Attention potential new members! I know, I know…you are terrified that you are going to mess up recruitment. I ended up in a great sorority, as most of you reading this will. However, looking back, I can’t believe I made it through alive. Recruitment is a totally scary and overwhelming time. Every girl who went through it, no matter what they tell you, was terrified that they would make a bad impression, get dropped from every house, and become a social leper.
Everyone wants advice, yet the only thing that your mom, sister, friend, or sorority column will recommend will be to ‘ be yourself’.
However, ‘ being yourself’ in 3 minute structured conversations is much easier said than done. Acting natural in an unnatural situation is a ridiculous thing to ask of a person.
So here are some real tips to not only ‘be yourself’, but be the best version of yourself during recruitment.
Get away from “seems nice”.
These words should strike fear into your heart. “ Seems nice” is a death sentence in recruitment. A girl who “seems nice” will slip from the rusher’s mind immediately after talking to her. No one wants a sister who “ seems nice”. Make sure always to give the sorority girl you talk to something substantial as a takeaway from your convo, whether it’s an interesting hobby or a cool accessory.
Shut up.
I know you’re nervous. Take a breath and slowwwww dowwwwwn. The girl you are talking to during rush will like you more the more she gets to talk. It’s basic science: Everyone loves to hear their own voice, so be engaging and have a conversation, not an interview. Exposing nervousness is not appealing.
There are bad things to talk about.
PLEASE do not talk about Netflix, sleeping, how much you love eating, traveling, your freshman floor, your major and how you never thought you’d rush a sorority. Unless you have a take on these that is revolutionary, don’t waste time on these universal things. Having a long conversation about binge watching TV or sleeping in late gives the girl rushing you one piece of information: You are a college student. This is just not enough.
That being said, *CAREFULLY* talk about taboo topics.
There are always topics that they say not to talk about. Boys, parties, etc. Tread lightly, but particularly as the recruitment rounds wear on, these topics will come up and you shouldn’t freak out if they do. Read the situation, but don’t have an aneurysm if the girl rushing you mentions something that doesn’t follow the rules. Be cool.
Dress well.
Not designer. Well. Follow the outfit rules, but add style. Don’t break the dress code because you just have to wear heels on day 1. There is about a 1% chance that you won’t be pegged as a diva. However, if you are wearing the coolest wedges we have ever seen on prefs day, we will notice. Anyone who says looks don’t matter in recruitment is straight up lying. You don’t have to look like a Barbie, but look your best.
Don’t be a one-trick pony
Be careful not to talk about one topic the whole conversation. This can be hard for a 3 minute round of talking, but it’s important. Remember that the girl you are talking to very well may be faking interest in your major or your summer experiences. Changing it up gives you a good chance of landing on something interesting, and gives the sorority girl a chance to get to know multiple sides of you.
Horses and camp counseling.
On that note, I have a special request for horse girls and summer camp counselors: shut up about them. Unless you are talking to another girl who loves horses, horseback riding is one of the least relatable topics out there. It is complicated for people who don’t know about it, and seems hyper-girly. The mere fact that horse girls can talk about horses forever is annoying enough for me to cut them immediately. Being a summer camp counselor is similar to being a horse girl in that I don’t care about it at all. Every wealthy white girl was a summer camp counselor as a “job”. It tells me nothing about you and camp traditions are boring for outsiders to hear. Unless you did something seriously cool as a counselor, just don't do it.
Don’t be too eager.
Even if you’re not, try and act like you aren’t about to pee your pants from nervousness. You don’t necessarily need to pretend like it’s just another day, but if you’re relaxed and chill it is so much easier to imagine hanging out with you as friends.
Seriously, the best way to not f$#% up recruitment is to relax. If you can stay calm, your personality will come through and you can find the right sorority for you!
