Monday, January 16th, 2017: more commonly known at the University of North Georgia as Bid Day. Over 300 girls are going to be divided up between six sororities, and it is one of the most exciting times for not only the girls going through recruitment, but also the sisters who have been preparing for them since the last pledge class was initiated. I personally can't speak for the other sororities, but I can speak for mine and my experience within it from the moment I ran down the hill and into my new sisters' arms a year ago, until this bid day, as I wait at the bottom of the hill for the new sisters to run to me.
Pledge class of 2017, you're going to be confused. When the joy of Bid Day and meeting your new sisters wears off, you suddenly realize that there's so much to do. New member retreats, various new member meetings, meeting your various pals who may eventually become your Big, figuring out who you want your Big to be, trying to make friends with your new pledge class, meanwhile trying to manage a job, schoolwork and a social life outside of the Greek realm. Wanna know something good, though? That's what your new sisters are for -- to be the light to guide you and to help you every step of the way, forever and always cheering you on.
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You're going to want to order every t-shirt -- don't. Or do, I can't tell you what to do, but there are going to be a LOT of t-shirts available to you throughout the years as a sister, and you need to learn to practice self-control, as all of those t-shirts add up on your monthly bill. T-shirts could be anywhere from $10-$25, depending on how many people order them -- not to mention the infinite number of clothing available to you online with your letters or cute saying -- those cost PLUS the price of shipping, and you could go very broke very quickly.
BE SMART. Seriously. Listen to older sisters who give you advice -- they've been there and they know the ropes of the sorority. If they tell you not to drink during a certain period, then DON'T. Don't party or make a fool of yourself in letters. If a sister wants to introduce you to someone, don't roll your eyes and "have a last minute conflict," as that girl could ultimately be your future big.
Speaking of, meet as many sisters as possible. Go to the new member retreat, go to socials, attend your sorority's Greek events on campus, follow everyone on various social media platforms (comment something nice, occasionally) and have fun! You're going to have an endless network of friends and people that are always going to be beside you in most everything you do.
Joining a sorority will be one of the most fulfilling things you'll ever do. Hold the values of your sorority near and dear to your heart, meet the sisters and love them with your whole heart, as they will love you with theirs. Sisterhood is so much more than what you see on social media or read about in magazines -- it's something that can't truly be explained; it must be felt in order to understand it's depth. Don't listen to the people that say you're paying for your friends. If I "paid for my friends," I didn't pay nearly enough. Congratulations, pledge class of 2017, and welcome to the sisterhood.
