Dear PNM,
Congratulations on making the decision to go through formal sorority recruitment! Welcome to this exciting, nerve-wracking and semi-stressful time in your college career! This letter to you is something I wish I could have had before going through recruitment. Take it for how you want it; these are just a few thoughts I had!
First things first. It is absolutely OK not to understand everything. This is what your Pi Chis or Rho Gammas are for! Ask them questions. It's part of their job to answer them. I'm going to be brutally honest. I had no clue about how sorority recruitment went down. (I still thought of it as 'rush'.) I had seen "House Bunny" and "Sydney White," so I had an "idea" of sorts. But it was much more than a rom-com could offer. My campus is very small, consisting of three National Panhellenic Council sororities. Even then, I felt overwhelmed. I couldn't imagine it at a huge school! But never fear, someone will always be willing to explain. We all want you to find your home!
You will hear stereotypes of each chapter on campus. Don't listen to them. Make sure you go in with an open mind and be prepared to learn. Whether recruitment is three days or five days, you will be learning a lot of information about each sorority. Take in all that you can, because it's actually pretty cool to learn about them and why they were founded. The members have planned to make your recruitment experience the best it can be.
It's OK to be nervous! I guarantee the members of the sororities are just as nervous. Keep that in mind as you go through. We are nervous because we want you to feel like you can be a part of our sisterhood because, realistically, you have the chance to be. And after pref night, we don't even know where you'll be going, which is why bid day is such a thrill. If you're feeling nervous, again, go to your Pi Chis/Rho Gams for support!
Think about yourself during this week. It is all for you! Take this time to do some self-searching and determine your values and which sisterhood they mirror. Think about who you see being your buddy to run to Sonic with at 2 a.m., your best friends and your future bridesmaids. It's hard to think of these girls, who are essentially strangers, being these people, but I promise, when you know, you know. You get this great feeling when you find where you truly belong.
Along with that, it is OK not to have this feeling. After kind of having my mind set, I went to two different preferences. In between them, you can ask the girls around me, I was literally sitting in the floor staring at my hands. I was so torn. Then it was time to go to the final pref. When I left, I had this feeling that that was my home. But in the back of my mind, I would think back to my other choice. I just sat there staring at my Membership Recruitment Binding Agreement. I didn't know what to write. I was picking the girls that would always be a part of my life. I thought for so long, but I knew I had to go with what was the best choice for me. I got a bid from them, and I've been in love since.
All in all, keep an open mind. This is about you. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Follow your heart.
Again, congrats on going through recruitment, and good luck. You'll love being Greek!
