Whether you are new to college or an upperclassman, when you go through recruitment, chapter members refer to you as a ‘PNM’, or ‘Potential New Member’. What that means is that every woman who enters the recruitment rounds has a chance to become a sister of any sorority on campus. That gives you a lot of options, which can become extremely nerve-wracking. To make the process easier, here is an advice guide
that tells you what sorority women are looking for and how to make the most of recruitment.
DRESS TO IMPRESS.
Before recruitment starts, my school has an informative meeting on how to dress during each round of recruitment. Looks aren’t everything, but keep in mind that, if given a bid, you will be representing a national organization. Showing up in Nike shorts to Pref night is a big no-no. Many organizations have a day during the week that they like to dress up on in order to display their professionalism. Even if they don’t, it’s often guaranteed that you’ll need to dress like you’re going to a job interview at chapter. If you have a low budget, don’t feel like you need to go all out and spend your hard-earned money. Thrift stores have plenty of cute business attire from name brands.
TAKE SCHOOL SERIOUSLY.
Even though you’re considering joining Greek life, remember that school should always come first. One of the top complaints about PNMs during voting is how they act in class. Whether it’s because you’re always on your phone or your attitude towards the professor, that will not create a good image for you. Sorority women pride themselves in being the best of the best, and that includes how well we perform in school. That is not to say that we never struggle in class or with our majors; we don’t expect you to be perfect. However, what we do want to see is that you’re trying your best to succeed, and that cannot be done by going out every weekend instead of studying.
KEEP AN OPEN MIND.
As a sorority woman who has faced both sides of recruitment, I can tell you that the hardest things to battle are the stereotypes. Common sorority stereotypes are that we are all rich, dumb, pretty blonde women who want to do nothing but get drunk and hang out with fraternity men. Movies and television shows do not help with our image, but I can tell you for a fact that they are not realistic. News media like to publish every bad thing that every Greek organization has ever done. However, what they don’t see are our love for our philanthropies and how much money we raise for wonderful causes. They turn their heads when we complete community service hours or enact anti-hazing policies. Keep an open mind when going through recruitment, because you’ll be surprised at how well you’ll get along with women who you thought you could never relate to.
FOLLOW YOUR HEART – NOT THE CROWD.
Last but not least, make sure you are being honest with yourself when you are going through recruitment. Do you really like that sorority, or is it because you’ve heard people say that it’s the most popular on campus with the prettiest girls? Popularity won’t matter if you’re not truly happy with the organization you chose. Even if your roommate or best friend wants to join another organization, don’t let her decision impact you. Trust me when I say that you can be just as close with her even when you wear different letters. Join the organization that you feel is the best fit for you, because it’s very likely that those women feel the exact same way about you.
If you don’t feel like you belong in Greek life, you are not alone. There are plenty of women that drop out of recruitment every year because they didn’t find the right fit. It is VERY important that you realize that that is perfectly okay. We are here to help you make that decision, regardless of whether or not you join our organization. Don’t feel pressured to join a sorority just because you’re afraid that you won’t be able to be friends with those women any more. You need to do what is best for you, regardless of what others think. Follow your heart, because that is where you will find true happiness.
