What to Expect During Recruitment

Recruitment is stressful, there is no doubt about it. But, it is also an incredibly exciting time where you either get to meet new potential sisters in a place you might call home for the next four years, or get to know your sorority sisters better. I’ve been through recruitment on both sides now and I can honestly say that although my feet have never been more blistered and my voice has never been raspier, I have enjoyed every second of it.

Freshman year I had my hopes up for one particular sorority my first two days of rush. Although I did try and go in with a very open mind, I found myself leaning towards the one I loved. So when I was invited back to the third round, sisterhood, I was ecstatic. But something changed for me when I went through sisterhood round at Delta Gamma. I spoke to a senior in the sorority who had been a charter member and whose enthusiasm and love for DG radiated from her. Our conversation flowed flawlessly and we didn’t stop speaking until we had to part at the door. That first sorority I loved paled in comparison and I realized that the person I was when talking to those girls at the other sorority was not the person I was the most comfortable being. With that being said, it is so incredibly important to be honest with yourself going through recruitment. You have to truly feel comfortable with the person you are in a sorority or else it is going to be hard to find those lasting friendships. Also, once your bases are covered with basic introductions and the typical questions, trying to find some sort of common ground with the girl you are speaking to is the best way for the conversation to really take off. It also will make a lasting impression on the girl you speak to (the conversation I had with the senior was about how we never tanned, we spoke about it for 25 minutes!).

Recruitment on the other side is a whole other deal. Exhaustion runs rampant and by the end of the day you may never want to smile again. But in the end it is always incredibly worth it because suddenly, you have 45 new girls that you get to call your sisters and maybe even your little or grand-little. My first round of recruiting was even more nerve wracking than my first round of being recruited! But as the days passed I fell into a routine and allowed myself to truly enjoy the process.

Another great part of going through recruitment on the other side is the sisters you may never have been particularly close with becoming a new best friend! Also, being able to do karaoke and watch cheesy movies like High School Musical in the holding room isn’t half bad either ;). But my favorite part of the whole week will always be preference round. Seniors lead it and it is always touching to hear what Delta Gamma has meant to them and there is usually not a dry eye in the house. Also, Bid Day is like Christmas morning for sorority women…

So enjoy recruitment! Whether it is your first time going through as a Freshman or your last time recruiting as a Senior, enjoy your time and make some memories. I know I have and I can’t wait to make some more.


Until next time,
Emily

Mad About Stripes

I recently decided that it was time to splurge on a few "classic" items to have in my closet. To say that this summer I merely shopped would be an understatement- I went on a shopping spree. To be fair I did travel to Europe for 15 days and it is incredibly hard to not shop while faced with places like Zara who, to be quite honest, has a lot better clothes overseas in their stores than they do state-side! 

J.Crew Boyfriend Jean in Ludington Wash (here), Saint James for J.Crew shirt (here), Prada Sunglasses (here), White Converse (here)

I recently bought a pair of distressed boyfriend jeans similar to the ones from J.Crew above, but from Necessary Clothing. I already owned this Saint Vincent shirt from a few years ago (in large so its nice and roomy!) and the sunglasses from Prada were a splurge with a $50 gift card I had been given to Solstice. Now, I don't own an actual Céline bag- but while in Italy I did come across a rather impeccably made "copy" of the bag, just without the gold logo. The pink studs above are from Loren Hope but I own a pair from Kate Spade that are quite similar, only smaller. And of course no one can go wrong with a classic pair of white converse. This outfit would be perfect for a day out in the city or at a seaside town. 

J.Crew Sandal (here), Necessary Clothing dress (here)

For a look that can transition from day to night I chose a Necessary Clothing T-Shirt dress and a pair of J.Crew sandals. I have a cross body bag similar to this Yves Saint Laurent wallet from a store in Italy. Pair this look with a bright red lip for night time and you have the perfect dinner outfit. 

What I'm Reading

I take relaxing during the summertime very seriously. Of course I do work and ride my horse and see friends, but with the free time I do have I tend to curl up with a good book and get lost for hours. I've been known to read two books in one day! In fact, this summer I've read 39 books. It does help that I can speed read and that some of the books on that list were very beach read like, but I've narrowed it down to books that I can highly recommend.

  Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

I read Gone Girl after reading Gillian Flynn's two other books Dark Places and Sharp Objects earlier this year and absolutely falling in love with them. Gone Girl is the story of a husband who after his wife Amy goes missing, follows a trail of clues to find out the real reason behind his wife's disappearance while being the main suspect in the investigation. This book had me on the edge of my seat until the very last page and while the ending was a complete shock, I expected nothing less from Gillian Flynn who seems to be famous for those very shocking twists at the last second. Overall, I would give this book 4 1/2 stars out of 5 because although I did love this novel, I found it lacking in some areas that her other, less famous, novels had.

With This Heart by R.S Grey

With This Heart is a touching story of a girl who has been given a second chance at life and decides to not waste her opportunity by embarking on a cross-country road trip with a complete stranger. The stranger, Beckham, is charming and clever as well as absolutely gorgeous- so its no shock to the reader when Abby begins to fall for him. I laughed and I cried and absolutely did not want this story to end. With This Heart gets my full vote with 5 out of 5 stars. 

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Keeping with the road trip theme, I thought I'd also throw in Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson. This book is one of my all time favorites and this summer marks the fourth time I've read it. The story follows Amy, a girl whose entire world has been turned upside down after the death of her father and her journey across the country from California to Connecticut as she moves away from the bad memories. Terrified to drive, her mother employs the help of a friend's son to drive Amy across the country. They're supposed to arrive in Connecticut after minimal stops in three days, but Roger thinks they should see the country, so they embark on an "epic detour". This book is incredibly well written and the characters are developed perfectly. Another 5 out of 5 stars for this book. 

We Were Liars by e. lockhart

I just recently finished We Were Liars and jeez did it shock me. Its a relatively short novel but definitely packs a punch. The book follows the perfectly patrician and WASPY Sinclair family as they travel to their private island off the coast of Massachusetts for another summer posing as the perfect family. All that is threatened by what happened two years ago after the eldest grandchild, Cadence, is discovered lying on the beach half submerged in the waves with a head injury that causes to her forget the summer in its entirety and to become inflicted with terrible, constant migraines. This summer is her first summer back on the island and everything seems to be different. Also, no one will tell her what happened that night two years ago and why she was in the water during the middle of the night. I read this in one sitting while laying out at the beach and I can honestly say that by the end my head was spinning. I'm going to give this 4 out of 5 stars because while the shock factor was great, I felt as if the writing was a bit overly florid and parts of the novel could have been explained more for a more amazing impact. 

other honorable mentions for books include, 

The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomns 

If I Stay by Gayle Forman 

Until next time,

xo Emily

Ashamed...

Well, it has officially been almost two years since this blog has been used... To say I'm ashamed is an understatement! But to be quite honest, I completely forgot about this blogger until recently!

I've now been at the College of Charleston for two years and will be beginning my junior year in August. I'm a member of Delta Gamma Fraternity and on the NCAA Division 1 Equestrian Team. I'm a Sociology major with a Hospitality and Tourism minor and hope to either go into the wedding business on the marketing side (think wedding magazine) or do something with social media for hopefully a design company.

I'm the director of Electronic Communications for my sorority and in the process of looking for an internship to be a social media director for a boutique or magazine. I also run my own Tumblr still as well as a page for Sorority Stylista . I guess you could say I'm no longer really a "Hamptons Prepster" since most of my time is now spent in Charleston. So, with that being said, the name has been changed to "The Charleston Dreamer". Hope y'all like it!

until next time, xoxo