College is often described as one of the best times in a person’s life for many reasons. For one, it is the last time to soak up as much information as possible in all of your classes. It also allows you to explore many different parts of your personality and interests through the many clubs and organizations college offers. College is also a perfect time to explore who you are socially and what you like to do with your free time. A popular way to spend your social energy is through greek life, or better known as sororities and fraternities. Sororities and fraternities are philanthropic organizations that are countrywide and are known for their fundraising, date parties and large “mixers,” where sororities and fraternities come together for a party. Before someone joins one of these organizations, however, they must go through recruitment or “rush,” to earn themselves a spot and enjoy all that they have to offer. Read on to find out the ultimate tips for sorority recruitment for an incoming potential new member, or “PNM.”
One of the most important steps you can take before going through sorority recruitment is to read through the whole schedule and all of the rules to have a better understanding of the process so you will know everything that is going on all the way through.
Each round of recruitment has a dress code and guidelines for what you should wear to meet with all of the chapter women. It is in your best interest to plan your outfits in advance so that this is not a stressor when you have a million things going on around you during recruitment. The rounds get progressively fancier so plan for jeans and a t-shirt for the first round, something like a sweater and boots for the second round, something like a nice blouse and pants for the third round and a cocktail dress and heels for the last round.
The best thing you can do for this throughout this whole process is to go in with no exceptions of receiving a certain house or thinking you deserve a certain one over the others. At all schools, it is always the case that people will claim that some houses are better than others, which is completely false information and is solely based on opinion. Go into recruitment with as little information as possible about each house so as to not be swayed one way, put in little effort at some of the houses and only base your opinion on houses based on others’. You will end up being far more satisfied, grateful and happy on bid day if you go in with few expectations or stereotypes of the sororities.
As in any social situation, the best and most rewarding thing you can do is be yourself. I know this is easier said than done but it will get you way further in life than pretending to be something that you are not. Do not go into recruitment thinking that talking about certain things, presenting yourself in a certain light or wearing flashy clothing will get you anywhere or anything worthwhile. The right house will accept you for exactly how you are and take you for the morals and kindness you share. Sororities that have the same values that you falsely present make take you but you will not feel yourself with those girls. Act exactly how you are and you will feel completely at home with the house that takes you.
Again, many girls will go through recruitment and have preconceived notions about certain sororities or will feed into the stereotypes of each house. It is in your best interest and just the right thing to do, as in any situation, to treat all of the chapter women equally, even at chapters that you know right off the bat that you cannot be a part of. For some rising sophomores, they need a guaranteed place to live their second year so they put all their eggs in the housed sororities’ baskets and put in little effort with the unhoused sororities during recruitment. Still, treat everyone in all the conversations equally because you never know what may happen in your future. You may also fall in love with an unhoused sorority and decide to make the sacrifice to live in an apartment, so go into everything with the same mind frame.
Another great recommendation that everyone I talked to that has gone through sorority recruitment is to take notes after leaving each house so that you know how to rank each of your houses after each round. This is also a good idea because you will potentially be returning to these houses and may need to ask a question you did not get around to the first time or just want to make a pros and cons list for each house.
During sorority recruitment you will frequently get breaks, especially when you progress through the rounds and your lists come back with fewer houses to return to. Your “rho gammas,” already affiliated guides through recruitment, will tell stress this to you over and over again but it is essential that you do not take any naps during any of your breaks so as to not miss any of your party times. Many times, if you accidentally miss one of your parties, you will be automatically released from recruitment.
Your friends and you or the people on your dorm floor will be going through the same stressful and intimidating experience as you. The stakes will be high and things will feel competitive no matter what. While this is sometimes unavoidable, it is best not to discuss your recruitment experience with other PNMs so as to avoid competition, jealousy or insecurity.
Do not follow what all of your friends or floormates are doing and rank the same houses that they are. Everyone fits in differently to the houses and no one person will feel at home and comfortable everywhere. Rank your houses after each round where you truly see yourself fitting in, living in and making lifelong friends in.
If you open your envelope on bid day and it does not read the house you ranked first, do not lose all hope. You ended up with these last two houses for a reason and that second house would not have given you a bid if they did not feel you fit in with their chapter. Give the house you received a bid from a solid chance and if you truly do not like this chapter or have not made any friends, you can drop.
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