The week all sorority girls dread throughout the year has finally come and passed. No, I am not talking about big little reveal where every big stays up all throughout the night to craft the most perfect presents for her beloved little, I am speaking of work week. The terrifying week before the fall semester begins and all pledge classes come together and have what many refer to as “hell week” in order to prepare for formal recruitment.
We have all heard the horror stories of the senior pledge class yelling at the younger pledge classes, girls crying more often than not, blood from torn toenails, blisters from wearing heals that you steered clear of all summer, bruised knees from cramming yourself and 20 other sisters into a door frame to properly execute your door song formation, and running on close to no sleep.
Some readers may agree with those statements and rumors of work week. However, going through my first work week this past week was nothing like what I thought it would be.
Yes, we had one girl rip a toenail off, my foot is still black and blue from getting stomped in while in transition to a door song formation, I barely slept, and I realized six inch pumps are not the best shoe choice. But in the midst of the chaos work week brings, I found a new love for my chapter.
Perhaps it was the first conversation I had with a senior girl that took our relationship from awkward smiles because I am almost positive she is in my sorority to having a genuine conversation filled with laughter and unscripted life lessons. It could have been the final realization of how much work every member puts in to making their chapter the best possible version of itself that they can. It might have been seeing all the preparation our recruitment chair put into work week and by the final day of this dreaded week seeing all parts to this process come together. I am not sure when it clicked for me but it did, and I could not be more thankful.
I now have a newfound respect and admiration for work week because it opened my eyes to why I was chosen to become a member of my chapter. I slowly began to understand why I was lucky enough to be given a bid to a home that fits me better than I ever could have imagined. I realize how fortunate I am to have run home to my house on that beautiful bid day and be welcomed by my sisters that are just like me. Sorority women owe this feeling of acceptance, love, and complete bliss to work week. Without the hard work, long days, and many hours of preparation for recruitment, we would not be able to help women across the country find their new homes and be welcomed by all their new sisters on bid day. The work all sorority women put in during that week is inevitable, but it is worth every moment of it. To see a chapter come together significantly during one week, to see new bonds and friendships in the makings, to witness memories that we know will be shared for the next years to come, to bring home the best addition to your chapter come bid day is why we love work week.
