An Open Letter To Girls Going Through Recruitment

To all of the girls going through the stressful time of year known to some as rush week or recruitment week,

I have been in your shoes. In fact, I was in your shoes one short year ago and felt a lot of the same emotions you might be feeling or you may feel in the future. I have heard the same words of advice from recruitment counselors, family members and friends who are already in Greek life. For some, this week is a week without tears, stress and nervousness, but for the majority of us, this week is full of struggle and uncertainty. While I am writing from the perspective of the latter category, this article and letter can apply to those of you in the former category.

You will hear so many things and phrases that will drive you crazy. You will lose sleep. You might even feel like you're losing yourself and unsure of who you are. The phrase that drove me crazy was "trust the system." How am I supposed to trust a system to place me in a house? Why should I trust the system? What even is the system that I'm supposed to be trusting? Take a deep breath, and as much as I hate saying it, trust the system. Believe that people want you to be happy and in the right place where you will thrive. We all have our doubts about this ominous system and its magical placement powers, but trust me. I went through the system. I struggled through the system, but it put me in the house where I belong. I sincerely believe that Tri Delta is the place for me, even though I wasn't so sure at first. The system knew better than me, which is difficult to admit. However, I'm not naive, I don't think that after reading this article you are going to automatically trust the system, so here is a list of other tips (that you'll probably hear from everyone).

1. Be yourself.

Believe it or not, you even if you pretend to be someone you're not, people will see through it. It's not hard to see when you're not yourself. If you truly want to be placed in a house that is the best fit for you, then be yourself.

2. Dress comfortably.

While you should look nice, realize that you are required to be in that outfit the entire day, and that includes the shoes. You will be doing a lot of walking, so wear comfortable shoes unless you want blisters and a limp.

3. Dress warmly.

If you are going through recruitment in the winter, remember that it can get chilly sometimes. Don't sacrifice your health for a cute pair of shoes or a cute skirt or dress. Wear tights. Wear a jacket. Stay warm because going through this week with frostbite, a cold or something else makes this stressful week just a tad more stressful.

4. Trust the system.

This is the hardest tip. Trust that people want you to be happy and in a place that is perfect for you. Everyone is different; therefore, not everyone will thrive in the same place. That's the perk of Greek life though, there are plenty of places for you to find a place to thrive.

5. Make friends.

During this week, everyone will be feeling fairly similar emotions; use these emotions to spark a conversation with someone going through recruitment with you. Who knows? They might be a future sister of yours, and if not, you'll still get a friend.

6. Trust yourself.

You know yourself best, so trust yourself. If you don't feel comfortable then that house might not be the house for you, and that's okay.

7. Don't listen to the stereotypes.

The stereotypes are usually outdated and wrong. Don't cross a house off the list because of a stereotype. Use your own judgment, not someone else's.

You've got this.

Love,

A sister