This year during recruitment, I had the honor of being a Pi Chi for Auburn Panhellenic.

For those of you who don't know, Pi Chi stands for Panhellenic counselor, and each Pi Chi leads a group of girls through the trials that are recruitment.

Auburn Panhellenic begins interviewing girls in January that have submitted applications, and those chosen spend the entire spring semester preparing for their duties. During finals week, the Pi Chis disaffiliate themselves from their sorority for the summer, which means no sorority t-shirts and being undercover on all social media. I have to admit, when I submitted my application in January, I didn't know exactly how big of a blessing being a Pi Chi would be.

Four days before recruitment began, all 84 of us Pi Chis moved into a hotel for the duration of recruitment. Our roommates were randomly selected, and luckily for me, my roommates are now some of my favorite people on this planet. We laughed and cried and sometimes laughed until we cried every night. And that was even before recruitment began!

Every Pi Chi group has about 16 or 17 girls that are mixed together from all over America, quickly becoming best friends during recruitment. To me, watching these friendships form was one of the most rewarding things about being a Pi Chi. I would see my girls coordinating rides and walking together to the Village every day and I'd get that warm and fuzzy feeling inside. My group and I went to lunch and dinner together every night to discuss the events of that day, tell funny stories, and prepare for the next round. It was stepping outside the bubble of recruitment and relaxing that really helped the group grow closer and bond. 

Being a Pi Chi showed me a different side of recruitment. I wasn't trying to impress anyone, I wasn't judging anyone, I was simply an observer and a support system for all of the girls going through. I saw the excitement, the suspense, the heartbreak, and the relief all in one short week. It was amazing!

The joy I felt when I saw my babies open their bids was greater than opening my own. Recruitment is a hard week for everyone, and Pi Chis are there to make it easier on the girls. I hope I made an impact on my group of girls like the impact my Pi Chi had on my. Hands down, this was my favorite year of recruitment, and I'm sad that it's over, but a Pi Chis work is never done. I will be a Momma Bear of sorts to my girls as long as they'll let me! I'm thankful for the opportunity to give up my letters, so my girls could find theirs.