Vacation is almost over, which means it's back to classes, back to homework and, for many people in a sorority, it's almost time for recruitment weekend. Being on the recruiting side of recruitment can sometimes be a hassle. There are extremely long hours, painfully high heels and strict guidelines to follow. Though some girls may not enjoy recruitment, I am counting down the days.
Why?
Firstly, I am so beyond proud to be in my sorority. Greek life in general has made unbelievable strides in this year alone by raising money for various charities, breaking stereotypes by accepting LGBTQ members, not only in their chapters but also as eboard members, and by making the news in other extremely positive ways. At Bridgewater State, sororities have raised thousands for Girls on the Run, Relay for Life, Habitat for Humanity and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Recruitment is a time when I get to share the positives of Greek life with Potential New Members (PNMs) and show them that being Greek is not just about socializing, but also about giving back to others.
Secondly, I see recruitment as a time to better my chapter. Any of the PNMs who walk into the room during recruitment could be my chapter's future president. By recruiting a class of women who meet my chapter's core values, we, as current members, are doing our part to make our future chapter better. To me, it is exciting to think about the fact that if we have a successful recruitment, each new class will only make our chapter better than it was before.
Also, I love meeting new people. I love talking with people and getting to know them. Recruitment is a great opportunity to meet people that I might never have met outside of that weekend.
My favorite part, though, is the sisterhood bonding. It sounds cheesy and cliché, but spending that whole weekend with my entire chapter is a great way to get to know people that I might not have known well previously and I absolutely love it. Whether we bond over sore throats from cheering for hours, sore feet from high heels or our love of the entire crazy experience, I love that I have that time blocked out to spend with my sisters when usually I am working two jobs and student teaching. Otherwise, I might never have gotten to learn about their love of Spongebob or ravioli.
Hopefully, there are a lot of people out there who share my love of recruitment. Maybe this article will give you a better outlook on the process. If not, just remember that staying positive makes the whole experience better.