Sorority recruitment ends in cheers, tears

As rho gammas went door to door to the dorm rooms of sorority hopefuls Monday, they brought cheers and tears to this year’s recruitment participants, some of whom received bids from their favorite chapters and others who didn’t. \nAfterward, about 900 women boarded buses to take them to their new homes, where they were greeted by cheers from their new sisters.\n“My friend and I got into the same sorority,” said freshman Meghan Frost, who received a bid from Alpha Omicron Pi. “We didn’t even know we’d want the same one. We saw each other on the last day and realized we both picked the same house. It’ll be nice having someone I already know.”\nIn October, about 1,600 women participated in 19 party, the first round of recruitment. Within the last week, recruits slowly discovered whether they would have the opportunity to live in the chapter of their choice.\n“It’s hard to watch when your friends don’t get in,” Frost said. “It’s nobody’s fault. It’s all who you talked to.”\nWomen who registered for the recruitment process cut their winter breaks short to come back Jan. 4 for 12 party. The women received lists of the chapters they would visit each round, and the number of chapters decreased with each subsequent round.\n“I’m so excited to live in Kappa Alpha Theta and to be in a house with a lot of girls that I will probably love,” said freshman Mary Deneen. “When I found out, I was ecstatic. I’m so happy that it’s over, though. It was so nerve-racking.”\nTwelve party was followed by six party and three party. After the women visited their final three chapters, they had to pick which one they liked best.\n“I was definitely most nervous for three party because it got really serious,” Deneen said. “I liked six party the most because I really liked looking at the slide shows and pictures of girls in the chapters. I felt I had a better connection with the girls.”\nIn Alpha Omicron Pi, 58 girls were given bids for this year’s pledge class, which was three more than last year.\n“There are so many great girls that it’s hard to narrow down from each round,” said junior Katie Tepool, the recruitment chair for Alpha Omicron Pi. “We were looking for a group of diverse girls. I know we were happy with all the girls who came through.”\nRecruits who didn’t get the house of their choice or didn’t participate in 19 party can also participate in informal recruitment, which starts today. As long as they didn’t accept a bid Monday, women can send their contact information to the Panhellenic Association, said Kelly Robertson, executive vice president of recruitment for IU’s Panhellenic Association.\nThe new sorority members will be expected to attend meetings and workshops with their pledge class throughout the semester before they can move into the house in fall 2008. The new members are also encouraged to participate in events the houses hold.\n“Alpha Omicron Pi was my favorite because the girls seemed really nice and easy to live with,” Frost said. “I’m just relieved that I don’t have to talk about where I live anymore or what my major is.”