YES! It's that time of year again; Gamma Chi Applications have officially been released!
If you are like most Greek women, you are weighing the pros and cons of being a Gamma Chi. Many girls wonder if the experience is worth trading in your letters. Ask any one of the recruitment counselors who have served the Panhellenic community over the past few years and you will receive a resounding "absolutely".
I will admit, giving up your letters and subjecting yourself to the criticism of various PNMs towards your chapter is no cake walk. There are times when maintaining your disaffiliation seems impossible and your emotions towards missing your chapter and loving your PNMs are overwhelming.
However, for every minute you spend thinking that this is challenging, in that it is different from what you know, and for every moment you spend waiting impatiently in the Starbucks line weighing the pros and cons of being late versus not having coffee for the day, there are ten or more moments where you look at your PNMs to see their hopeful, overwhelmingly excited faces staring back. In those moments, you know that you made the right decision because you, and only you, could provide this exact recruitment experience for these 10-14 women.
I asked a few of my Gamma Chi sista frands from this past recruitment season to tell me the absolute best part of being a Gamma Chi. I also asked my ladies to tell me how I shaped their recruitment experience, which is definitely the most rewarding part of this experience for me. Hopefully these quotes help you decide to make the best decision of your life and apply to join the 2015 Gamma Chi family!
"I've been through recruitment as both a PNM and a chapter member. I wanted to be a Gamma Chi to experience something new. The experience provided a great opportunity to meet women from other chapters and to better understand the Greek system! The most rewarding part of all was my group - they were such an amazing group of young women and it was so special to help them find their new home!" – Darby Arnold
"It makes you step outside of what you know and what you are comfortable with for a greater cause, and it is the best decision I have ever made." – Gracie Smith
"Being a Gamma Chi gave me the greatest appreciation of not only being in a sorority, but also a respect and love for each chapter represented in our Panhellenic community" – Sarah Minor
"This experience gave me the chance to help a group of women find their home away from home at UT with my Panhellenic sisters" – Katie Van Veghel
"Seeing all of your PNMs rip open their bid cards and run as fast as they can to their new homes!" – Natalie Rayfield
"By the end of recruitment, you've become one giant disaffiliated chapter and the other women, who you wouldn't have met otherwise, feel like your sisters!" – Grace Burden
"You instantly become connected to the other Gamma Chis and they become your sisters. Also, seeing the PNMs find the sorority where they belong is truly amazing." – Addison Leinart
"Getting to assist the girls in the recruitment process and getting to watch them find their home, just as I found mine during recruitment was the best part by far." – Jordan Jowers
"Meeting the girls from various chapters made me truly appreciate every single one of my sisters, both in my chapter and the Gamma Chi sisterhood. You gain a new perspective towards and revitalized love for your chapter during this experience." – Zain Inklebarger
"It allowed me to meet so many Panhellenic women that I wouldn't have met otherwise." –Sarabeth King
"It was the hardest and most rewarding experience of my life. It was reminiscent of the new member experience in a sorority and allowed me to make lifelong friends!" – Rebecca Bass
If you're still not convinced, I asked a few of my ladies to give me their feedback on my impact on their recruitment experience. *proud mama tears*
"You were always there for me no matter what. After every single day I would just sit and vent to you about the whole process and you were the best listener and gave me the best advice! You made sure not to give away your thoughts about the sororities but at the same time asked me how I would fit in with the sorority. I could not have done that week without you!" – Emily Greener
"You really emphasized that all of the chapters were great and that every one of us would end up where we are meant to be, even if it is not what we originally wanted. You really reassured me!" – Caroline Graves
"You were such an amazing help and guidance throughout the week for all the girls, especially me! What stands out to me though was the day before preference round, I had one more house to go to and I came to you because I could not make a decision for the life of me on what to choose. You told me that I needed to choose what felt right in my heart and, no matter what I decided on, I would end up where I was meant to be, and honestly that's exactly what happened. I mean in my position, coming from out of state and basically knowing no one, it was so reassuring to know that at least one person was there for me, and that you were unbiased and had my best intentions in mind. So I am extremely thankful to have had you throughout that experience." – Megan Gray
Trust me, you want to be the one holding the camera for this reveal next year.
Make the best decision of your collegiate life — Apply Today!!
