This past weekend 109 girls found their new homes at the CPC Fall 2015 recruitment. It was a long and exciting recruitment weekend for the girls rushing and for each sorority! Each sorority was able to welcome new sisters and girls rushing were able to find their new homes. Recruitment takes two parts to work: sorority planning and potential new members. Here’s a glimpse at what goes on behind the scenes of recruitment for sororities!
It takes at least three months for sororities to prepare for recruitment. They begin planning for recruitment in the summer and hit crunch time in August to have everything prepared. During the first month of summer, they think of ideas and estimate the cost of recruitment materials. They plan how long tasks will take ahead of time, so in August only the little details are left. They start their process by preparing their recruitment videos, the task that takes the most amount of time and effort.
It is a stressful job for the recruitment chair and her committee, but they make sure to keep their sisterhood updated. They let their sisters know what shirts are being made, ask for theme ideas, and try to schedule practices or completion days for recruitment tasks, this way every sister is a part of the process. The recruitment chair wants the process to be as smooth as possible for the potential new members, but also for their sorority.
Many sisters felt incredibly excited, but also nervous. Even though they prepare for three months, sisters get a feeling of anxiousness when the big weekend finally arrives. Many girls who rush do not realize that each sorority is just as nervous as they are, if not more! On bid day, each sorority is excited because they get to finally welcome their new girls home. The sisterhood gets rewarded for their hard work and dedication through the arrival of their many new sisters. Recruitment shows the best of a sorority and how they come together as one!
Now that we know how recruitment works, let’s hear what some of the new pledges have to say about their experience rushing and how they felt when they found their new home:
“It was an awesome experience (oh so cliché), but it really was. I met a lot of girls that I wouldn’t have met if I hadn’t rushed and that were so friendly! Also I loved the fact that all the sororities had this woman empowering thing like they all had their back for one another in their sisterhood, which made me cry because I feel like we all need encouragement from time to time and what better encouragement than the kind you get from girls you feel so comfortable with and can call sisters! Bid day was nerve wrecking, even though I had one choice that day it still made me so anxious because I was always wondering “what if my potential sisters don’t like me” or something, but that’s just me being my normal anxious self. But I’m happy with my home away from home because I’ve met so many amazing girls that I connect with and can happily call my sisters . I would definitely encourage girls who want to make new friends and find their home to rush because it’s something I will never regret”
-Alitzet Soto
“I considered myself to be very independent, and after coming to college I realized its nice to have a support system and to branch out. I got that through the rush process, meeting more people than I had since starting college, and meeting such inspiring and amazing girls. Nothing felt better than running up to the girls on bid day, it was the feeling of coming home and knowing it’s where you belong!”
-Dharti Patel
“It was an experience of a lifetime. I have met so many girls from an entire rush group and going through the process was intense and nerve racking and exciting all at the same time but all worth it! Bid day was amazing, from the moment I opened my bid and the knot in my stomach went away I was so happy I almost cried! To thinking of never doimg anything like this to being so happy I found a home.”
-Alex Machuca
“It was probably one of the most memorable experiences I have ever had. I have met so many amazing girls and I can’t wait to get to know them better. It was exciting but also I was nervous and I am so happy I rushed.”
-Daniella DeLaurentis
“If anyone knew me, they would know how shy I am, but this whole experience made me feel good about myself. Everyone was so inviting and definitely encouraging throughout the whole process. This is definitely something I’m glad I went through.”
-Virginia Garcia-Rico
“I felt like recruitment wasn’t as bad as I was expecting because everyone was so welcoming. Bid day was absolutely nerve wrecking and exciting all at the same time because picturing opening my bid card and being able to run to my home made me so happy because I knew I would be running to the girls that already cared so much about us.”
-Zeljana Djukic
“Recruitment was nerve racking at first, but as every single day passed and as we got closer to the girls, it became a lot more meaningful and fun. And then in bid day when I ran to my sorority and an active hugged picked me up I felt so welcomed and that it really was my home.”
-Sarah Fruscione
“I had an awesome time meeting so many girls. It was a great feeling after meeting the girls I knew I wanted to be with and I’m so happy I met all the people I did.”
-Nikki Melnarowicz
“It was incredible… Honestly. It was nerve racking because you just didn’t know what to expect. Meeting other girls was great… And sharing thoughts helped. On bid day when I ran to my sorority… Was exhilarating.”
-Angelica Green
“It was amazing and I feel as if I was able to become closer with other girls even if they aren’t in my sorority.”
-Kylie Rodgers
Now that you’ve heard both sides of recruitment, will we see you at the next one?