Girls posting requests for sorority reference letters, members of sororities asking girls to stop requesting reference letters on large Facebook groups, articles about rush, shopping for the perfect rush outfits -- recruitment season is starting to gear up. It’s an exciting time that will -- for many -- lead to sisterhood retreats, sister study groups, brunch dates, big/little love, and many other things. The RCs or Rho Gammas (or whatever your school happens to call them) will let you know a few things about recruitment but there are other things you should know, too.

1. It’s normal to be nervous

Every other girl who is going through recruitment is probably just as nervous as you are. It’s a new experience for most of you and it’s exciting, but your putting yourself out there for a group of girls you’ve probably never met before (unless your school does deferred recruitment or you are going through recruitment informally or after your first year at your school) to determine whether or not they think you are a good fit, which leads me to my next point.

2. Keep an open mind

You’ll hear this one a lot because it’s extremely important to keep an open mind through the entire process. I know of girls who decided what sorority they were going to go to the first night and refused to go to any other recruitment party or were rude at the other sororities recruitment parties; for some of them the sorority liked them back and the girl got a bid. For most of the girls who tried that method, the sorority decided the girl wouldn’t be a good match and the girl had to drop out. Girls in different sororities talk to each other; if you’re rude at recruitment parties, other sororities will find out and it will be taken into consideration. I know of another girl who didn’t want to be part of a particular sorority because she was a legacy. She still gave them a chance and by the end of the week she found that she actually liked the girls in that sorority and their values lined up with her own and she accepted when they extended her a bid.

3. You may not know what sorority you want, and that’s OK.

Over the recruitment period you’ll hear a lot of girls say that they know exactly which sorority they want and you may have no idea which sorority is right for you. That’s normal. You may have your “I’ve-found-my-sorority-home” moment at a later party, at preference, at bid day when you open your bid, when you run to your chosen sorority and start getting hugs, or you may never have that moment. This moment shouldn’t be a make-it-or-break-it factor. If a certain sorority isn’t right for you, you won’t get that feeling anyway. If a sorority is right for you and you don’t have that moment, it doesn’t matter because the sorority is right for you.

4. You may not find your sorority home in a Panhellenic sorority

Sometimes you may not find your sorority home in a Panhellenic sorority, that’s OK, too. If your school has them, try local sororities and academic fraternities. There are fantastic people in local sororities and academic fraternities just like there are in Panhellenic sororities.

5. Relax, try not to stress

This goes back to the first point, but it’s important enough to get its own point. Recruitment is stressful as a potential new member; sorority members know this and they’ve been through it on your side, too. Don’t think of recruitment as an interview, think of it as getting to meet new people and make friends.

6. Think about what you want

Do you want to be part of an organization of mostly scholars, athletes, music majors, etc., or do you want to surround yourself with a variety of people? Decide what you want to get out of your experience and the type of people you want to share your experiences with. You’re going to be spending a lot of time with your sorority sisters, make sure they are what you want in a group of girls.

7. Be yourself

This is probably the most important piece of advice. Be yourself. Don’t pretend to like stuff that you don’t; don’t put up a fake version of you. Why go through recruitment to find a group of girls who share your values that you’re going to be spending a lot of time with just to not show them who you really are? It’s a waste of time, if you’re not being yourself there’s no way for a sorority to have an accurate idea of whether or not you fit their values and you may lose out on a sorority that was your perfect fit.