Recruitment season is here and the streets of State College are filled with girls running around to find their future sisters. This is an exciting time of the year for the Greek Life community, and every sorority has spent months planning this process.
Greek life offers a sense of community and a home away from home. While many girls dream of this process their whole lives, others make the last-minute decision to join recruitment. However you decided to participate, you can find comfort in knowing that so many others are going through the same emotions as you.
For some people, the process works out exactly as hoped, but others may feel discouraged.
My advice is to go into recruitment with a very open mind. There are talks about sorority rankings, in which chapters may be deemed “better” than others, but I am here to tell you that simply is not the case.
Joining a sisterhood is more than invitations to certain frat parties or social status. If someone is going through recruitment solely for that reason, they are not in the right mindset to form genuine connections with the girls they will surround themselves with.
For the first and second-year students going through this process, I know it can be disheartening if you don’t get back all the houses you wanted or if the girl next to you got invited back to more chapters than you did. However, you must keep an open mind and remember that everything happens for a reason.
I know everyone says that, but it is true. Think about it this way: if a chapter doesn’t want you, then why would you want them? You should want to surround yourself with people who choose you — the houses you get invited back to see something in you and want to be your friend.
Remember that just because you don’t get invited back somewhere does not mean you did something wrong or that you’re not good enough. Penn State is such a large school and the recruitment process is more complex than one may think. It is a big numbers game and many different factors go into the process.
Regardless of that, joining Greek Life is what you make of it. If you go in with a positive outlook and the right intentions, you are almost guaranteed to get a bid. Even if it is not your dream house, it is essential to remember that there are nearly 200 girls in each chapter.
Out of 200 girls, you are bound to find a few girls you get along with well. Giving each house you visit a fair chance and not getting too caught up with messages posted on YikYak is essential.
Sisterhood is about philanthropy, friendship, and involvement. The frat parties are a factor, but they are not the only thing that matters when joining a sorority. Make the most out of the process and appreciate it for what it is.
This process gives you the opportunity to talk to so many people on campus that you usually wouldn’t and you can easily become friends with the people in line next to you. Once you join a chapter, you also get the opportunity to be super involved on campus through THON and many other activities.
Stay positive, have fun and get ready to make everlasting friendships!