With recruitment coming up, I thought I would share my top 5 things I want all Potential New Members to know before going into recruitment. I hope these tips help you find your homes and open up a world of possibilities. I've never once regretted my decision to join Greek life, and I know it can offer you the same opportunities. 

1 // It's okay to be nervous. When it comes to recruitment, everyone is nervous. The chapters, the rho gammas, the eboard, the other potential new members- all of them nervous. What's important is to not let it affect the way you shine during recruitment. 

2 // Be yourself. It sounds so cliche and everyone says it, but it's so true. Don't put on an act you think the women you're talking to will enjoy. This just holds you back from finding your true home, and when you really think about it, wouldn't it be much nicer to join a chapter where you can completely and utterly be your 100% most authentic self? 

3 // Wear clothes you're comfortable in. Recruitment is long. Do you really want to be stuck in shoes that squeeze your feet, a dress that's itchy, or clothes that make you pick yourself apart? If you're comfortable in what you're wearing, you'll be more focused on the conversations you're having with Panhellenic women than you're meeting as opposed to focusing on what you're wearing.

4 // Ask questions. This shows the chapters you're interested in learning more about them. No question is a dumb question, and they have been trained on how to handle just about anything that is thrown at them, so if something's really on your mind just ask. It's easier to make an informed decision on where you want to call home when you know all the facts. So ask the question- it might just make an impression.

5 // Keep an open mind. So many women go into recruitment thinking they want to go home to a certain chapter because of the pictures they see online and the stories they've heard. It's a lot different seeing the highlights reel than actually living life as a member of that chapter though. Don't go in with a fixed gaze. The chapter you never gave a second thought to might honestly be your best fit, and you do not want to miss out on the friendships that Greek life has to offer to you.

Let's Talk Greek.

I'm upset. Actually, I'm peeved. 

What's got me so upset? An article about Greek life. This article, to be exact. While I love the Odyssey and totally appreciate the outlet it gives people who may otherwise have no voice, sometimes it really gets me heated. This is one of those times. 

Frankly, I was disappointed when I saw it pop up in my facebook feed for the first time. By the third & fourth, I was over it completely. Everything from the picture to the final sentence got me feeling fiery. I was also a smidge disappointed with the multiple individuals who shared it, as it very wrongly portrays Greek life at our "small" midwestern school. While I can see how some of these points may be valid at SEC schools, I find them generally untrue for my campus in particular. 

Let's take a gander, shall we? 

1. Belonging. I do not have waist long blonde hair. I am not rail skinny. I also don't own a white lace dress OR a pair of wedges. Truth be told, I only own two pairs of actual heels, and only one pair is considered meeting attire. Do my sisters still love me? Yes. Do I feel as if I belong regardless? Yes. 

2. Sorority Moms. I cannot think of a single sister who has what this author considers a "sorority mom." My mom was never in a sorority. I wasn't a legacy, and I got into my chapter on my own. My mom has lunches with her friends, because normal people enjoy seeing their friends, but my mom also kicks ass at the gym while working a full time job and taking care of her family. The same has rung true for my sister's moms. I don't think I've ever encountered a sorority mom in my life, and honestly, as an active in a chapter, when would I ever? This seems like a stretch to me... 

3. The money. This I see as a valid reason. And yes, at bigger universities / colleges I can see how this would hinder one's decision. I whole-heartedly believe I couldn't afford Greek life if I did not go to the exceptional university that I am fortunate to attend. BUT (and there's always a but), every chapter on my campus, plus the ones that my friends attend across the state, have payment plans and ways to ease the burden of dues. So I wouldn't let the money completely keep it out of your realm of possibilities just yet. 

4. New beginnings. I totally get wanting college to be a new beginning for you- really, I do. I was the captain of the color-guard in high school. Do you know who people hate more than the band geeks in high school? the color-guard, that's who. I was shy and awkward and I hated having to talk to people I didn't know. So I went through recruitment. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to break out of my shell. Now I'm loud and obnoxious. I'm not sure which is worse, but I'll tell ya- this one is more fun. 

5. Socials. If meeting new people and seeing different points of views and just having fun isn't your thing... I'm not sure what to say. Socials are fun. Themes are even more fun. It's like halloween happening more than once a year. Thought of a rad costume two months after halloween? Not a problem, there's a mixer theme you can fit that costume to work with. It's fun. College is supposed to be about having some fun.  (Would also like to note that I am taking a full college course load + working for housing + still keeping a pretty stellar GPA.)

6. Recruitment. What is one long weekend out of your life if it means meeting your best friends. Nay, your forever friends. Yeah, it's stressful and an emotional roller coaster ride for everyone (and I'm crazy enough to be a Rho Gamma and run the dang thing every year), but really. It's one weekend. Four nights. And at the end of the process you come out with some stellar new friends and a place to call home. At the very least, you have people to eat lunch with, pass on campus, sit in class with, or study with... as opposed to going to your car between classes. Not sure it's much of a toss up. 

7. Stigma. People are always going to be curious about Greek life. It comes with the letters. Most of the time, people don't even know what you do. When I go into job interviews though and have a handful of positions I've held within my chapter, no matter how small, it has always (and I mean always) sparked a good conversation. Besides my ex, nobody's looked down on me for being involved in Greek life. Spoiler alert: the movies are never like the real deal. 

8.Time. You get out what you put in. I have sisters who don't show their faces around exam time and who study their butts off to kick ass in school. They still are relatively active in the chapter, and they're hella focused on their school work. This is just a cheap way to turn me down when I'm trying to recruit you to go through recruitment. You don't have to come to everything (guilty of not going to plenty) to still have an awesome experience.

I'm sure this seemed naggy and plenty will think I'm overly aggressive about the topic, but it's because I know how Greek life has molded me into the person I want to become. For those with the excuses- take 2 minutes and see what Greek life could do for you...

You Are Not A Sorority Girl.

{via}

I have a problem, and it's kind of a big one. My problem stems from media blasts, catty websites, and the portrayals of us running rampant on screen. Because we are easy targets; we are easily degraded. There are endless streams of jokes made about us, horrible nicknames, and misconceived notions about what we actually do. Rather than being seen as contributions to our community, we are viewed negatively. It's a problem that members experience daily, but can often go unresolved because bringing the topic up makes us look hungry for attention. My problem is with the term "sorority girl," and it should be your problem too.

As a sorority woman, I hold myself to a high standard. The second I was given my bid, I felt an overpowering sense that I was now apart of something more than myself. My sorority holds over a hundred years of tradition, service, excellence, and sisterhood. I proudly wear my letters because I believe and value what they represent. The women in my sorority are some of the best women I have been blessed to meet. There is something so powerful about sisterhood and the way in which it brings people together. My sisters are smart, intelligent, and driven women who inspire me daily. They possess far more qualities of young independent women than those of adolescent girls.

Sororities are comprised of collegiate women working to better themselves in academics and in sisterhood. Most, if not all, of my sisters are working their way through school, experiencing adult life on their own, and paving their career paths. They manage academics, a job, and a social life. The juggling act that they somehow so brilliantly manage is admirable. All of these qualities are that of a young woman, or any woman for that matter, working her way through life. So if we are doing all of these things regularly, why are we deemed sorority girls instead of sorority women?

The last time I checked, I am no longer a foolish girl. I don't wear my hair in pig tails, I stopped wearing glitter lipsmackers at the age of 9, and I outgrew my tricycle about 14 years ago. I pay my car insurance, focus on my studies, and work towards paying for my housing. I am not a girl, I am a young woman. And shouldn't we hold ourselves to a higher standard than to degrade ourselves to being called sorority girls? Let's not just stop at the term sorority girls... let's not let ourselves be called girls period. Why let ourselves be cast into a box that we are not members of? We are more than stereotypes, more than foolish girls running around with letters on our shirts, more than what society labels us.

We are women coming together to better our lives and the lives of those around us. We care about philanthropy and service, and while yes, we enjoy our socials and mixers, we know that there is more to being in a sorority than that. While we know what we stand for, outsiders do not. We have to positively represent our letters in our actions, words, and attitudes. Being in a sorority is not a fashion statement, it is a lifestyle. Don't be afraid to correct people. Re-iterate why you are a sorority woman. Because we are not sorority girls. We are sorority women.

What your Rho Gammas want you to know about recruitment

For my university, recruitment starts tomorrow. That's right- the student center will be abuzz with excitement similar to that of Christmas. This weekend mine-as-well be a school wide holiday for all Greeks on campus. While recruitment is exciting for chapters because it means growth, recruitment can be nerve-wrecking for potential new members on the hunt for their new homes. Having gone through recruitment and coming out the other side a year later and a whole lot stronger, I'm hear to be your fairy rho-gammother and bring you all some advice about what you need to know about recruitment. 

1 // Be yourself. If you're finding that you really have to struggle to fit a perceived ideal of a chapter, it might not be the chapter for you. And that's okay. There is a reason that your chapter will be your home. 

2 // It's okay to be nervous. Everyone is nervous. The girls in your recruitment group are nervous, the chapter members are nervous- heck, even your Rho Gamma is nervous. It's totally normal. But don't let it consume you. Embrace the weird nervous feeling and run with it. 

3 // Show your excitement. If you really really really like a chapter, or even an aspect of it, tell the sorority women that! It shows your enthusiasm and honestly, nobody is a mind reader so they will be clear that you're passionate about them. 

4 // Ask questions when you're in your rounds. Be interested about learning more and ask chapter members meaningful questions (such as: why did they go Greek or what their favorite memory has been).

5 // Go in with an open mind. I went into recruitment thinking I knew exactly where I wanted to be. Then I went through the rounds the first night and suddenly I was thinking about a chapter I hadn't even considered previously before. Granted, my original number one became my home (and I am truly so blessed), your recruitment process will never be clear cut. Don't limit yourself because you can't get out of your own mind. 

6 // Make friends with the girls in your color / rounds group. These girls will either become A) your sisters, B) some of your best friends, or C) someone you happen to share a class with every fall semester and literally run into on campus all the time. Make bonds with these girls. It's a special relationship that is built when individuals are going through the same process. 

7 // Utilize your Rho Gammas. We have been training for months for this short week and we are so excited for you, you probably can't even fathom it. We literally love you as our own children and just want to foster your growth in Greek life. So please- ask us questions, send us outfit pics, tell us how you're feeling. We want to be apart of your recruitment process. We live for recruitment. 

8 // Have fun. Don't stress yourself out over recruitment. At the end of the day, you will end up where you belong. Which brings me to...

9 // Trust the process. You may not realize it while it's happening, but you will end up where you belong. I've talked to people who didn't want to be apart of their chapters originally but they gave it a shot and ended up loving it; they would not want to be anywhere else. So just know that wherever you go, there's a reason why it'll end up being home. 

10 // Have fun. Be authentic. Recruitment can be the best experience of your life. I know that not for one minute of my life have I ever regretted going through recruitment and becoming a member of Greek life. #NoRagrets. 

Good luck with recruitment, ladies! Your homes are waiting for you! 

It's all Greek to me

The end of July means that our summers are coming to a close soon and it's nearly time to pack our moving boxes again and get settled into our dorm rooms once more. Fall means new classes, new textbooks, and a new slate. You know what else fall means? Recruitment. 

While I will be the first to shout from the rooftops that I always knew Greek life was for me, I'm here to talk to those of you who may be on the fence- or even those of you who have no idea what being Greek even means. If you give me just a moment of your time, I think I may be able to persuade you, if not give you a new take on Greek life. 

When you think Greek, what do you think? Are you thinking girls in baggy tee's with nike shorts, letters stickered to cars, and copious amounts of time spent sipping Starbucks? While this does happen, and I've even partaken in all of these things, this is just a small fraction of what Greek life really is. Being Greek is really more than letters. Being Greek is life-changing. Not just your life, but the lives of others. 

Being Greek is volunteering in your community, lending a helping hand, or even just sending some words of encouragement. Being Greek is never being alone. It's having a friend to go to for advice, being somebody else's cheerleader, and being apart of a community. Being Greek is redefining yourself. I went into my chapter as a shy freshman, unable to really strike conversations with anyone who I hadn't known for my entire life. A year later I'm bold enough to introduce myself to and start conversations with other Greeks, people I sit by in class, and *gasp* even professors (and they can be the scariest of them all). Being a Greek is being a leader. Never in my life did I think I would want to be a spearhead of anything, but here I am as a college sophomore having just completed the duties of my chapter position and diving head first into acting as Rho Gamma for my university's Panhellenic recruitment. 

If you've ever wanted to belong to a strong community, help others, or lead, being Greek might be the thing for you. Do you want my advice? Talk to a Rho Gamma, go to your college's info night for recruitment, ask questions. Whatever route you take, don't just dismiss Greek life. If you don't think it's for you, do you really know for certain that it's not? What is the worst thing that could come from talking to someone about joining Greek life? The way I see it, you'll either re-affirm what you think, or you'll have a completely different view on it and actually take the plunge to sign up for recruitment. 

Now, here's my challenge to you: think about Greek life. Think about it while you're stuck in traffic, while you're getting your nails done, while you're singing in the shower. Just think about it. Toss the idea around a few times in your head. Picture it. See if you can imagine yourself a leader, a sister, a voice for change. When you have that image, when you catch a glimpse of it, watch this video: 

Give the thought of Greek life 3 minutes. Who knows, in 180 seconds you could be ready to change your life.

---

LMJ