Recruitment takes place over five days (Thursday through Monday) in late September/early October. During recruitment you get the chance to meet and talk to girls in every chapter (we have seven Panhellenic sororities here at Northeastern), learn about their philanthropies, their founding principles and what types of events they do each year that sets them apart. You get a feel for each chapter, and hopefully by the end of recruitment will know where you see yourself in the future.
It all begins with registration, which you do online in the months/weeks/days leading up to recruitment. A week before recruitment there is an information night where you will hear some testimonials from sorority women and meet your Rho Gamma Group. A Rho Gamma is a sorority woman who has decided to disaffiliate from her chapter for a month or two in order to lead Potential New Members (PNMs) through the recruitment process. You will get their cell phone numbers, their emails and they will be available to you for any questions or concerns you may have during recruitment. I probably drove my Rho Gammas mad with all of the questions I had, but they are extremely helpful and know what you are going through since they have done it themselves, so I highly recommend using them. You will be in a group with maybe 10 other girls, randomly chosen, who are going through recruitment as well. This is the amazing thing about recruitment, not only do you meet tons of girls in each chapter, but even if you do not end up deciding to join a sorority, you make new friends by default with the girls in your Rho Gamma group! I am still friends with most of the girls I went through with, and some even ended up in the same chapter as me.
Each night of recruitment will have some sort of theme, such as philanthropy, or sisterhood. On philanthropy night you will get to learn about the organizations each chapter supports, and will work on a craft that will go to support one of those organizations. On Thursday, which is the first night, you will spend time in all seven rooms (recruitment takes place in Curry, each chapter will have a room that they decorate according to their own themes which they work on for sometimes up to six months beforehand). In between each “party” you will have time to write down comments about each room, whatever will help you to remember them and be able to differentiate between them for ranking. During this time in between parties, you are not allowed to speak to any of the other girls in your Rho Gamma group. This may seem strict, but recruitment is a very personal decision, your choices for ranking, opinions on each chapter, etc, should not be influenced by anyone else, including your friends if they are going through recruitment with you. At the end of each night you will rank the chapters, and they will do the same thing. By a mutual selection process (figured out through some insane math that a lady in California does), you will then get a list of five chapters to go back to on Friday. Rinse and repeat for every night; but you will go to four parties on Saturday, and then finally two on Sunday. Monday is Bid Day, the best day, when you meet your future sisters and are given another shirt as well as tons of other presents.
Whew. I know it sounds like a lot, and it can be exhausting, but I believe it is well worth it. You are not contracted into joining a sorority the moment you sign up for recruitment. It is possible for you to drop out any time if you feel that it is not for you, and even after you sign your Bid Card, you can choose to not complete New Member Period at whichever sorority you are a part of (these were the questions I pestered my Rho Gammas about which is why I am telling you). At the very least, Recruitment is a fun experience where you get a cute shirt and make some new friends.
This Thursday, March 24th, there is an event called True Life: I’m a Sorority Woman. It will be a chance for Potential New Members to come learn about what Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) has to offer, as well as get any of their questions answered. PNMs will hear from a few sisters about why they joined FSL and how it has changed their Northeastern experience. They will also have a chance to speak with women from all seven Panhellenic chapters. It is a great chance to learn more if you are on the fence about going through recruitment, or just want to know more about FSL here at Northeastern.
True Life: I’m a Sorority Woman will be from 7-9 on March 24th in 450 Dodge.
The girls in my sorority are not only my best friends they are my sisters. It is a bond that goes so much farther than friendship and something I never knew I was missing until I finally had it. I highly encourage you to attend the event on Thursday, as well as to attend recruitment in the fall. It worked out amazingly for me, and I believe will change your life as well.