Dear PNM,
As this fall’s primary recruitment gets closer, there must be a million things on your mind. What will I wear? What should I bring? How should I do my hair? Those were all things that I had on my mind as well. It’s an exciting time of year. You are in college, many of you it’s your first year, and you want your four years to be filled with amazing experiences. Joining greek life on campus is a great way to make connections, be a part of a supportive community, and find the chapter where you feel like you belong. But, going through recruitment can be a very stressful and challenging time. Here are 5 tips I have for all PNM’s going through recruitment to make it the best experience it can be:
1. Plan, Plan, Plan
One of my biggest tips is to plan for anything unexpected to come up so that you can feel more prepared and focused on the rounds themselves. Looking at the weather ahead of time is key. Bringing an umbrella, a rain jacket, and even wearing rain boots are all things I found helpful when going through recruitment. Iowa weather is unpredictable, so having a plan when things happen can relieve extra stress that you don’t need! Also make sure to bring some of the basics along like bobby pins, a hair tie, some comfy shoes, and deodorant (because you will be running!).
2. Don’t Worry
Going through recruitment can be very challenging at some points. Will your favorite chapter ask you back next round? Are you going to find a chapter where you belong? There can be so many thoughts going through your head that it can be hard to focus on having a good time. Take deep breaths and remember that you are doing this to find your future sisters who will love you for who you are. At the end of the day, everything will work out how it's supposed to, even if it doesn’t seem that way right now. Also, you will look beautiful no matter what you wear so don’t worry so much about that either.
3. Trust the Process
As cliche as it may sound, it is really important to remember that what happens during recruitment is all for a reason. It can be hard when you really love a certain chapter only to find out that you did not get asked back the next round. Getting asked back (or not) says nothing about you as a person, and just means that you might not have been the best fit. That is okay. Give each chapter an equal chance, because even if you didn’t have the best experience first round, your opinions can definitely change! After going through recruitment, I realized that being open minded about each chapter can really give you a better overall experience. I really do believe that if you stay true to who you are, you will end up where you are supposed to be.
4. Do it for Yourself
This is your college experience. While going through recruitment, you will be around tons of other PNM’s and hearing what everyone else has to say about chapters. You might hear things from your roommate, friends, or family, but YOU are the one going through the process. Your experiences can be totally different from those around you, and that is okay! How you feel is what is important, and trusting your gut is too. My biggest piece of advice is to think to yourself how you feel being in the chapter’s house and while talking to everyone there. Taking notes on your phone describing your experiences and your feelings is really helpful for later on when you’re trying to remember. And always trust what your heart tells you and how you feel.
5. Stay True to You
While going through recruitment, you will be talking to so many different women and will be asked what seems like a million questions (some over and over). Now is the time to talk about you! What you love to do, your hobbies, about your friends, family and goals for the future. Knowing what you value and believe is a good foundation to hold onto throughout this process. Finding a chapter that shares similar values as you is important because those will be the women who will be your future sisters. Always be yourself, because you’re amazing! Being yourself will allow you to find your home where you feel supported, loved and valued for the person that you are.
I hope these 5 tips can help you make the most of your recruitment experience and help you find a chapter to call home. Remember that every sorority woman has been in your place! Finding your place in a chapter and opening that card on bid day is an indescribable feeling, and it all starts now. Remember to always have fun and cherish the memories that you make throughout this process! You will be amazing and it will all be worth it when you get to run home.