Recruitment can be a crazy stressful time on campus especially when you’re a PNM (potential new member). There are thousands of girls walking around in the same outfits with the same nervous energy… it’s a lot to deal with. Honestly I think the best advice for anyone going through this process is to just relax and be yourself. The sorority sisters in every room you enter want to get to know you and are probably just as nervous- if not MORE nervous than you are!
So what to expect?
It’s the night before Open House round:
CHILL out with your girlfriends. Order food, watch a movie, prank the cute soccer boys who live on your floor- whatever floats your boat.. This is a time to get ready before all the exciting srat stuff begins. Some of my favorite memories from my recruitment were hanging out with all my friends being sober weirdos because we couldn’t go out for two whole weeks (AHHH- how will we ever survive?!!).
Open House of recruitment is here, yay!
Drag your cute butt out of bed, and start the process of scrambling around your room to find your white recruitment shirt, dark jeans and shoes. Get to Clayton Hall/Trabant/Perkins- wherever your first round is to meet up with your group. Don’t be afraid to reach out to the girls in your group, you’re all going through the same thing and why not make some cool friends in the process. The first round can be super overwhelming because there are 100 sorority girls screaming songs and clapping in your face. Just smile and go along with it even though it’s super weird and seems cultish. You will talk to 2 or 3 girls about where you’re from/your major/ your dog named Buddy/ literally anything. I think I talked about Beyonce for a full round one time… be sure to look around the room in each round at all of the girls and how they interact on the sides. This helps to give a better feel for the chapter! At the end of meeting all of the amazing chapters on campus, you will make a list of the top 8 or 9 you felt the most at home in. Don’t pay attention to what your best friend is saying about a sorority or the loud girl in your group who is spreading rumors about a chapter; trust your gut instinct and feel it out for yourself.
Sisterhood Round (Skit Round!!!!)
In my opinion this is the most fun round of recruitment. Each chapter you’re asked back to will perform a skit to give you an inside look into their chapter. They are super fun to watch because each one is so different and special in their own way. I appreciate now how much work the girls put into their performances because of the hours and hours we practice in the weeks before. You will probably talk to 2 or 3 girls again in this round before and after the skit. Don’t forget to watch the girls on the side of the skit to see if they are getting into it or not! At the end of this round you will choose the top 5 or so chapters that you felt the strongest connection with. It’s starting to get real… SO take the week to relax, try to put recruitment out of your mind because there is nothing you can do but wait until you get back. It usually works out the way it is supposed to, so don’t stress too much.
Philanthropy Round!
Woooohoooo you survived the longest week of your life (dramatic but it feels like it TBH) and even though I said don’t stress- i’m sure you did anyways. Walking into Clayton Hall this morning there is a lot of nervous vibes, this is the round with some of the biggest cuts so there are bound to be a few tears- hopefully of joy. If for some reason you didn’t get called back to all of your favorites, don’t worry. This is completely normal, no you didn’t do anything wrong and yes you’re still fun and flirty. The reason behind the cut is probably because that chapter thinks you would be a better fit elsewhere. During this round you have a longer amount of time in the room, you will get to meet more girls and get to know about the philanthropies of each chapter! FUN! Depending on the room you’ll probably do a craft of some sort and watch a video. Ask questions if you have any and try your best to have genuine conversations instead of “omg you like chipotle? me too! cool!” After this round you will narrow down your final two favorite sororities (YAY so close to finding your home). Keep this private because it really is your decision and only you can judge where you see yourself.
Preference Round
You made it. The last round of recruitment, congrats! This round is a little bit more serious and the sisters of each chapter want to show you why you should join their sisterhood. Enjoy the experience in each room because they are all so beautiful and special. After this round ends you get to “preference” one chapter over another. Sometimes the decision is hard and you’ll be there for hours and other times you will just know. For me the decision ended up being the right one and as corny as it is I feel like I really have found my people.
BID DAY!!
WELCOME HOME!!!! The best feeling ever is getting that bid card and opening it up to see your new sorority! Each chapter has their own theme and celebration but all of them are so fun and exciting! Go dance with your new pledge class, sing your little heart out, and get ready for the best years of your life.