With only a couple more days until Formal Recruitment, we hope everyone is getting as excited as we all are! The weekend is like no other so therefore preparing for it can be difficult. If you have any doubts or hesitations, we hope this Q&A article answers any questions you have about joining a sorority here at Bryant!
Is my outfit okay?
It’s been said that finding the perfect outfits for Formal Recruitment is more challenging and stressful than choosing your first back to school outfit. While no one will be strictly judging you based on your appearance, keep in mind that you do want to “dress to impress”. The Panhellenic Council has given a guideline of what to wear each day so be sure to double and triple check to make sure you’ve got the right attire! For the first two days, Sisterhood Day and Philanthropy Day, the attire calls for casual. While Preference Day requires a more business casual look. A previous Her Campus article has a more detailed look-book to help you master your outfits – check it out here. Whatever you end up wearing, the most important thing to remember is to be comfortable. Nothing ruins a good time like constantly adjusting your outfit and secretly crying in pain from high heels!
Will I have enough time to between class/homework/work and joining a sorority?
As college students, we all struggle to find a balance between our work and social lives. Like you, many of us once worried about the time commitment that would come with joining a sorority. From our insider perspective, the time commitment differs on how much you chose to be involved with your chapter. If you want to be more involved like joining committees or getting a leadership position in the chapter, then your time commitment will be greater than other members who pick and choose or do minimal work. Depending on the chapter, there may be required hours for philanthropy and community service each year or semester. Each chapter also has their own mandatory events that require you to attend or participate in certain events. In addition, every chapter has their weekly meetings called Chapter. They are typically on Sundays and the time differs from chapter to chapter. As a new member, you will have to go through a New Member Education program. Each chapter has a different time span on how long this program lasts but it a special time to bond with your new class and get to know your chapter’s history and values better. Your schedule may seem tight and busy during the first few weeks but they all pay off in the end – we promise!
What about sorority dues?
As a new member dues are significantly higher to cover the costs of national fees, Panhellenic fees, and of course – your badge! Most of the fees are initial, one-time payments that you’ll never have to pay again, so it does get cheaper along the way. Every chapter has a Treasurer who can help you along the way with a payment plan that fits for you. In addition, most chapters also have scholarships to help cover the costs semester and monthly fees, so don’t worry.
Is it normal to be nervous?
The nerves. It’s totally normal to start feeling anxious during any part of Formal Recruitment – you’re going into a room full of new people and are worried about having to talk to girls you may not know. But, just know we’re just as nervous as you are. We have the same fears too and are also worried about making a good impression in front of you. The best advice we have is to just keep calm and remember that it’s a conversation – so feel comfortable to ask us any questions you already have in mind. If you’re worried about time commitment, ask an active sister how they manage their time to get her point of view and a better understanding of the process. Just remember that every current sorority sister was once in your shoes!
What if the conversation slowly dies and it gets awkward?
For the first two days, each round is only 30 minutes. It may sound like a long time but in that time span, you’ll get the chance to meet a couple girls so you’ll really only be talking to each girl for a couple of minutes. Keep the conversation light and engage in some small talk. You’ll cover the basics about each other like hometown, major, involvements on campus and getting to know each other from there. These girls are really interested in getting to know you better so for the most part they’ll be prepared to ask you questions about yourself. This is your chance to bring up anything exciting you did over winter break. If you’re a first year student, an easy topic is your recent experience with the IDEA program. Talk about how you spend the holidays with your friends and family, or any traveling you did – especially if you just went on SIE. But if you think the conversation is about to turn and ease down, a great way to keep it flowing is to ask about each other’s involvements and interests. This topic is a great way to ease the conversation deeper and really get to know each other better based on what you both do in your spare time.
We encourage everyone to register for Formal Recruitment this semester and see for yourself what Greek Life on campus is like. Every chapter is unique with their philanthropic endeavors, missions, and values. At Bryant, Greek Life is a united and supportive community which is strongly founded by our core values of leadership, scholarship, philanthropy, responsibility, and community. We invite you all to find your perfect fit in our community!