Never had I ever imagined myself as a sorority girl until recently. This was mainly because of the speculation surrounding sororities and Greek life, which I was continuously cautious of. Between its cherry-picking, potential discrimination, and general misconceptions, it is safe to say that I was slightly weary when deciding whether to go through with winter recruitment or not. What finally pushed me to register was the combination of a few factors: my older sister told me that she could picture me as a sorority girl, an abundance of my close friends were planning on rushing, realizing girlhood had been a constant motif in my life, and the possibility that strong opinions against sororities stemmed from misogyny. With that, I gave it a try, and here is the breakdown of my experience.
Being the youngest of two older sisters who never were a part of Greek life (neither was my mom), I honestly had no idea what to expect. To be fully transparent, I did not even know the names of the majority of Michigan sororities or fraternities at this point. Nonetheless, I wanted to rush to give myself the chance for new opportunities and personal growth. Consequently, I registered over winter break and began obsessively searching for sorority girls on various social media platforms to learn about their opinions and seek advice. If I could give any tips to future PNMs (potential new members), I would absolutely make sure to keep the following in the back of your mind.
1. Have no expectations
Going into recruitment without any expectations is the best way to do it (in my opinion) because it relieves the pressure you might put on yourself. Don’t expect to get into a “top” sorority, to get the maximum amount of houses back each round, or that you’ll end up in your top choice. This will simultaneously save you from disappointment and make you more excited when things do go your way. Repeat to yourself “What’s meant for you, you can’t miss” and remember to have fun!
2. Keep an open mind
Keeping an open mind towards the entire process as a whole is crucial because occasionally you will be put through situations that aren’t familiar to you. Rush requires you to visit each house—no matter where they stand on your rankings beforehand—which may seem daunting, but if you think about it, you could end up loving a sorority that you possibly would have never given a second thought about. Open-mindedness never hurts.
3. They’re just conversations
It’s completely valid to feel nervous while undergoing rush. Being surrounded by ambitious, beautiful, and older women can be intimidating. However, they are truly rooting for you and probably a little anxious themselves too. You are simply having conversations, so pretend that you’ve known them forever and start showcasing your personality! P.S. Asking unique, interesting questions is ideal.
4. Do not compare yourself
Chances are, you will know an abundance of girls attempting to join sororities just like you. What’s important to do is to not compare yourself to them, even if they are your best friends or no matter how much you dream of ending up in the same chapter as them. Make decisions for yourself and you’ll find the right home.
5. Trust your Gut
Last, but certainly not least, trust your gut! If you are seeing and feeling signs that draw you to a specific house, that’s probably a good thing, and vice versa. Ask yourself if you could picture yourself in each sorority you visit and go from there. Your intuition will never lie to you.
Perhaps the list above sounds cliché, but utilizing these tips happened to get me into my top sorority without extensive knowledge about Greek life, nor a penny spent on new rush attire.
Moreover, during my process, I kept joking that Winter 2024 recruitment at the University of Michigan would go down in history because of a brutal, winter storm that PNMs—myself included—were rushing through. The freezing, seemingly never-ending walks to rounds over nearly two weeks were made up for once bid day came.
Open house, philanthropy, sisterhood, and preference passed me by with lots of anxiety, excitement, happiness, and luck. Knowing in my heart that I wanted to be in _____ _____ and finding exactly that, “Delta Gamma,” embedded on my bid day card was a moment I will never forget. Looking back on when I was reluctant to register for recruitment, it is an understatement to say that I am grateful I did. I came into this experience telling myself that if I was not feeling it, I could drop whenever; I ended up running home.