Recruitment is an exciting time for any campus! If you just signed up for recruitment (if you haven’t do it now) you may have no idea what you’re doing but that’s completely okay. For the sororities, it’s a time for us to get to wear matching clothes and renew our love for our chapter. For incoming PNM’s, it’s a time for you to find a place to call home away from home for the next few years: place where you can live out your time at college and make the most of out of it! Greek life is such a great way to be involved on any campus. We want you to remember these tips, from us sorority women, as you go through recruitment.
Pi Chi: What is a pi chi? A pi chi is has different names at all campuses, but your pi chi is your recruitment councilor. She gave up her letters (hid them) for a few months to help you find yours. Take advantage of her. Ask her any questions. Don’t think about the fact that she is in a sorority; just think about that fact that she’s a Panhellenic (an umbrella organization for women's sororities) woman here to help you find a place that you belong in.
Keep an open mind: If only we could stress this more! It’s a terrible idea to go in with your mind set on one sorority because you honestly never know what will happen on Bid Day. If you set on one and constantly just focused on that one you wont be able to pay attention to all the good qualities from other sororities, because they’re all great. If you’re set on one and happen to not get a bid from them, you will be heartbroken. Do not be rude to a sorority because you think you don’t want them! Just keep your mind open and let everything work out how it’s supposed to.
Be confident: I know what you’re thinking; you’re probably extremely nervous and afraid people wont like you. Don’t feel that way! Us sorority girls are just as nervous to get to know you. We want you to want our sorority just as bad as you want us to want you in our sorority, I promise. So be confident, be yourself, and don’t stress it.
Be yourself: On that note, don’t forget to be yourself. You can get lost in the idea that a sorority wants you to act or dress a certain way and that is never the case. Be who you are. Express your personality through the way you dress or style your hair. You stand out. Don’t feel pressured to wear makeup or buy different clothes just because you think we will like you more that way. There is nothing better than just simply being yourself.
Talk, talk, talk: Don’t be afraid to walk up to a sorority girl and start a conversation, we love that. Get out of your comfort zone, walk around by yourself and meet tons of people. How else will you get to know girls and what their chapter is like unless you do? That’s what supposed to happen, so talk until you can’t talk anymore.
Ask Questions: Don’t be afraid to ask a million questions. I cannot tell you how much we appreciate questions; they’re also a great conversation starter and a great way to keep the convo going. We love that you’re interested and we love to answer questions.
Honesty is key: Honesty is so genuine, so always be honest and never be something you aren’t to impress anyone; it’s really not cool. Then, when it comes time for you to answer the question, “What sorority do you see yourself running out to on bid day?” Answer honestly and just let us know. This helps you and us. We are here to help you find your place in a sorority.
Preference Night: Preference Night is the last night of recruitment before you run out to a sorority on Bid Day. This night is the night where you walk into a room and you feel at home there. That isn’t always the case and that is okay. That night, the sororities will ask you where you want to be, where you feel at home. It can be a scary thing, but always remember to be honest with your reply. If you truly want to be with those sisters then tell them! Don’t shy away from that. Don’t be afraid to be torn. Don’t be afraid to tell them that you feel more at home with someone else. That’s okay too. Recruitment is a time for you to find your home and it is our job as the recruiters to help you find that, wherever it is.
Speaking of preference night, this is a serious ceremony for us. It only comes once a year. It’s not fake and it’s not planned. We want you to know how serious and real it is for us. Sometimes our emotions get the best of us and we cry, it’s completely normal. A lot of people cry on preference night, so don’t feel like you have to fight your tears back. It’s awesome that we have this chance to experience such a serious time with you before you’re even in our chapter. We want you to know how much we appreciate this ceremony.
In the end, it all boils down to where you feel most comfortable and yourself at. Listen to your heart and where you think you genuinely love the most and don’t get too focused on which sorority has the best reputation or the biggest trophies because it all boils down to the sisterhood and the members in it. You will find your place so just let it happen. It all happens for a reason and you only get out what you put in.
Bid Day: The most exciting day of the year. The christmas day of sorority world. It's the culmination of the recruitment experience. You receive a bid from a sorority and get welcomed into your new home. Everything happens for a reason, always reameber that.
Be confident. Be who you are and everything else will fall into place.
