The spring before I graduated college, I was annoying. Like seriously, I’m not sure how my family and friends managed to be around me. I felt really old, and I felt really cool. I had the world by the tail. But that wasn’t just me. I’m pretty sure all soon-to-be high school graduates feel that way. You made it through high school, and now the real fun begins! Right? Kind of….If you’re reading this, I’m going to assume that you are considering going through recruitment when you get to school in the fall. And you’re probably pretty pumped. Probably your mom or your sister or your older friends told you stories about the great times they’ve had in their sorority, and you’re already thinking about the formals, the date parties, the frat boys, the t-shirts, and the sisterhood events. And you’re right.But if you’re like me, you’re also a little nervous. If you’re nervous that you won’t be pretty enough, or charming enough, or funny enough, join the club. You’re worried you won’t make the right impression at the right houses, or maybe you’re worried you’ll like too many to choose. As much as you’re right to be excited, you’re right to be worried too. But not for the reason you’re thinking. 
You are pretty enough, charming enough, and funny enough. You are going to knock the socks off of those sorority girls, and they’re going to fall in love with you. You should NOT be worried about that. But if you’re worried about making a decision that will impact the rest of your life? That’s okay.
Sorority recruitment is not something to be taken lightly. It’s a really difficult week, and you’ll probably get pretty emotional. Sorority recruitment forces you to think about what you value in friends, and what you value in yourself. It forces you to evaluate your relationships and your own personality. It also forces you to realize that sometimes other people don’t view you quite the same way you view yourself. 
But trust me: as seasoned sorority girls and veteran recruiters, we know what we’re doing. We know what to look for and how to look for it. So when you’re disappointed after getting cut from a certain house, try to remind yourself that there’s a bigger plan for you. And that bigger plan involves your future sisters. 
So yes, it’s okay to be worried. It’s okay to acknowledge that you will get emotional, and you will have a difficult week. But you can’t let that worry overtake you. When I’m upset about something, my mom always says, “It’s okay to wallow, but it’s not okay to stay there.” That being said, don’t waste your time worrying about things you can’t change. Remind yourself of two things.
First, remind yourself that it’s okay to be nervous. You’re about to embark on a huge life change. You’re about to welcome a lot of new people into your life, and you’re about to commit yourself to something larger than you can imagine. And yes, it’s okay if that’s daunting.
But the other thing to remember is that it’s worth it. Speaking as someone who went through it, I can confidently say that every second of it was worth it. When I went through initiation as an Alpha Chi Omega last November, I wasn’t thinking about the night I called my older sister and cried when I got cut from her house. When my best friend from high school texted me and told me she too had chosen Alpha Chi because she wanted us to finally be real sisters, I wasn’t thinking about the time I spent agonizing over what to wear to preference round. And when I met my little on a Saturday night this past August and knew I wanted her to be mine forever, the last thing on my mind was the anxiety I felt during recruitment. 
Yes, it’s hard. But yes, it’s worth it.
Congratulations on your graduation! Enjoy every second of your summer, because your life is about to change. I hope each and every one of you decides to participate in recruitment this fall, and I hope you all decide to join Alpha Chi Omega (just kidding….). But really, register for recruitment!! You won’t regret it.