Columns

Countdown To Commencement: Recruitment

Door stack

Recruitment is a polarizing subject. Either you live for it or you’d rather die. The only exception are seniors. They feel both at once. They would rather be anywhere in the world, but they know they would regret not doing it. Plus, they gotta make sure the new girls don’t let the chapter go to shit. When you are a senior in recruitment, you have assumed a responsibility above just recruiting new girls. You have gone through this enough to be able to pass on some wisdom to the girls who are just starting. You’re just as important as the recruitment chair. Well, not really, but you get it.

Before the doors fly open and you chant your little heart out for the last time, there’s one huge obstacle: recruitment practice. Some chapters give it fun names like “spirit week” to try to put lipstick on a pig, but everyone knows what is in store. Going over chants until the one girl who can’t even clap on beat finally gets it. Review for the 80,000th time what your philanthropy is and what you do for it. What to say and what not to say. It’s mind-numbing. Just, like, be normal. It’s not that hard.

Fast forward to the first PNM, and she is a dud. Literally a brick wall with eyeballs on it. You do everything: you ask her questions, you show her crafts, you go on and on about how you love your sisterhood, but time is just crawwwwwwling by. You desperately try to get someone’s attention, but everyone seems to be having the time of their muhfuckin’ lives. For a few seconds, you test her a little bit and just stare at her to see what she does. Wouldn’t ya know, she just stares right back at you. The party ends and you have never been happier to see someone leave.

The next girl is exponentially better than the first one. As soon as you meet her, you want to drag her over to your g-little and force them to love each other so she is in your family. You forgot why recruitment is so exciting. You are building the future of your chapter, and as much as you pretend you are super chill about it, it’s really important you don’t leave a bunch of schweiners behind.

It’s pref, and for the last time, you recite the first ritual you ever heard. The words have a whole new meaning to you now. You look around the room at your sisters, and you have a whole new appreciation for them. You and the other seniors have been through a lot together, and the fact that you are all still standing together is not something that can be overlooked. Even if you’re not a cryer, tears well up in your eyes when you think about the end of this chapter in your life. Not the sorority chapter. They are going to be just fine without you. Relax.

Welcoming the new girls on Bid Day is not only fun to meet the new members of your chapter (or at least the five of them whose names you’ll remember), but seeing how excited younger sisters are. They are building their own families and friendships that will last them for as long as they are friends on Facebook.

Your feet are blistered, your hands are permanently red, your voice is gone for at least three days, but in the end it’s all worth it. Even though you’ll never ever admit it.

Email this to a friend

Ali Hin

A born and raised Jersey girl, she can always be found covered in sand and pizza sauce. Her personal brand is "that girl." She prefers wine in bottles because she thinks outside of the box. Send fan mail to [email protected] or by smoke signal.

For More Photos and Videos

Latest podcasts

New Stories

Load More