Going Greek: Adding a Chapter to Your Story
Recruitment is probably one of the most intense, exciting exhausting, and rewarding processes you can go through during college. You want to plan and practice as much as you can before the week arrives, but honestly, it’s difficult to know where to start. There are thousands of myths and legends about recruitment that have the ability to strike fear into the heart of any Potential New Member (PNM) going through the process.
As a rising junior, I’ve been on both sides of the recruitment process. While it can be overwhelming, recruitment can be an overall pleasant experience with the right tips and tricks.
Clothes and Practicality
Your outfit choices are not going to determine whether or not you get a bid from a sorority. Instead, they further highlight your personality. So don’t worry whether or not you have the designer dress or the one on sale from that cute boutique near your house (that was always my choice). It doesn’t really matter.
Make sure that your shoes are both cute comfortable because it’s better to look happy than to be smiling through the pain (plus who likes blisters?).
This week is not only exciting and exhausting but also (at least in Texas) incredibly hot. Bringing a bag full of the essentials helps to make sure you survive a week of recruitment.
The best things to bring in your bag during recruitment would have to be:
A mini battery-powered fan to keep you (and your brand new friends who want in on the action) cool.
A book helps to keep you from getting bored (Have you read the new Harry Potter yet?)
Deodorant, breath mints, and body spray will guarantee a less smelly, overheated conversation for both you and the girls you’re interacting with.
Snacks and a water bottle are needed more than you realize. While you may think you don’t need food, passing out inside a house or on the concrete would be pretty embarrassing (plus who wants to be hangry during recruitment?).
While none of these things are essential, they do make this week simpler.
Conversations and Attitudes
During recruitment, you talk about your likes, dislikes, goals, past achievements, and life. These conversations should not be intimidating. The girls in the houses are actually looking forward to talking with you so you shouldn’t need to worry.
You want to say something that is memorable or unique about yourself. The girls who are talking to you have been through recruitment and have talked to many other girls, so you want to stand out. If you’re just talking about things like food or sports (as interesting as Nachos and Aggie football are), it may not be something that sticks in her mind.
But if you speak about things you’re passionate about, you will become more unique (I talked about my love of British literature and how I wanted a time machine to go back to meet Jane Austen…Really anything that makes you happy shows your passions). Be enthusiastic and engaged. The better the conversation, and the more you are you, the more likely you will leave a positive impression with the girl who is recruiting you (In fact, months later I became friends with the girl I discussed my time traveling journeys with because she still remembered our conversation).
Whether it’s with other PNMs or with the girls who are recruiting you, do not engage in gossip (actually, this is a good idea all the time). It can not only affect other’s opinions of different houses, but also change their opinions about you.
Always keep an open mind. While you may go into the week thinking you know exactly where you want to be, closing yourself off will make for uncomfortable conversations and missed opportunities. Remember that every girl loves their letters. While you may not originally see yourself there, you never know, you may end up loving their letters too.
Most importantly, you need to be yourself. While this may seem obvious, being true to yourself may be the best way to succeed during the recruitment process. You are going through recruitment to find your home. Keep in mind that you are talking to real girls your age. So loosen up, joke around and have fun. This establishes a real connection.
I am not a perfect person in any sense of the word, yet I found recruitment to be an enjoyable process. While so many girls strive to be flawless, I spent the week talking to girls as if they were my new best friends. I tripped through three different doorways, I said dumb things, and I forgot one too many names. But through my mistakes, I wound up showing these girls my true self. Remember: You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be you.
Recruitment is a life changing experience and the process of “finding your home” truly is exciting. The friendships and memories you make in your chapter will last a lifetime.
