If you've ever met me, you know I don't tend to be scared of social situations. I'm what my 8th grade teachers would call a social butterfly (I've never liked being called a butterfly). I really enjoy meeting new people and trying new things. College was one of those things I was ready to take on holding nothing back. Within one day of being on WKU's campus, this social butterfly had crawled into her little cocoon and was terrified of what lied ahead of her: sorority recruitment. If I could go back in time, this is what I would say to myself (and other girls tbh) getting ready to go through recruitment.
You're fine. Everything is fine. Not everyone in the whole world hates you, I promise. You're internally freaking out but you need to calm down. This is a really intimidating and stressful process, but it is all worth it. You're thinking about how you're not going to find a home and you will never make friends, but you will. It's okay that you're not best friends with everyone in your Pi Chi group, some of those girls you will never see again. It's okay to be freaked out, pretty much everyone else is too, whether they say it or not. You will talk to people you've never met and you will remember how easy and not scary it is. You can talk someone's ear off. Do that and be yourself. Being yourself is the best thing you can do. You will find a home away from home. You will find a place for your tears and laughter. You will find a new favorite place for your memories. Just keep breathing. Call your mom or your best friends, they will tell you that they love you and are proud of you no matter what.
On Day 1 you will be overwhelmed. It happens to just about everyone. The screaming and singing and quick conversations will make you very unsure of what's going on. You will gather your impressions, rank your houses, go home and talk to your roommate about who you liked and didn't like. You will fall asleep talking and neither of you will be mad about it.
On Day 2 you will get your list and you might be a little upset at your schedule, but remember it is not the end of the world. Trust the process. You will go to your parties and finally start to get a feel of where your head and your heart belong. You'll be sad when you have to leave each party because you're starting to make genuine connections with these girls. At the end of the night the narrowing down process will seem harder than the night before. Strangely enough, you are less freaked out and you actually enjoy this. You'll go back to your room again and decide to eat all of your snacks with your roommate and both pass out after 15 minutes.
On Day 3 you will really start to know. Your schedule will have less houses, parties will be longer and you will get the idea of where you want to be in two days. You will look around and see girls you who will be in your pledge class, and girls who will become your big and grandbig. You will feel so at ease you will forget you were terrified three days ago. You start to understand "the feeling" everyone was talking about. You'll go back to your Pi Chi and spill your guts out about how much you love one sorority and you can see the joy and excitement on her face. You will walk back to your room barefoot to find your roommate asleep and you're so tired you fall asleep in your dress while texting your mom.
On Day 4 you will cry your eyes out at what will ultimately become your sorority's pref ceremony. You will look at the girls in front of you and know you are home. You will look at the girls next to you and pray that when you wake up tomorrow, they will be your sisters. Unfortunately you will have to go tell another chapter that you have found your home somewhere else, but they will understand and accept you anyway. You will call your mom when the day is done and she will tell you how happy she is for you, and you will cry again. You'll make your way home and watch chick flicks with your roommate to celebrate the week ending.
AND THEN IT'S BID DAY! You will get your bid card from your Pi Chi and you will cry. Again. When you finally get to run out to your new sisters, you will have a feeling unlike any other. You will feel so at ease and right with the world, and nothing will take that away. You will have one of the best days of your college career, I guarantee it. Breathe it all in, your new life is just beginning.
Just remember to stay calm and everything will be alright. Someone out there wants you in their chapter, just trust the process and live every moment. Put your heart in and you'll get something great back. I believe in you.
