One of the best and most rewarding weeks of the year, when you're in a sorority, is recruitment week. From the outside looking in, it may seem like such a simple process, but no one understands the long hours and effort that is put into six days of events. As the week approaches, you begin to start feeling a wide variety of emotions, even though you are more than prepared to successfully get through the week.
Day 1: Sisterhood day
Anxious.
The week you have been practicing for weeks for has finally arrived. But you realize today is the longest day of the week, and you are about to talk to a lot of girls. After the first round, you realize it's really not as bad as you thought.
Day 2: Break Day
Frustrated.
Although you get a break before starting a new stage in recruitment, you are slightly salty. You just want to get the week over with. You're way too excited to see what bid day will be like, and you just want to get there as fast as possible. This whole break thing makes you angry because it's distancing you from what you want.
Days 3 & 4: House Tours
Eager.
You are so excited with the return rate of the potential new members from sisterhood day after giving them a sneak peak of your sisterhood. You are so ready for them to see how great your house is, and hope they appreciate it as much as you do.
Nervous.
As the girls enter your house, it's easy to see that some of them are uncomfortable. But you can't tell if it's you, or if they're also nervous to be in an unfamiliar place, talking to an unfamiliar face. You try your best to keep your cool and make her feel as comfortable as possible.
Relieved.
As you send the potential new member off to the house tour presentations, you're relieved to hear they have so many questions after returning to you. It makes you feel as though you are doing a better job with making them feel comfortable with you and in your home.
Day 5: Break
Frustrated (again).
Another day keeping you from what you are most excited for during recruitment.
Day 6: Philanthropy Night
Excited.
The most rewarding night is here. Everyone thinks greek life is full of parties, but little do they know about the philanthropy each chapter takes part in. You get to educate the potential new members about your specific philanthropy and all the community service you do with your chapter. Seeing potential new members get so excited about it is a truly great feeling.
Apprehensive.
After the night is over, you realize it's time for these potential new members to chose their top two houses, and you get very nervous about it. You hope that they like you as much as you like them, and that they will return to your house the next day.
Day 7: Preference Night
Stressed.
After realizing you have hardly gotten any sleep within the past week, you begin to get stressed. These three rounds begin much earlier than all the other days, and they are much more extensive.
Pressured.
As the rounds begin, you seem to think the pressure is on you. These potential new members drill you with questions you would have never even prepared an answer for.
Relieved (again).
The rounds come to an end and a successful week of recruitment is over. You realize how thankful you are to have gotten to know so many new girls within one week. The day you have been waiting for is now just hours away.
Day 8: Bid Day
Eager (again).
The bids have been given out and you know you are about to get to welcome home a beautiful new member class. The week you had been practicing for so long is finally coming to a close, and has been so successful. Pictures on pictures will be taken, and there will be lots of chanting and cheering, constant hugs and maybe a few tears. You even get to make cool videos like this one:
Tired.
As the day comes to a close, a week full of no sleep finally catches up with you. Although you are more than happy to have a great new member class, your body is ready to go into hibernation.
Recruitment week can be full of many different emotions depending on the person doing the recruiting. Sorority girls everywhere know the struggle.
