Everyone has a preconceived notion of sorority life that the media has given us, but the truth is that sisterhood cannot be easily replicated. The only way to try and get a glimpse into the Triton Greek community is by going through Recruitment and talking to girls one on one. I never thought I would fit into a sorority; I didn’t feel like a sorority girl. However, when I went through Recruitment and witnessed the genuine love and affection that girls had for one another I knew it was something I had to have.
Recruitment is a process that allows girls to visit every chapter and narrow down which sorority is the right fit for them. Now I’m not going to lie – this is a long and exhausting week. Girls lose their voices, they get sick, and they suffer during long days in heels. However, on Bid Day when you open up your bid cards and run to your new chapter as they scream in excitement, you will know it was all worth it.
Before you go into Recruitment, Her Campus has a few tips to help make the journey easier:
1. Be yourselfThe only way that sororities will be able to get to know you is if you show them the real you. It becomes obvious when girls are being fake, so just show them the most positive version of yourself. Think about some of your best attributes and accomplishments and try to bring those up during the conversations that you have. Recruitment can make you nervous, but you have to remember that all of these dolled up sorority women are just as nervous to meet and impress you!
2. Dress to fit your styleA collegiate woman like you always feels confident in her favorite outfit. When picking out Recruitment clothes remember that this is not the time to go overboard with accessories like you are bait hoping to hook a fish. You are a UC San Diego student, you’re smart and you’re classy. Let your outfit reflect that. Wear something you think is stylish, but not too much – keep it simple. Choose a cute main accessory that shows off who you are. Don’t be afraid to stand out, but don’t feel like that means you need to dress in neon. If you feel uncomfortable in the outfit you choose, it will reflect on your face, so wear something you love.
3. Pick a sorority based on your valuesAt UC San Diego we go through what is called a values based recruitment. This means that we encourage you to pick a sorority based on matching morals and standards. For example, if your schoolwork is the most important thing to you, then pick a sorority that values scholarship. The idea of this kind of recruitment is to help you look past all the glitter and matching outfits so that you judge sororities based on who they are. You want to pick a sorority that you think is full of girls who could actually be your friends. Choose the sorority that you want to spend time with, study with, laugh and cry with.
4. Stay open mindedYou may have heard about some of the sororities before you start recruitment. It could be good things or rumors, but no matter what you’ve heard, you need to walk into every sorority open minded. Make your own opinions about the girls you meet rather than relying on others to judge for you. Try to have meaningful conversations to get to know the girls rather than just surface level conversations about your major. You will find your future best friends by the end of Recruitment.
5. Trust the processRecruitment can be a very emotional time period because you are opening yourself up to girls and finding chapters that you love. However, sometimes you might not be a perfect match, even if you loved all the girls you spoke to. If you get dropped from a chapter you wanted, don’t panic! Rely on the process and continue with Recruitment. You haven’t spoken to the entire chapter of every sorority just yet so just keep meeting girls and looking for what you have in common. Every sorority has something special to offer, so give them a chance to show you what it is.
Make sure you’ve registered for UCSD’s sorority recruitment at www.tritongreeks.org/phc. The fun begins this Friday, October 10th!