As someone who just went through recruitment first-hand, I can definitely say it is a long, exciting, yet tiring weekend. But nothing was more rewarding than finding the right sorority for you, and finally having that sense of belonging. Every girl finds it at different times and even different places. All weekend the PNM’s (potential new members) hear “trust the system,” and you don’t fully believe it until bid day when you’re running back to your new family and home. There are tears, laughs, and a lot of smiling that happen pretty regularly all weekend long, but it’s all worth it when you’re hand-in-hand with all your new sisters.

Day 1, you start the recruitment process with a long 10-hour day, going from house to house trying to get a feel for all the amazing sororities that your campus has to offer. Not only do we get to meet a couple girls from each house, you also get to make a bunch of new friends in your recruitment group. And at the end of recruitment, if you decide that Greek life isn’t for you, at least you can say you made some new friends, which is one of the most important things!

Day 2 consists of returning to all the houses that invited you back, and that you put down on your list. This day, you go around and talk to some different girls, and you get the opportunity to explore the house and get a feel for your potential new home. This day is one of the best because you start to have more personal conversations with all the women, and you also get to learn about their philanthropy.

Day 3, you get to dress up and go back to two houses that you could see yourself in, and hopefully narrow down the house you want to join. I believe that this day is one of the best, because you get to have the most personal conversations with whoever is prefing you. Personally, this was the night that I became so positive about the house I wanted to be a part of.

Day 4, as you anxiously await your bid in a ballroom full of girls who are feeling the same way you are, you can’t help but think, holy crap, is this happening? Then the moment that you’ve been waiting for comes, and you rapidly break the seal of your envelope and see the chapter of your dreams inviting you to join them in their sisterhood. For a brief second before all the hugging and screaming begin, you can’t help but to feel so honored and privileged.

Joining a sorority is something that you shouldn’t take lightly. All of the active members picked you to be their new sisters, and you should really take a moment to realize how amazing that really is. Embrace this new sisterhood. I know I will.