I am sure that every campus is different, but there a few feelings, thoughts, or situations that I think are universal to those who are recruiting new members to join their sorority. If it is your first year to recruit there is a lot of apprehension and excitement, but I hope I can shed some light on what to expect.

Let's face it, the thought of being "trapped" in a house with 100+ girls is nerve-racking. I'll admit there will be moments where your stomach hurts from laughing and moments where you'd love to be able to just leave, but when you walk out the doors of the house on the last day you will probably admit you've never felt closer to your sisters. The two weeks were stressful and personally I was sort of over being with all my sisters for hours upon hours and days upon days. Girls are running around putting on more makeup, frantically scrubbing a stain from lunch, making a cup of tea for their sore throat, flipping the house for the next round of recruitment, or being in a delusional exhaustive state that jokes are being cracked left and right . Needless to say if you're spending over 6 hours a day with each other, be prepared to embrace this exciting bond experience.

My first word of advice: expect the unexpected.

Such as losing your voice or becoming sick. Everyone is chanting multiple times a day and then also talking to the potential new members at a volume that is unnaturally loud, voices will be lost. The best trick I have come across is tea with honey and trying to not talk until you absolutely have to (easier said then done, I know). There were a few sisters that got strep throat or sinus infections and had to miss out on recruitment. If you think it is contagious or something that an over-the-counter medication can’t fix, please don’t hesitate talking to someone about making arrangements to schedule a doctors appointment. Ultimately we all care and want our sisters to be as healthy as possible but it wouldn’t hurt if you bumped up your intake of vitamin C the week of recruitment.

Maybe having a wardrobe malfunction is your recruitment nightmare. Sometimes your makeup will get on your white shirt or jeans, maybe you forgot a pair of spanx, or you managed to get glitter from the banner you were working on last night on your dress. These things happen, but just try to stay calm because it will work out. Please avoid negativity because it can spread through the whole chapter. It is always amazing to see how many helping hands come to your aid in these situations.

Or possibly oversleeping because of exhaustion. Hopefully this doesn't happen at all, but recruitment never seems to go perfectly as planned. If you're not a morning person, keep coffee stocked in the kitchen, set multiple alarms, and grab some dry shampoo in case you absolutely don't have time to fix your hair. On days that you get up and present your best self, your confidence is much higher, so even though it is early it will be worth it. One morning I had gotten up early and decided to treat myself to Starbucks on the way to the house and the Gamma Chi in front of me had paid for my drink. It made me so thankful for being a part of such a strong Greek Life community.

And the most dreaded: a bad conversation with a potential new member. It will happen, but try to not worry to much about it. Whether she is a legacy at another sorority or she is just refusing to engage much, she still deserves your best. If it isn’t going well, keep smiling and trying to engage the young lady in front of you. There might be awkward pauses or the nerves might just get the better of you, however, even if these things happen it could still end up being a great conversation. Connecting with someone who is so excited to be back has the power to turn your day around. Have fun with recruitment and try to give the potential new member a glimpse of the wonderful sorority you are a part of.

The good news of recruitment:

The thrill of Bid Day is absolutely unimaginable. The girls that you have already claimed as your little will be welcomed, a ridiculous amount of pictures will be taken, and most of all the laughs and smiles of your new sisters all around you is exhilirating. It makes everything SO worth it, keep that in mind while you’re going through recruitment and it might just brighten up the situation.