College students just finished the last of their finals, which means summer. And summer means a new school year is looming among the horizon. And with that comes the decision to rush. Whether you are new to college and want to rush your first year or waited a year to consider it, a head start to speaking sorority language would be helpful. Here are a few terms to help you out.

1. Potential New Member (PNM)

If you hear any members refer to you as PNM's, don't fret. It's just a term to refer to all the women that are interested in the sorority, with the possibility that you may become a new member. The word 'potential' is added because it is likely that some girls will get a bid and decide to join, but some don't.

2. Bid

Congratulations! A bid is your formal invitation to officially become a member of the sorority. The stress of recruitment week is over, and you can finally relax and take a breath. The active members of the greek organization have seen something they liked in you, and you should be proud of your bid. After you get your bid, you get to attend Bid Day, which is a chance to meet all your new sisters and celebrate. You get free shirts, get to take lots of photos, and are able to pose with cutouts of your new Greek letters!

3. New Member

This is how you and your pledge class are referred to as until you are initiated into the greek organization. This period usually lasts for 6-10 weeks, and in the meantime, you are required to attend meetings to learn more about your organization. You are also given a new member pin. The week of your initiation, you are required to take a national exam (for national sororities) that contains all your greek org's info, such as the founders and the date it was founded.

4. Big/Little

During your new member period, each new member receives a big sister who is older than them and has been an active member of the greek organization for a while. The role of this person is to act as your mentor throughout your first year of Greek life, and many of these relationships last beyond a year and even beyond college itself. Often times, the big and the little (which is you) become very close (but that's not always the case). The identity of your big is kept a secret for a week or two, until the day of reveal. Up until that day, you are showered with gifts and clues as to who your big is. It is seriously the best week of your life (at least it was my favorite part!). It feels like your birthday or Christmas on steroids.

5. Initiation

This is the ceremony that officially declares you as an active member. It is a huge time to celebrate. All those new member meetings were to prepare you to be initiated, and it paid off. You will most likely have to wear whites, which means you need to dress in white from head to toe. During this important ceremony, you turn in your new member pin and you are given your big sister's official badge to wear temporarily. This means that you are now a true member of your sorority. You can even wear your organization's greek letters now! Woohoo!

6. Active Member

After you are initiated, you are officially an active member. This is where the work part of the organization comes in. From then on, you are expected to fundraise, donate money, attend mandatory events, go to socials, complete community service hours, pay your dues, maintain a certain GPA, and be present at chapter meetings every Sunday. It can be a lot of work and can be very time consuming, especially if you have other commitments. So make sure this is something you really want, and be dedicated to it. Remember that being a member of a sorority is not all about partying. It's about giving back to the community and representing your creed. Being an active member is a huge responsibility, and if you fall behind, you can very well get in trouble.

7. Greek Fam

After you receive your big, you become part of a Greek family. Your big has her own big, who is referred to as your Grand Big (G-Big). Your G-Big might have another little as well, and she is your big's twin and your aunt. If your aunt has a little, that would be your cousin. If your big has another little or two as well, she would be your own twin or triplet. Pretty soon, after you've been active for some time, you'll be able to take your own little (or two). This system basically works like a regular family would. Many members become very close with their greek family. Often times, they all hang out together or go out to dinner. A typical thing to do is take stack pictures, which shows your family tree. So for example, your big would be standing above you, and her big would be standing above her. If you have aunts or cousins, they would also be in the picture, with your aunt standing next to your big and under your G-Big, and your cousin standing next to you under your aunt. I know, it's very confusing, but you'll get the hang of it once you join your family.

8. Legacy

This is a member who's mother, sister, or grandmother was also a member of the same sorority when they were in college. I am actually one myself, as my mother was also a member of the sorority I am in. Just know that being a legacy doesn't always guarantee you a bid. Receiving a bid is based on your values and what you stand for, so show off a little during PNM events!

9. Ritual

This is a sorority's traditions and practices. No matter if a sorority is national (there are 26 of them!) or local, each one has their own original ritual. Ritual is practiced the most during initiation and chapter. The purpose of ritual is to practice the values of the sorority and remind members of their responsibility and dedication to their organization.

10. E-Board

Short for executive board. Just like other clubs and organizations across your college campus have executive boards, sororities do as well. E-Board usually leads chapter meetings, and contains roles including president, vice president of membership, vice president of programming, academics chair, treasurer, secretary, risk management, etc. These positions take a lot of patience and work and can be very stressful. There are other positions in the sorority as well, but the positions on E-Board require the most dedication. They are basically in charge of running the whole sorority, keeping track of money, recruiting new members, and keeping track of everyone's grades.

11. Throw What You Know

This refers to a sorority's hand sign, and each sorority has a different one. The sign usually represents making your sorority's greek letters with your fingers. They are often used in pictures on social media, and they make a great photo in front of a sunset, on a mountain, or with a group of your sisters.

12. Alumnae

These are the women of your sorority who have graduated, which means they are also considered alumnae of the sorority. Although they are not active members any longer, many still have connections with their chapter long after graduation. Many come back to help with subjects such as fundraising or house repairs. They still have strong relations with the chapter. You are considered a sister for life.

If you're considering rushing, I really hope I helped you. You have a head start on this process, with me to thank. Now, there is nothing to be afraid off during recruitment week and I wish you all the best. I hope you eventually find your new home! And remember, no matter the letter, we are all Greek together (clichè, I know)!