We all can agree that sorority recruitment is a daunting process. The idea that various rounds of small talk and mingling will eventually help you find a new home of lifelong friends and sisters can be intimidating to anyone. We register for a week of mystery and foreign letters, for the chance to be apart of something bigger than ourselves, and whether you are a freshman or junior, it is a major leap into the unknown.
However, there is a group of people, like myself, who are often steered away from situations like this because of such a mysterious and intimidating process: the introverts. Us introverts love the idea of a sisterhood and close friends but a weekend of small talk and even more small talk is enough to convince us to skip registering for the entire recruitment process. So for the brave introverts out there here are my quick tips on the process to find your new home away from home:
1. Do your research.
This may seem like a dumb and unnecessary step, but recruitment is a fairly mysterious process and it varies from school to school. So ask your questions, read a million articles online about the agendas of different schools. If you go in with an idea of what to expect it will put your heart at ease and allow you to be in the moment talking to your potential sisters, rather than freaking out about what is going to happen next.
2. Dress for you.
You always want to present your best self but dress comfortably. The last thing you want to be worrying about is how you look so don’t go too nuts at the mall before recruitment begins. You want to be confident going into those sorority rooms so know your style. Be sure to adhere to dress codes each day! Your recruitment counselors will go over all of this with you.
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3. Know your answers.
For the questions like, “What’s your major?” or “why did you choose to go through recruitment?”, get your answers down to a science. Chances are, you will be talking to a whole lot of girls throughout the week and the most common questions are the latter. Yes, knowing your answer to these questions can be very handy. Also, come up with a fun fact about yourself that you can try to incorporate into conversation and help set you apart in the room.
4. Bring something for down time.
I found that the majority of my time was spent sitting and waiting for the next party to begin. The last thing I wanted to do was have more small talk with the people in my group. Introverts, by nature, get drained by constant interaction with people and this can seem standoffish to others. What I did to make sure I got a little time to myself during downtime was plugging in some headphones and listening to a few of my favorite few songs before the madness ensued again for the next party.
Courtesey of George Mason University National Panhellenic Council
5. However, don’t be afraid to make friends.
Finding friends in your group can be a real lifesaver. You will most likely be separated from your friends who you were planning on enduring this process with so look for the friendly faces in front and behind you. They will be good for when you first hear the roar of the cheers and need someone to appreciate the inappropriate joke you are inevitably going to make.
6. Be yourself.
This tip is a lot easier said than done, but it is the most important. Don’t waste the few minutes you have with your potential sisters pretending to be someone else in order to impress them. Small talk is hard enough so be your most authentic self.
I hope all introverts out there take the chance on sorority recruitment and this was able to give you a little peace of mind going into the madness of recruitment. Good luck and listen to your heart!