For anyone, deciding on a new chapter in life is scary yet so exciting. One of those new chapters in life happens to be Sorority recruitment.
Deciding to go through recruitment and to join a sorority is something nerve-wrecking, and stressful, but it is oh so worth it to find a chapter perfect for you. As someone who has been through recruitment as a Potential New Member (PNM) and as a sister of my own chapter, there's some advice every girl going through as a PNM could use.
First off, don't be afraid to be who you are.
Chapters want to know the real you and the sisters in each one want to make real connections with PNMs. These real connections are what make up strong sisterhoods that everyone benefits from. No matter who you are, there is a chapter and an organization that serves as a perfect for you, the real you.
Second, EVERYONE is nervous.
Trust me, being a PNM is a very stressful time, and when I went through, I worried constantly about what the different chapters on campus thought of me. After doing recruitment as a sister of my own chapter, I realized that the sisters are just as nervous, if not more, than the PNMs because we want all of you to love us too.
Third of all, trust the system.
I know this is something you'll probably hear your recruitment counselors say over and over again, but it honestly is true. Sometimes as a PNM, you may get your heart set on one chapter, may it because of reputation, the well-known name, the photos and videos you see, or maybe even a couple sisters you may know. Sadly, that may not be the one best fit for you. I promise, it isn' t the end of the world, and being a part of a chapter that you fit into so perfectly is so worth it in the long run in terms of happiness.
Lastly, you WILL survive.
Just relax, be true to yourself, have genuine conversations, and go with the flow, and everything will fall into place. Sorority recruitment is a time filled with finding the perfect, yet comfortable, outfits, hearing loud chants and songs from sisters on the other side of a door, a little bit of disappointment when you may not make a connection with a particular chapter, and sheer joy of meeting so many new people. Everything will be well worth it once you receive your bid and run home to your new chapter and all your new sisters on bid day. I still remember my bid day like it was yesterday, and I'm ever thankful for the experience called recruitment as well as the chapter in my life called college and sororities.
