First things first: be yourself!
I may sound like a broken record, but this is the most important factor in enjoying your time as a Potential New Member (PNM). Sororities are full of diverse groups of friends who have plenty of different interests. You’re going to find something to talk about as long as you stay true to who you are. We want to know who you are just as much as you want to know who we are.
Girl, we are just as nervous as you!
I remember my first day going through parties as a PNM, and I remember being nervous, but excited to show my personality. I had all these fun sororities to explore—intimidating but exciting. I was even more nervous, however, when I rushed my first PNM. I was going to be her first impression of my sorority, and I had to make sure I got it right. So, don’t you worry about seeming perfect and calm. You’re allowed to be a little shaky.
It’s okay, you’re allowed to brag.
Tell us about yourself! It’s not a job interview, you don’t have to list your prestigious academic achievements, unless you want to. Your intellectual capabilities speak for themselves within conversations. You’re looking for a group of life-long friends. Tell us about your adventures! Tell us about your favorite memory from being on stage dancing or that time you scored the game-winning goal. You are unique, but we won’t know that unless you show us and tell us. So, show us what you got, because I promise we’ll love to hear it!
Don’t pre-judge!
Your sister, brother, cousin or best friend may go to the same university as you or maybe they attend a different one. It is crucial not to pre-judge a sorority based on someone else’s opinion. If they attend a different university, no two chapters are exactly the same. If they attend the university you will be attending, their opinions were formed for their reasons not yours. Do your absolute best to keep an open mind!
Don’t be discouraged.
It will be a long week. You’ll have at least one bad hair day, you’ll spill on your outfit and you’ll be comparing yourself to hundreds of girls around you who look their absolute best. Don’t let it get the best of you. Are you allowed to go home and cry-vent to your mom after a party? Absolutely. You’re going to be exhausted and thrilled all at the same time, and you will experience every single emotion known to mankind within the week. Maybe even in one day. It’s okay. You’re not the only one.
You’re going to find a home away from home.
Trust me, you’re going to have a different favorite sorority 100 times over again. Do not set your heart on the very first one you have a decent conversation with, because your next conversation could be amazing. On bid day, you’re going to run (literally) home to a group of girls who are more than ecstatic to offer you a bid into their sorority. You may cry with happiness or you may be speechless with laughter. Either way, you’re going to love it. These girls are going to build relationships with you that will never be broken. You’ll experience your first years away from home with them. You’ll cry on their shoulders when school gets hard and rejoice with them when you ace that biology test. These girls will be the bricks that build your home away from your family, but they will also become your family.
Truth is, you can’t do recruitment wrong. You really can’t. You’ve made it this far. You’re a college girl. Now, get out there, and show us what you can do.
