COB, or Continuous Open Bidding, is the informal process of sorority recruitment that varies among universities and chapters. COB, compared to formal recruitment, is a much less stressful and time-consuming way to get involved with a Greek organization. At my school, COB relies heavily on you as a Potential New Member (PNM) to reach out to chapters you are interested in, as not all chapters participate in the continuous recruitment process.
My process involved meeting with various girls on “coffee dates” as a way to get to know the organization better along with some of its other members. This format is shared among multiple organizations. I really enjoyed it because it allowed me to truly see these girls for who they were, rather than watch the clock run down in a Zoom meeting. Other organizations held COB events such as “speed dating” or “craft nights” in order to meet and get to know PNMs in a more relaxed environment. I personally preferred this method of recruitment because I got to actually know the other members without the stress that goes into putting on formal recruitment. I felt that during formal recruitment I was so stressed out over making a “good impression” and the pressure of finding the right organization that I forgot that I have to showcase myself for who I am day in and day out, rather than put on a performance to impress the masses.
I wouldn’t trade my experience with sorority recruitment for the world because it led me to where I needed to be — surrounded by some of the most supportive and authentic people I’ve ever met.