The University of Kansas' fall formal recruitment officially ended on Friday and I can finally start to relax. I am a COR (continuous open recruitment) or informal sorority girl - I came in at semester and thankfully, was able to join the most amazing sorority. While my story seems kind of normal as many girls end up dropping out of the process and join at semester, I actually did not go through formal recruitment at all. 

Work week was long: I fell asleep within seconds of climbing into bed, I was constantly snacking, emotions ran high, life long bonds were made, and plenty of walls were talked to. There was definitely never a dull moment. It was all in the good of getting ready to girl flirt for the next four days. 

Once Monday rolled around, I couldn't stop freaking out. My hands (and feet) were sweating like nobodies business, the butterflies in my stomach would not sit still, and my mind was basically blank when it came to what on Earth I was going to talk to my girl about. Let's just say I was a nervous reck - and who wouldn't be if they had never gone through the other side of recruitment? 

Many people are shocked to hear that I didn't go through formal recruitment. It's something that I have honestly just got to use to. When it came time to sign up as a freshman, I just wasn't ready to make that decision yet. Then the chance passed me by and I immediately regretted it. It was hard seeing bid day pictures flood my Facebook knowing that I wasn't a part of the process. 

I made a decision to go through informal, or COR, very quickly after that. It was something I was determined to join. The waiting and waiting though made me a little crazy, and depressed too. It was hard knowing that all these girls had friends to do everything with them, while I really only had friends from high school and my roommate.**** 

Second semester rolled around and within just a few days, I already had a home. I consider myself lucky in that Sigma Kappa saw me as a good fit in the two days I visited the house. I had hardly any stress, got to eat ice cream, and had a house tour on the second visit. There wasn't nearly as much pressure since I knew that if nothing worked out the way I wanted it to, I could always go through formal recruitment. Thankfully though, things worked in my favor.

And now, a year later, I finally went through formal recruitment. It was an extremely scary process. People always say to the girls going through that houses are ten times more nervous than they are and in my case, it was 100% true. It's hard trying to find out what girls fit perfectly in the house if you never got to see the personality of the house (or of other houses) from the other side. 

I got through it though - with lots of popcorn and taking pictures. At the end of the week though, it was all worth it. Especially for all 69 new Sigma Kappas - man was it was party on bid day. The front door had girls rushing in and out all day long, as well as the fountain just down two houses. The pictures were all great and the girls are even greater.

I'm entirely proud to say that I had a say in the new pledge class. I know that they will take the house to bigger and better things. I also know that I never want to go through recruitment again. 

*** Side note - I am part of a service sorority Omega Phi Alpha which I absolutely love. In fact, being a part of it too encouraged me to join a Panhellenic sorority. I have made many friends through it and will always consider it a home as well. For the point of this article though, I have taken it out of the equation.