Dear all of you “So I’m Thinking about going Greek” girls,

Your application has been filed, and your name is on our lists. Beginning Saturday, you will be going through the five-day period that all of us sorority women went through – formal recruitment. In that time, your life at Elon will be forever changed. No matter how intense that may sound, it’s absolutely true.

I decided to go through recruitment because it just seemed like the thing to do. Walking around campus as a freshman, I couldn’t help but notice girls wearing their letter shirts and seeing fun parties on Facebook featuring sorority women. Also, being from Texas, I saw it as either you go Greek or you go home. All of my friends from back home went through recruitment in the fall and only one had an enjoyable experience. When January rolled around, I was beyond anxious.

From shopping with my mom over winter break for the “perfect outfits” to asking upperclassmen for advice, recruitment seemed so epic to me. I was so influenced by what other people were saying that I became very uncomfortable with the idea of walking into foreign homes.

As a Greek woman, let me give you girls going through formal recruitment a little advice:

Please relax. Please be yourself. If you come into a house pretending to be someone you are not, I have news for you: you will end up in the wrong organization. The goal of recruitment is for several sororities to personally get to know you and then ultimately compete for your vote before bid day. We want you, so we won’t be judging you.

Please be open-minded. Do not walk into a house thinking you know everything about that organization. Believing rumors and stereotypes will ruin your experience. The women that you are going to meet have worked so hard to prepare for each round, so please respect them. We are all so excited to get to know you and welcome you into our homes. Treat this experience not as a way of “getting in,” but as a way of growing.

Keep being excited! Going through recruitment is an amazing experience. It’s a nerve wracking experience and you will talk about nothing but sororities for five days straight, but it represents the beginning of a great change in your personal, social and collegiate life.

Love your Pi Chi’s. These women have gone above and beyond just for you. They have disaffiliated from their organizations for an entire semester (and we all know that literally can seem like an eternity). They are there not to assist you in finding you a home, but to hold your hand, support your decision and answer any questions that you may have. Turn to them, not your roommates or upperclassmen, if you have any concerns about the process. They are there for you!

Remember that we represent an eternal bond. By joining a sorority, you are committing yourself not only to your sisters, but to your letters and philanthropy too.

Good luck, girls! Don’t be discouraged, you will find your home and will end up where you are supposed to be!

Sincerely, Suzie Sorority

Student: - 01/23/07