Warm air sticks to your skin. Green covers the sky as the canopies of the trees are full and beautiful red and blue birds flirt between the trees. The grass is a perfect green and flowers bloom along the sides of each red brick building. The sidewalks are full of people, and cars filled to the brim crowd the streets. The sound of excited voices and upbeat music stream out of dorm rooms.
Bucknell during the fall is beautiful. Everyone is feeling the rush of excitement of being back to school. A new year means a chance to start over, set new goals, and meet new people. It may seem overwhelming. There are hundreds of clubs, activities, and student groups to participate in to get where you want to be. But where should you even begin? One way to kick start your year the right way (if you’re a sophomore or later) is sorority recruitment.
Sorority recruitment is a process that lasts one weekend. The official dates are still tentative, but will likely be in early September. It is made up of 4 rounds- Philanthropy, Preference, Sisterhood, and Bid Day. Sisterhood is the first round, where you get to know each organization as a whole, their values, basic facts, and get your first sense of their personality. Philanthropy is where you get to know about the organization that each chapter raises money for, and why that organization is close to their hearts. Preference is when you get to have more one-on-one personal conversations with members of each chapter, so you can make deeper connections. My favorite, Bid Day, is when each chapter distributes bids to the women who will join their organization. Recruitment is a mutual selection process, meaning throughout the process you will make choices about which organizations you want to go back to and see and those organizations will also make choices about what women they want to see in the next round. Due to Covid, the first two rounds are likely to be virtual, with the last two in person, but this is not officially decided and is up to change based on administrative decisions and what is best to protect everyone’s safety.
Joining a sorority can be extremely rewarding. I got to meet extremely strong, compassionate, and wonderful women. These women have supported me in the hardest times in my life and inspired me to push myself and be better. It’s not all seriousness though. I have millions of memories of fun times and laughs whether its competing at a kickball event, getting dinner with sisters, meeting my big, little, and gbig, going to date parties and formals (even when they’re virtual its fun), or paint days and t-shirt decorating at the makerspace . This has led to friendships that will last a lifetime and a network of connections I will take throughout my life. In addition, raising money for philanthropy has taught me to have so much gratitude for what I have, and has allowed me to make a difference in others lives. The culture of academic excellence has also pushed me to work hard in my classes, and at things like sorority study groups and tutoring I have gotten the support I needed to do so.
Joining an organization also helps you gain a panhellenic community. I have made friendships with women in every organization. I participate in their philanthropies and support their events. You are surrounded by love from every corner and Hunt hall is truly a special place to be. The women on this campus are truly amazing, smart, determined, engaged, and I am proud to know each and every one of them.
Sorority recruitment can seem like a scary process. There are lots of decisions to be made and sometimes you may feel like you are a fit for an organization that does not feel the same way. However, one weekend of hard decisions and some disappointments makes sure you are matched with the organization that is truly best for you and only you. It can lead to a college experience (and lifetime) of love, friendship, and growth. Your recruitment counselors will be there to help support you and make it an easier process for you and the Panhellenic Council will also help support you and answer any questions. However, I want to be clear, if this process is not for you, or if it does not work out, there are so many other avenues to make connections at the campus as well. I highly recommend the activities fair. At the activities fair I signed up for HerCampus and have been incredibly happy ever since. There will also be subsequent opportunities to join sororities. If you do decide you want to participate in this process, sign up for sorority recruitment, so you can find your home and your family. I highly recommend it.
Sign up for recruitment:https://busororityrecruitment.mycampusdirector2.com/landing/
Email sororityrecruitment@bucknell.edu to get recruitment updates
Follow @panhel_bucknell on instagram.