It’s that time of year again: sorority sisters actively preparing fun songs, skits and decorations to intrigue possible new members while recruits worry about what is to come for them in the recruitment process and beyond. But leave those horrors of tripping over your words, smelling like sweaty gym socks, and ending up in the “wrong house” behind, as these helpful tips will ensure that your formal recruitment process is smooth sailing.
First, and most importantly: Come into the formal recruitment process with an open mind. Whether or not you have paid attention to the perceived reputations of different sisterhoods, your recruitment process will be a lot more bearable if you forget the rumors and assess the sororities based on your own observations. If you go into a house believing that a sorority is weird or mean, your experience in that house will be long and miserable because you are not bored and not giving them the chance to impress you. On another note, if you go into the recruitment process with your heart set on a certain sorority, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment if you are dropped from that house. Recruitment is a multiple selection process, and if they drop you, you don’t want them anyways. Furthermore, you are not allowing yourself to possibly be captivated by a sorority you were not expecting to be impressed by.
Bring deodorant, mints, floss, and snacks. Understandably, the recruitment process can be distressing; there is no denying that. If you know that you tend to break a sweat when you get nervous, deodorant is a must. Just make sure you refrain from getting stains on your clothes! In some of the rounds of recruitment food will be served, therefore it is important to remember floss and mints so you are still looking and smelling great after you eat. Secret Tip: Current sisters are using mints and snacking in between rounds. They want to impress you just as much as you want to impress them. DO NOT BRING GUM! Gum is sticky and can leave unwanted and annoying stains on clothes and gets stuck to the bottom of shoes. Also, it just looks rude when a sister is speaking with you and you are just smacking away. Lastly, there are some very long days where food is not served, so snacks are essential. Nothing is worse than walking from house to house in the freezing cold except doing it on an empty stomach.
Wear shoes that you can actually walk in and clothing that you do not have to be constantly fixing. The recruitment process will only be more stressful if you are worrying about how your clothes fit or how much your feet hurt from 5-inch heels. Keep it comfortable. You might be walking to and from opposite sides of the Graham Cracker and Frat Row after every party, and there is no reason to torture yourself. Trade in your stiletto heels for more sensible wedges or flats and make your experience that much better. Additionally, if you are focusing too much on pulling down a short skirt or dress during or Skit or Preference round, you will be automatically paying less attention to what you are saying to a sister and what she is saying to you. You might appear distracted or disinterested. Furthermore, this is not the time to be showing off your hot body or cleavage; look good, but keep it appropriate.
Don’t talk about the 4 Bs: boys, booze, bucks and beliefs. In general, these topics should be avoided to prevent any prejudices that can be made or inferred. It’s sad to say, but true, that girls can make incorrect assumptions about each other based on their religions, how much money they have, how much they party, and who they party with. Additionally, some of these subjects can be sensitive and might cause a snag in the flow of a conversation. Note: During Preference round it might be helpful to discuss some of these subjects with the sister that is preffing you if you are worried about not fitting into their sisterhood based on these subjects. The sister would help guide you in the right direction and calm these worries.
Just be yourself. Don’t try too hard to be overly impressive or embellish anything about yourself. You don’t want to end up in a house where you don’t feel comfortable being yourself or have to act a certain way all the time. If you fake yourself during recruitment, you could be chosen into a sisterhood that isn’t really for you. You don’t want to feel the need to keep up an act. Your goal in the rush process is to find the friends that you can be completely comfortable around, open your heart to and share your secrets with, or to find a sisterhood that allows you to shine. In order to find your future bridesmaids and sisters for the rest of your life, you have to be true to who you are. The University of Maryland has a sorority for every type of girl. The recruitment process will help you find the perfect match if you show off your awesome personality. Be who you are, not who you think you should be.