Breathe. Just breathe. It’s sorority recruitment time, you’re in the midst of hundreds of girls, your Pi Rho Chi (Greek councilor) has just told you there’s a possibility of not being called back by any house and a million thoughts are rushing through your head. Wait, what did she just say? Ugh, shoot, hopefully it wasn’t too important or maybe the girl next to you heard it.
Alright, before this traumatic experience commences anymore, take a deep breath and read through these tips on how to get through sorority recruitment – I promise, you’ll be okay!
20-30 seconds. That’s how long you have to be memorable. The first 10 seconds is the attention grabber, the rest of the 10-20 seconds is to solidify your impression. The first day, and really all of sorority recruitment is about girl flirting. You need to know what makes you stand out against all the other girls we meet. For example, my identifiers were: “I’m Eurasian, part French and Chinese. I’m originally from Southern California but I attended an international high school in Taiwan where I learned mandarin. My hobbies include horseback riding and layout design which I did as Editor & Chief of Yearbook.” That in total would take about 10 seconds, the idea is to come up with a short list of what makes you attractive and different. I suggest getting to know that list very well because you’ll be repeating it several times. The smoother you can deliver that information in a short amount of time the more time you have to actually get to know your future “sisters” and the more confident you’ll come across. Be confident, if you’re not naturally confident then find it, build it, or fake it. If you don’t think you’re awesome we won’t either.
Make sure that by the start of sorority recruitment you’ve gotten step 1 down, because Greek life fair day is when it’ll kick in full max. Try to be flexible and answer every question (no matter how un-creative the question) with enthusiasm, leaving room for discussion. If you accidentally end the conversation with your answer, ask them “how about you?” And listen attentively so you can make a connection with something they’ve said to revive the conversation. The goal is to have them leave with the idea that you have something in common with them and something to offer.
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Dress code: Casual, not sloppy. A nice top and shorts/jeans are fine, or even a casual summer dress (caution: keep it knee/mid-thigh length, if it’s any longer you’ll be over dressed). With that said don’t wear short shorts, we’re not guys we won’t drool over your butt cheeks.
This day is when you visit slightly less houses, cause by this time you’d have eliminated one or two and you have more time to talk to the girls. For girls you haven’t talked to before, remember to hit all your identifiers. For girls you have talked to, briefly remind them of who you are (1-2 identifiers to jog memory). Afterwards, ask your questions and just chat, let the conversation flow naturally. All conversations need to be lively and if whatever you’re saying doesn’t seem to engage her, casually change the topic, and find a connection. During sorority recruitment it’s all about building connections, if we can’t connect with you on a basic level becoming life long sisters is not going to happen. Also you’ll be talking to a lot of girls if you don’t connect with one just make sure you keep smiling and mention your identifiers. If you connect with the girl then let the conversation flow to your hearts desires while still politely dropping identifiers when appropriate.
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Dress code: Similar to day 1, but a little dressier. A cute summer dress or skirt with a nice top is the safest bet. Some schools are more casual and will recommend jeans and a nice blouse or pastel shirt. Most girls will wear wedges but flats are definitely fine for this round (you can always take your flip flops in your purse and wear them to walk from house to house).
This is the day we tell you about our community service events, so when talking to us afterwards, this is when you would tell us about your community service experiences (cue identifiers). Essentially, portray how selfless you could be and how much you love helping others and volunteering.
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Dress code: Formal. Summer dress, long ones, or think of Sunday church dress. If you’re not religious, think afternoon tea party with Kate Middleton. Heels can be higher but remember your still walking a lot so something comfortable, and nice.
You’ll have a much longer time to chat, so it’s about having fun and showing us that you really belong there. Preference night means we liked you all the other days and you’re so close to being a sister you just need to continue what you’re doing and we want to see how you are when you’re at ease. It’s the final stretch of sorority recruitment, make sure the sorority house you wanna be in (that you like better) knows how much fun you guys have together and how similar/well you guys mesh. If you’re not too sure which one you like better in the two, this is also the night to get to know the girls better and decide (remember if you’ve got one foot in both doors to show equal enthusiasm at both places so you have the best chances).
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Dress code: Formal, evening wear. Try to avoid black, most sisters will probably be wearing black. Heels are required, at this point in recruitment your down to your last two sorority houses so it’s not that much walking and if you seriously can’t survive in them bring flats and change into them when you leave and commute.
This would be the end of recruitment. Congrats, you’re now a pledge!
Being a Pledge is a whole different experience, just remember if you end up not liking the house, or feel like there’s a better fit for you elsewhere, you can still rush informal (during spring, it’s shorter and more condensed) or formal recruitment (beginning of fall) for other houses if you haven’t been initiated yet. Once you’ve been initiated you are not allowed to rush any other social sorority.
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Dress code: Casual jean shorts, we will provide the tops so just make sure you have a bag to put your shirt in.
*This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.
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