So you made it through your first year as a member of an incredible organization! Congrats! This fall, you may be moving into your chapter house, which I HIGHLY recommend you do, or moving into an apartment with you pledge class besties.

The new school year also brings in a fresh batch of doe-eyed hopefuls who want to be a part of something bigger than themselves: They want to join a sorority. They sign up for formal recruitment and line up outside your house while you peer through the blinds. You're probably scoping out which ones could be your next little, but when you meet them at the door, you are at a loss about what to say to convince her to put your chapter No. 1 on her list.

Don't just list off your awards.

So, cool, your chapter had the highest grades the past year and won the award for most community service. To a potential new member (PNM), she could either say, "I think grades are super important and I love giving back," or, "Oh sh*t, I'm going to be pressured into study hours and community service, they are way too serious for me and it seems like this is all they care about. I want something a little more fun." I was the latter opinion going through my recruitment.

Instead, talk about how grades are important, but that they aren't everything. Not everyone can be a straight 4.0 GPA student, and everyone in your chapter is on different learning levels, which makes your sisters great resources for study groups, old textbooks and materials, and just all around support for one another. Also, throwing awards in PNM's faces isn't going to be impressive, it will just come off as arrogant. Which sounds better: "We've won the XXX competition for 7 years in a row," or, "We've worked really hard every year for the award at XXX competition and it's a time where we set a goal as a chapter and achieve it by working together; it creates a great environment for our sisterhood to grow." Talk about how your sorority works to get those awards and why the process of winning is important instead of just pointing to the trophy case.

Skip the small talk.

I hated listing off a hundred times about where I'm from, what my major is, and what dorm I was living in. "Oh I lived in that dorm my freshman year!" "My big is that major too!" "OMG,I know someone from there too!" Such hard hitting questions that totally are unique to your chapter...

Does that really matter to you when you're talking to PNMs? Does it really matter if the new pledge class has four nursing majors and ten education majors? No, not at all. You need to dig down deep into the PNM's values and what she's looking to get out of a sorority. Ask her about who she looks up to, why she chose to go into nursing, and what things are most important to her. This is the only way you are going to be able to find the women that will lead your chapter and make it a successful organization after you've graduated. These types of deep questions are going to reveal the type of person she is, which will help you decide whether or not she should be in your sorority.

Be yourself.

As the recruiters, we want to put on a perfect show for the PNMs and act like your chapter is next to none on your campus. Your girls bring out the fancy water, perfectly coordinated outfits, the unison in voice, and contoured faces with teased hair. But is that really what your chapter is like 24/7? Of course not. When I would take PNMs on house tours, I would explain that it's kind of crazy, loud, and that a lot of information is going to be thrown at them; and I'm not acting like walking backwards and talking while wearing wedges is second nature to me. I also mention recruitment and formals are probably the only times I spend the most effort in my appearance.

Also, I tell them I am just as nervous as they are. Meeting new people is scary and I want to make a good impression on them as much as they want to make a good impression on me. Make sure to explain your chapter's goofy side; the unique things that separates your chapter from others. Bachelor Mondays? Scary movie nights? Finding a track hurdle and spending the night taking turns jumping over it and yelling/laughing so hard that the police actually come to your house because someone called in a noise complaint? I'm speaking from personal experience about that last incident. Being yourself is not only going to make you more comfortable with conversation, but the PNMs as well.

Got it? You'll do great! Just be yourself. You are a part of your chapter for a reason. Girls saw your potential in your chapter when you were a PNM, so give another girl a shot to show her the potential as well.