My Recruitment Story

Charisse A.

I don’t have the typical recruitment story. I didn’t sign up as a wide eyed freshman fresh outta high school, anxiously waiting for this process to begin. I didn’t meet so many sororities on campus during recruitment to where I lost track of faces and names. My recruitment experience is just the opposite.

               I had struggled with the thought of seeing myself in a sorority, but figured “hey, why not?” So I told my parents I wanted to go through recruitment during first semester of college. Needless to say they were not on board because they wanted academics to be my number one focus, understandably so. So I waited until spring semester. At that point, I was fully immersed in my school work and other extracurriculars that I didn’t even know how I’d be able to balance everything! But after a lot of back and forth from my parents, they finally became a little bit more understanding.

               Because I went through spring semester, I had an informal experience; meaning I would go to some events that each sorority was hosting and see where my best fit was. (It was pretty easy to decide, considering my school at the time only had 2 sororities.) I knew which house I belonged to. I knew where I wanted to establish my roots. Getting my bid was just perfect yet so surreal! And at first, I thought I wouldn’t feel the same as someone who went through recruitment before felt when they were greeted by so many sisters singing and yelling, waiting for new sisters to embrace them! I did in fact felt that way! Here’s where everything gets a little weird.

               Towards the end of second semester, news broke that my school and another one were “merging” which meant that my university and another were to now be housed under the same name and jurisdiction. This also meant that for the fraternities and sororities who existed on both campus would also consolidate and we’d have to take on a whole new group of guys/girls whom we didn’t even know! After a lot of back and forth and trying to fit all the pieces together, everything turned on alright! I was initiated with a pledge class of 4, but now have a pledge class of over 70, will be recruiting with more than 80 sisters, and are expected to recruit HUNDREDS of PNMS!

            

   So like I said, I don’t have the most traditional recruiting story, but it’s unique and something special that I’ll always carry with me. 

Disaffiliation Is A Lot Harder Than I Thought

This summer and upcoming fall, I have to disaffiliate/disassociate myself from my sorority because I have the opportunity to be a rho gamma in this year's recruitment. 

Let me tell you, during my interview they asked me if I will have any trouble from disaffiliation considering that I have to showcase an unbiased opinion. I told the interviewers, "I can disaffiliate easily. It can't be that hard because it's only the summer. And I'll busy myself, so I don't think there's a chance I'll see them in public anyways." 

I was wrong. 

It was a long and tedious process to hide my photos and privatize every social media account I had. Thankfully, there were loopholes where I can still talk to my sisters with texting but it was like I was creating a forbidden relationship with my own chapter.  

When some girls wanted to hang out with me, we actually had to think logistically because of a possible potential new member spotting my sister in her srat gear. Then there was moments in group outings where sisters would take photos for PR, and I was either the photographer or the girl awkwardly watching from the sidelines. 

I can walk on campus and see my sister but I can't open wave to them or hug them. I literally have to look the other way or not make eye contact with them. It has turned to a point where any type of public communication is literally not allowed with us!

There are definite pluses to disaffiliation because I am able to meet a whole range of amazing girls from different chapters and I can focus on the new members during recruitment. While disaffiliation seems hard right now, I find it hopeful because then I can start running back into my sisters's arms and proudly wear my letters again. 

No Matter the Letters - We're All Greek Together

I’m sure it’s happened to you before. You’re walking across campus, proudly sporting your letters, and across the way you spot a girl in another sorority’s letters. As you make brief, almost-awkward eye contact with her as you cross paths, you can’t help but smile a little. Hey! I’m in a sorority, too! We’re both Greeks! While she may not be your sister, she’s a sister, nonetheless. And that’s something special. While you may not be in the same sorority, you know that she understands the sorority experience, and you can bet that she lives up to her sorority’s values just as you do yours. So doesn’t that make you sisters, all the same?

“PANHELLENIC SISTERS: NO MATTER THE LETTERS, WE’RE ALL GREEK TOGETHER.”

It’s a thing. You’ve seen it on Pinterest. You’ve probably liked and shared it on Facebook. There are plenty of Panhel-Pride images out there that make you proud to be you. And it really is something to be proud of. I mean, think about it: we’re members of fraternal organizations that have banded together to create a beautiful alliance of womanhood and Greek pride. That’s the National Panhellenic Conference, comprised of twenty-six sororities that strive to help women become their best and bond with sisters to make friendships that last a lifetime. It’s an organization that helps sororities to strive and flourish, enhancing the college experience and promoting friendship and sisterhood among collegians. Your school’s Panhel is made up of leadership representatives from all sororities on campus working together to promote the sorority experience for everyone. This Panhel thing certainly is something to be proud of, isn’t it?

No matter the letters, we are all Greek together. We all have aspects that bind us together, and though our traditions may be unique, we are all united by that Panhel Love.

Letters and Greek Pride
Whatever letters you wear proudly on your sweatshirt, you have letters to believe in. These letters mean more to you than meets the eye, more than anyone not duly initiated could even imagine. You’ve learned your letters’ true history and significance throughout your sorority experience. They are sacred. Whether you sport two letters or three, you have something to be proud of, and so do the other sorority women on your campus. When you wear your letters, you represent everything your sorority believes in and everything the sisterhood has meant to you. And you know what? We all have that privilege. Anyone who wears any letters at all knows the feeling of pride you get from walking across campus in your Bid Day shirt, thinking to yourself, “That’s right, I’m a proud member of Kappa Alpha Theta! (or what have you.)” Every sorority woman knows that feeling of an indescribable love for all her sisters, countless memories, and tears of joy. How can one possibly describe these wonderful feelings in mere words? You don’t have to. You have your letters. The letters say it all.

A Rich Heritage
Each sorority has its own unique history, its own founders, and its own story. Some have 11 founders, some have 4, but we can all attribute our memories back to a group of courageous women who founded an organization that would soon grow to be what it is today. Whether you’re a proud member of the Syracuse Triad or the Macon Magnolias, you’ve got heritage. You have thousands of sisters across the globe. You’ve got sisters that have come before you and will come after you. We all share a continuing history. Though our stories may be different, we all have a history that dates back through the generations, often back to when a woman attending college was a rarity. Just as you have your own family history, your sisters across the world and your Panhellenic sisters all have history to cherish.

Traditions and Rituals
Whatever they may be, we all have rituals. Though we don’t talk to them outside of the chapter room, we all have our secrets. These secrets are sacred and cherished. They are the tie that binds all sisters together. Sisters have been diligently conducting these traditions for generations. While the rituals of another sorority may be different from yours (whatever they are), they are traditions, nonetheless. It’s an honor to be a part of something so magical. I don’t know about you, but I sure feel the goosebumps whenever I participate in my chapter’s Ritual. I’m sure other women understand.

Campus Pride/Greek System Pride
Regardless of your letters, you’re still a proud student of your campus. You’re still a member of the Greek system. You’ve all competed together, you’ve all celebrated together, and you’ve all studied together. You’re a lady and a scholar. You’ve got school pride and sorority pride. Might as well show it off!

Character
Although you may still feel bitter about your rival sorority’s win of the Homecoming contests, you can’t deny that those women are still wonderful people on the inside. We were all chosen to become members of our respective organizations because our sisters saw something in us that they believed in. They saw the chapter’s values in us and knew that we would be excellent members of the chapter. Heck, they straight-up liked us as people! We’re all women of character, so toss rivalries aside and remember this.

Other sorority women know the true values of sisterhood. They know what it’s like to scream in delight as you get your beloved little on Big/Little Reveal. They know how it is to be rescued from an awkward bar encounter from your best wingwoman. They know what it’s like to have unconditional love for one another.

Our differences are what make us unique. Like a rose is made up of individual petals, a sorority is made up of individual members. Panhel is a garden, made of individual rosebushes.


And so, whether you’re repping angels and arrows, squirrels and pearls, or a golden lyre, you’re repping something more. You’re a proud woman of Panhel. Now, go out there and show some Panhel pride!

Editor's Note: This post was written by one of our new writers, Lauren. Be sure to leave her comments on her first official post!