Prepping for the Other Side

It is almost that time again when the OSU sorority women invade Stillwater 4 weeks before classes start… Are they just anxious to get all their books used? (We all know the new books are way too expensive!) Or perhaps they want to take on a couple philanthropy projects before the hubbub of school begins? (Slip in Slide for Sickle Cell Anemia or a Lemonade Stand for Leukemia?) Well, you’d be wrong on both accounts. They are actually locking themselves into their house for a week, and then the following week they will be using all their time and energy to convince 800 incoming freshman girls to go Greek. But not just any greek house! Specifically, Tappa Kappa slash whatever house they belong to… (I always wanted to be in a house called Tappa Kappa for some reason, but I don’t think Tappa is actually a greek letter, so another dream crushed).

Yes. 14 days dedicated to the glorious event called RECRUITMENT! Now you all should be fairly familiar with the actual week of recruitment if you have been keeping up with the blog. (If not, go back and read it! It’s a treat). Work week (the week before) is a WHOLE different ball game. I have been asked if I will try and update during work week… No promises, but I will try to jot down some interesting and funny stories if they happen to occur. But again, don’t hold your breath!

This year my sorority has decided to rename work week. ‘They’ thought ‘work’ had a negative connotation. ‘They’ would be National Headquarters who basically rules all things in my house. So, ‘they’ commanded our Recruitment Chairs to dub the week before recruitment… (drum roll, please) SPIRIT WEEK!!!! Like we are all, like about to, like cheer on our sisters to, like get pumped for, like RECRUITMENT!!! YAY! (That last sentence should be read in a kind of high-pitched, dumb, valley girl voice). I have no idea why the name Spirit Week would invoke more positivity, but we are going to try it out this year.

I have gone through this side of recruitment twice already. Both times were VASTLY different. My freshman year we had a Nazi Recruitment chair who scared the pee out of me. Last year we had 2 Recruitment chairs who were so laid back, sometimes I wondered if our Recruitment would actually be a success. Both years we had different results on Bid day in terms of the girls we wanted, which leads me to wonder what the 3rd year will have in store.

In order to get ready for this year’s recruitment, I had very little shopping to do. Every day of recruitment calls for a different outfit, and it can get quite specific. Luckily, the day outfits didn’t change much and I didn’t gain too much weight, so last year’s wardrobe can be used again. When I looked over my checklist, most of the things I was missing were for Spirit Week. Wait.. What?! Work Week usually has nothing on the checklist except money to go out and eat and house decorations for house tour day. This year, apparently, Spirit requires more crap because we will be doing less work and more positive things. Cool. So, I guess I will be taking a trip to the dollar store tomorrow.

The MOST confusing request on my checklist consists of two words. Or one word depending on how you roll. No girl EVER wants to willingly wear this, so why is it on our “Bring” list? I know I wouldn’t even own one right now if it hadn’t been for my trip to Destin in June. Yeah, you probably guessed it by now. Number 15 on the list is a swimsuit. A swimsuit. FOR WHAT??! After consulting with a couple sisters, they mentioned the possibility of going to the Colvin for a swim as a sisterhood activity. That is a good possibility, but let me tell you this. I, PERSONALLY, loathe the guy who decided that water should be swum in. Not only did they decide water should be swum in, but they thought the appropriate attire was really tight and small articles of clothing with things like strings securing it to the body.

I don’t like swimming in public. Public meaning anyone besides my family and 3 close friends. Swimming with my entire sorority does not sound relaxing… It sounds like stress and judgment. Stressing that I look ridiculous and judging people who I thought were judging me AKA paranoia. Listen, the women in my sorority are GORGEOUS!!! Petite, skinny, very good looking girls. And all the power to them! If I was 30 pounds lighter, I would DEFINITELY be rocking my little-bitty-teeny-weeny-yellow-polka-dot-bikini. Until that happens, I will be in the modest-mommy-who-just-had-sextuplets-one-piece-black-bathing-suit with rouching in all the right places feeling super uncomfortable. I hope that there is an alternative activity to the one where a bathing suit is required. Maybe a board game? Scrabble perhaps? Where the appropriate attire is shorts and a t-shirt? Sign me up for that!

I will keep you posted on the swimsuit situation. Who knows, maybe we are actually going to start a bonfire with them in an effigy to our “Stand Up! Stand Out!” philanthropy where every woman is beautiful no matter what! A girl can only hope for such an event…