Ladies, this first one is for you. Particularly for incoming college freshman ladies who may or may not be considering going Greek. There are so many things that I want to write about and share with people but this topic seemed appropriate for what's approaching in just a few short weeks.
People refer to this process in a few different ways. Formal recruitment, rush, "the process" and so many other names have been used to describe the one week out of the year when tons and tons of girls pour their hearts out to different sororities in hopes of having those feelings reciprocated and joining a sisterhood. The madness of it all is so hectic and terrifying but it is also part of the fun.
Yeah, I know. It. Is. Scary. There were some days leading up to recruitment last year when I didn't even want to think about it. The forced conversations, the awkward "Hi, my name is.." and the thought of telling a complete stranger all about myself was weird to me. But I had to remind myself of just a few things that would help in the middle of the frenzy.
1. You'll end up where you're meant to be
This probably sounds like the BIGGEST cliche, but it's true. Every house is different and, as long as you are yourself, you will truly connect with girls in certain houses. There is always a time and place for every conversation and God has His hand in every one of them. It might seem weird to some people that I prayed for my future sorority, but I did. Not even knowing where I would end up I prayed that God would put me in the right house, with the best girls and the best environment for me to grow as a person and in my relationship with Him. And even though freshman year was not perfect, I made many mistakes and learned a lot of hard lessons, I had the group of girls that God handpicked for me to help me through everything.
2. It's not a bad thing when you get cut
Like I said, you match with people for a reason, and for that same reason, you don't match with certain people. Being "cut" has a reputation of being a bad thing but just think about it this way: sororities are saying "we could see her somewhere else, just not here." The girls already in sororities know their chapter way better and on a deeper level. So, this is relieving you from being caught up on them when they already see you succeeding and growing in another house down the row. It's a GOOD thing!
3. Everyone is feeling the same pressures you are
Bid Day will be possibly the best and most exciting day of your life, hands down. And with that feeling of running home comes a whole group of girls that feel the same way. At first, it's exciting and amazing, but it also might seem a little scary. And while it may seem like you're all alone and a stranger in a huge group of people, every new girl is in your shoes. So don't be scared, but open and excited and friendly! The girls that seem like strangers that first day will turn into the people that you share everything with. These girls will be the ones that see you for who you are and love you even more. Of course, you won't get along like this with every single girl, but you will be able to have that bond with so many girls in your chapter that it's unreal.
So, don't be nervous, sweet girls. At the end of a very stressful week, you will have found the people that you will be able to grow with, laugh with, love on, and share your scars with, with no judgment whatsoever.
