Almost every woman in a sorority experiences the thrill of being a woman participating in recruitment as a Potential New Member and as a Member doing the recruiting. Not every one gets to see the side of Recruitment a Pi Chi does. We are the ones that PNMs come to when they are nervous, excited, upset, elated and confused. Talking to these girls has continually helped remind me of why I chose the sorority I did.

On top of getting a great reminder of our own recruitment experiences, we get the chance to become close with women from other organizations. I have learned so much about the other sororities on my campus and I have gained such a great appreciation for my fellow Greek sisters. Our letters may be different but we are all united in our love of our own organizations and our desire to help these PNMs find where they want to go. I have truly fallen in love with the group of women that made up our Pi Chi group this week. Everyone brings a different personality to the table and different experiences.

In a few interviews I asked the Pi Chis some questions: (They are keeping their code names ;) My code name was Princess Belle!)    

1.)   Why did you want to be a Pi Chi?

“Because I really love Greek life and I really want to share that with the PNMs going through recruitment.” -Princess Tiana

 “Because I got really super close with my Pi Chis when I was a PNM. I was super shy through recruitment and they were my only friends during Recruitment week. So I really wanted to help out girls the way my Pi Chis helped me.” –Agent Ashburn

Blue Fish also said that she wanted to leave a lasting impact on the women going through Recruitment and said, “My Pi Chis were so great, one of them still talks to me. Every time I see her, she freaks out and tells me how proud she is of me, and it makes me feel so good about myself, even two years afterwards.”

I think every Pi Chi wants to see the women from their group and know that they helped someone find their home and make it through a stressful but exciting week.  I personally wanted to be a Pi Chi because I thought that my experience as a PNM would help me to relate to the PNMs going through recruitment this year. As a legacy who joined a different sorority than my mother’s I felt I could relate very well to women in the same situation. No one really understood what I was going through during my recruitment experience. I wanted to make sure that PNMs in that situation had someone they could talk to.  

2.)   What is the best/most exciting thing about being a Pi Chi?

“I think just getting to see recruitment through a set of eyes that a lot of people in sororities don’t get to see… It’s really exciting to be on the side getting to watch the PNMs and the girls recruiting.” –Princess Tiana

“I am so excited to meet all the new babies and help them find their home! It sounds so cheesy but I am so excited for it!” –Blue Fish

“Getting to meet all of the other girls in other sororities that I never thought I’d get along with. I can see a whole new perspective on each chapter. Each stereotype I thought was true is completely gone.” –Agent Ashburn  

I think these answers do a fantastic job of summing up the best parts of being a Pi Chi. We get to see a new perspective, build Pan-Hellenic love, and get to make a lasting impact on women’s lives in the Greek community.  

3.)   What is the hardest part of being a Pi Chi? 

“There’s going to be girls that don’t want to join your own sorority and it is difficult to not take that personally.” –Princess Tiana

“The hardest thing about disaffiliating is not being able to say I am in an organization. Also, my sisters will be like, these are all of my sisters, and I have to be like, not me. It's really hard.” –Blue Fish 

“Not being emotionally invested in your sorority’s recruitment, like wanting to know how everything is going with your own sorority, but not being able to be involved.” –Agent Mullins.

It is very difficult to stay unbiased during recruitment. We do it because we want the PNMs to have the best experience possible. However, sometimes PNMs forget that we are sorority members also and it is really hard to let it go and keep in mind that not everyone is going to love our sorority just as much we do. However, nothing compares to the feeling you get when you know the PNMs are about to experience the same elation as you did when you opened your own bid.

 I am so thoroughly proud of the decision I made to be a Pi Chi for 2014 Recruitment. I have truly grown as a woman of the Pan-Hellenic Community at Georgia Southern University and I would encourage any one to apply to be a Recruitment Counselor!