Going through recruitment, you will be overwhelmed with screaming girls with perfect outfits and forcing conversations like you're at a job interview. It's hard to keep track of where you will actually fit in once recruitment ends. It's hard to look for people that match up with what you're wanting when you meet one girl for 20 minutes when you're dying of heatstroke on the lawn. I wanted to share my experience: what I looked for, what made me choose my house, and why I did.
Round 1
This round is very surface level. You might get asked your favorite this or that or what you did this summer. Pay attention to how natural these conversations feel. You won't be comfortable at a house you have to force conversations at. Look at how the girls interact around each other. It's OK to feel nervous but you shouldn't feel uncomfortable. Look for people talking to you like a real person and not a resume. Look for people you connect with and could see yourself being friends with because that's what matters after recruitment, not the reputation or how pretty they are.
Round 2
Philanthropy round! Look for the sorority you can connect with. Look for people who get involved with what you're passionate about. Ask what they offer that fits your interests. See if girls get involved together or do their own thing and which you prefer. This is about you. You're seeing if they are a good fit for you just like they're seeing if you're a good fit for them.
Round 3
House Tours! Look at qualities about the house and sorority you like. Do you want a house where half the girls are in two-girl rooms or do you want a house where it's more per room but everyone gets to live there together? Do you want a house with decorative furniture that looks beautiful and adds charm and character or do you want a house you can kick your feet up and live in? Everyone has different preferences for sororities. Use this time to figure out what you like. Which girls can you see yourself being friends with? Where could you see yourself living? Where feels like home?
Round 4
Preference Round! Do these girls have a deep bond or do they just have fun together? Do you want something serious or want something for fun? What stood out to these girls about their sorority and is this what you're looking for too? During this round, ask the tough questions. Get deep. See if this is where you truly want to be. Could you be happy here? Meet the girls in your group- if they were in your pledge class, could you see yourself as being friends with them?
Delta Zeta.
During Round 1, I felt comfortable. I felt like I could be friends and bond with the people I talked to. I felt like I didn't have to remember a resume. I just talked about what I liked. It was casual. It felt natural.
During Round 2, I talked about things I wanted to get involved in, and what was important to me was to them too. I wanted accountability to go to church and DZ offers a bible study for its members every week and I carpooled to church with my sisters. I loved getting involved with freshley and met DZs who recommended it. I wanted to do a miracle and met girls who pushed me to work harder. I talked to people this round who cared about what I did.
In Round 3, I was scared to live in a room with so many people, but I love how everyone gets to be together and enjoy it- that no one cares about the size of the closet but the quality of the people sharing them. I wanted a house I could put my feet on the couch and watch TV with everyone in. I wanted a house that felt like I could live in it. I wanted to make fun memories without having to worry about rules without reason.
During Pref, I got emotional. I didn't have a great time in high school and wanted a place to provide a better experience. I met a girl who experienced the same thing, who talked about how all the girls look out for each other regardless of age or hometown or whatever. I didn't hear stories about that one funny embarrassing moment- I heard stories of the positivity that this place had and how it helped to change lives. That people made a home of this place and were cared for throughout circumstances. Delta Zeta was more than T-shirts and socials- it was a true genuine friendship. And after bid day, my perception didn't change. The girls weren't fake nice- they were just nice. The same great feeling I had during rush, I felt afterward. The organizations they talked about, they're actually involved in. The memories I hear about living in the house, I'm making for myself. I chose Delta Zeta because of how I felt during recruitment- so pay attention to what you're experiencing.
