To all the new girls who have just proudly and excitedly accepted their perfect-looking white bid card; it can be very overwhelming to jump into the arms of 150+ girls you don’t know. Especially after realizing you have to get to know all of these girls since they’re suddenly your new sisters. But there a few things you should keep in mind while handling the next 6 weeks of your new member period.
1. Go out to coffee, lunch, or dinner with as many girls each week as possible, despite the age of the girls.
It can be overwhelming knowing how many girls there are for you to meet. It helps to plan a few “girl dates” per week. This way, you can feel more at ease knowing you’re making an effort. While it is important to meet a lot of girls in your own pledge class, it is also essential to meet girls in other classes. They want to get to know you, too! It is so special to have friends of all ages and years there for you.
2. Attend all of the events you can…even the ones that aren’t mandatory.
While some of the long activities on your new member calendar may seem silly and pointless, try to attend as many planned events as possible! Although sitting on the couch watching a movie together may seem like nothing special, spending quality downtime with each other will bring you much closer than you would think. A lot of these events are open to the whole chapter so you can meet older girls, too!
3. Block out time for your friends in other organizations and the ones that are not affiliated.
With the exciting chaos that joining a sorority brings, it can be difficult to juggle your schedule to make time for friends you made first semester. But it doesn’t have to affect your friendships! I regret becoming distant from some, but am so happy about remaining close with those I made an effort with. Make a point to catch up over coffee or lunch a few times, or hang out after class. You’ll soon find out that those who are your real friends will remain despite what letters are on your shirt.
4. Make sure you are balancing your time with other things, like academics, jobs, and clubs.
Similar to number three, make sure you balance academics, clubs, jobs, and other social events with your new sorority. You do not want to become the girl that only talks about and is associated with her sorority and that alone. Dive head first into your new member period, but make sure you spread your time elsewhere to remain grounded.
Enjoy this exciting time and be sure to make the most of it!