If you’re still wondering about wanting to go through recruitment, or already know you want to, this article is a resource that will help you a TON! Keep in mind that many of the things will not be exactly how each university goes about recruitment but is the same general idea. I will be writing mostly from my own experience of going through Troy University’s formal recruitment.
Who helps you out during recruitment?
Recruitment week will be one of the most nerve wrecking, confusing, and awkward times you may experience. You are put into a group with other girls going through recruitment, and you will have leaders of your group who are already in sororities. At many universities, they are called Pi Chis. Your Pi Chis are your biggest support system throughout the week and are there for you to cry and laugh with. You can’t know which sororities they are in until Bid Day, because of potential coercion to their sorority.
Having an open mind while you’re going through all of the houses is stressed so heavily because you need to choose the one that best fits you. The other girls that are in your group may be in the same sorority as you, and even if they don’t get the same bid as you, the relationships you create with them don’t end past recruitment, so get to know them!
What is it like going through all of the houses, and do the girls actually scream and yell at you when they open the door?
To answer the second part of the question, yes, they do. Although they do sing very loudly and it can be very overwhelming, it’s not as crazy as everyone depicts. Some sororities go all out and bang their heads from side to side, but from my personal experience, they’re only trying to hype up the morale so when you go in you enjoy your visit. You will line up in front of the house one by one, alphabetically in your group, so when different girls in the house talk to you, they are able to write notes and give you points once your visit is over. Points and notes determine if you are asked back, or potentially receive a bid.
Each house has a different feel to it, and each sister you speak to will leave a different impact. My best advice is to keep an open mind and don’t let one negative conversation overpower other great ones.
What is a bid, and how does Bid Day work?
Sadly, not every girl who goes through recruitment receives a bid. Some girls are dropped during the week for various reasons: they didn’t meet GPA requirements, they had negative social media postings, they didn’t fit in well, etc. The day before Bid Day, you will "pref" a sorority that you wish to receive a bid, and you find out on Bid Day which sorority gave you a bid. If you do not receive a bid at all, you are contacted immediately, and no one goes into the waiting area unless they receive one.
Once everyone gets their bid and “runs home,” you go out and do different celebratory things with your new sisters, and take tons of pictures! If you receive a bid from a house you may not have wanted, get it some time. You get out of it, what you put in, so make it worth the while.
It’s a tiring week, but it’s worth it once you develop relationships with a new set of girls who will guide you through anything. Meeting new girls, especially within a sorority, will help you exponentially on campus, because many of them can help you with your classes, show you where everything is, and can also help you get involved and meet the right people for your future plans in life.