the day were the skits. The chapters really step up their game each invite not only in clothing, but also in hilarity of their skits. While all of the PNMs are focusing on trying to make the sororities like them, they are also trying to impress us! I don’t know why, but I tend to think that each skit is funnier than everyone else does. I seem to always be the one cracking up while the other women are politely smiling. To me, they’re a great way for me to forget about the seriousness of recruitment and have fun with it!!
 
A whole week seems like a long time to wait, but I know this week will fly by! I can’t wait to get up bright and early for second invite on Saturday morning!
 

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Rachel:
 
As my Gamma Chi handed me my sheet, listing my first invites, I couldn’t have been more nervous.   To my relief I had been invited back to 13 of the 18 original houses only not being called back to one of the houses at the top of my list.  However I began to realize that with an invite at each time slot, I was going to have a very hectic day.
 
I wish it wasn’t true but there was definitely a different atmosphere between the potential new members.  Don’t get me wrong we were all still thrilled to be invited back to houses, getting to know them better, but I felt as if it had become much more competitive. 
 
However the pros out weigh the cons.  I loved meeting more girls and sharing stories.  It sounds cheesy, like the Gamma Chi’s say, you start to fall in love with houses, and for me it was more than one.  Whether it was a great conversation or a hand on my shoulder leading me through the crowded hall, I began imagining myself living in or becoming best friends with these girls.  This made me so happy because this was why I went through recruitment in the first place, to make everlasting friendships!
 
The first night we had to rank our least favorite five, which was hard, but Sunday night we had to rank our bottom 6, which was one of the hardest things I had to do.  I know that sounds silly because these are our least favorites so I shouldn’t be attached to these houses but how can I not be?  At this point I have met about six girls at each house I went back to.  These girls have practiced dancing and screaming for hours just for us and It is sad that I won’t go back to their houses but I appreciate every houses efforts so much because so far this has been one of my best experiences at college.
 
Going into second invite we have come to the realization that we probably won’t be in the same house, given we only have a few houses we both love in common.  This has been really hard for us to grasp, but we know that if we find houses that we truly love that in the end it’ll be ok.
 
Only two more invites left and we can’t wait for Bid Day!