I went through recruitment as a PNM (potential new member) twice. I experienced this long, crazy, competitive, emotional, rewarding week two times in the span of 12 months. Each time was on a different campus with different girls, different chapters, and different expectations. Considering one experience took place in the south and one in the northwest, I feel like I can relate with just about any recruitment horror or success story that you might have. I have seen girls with their heartbroken after receiving their next schedule and I have been the girl experiencing the heartbreak. While the devastation all proved to be temporary, it is a feeling you will never forget.
As I finally got the opportunity to be on the other side of recruitment this fall, I ended up learning so much more from the experience than I previously thought possible and appreciating everything that came along with it.
When meeting with potential new members at my chapter, I was inspired by all of the stories that ended up here. The young women that had come from towns all over the state and beyond it. The girls that grew up involved in nearly everything they could sign their name up for and the ones that knew college was their time to shine. After every introduction, conversation, and/or welcome, I felt inspired by all of the girls that considered what their future would be like if it included the path our chapter. I found it so amazing that all of these girls with completely different life stories were coming to see if we would be part of their next milestone.
There are many things to consider when asked what your favorite side of recruitment is. I loved being a PNM. I loved being able to enjoy the experience that each chapter provided me with. Being able to talk with members interested in different things with unique skills and challenging majors made me hopeful and excited about which one I would eventually click with most.
However, after actively talking to girls nearly two years younger than me going through recruitment for the first time, I was reminded why I made this choice in the first place. I was reminded of the decision I had to make when I thought about going through recruitment for a second time. I found myself reflecting on what my reasons were and who the people were that led me to the final choice I made before bid day came around. Listening to the excited young girls fresh out of high school talk about what made them comfortable in a chapter and what stuck out to them most, reaffirmed everything I have always known since the day I opened the bid that was meant for me.
