When becoming an Illinois State University freshman, “Go Greek!” is one of the first things you see written on just about anything that can be inscribed. When I first decided to rush at sorority recruitment at Illinois State University, I didn’t know a thing about them. I didn’t even know which ones we had on campus! After going through formal recruitment, I happened to learn a thing or two. Hopefully, I can give you an idea of what to expect at sorority recruitment at Illinois State University.
On the first day of this process, you sign-in with the Panhellenic Council members and are given a Table number. At these tables, you meet 8-12 other girls who are in the same position as you are and your Rho Gamma. This is someone already in a sorority but disaffiliates temporarily during the recruitment process to be a non-bias “guide” to help PNM’s (Potential New Members). She gives you information like when and where you need to be and answers as many questions as she can.
Once the first official day of rush starts, you get on a bus to your first sorority house! They usually sing the sororities chant on the way there and you will get just about every house’s chant stuck in your head whether you want to or not. As you ride the bus to each house, you meet tons of girls. Some you will stay friends with even if you don’t end up in the same sorority!
As you stand outside each house quietly, the President and Recruitment Chair introduces themselves, their sorority, and they sing a very obnoxious song. It’s meant more to be funny but you’re not allowed to laugh! Then, they welcome you in one by one and you get paired up with a member of the sorority at the door. They guide you to a chair and you converse with each other. This will switch a couple times with other girls until the round is over.
Beware: you will get asked the same few questions at every house.
“Where are you from? Whats your Major? Are you a freshman? What do you like about ISU so far?”
Once Welcome Rounds are over, you choose the top 8 houses that you would like to go back to or that you liked the most. If any house invites you back, you will go back even if they weren’t one of your picks and the houses you picked didn’t invite you back.
When you get your schedule for this round, it’s usually the longest most exhausting day of sorority recruitment at Illinois State University. This is because you visit on average 6-8 houses. This depends on how many houses you picked, how many houses picked you back, and which houses wanted to see you again.
You get a 1-2 breaks in between rounds and usually, that’s when you get to eat lunch. They give you a pre-boxed lunch with water and fruit. Let me tell you, those lunches will not fill you up. My advice is to bring plenty of snacks because you will probably starve the entire day.
This round you will talk to the members while learning about their philanthropy and what foundation they raise money for. Usually, you watch a video and then talk about it and ask questions. Some people do get emotional during this round so if you’re an ugly crier, don’t wear too much makeup!
Your voice will be just about gone by this round so you’re probably going to apologize to every girl you talk to in advance as to why your voice is so raspy. This round, you will have 3-5 houses to visit and the day goes by a lot quicker.
This day, you are served pasta or something warm but the portions are about the size of the fries that come in a happy meal at McDonald’s. Like I said, SNACKS!
At the end of this round, you will have a lot better of an idea of what houses you like. You will pick your top 2 houses that you’d like to visit for the last round.
This is it. The last day of sorority recruitment at Illinois State University! This is where you determine which house you want as your forever home.
This day has to be the MOST emotional by far. This is a very serious ritual meeting with the girls of the house. Someone will pair you up with one of the girls from the house to have a deep conversation. I can’t spoil it too much but after this round, you will pretty much have your mind made up on where you want to be.
Then, you rank the houses you visited. 1 being the one you want the most and 2 is the second option. However, you do get the choice to “suicide” which is where you have the option of only putting 1 house down. The downside of doing this is if the house you put down doesn’t give you a bid, you’re S.O.L. and went through recruitment without finding a forever home. So most people advise you to avoid doing this. Also, some girls get a call saying they got no bid. This is unlikely, but it does happen. Stay positive!
The day you have been waiting for. Hours away from finding out where your forever home is. You’ll find yourself in class, focusing on nothing but the time.
When it’s time to go to the Brown Ballroom you get to see your table mates one last time. This is when you take your final guess at what you think your Rho Gam’s sorority is. Then you will receive the envelope that has the answer you’ve been waiting for you. This will give you so much adrenaline.
The room goes silent as they count down to when you can open your envelope, rip it open and search the page for the sororities name. Everyone has finally received the answer they have been waiting for and the room fills with screams.
You find your new pledge class sisters and chant the song you learned on the bus screaming and hugging each other. You walk together to the auditorium, walk across the stage, and look into the audience to see all of your new sisters in the crowd screaming for you holding signs and wearing matching shirts.
The amount of happiness that fills your body during this moment is something you will never forget from sorority recruitment at Illinois State University.
After you find a seat in the crowd, you get to see where some girls you met on the busses ended up. Then, you find out what sorority your Rho Gam is from!
Once the celebration is over, you get to run out of the auditorium to find your new sisters and your bid day buddy. Finally, you run to the parking lot to find their car and drive home!
The house is decorated and your new sisters give you a T-shirt, a gift, and take tons of pictures. Most importantly, meet tons of your new sisters! You dance, eat and hang out until its time to go back to the dorms until you see all your sisters again.
Through the entire sorority recruitment process, this will be one of the most memorable days of your life. You won’t regret it. Through the blood, sweat, and tears, you will understand why going greek is such a big deal.
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