“Are you joining a sorority?” is the most frequently asked question to a college girl in her freshmen year. Joining a sorority is one of the best ways to get involved on campus, make connections, and make long lasting friendships. When I got on to campus, my answer was always yes. I had always wanted to join a sorority because I loved every thought about being in one.

The recruitment process however, is not a walk in the park. Depending on the school you go to it could be up to two weekends long. Within these two weekends, you will meet tons of sorority girls. The first weekend you will walk into rooms filled with dozens of sorority members yelling their chants at the top of their lungs. At first, the questions will be the simple ones, “Where are you from? What is your major? What do you like to do?”. After a few hours, you will have all your answers down to a T and know what question they are going to ask before they even do. This stage normally takes place in the first two days and is just a way for the sorority members to get to know you and for you to get to know them. During this stage, you will have amazing conversations that will just flow without a script and you will have some conversations that just do not seem right. However, not everything will be sunshine and smiles. You will be dropped by a sorority at some point throughout the process and even if it is not one you loved it will still take a little hit at your self-esteem but, the better thing to look at in my advice is the sororities who did want you back. And if you were not dropped, one of your friends was and you will have to comfort them. It may sound sad but honestly being dropped can turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to you because it will lead you to the chapter you were meant to be in.

By the second weekend, your options get narrowed down and things get more exciting. Your conversations are no longer the scripted questions and now you are talking about philanthropy events and retreats. After philanthropy, you will have to narrow your options to two chapters for preference round. Preference round is when things become more serious, the rounds are not full of loud screaming girls anymore. During preference, the seniors who are leaving will give a speech about their memories in that chapter and in my opinion, this is when you really know where you belong, when you can relate to a story or want the same things as the girls speaking. After I walked out of my preference round, I knew exactly where I wanted to be and my rank process became so much easier.

Looking back a few days after bid day and I can truly say it was completely worth it. It was completely worth waking up at 5:30 a.m. to get ready two weekends straight and pushing yourself through 13 hour days. It was completely worth all the harder conversations because they led you to the best ones. Getting my bid and then running into a room filled with girls who already loved you and hugging all my new friends is something I will never forget, not to mention all the new Instagram followers I gained in the past 48 hours. My best advice is if you are considering joining a sorority, do it. You will not regret it. When you go into it with an open mind I promise you, you will be so happy you did because it will lead you to the best people and experiences of your life.