I've been in your shoes. It's June, still summer, just graduated and ready for college, but you are already in fear of that one week 6 months into the future: Formal Recruitment (aka Rush). Whether it's the first week of school, or not until second semester, it's never too early to start researching different sororities at your school and getting ideas of which one could be your future home. Besides, if you aren't helping yourself you're probably just going to stress about it even more.
Here are some tips to prepare for this week and go into the school year ready for it.
1. Clean up your social media.
Seriously this is huge. It is so upsetting when you meet a girl and think they're so nice but then their Twitter is filled with hormonal subtweets and F-bombs and they have an Instagram full of half-naked selfies and beer cans in the background. Summer is the time to go through your Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. and clear out anything you wouldn't want your mom/grandma to see.
2. Register for your city's Panhellenic council.
My mom made me do that the summer before and it actually helped a lot because they help you get recommendation letters for every chapter at your school, which can be hard to do on your own.
3. Reconnect with older girls that go to your school, Greek or not.
It's nice to know a familiar face going into college, so now is the time to reconnect with the girls you used to be close to, whether they are in a sorority or not. It also helps you form a good reputation with the Greek community.
4. Learn about each chapter at your school, not just the "best" ones.
There really isn't such a thing as the best or worst sororities. Wherever you end up is the best for you, which might not be the best for someone else. That's why it's important to go into recruitment with an open mind and knowledge of every chapter, even the ones you might not think you want to be a part of.
5. Seriously stay off snapchat when you're trashed.
Some of the girls I went to high school with think that every time they have alcohol they MUST put it on snapchat: wrong. For so many reasons, it's trashy, it's illegal and sorority women will find out and not think it's cute.
6. DO NOT trash talk any chapters at your school to anyone.
No matter what, do not trash talk a single chapter at your school. Just because your friend is in one sorority doesn't mean you should trash another, for all you know they could live in a house with girls in the chapter you just trashed.
7. Don't get attached to a particular chapter.
As hard as it is, you can't let yourself fall in love with a certain chapter because you may not end up there. In the end, it's the sororities that decide whether or not you get a bid. If you go "all in" for one chapter it can hurt you because you won't be open to anywhere else and word could get out to other chapters.
8. If you know fraternity men at your school, ask for their opinion but don't take it too seriously.
One of my guy friends told me the before I even went to school that I would end up a Kappa. I didn't really know much about the chapters so I just said, "oh okay" and here I am now. They can have good insight on what sororities are really like outside of the chapter room, but they also can have opinions that have no backing. Don't take it too seriously, but it is interesting to see what they think.
9. Don't go out and get wasted, just don't.
Once again, don't go out and get drunk over summer. Someone will find out and it will end up spreading to the Greek community. I don't really understand how but it always happens so just be careful.
10. PRAY and trust that it will all work out.
Pray and ask the Lord to place you in a group of women that will lift you up and help you grow closer to Him. Pray that your heart will be settled wherever you end up, even if it wasn't what you wanted. Pray that your friends end up in the places that will do the same. Trust that He will follow through and know wherever you end up, it's all in His plan.
