As college campuses begin to open, many young women are preparing for sorority recruitment. For those who are unaware of the process behind sorority recruitment, which was form known as rush, it is the process women go through in order to become an official member of a greek organization. At each university sorority recruitment looks different and this year it will look especially different due to new guidelines and regulations. Many schools have opted to make their recruitment virtual this year while others have opted to wait for spring to participate in formal recruitment. Although recruitment is a little different this year, there a few pieces of advice that I would give to all the women participating in recruitment this year.
1. Don't listen to what other people have to say.
This is such an important piece of advice to remember during recruitment. During this time, you might know someone who has participated in recruitment in the past or is going to participate in recruitment alongside you. While they might want to discuss the chapters with you and try to help you, I would stay away from this. You don't want someone else's experiences to affect how you feel about a chapter. This is about you finding your home away from home. Don't let anyone in-person or online try to impact your decision. It's a choice for life and it needs to be your own to make.
2. Don't compare your experiences to someone else's.
Sometimes it's so easy to compare you recruitment experience to someone else's. You need to remember your experience is going to be different than that of your grandmother, mother, sister or even your best friend. Each woman who goes through recruitment is going to have a different experience. Ultimately, your varying experience is what helps you find your home!
3. It's okay to feel overwhelmed and uncertain.
The recruitment process is a lot more stressful and overwhelming then most people would tell you. It's worth it but it can be a lot. Throughout the week, it's natural to feel uncertain, disappointed and upset. Take advantage of your recruitment counselor. They have been through the process and they understand what you are going through. Plus, it's their job to be an unbiased resource for you!
4. Be understanding.
This year's recruitment is much different in years past. Over the last few months, members of each sorority have been working hard to plan the best recruitment experience on their part that focuses on protecting the safety of their members and the young women participating. After months of work, things are still bound to go wrong so please be understanding if the wifi glitches or you experience other technical difficulties. We feel just as bad about it as you do.
5. Trust the process.
I know this is the most cliché advice ever given but I promise everything works out in the end. In the moment, you might not be able to understand why things happen the way they do but just know everything happens for a reason. You will end up where you are meant to be as long as you go through the week with an open-mind and are true to yourself.
