[gogreeklife]

Hazing

Something that should never happen to anybody joining a fraternity or sorority is hazing.

This last weekend I had the opportunity to go to a talk about hazing put on by the family of a boy who had passed away from fraternity hazing.

-This is something that should never be taken lightly and if you ever believe that you are being hazed please, please report it. If you hear of others being hazed please report it. Hazing can kill and should never happen. Thankfully I joined a chapter that takes that very seriously.

To Report Hazing:

The toll-free number is 1-888-NOT-HAZE (1-888-668-4293). The line is available to those who think they, or students they know, have been or may become victims of hazing.

[gogreeklife]

BID DAY

The day everyone is excited for! The PMMs can't wait to have fun with the sorority. The current members are happy to finally relax and have some fun!

Bid Day is all about celebrating your acceptance into this new chapter. It's a fun time filled with photos, glitter, and sisterhood.

It also marks the end of recruitment. You've had this stressful week all leading up to this. My warning though is to remember that hazing is illegal!!!!!

There was a chapter on my campus who had girls doing shots of vodka which is very much NOT allowed. If this happens to you I would really encourage you to say something. Hazing can be very harmful and is not a good way to build a bond. A sisterhood build off fear is not as strong as a sisterhood of love and communication. If there is something you want to do don't do it. Peer pressure and wanting to fit in can be a bitch but it's not good ladies.

When I went through recruitment the one thing I said was " if I get hazed, I'm dropping". I am very thankful to have ended up in a place where we take hazing very seriously.

Warnings aside.... really just have a good time. Have fun, take photos and enjoy this time!!

[gogreeklife]

Recruitment-Preference pt 2

Okay so after you've finished the day it's going to be time to rank and sign the MRABA. The MRABA is the Membership Recruitment Acceptance Binding Agreement. When you sign this document it means that you have ranked 2 houses in order of preference and willingness to accept a bid from. You are saying that you are willing to accept a bid from any house you list If you decide to not accept the bid then you are not allowed to join another panhellenic sorority for one calendar year from the date you signed the MRABA.

How to Rank

I highly encourage you to list two sororities in order to increase your chances of accepting a bid. If you only have one house that's okay though and put that one down unless it's not for you.

Put two houses down

If you put two houses down then the chances of you not getting a bid are very low. Can it still happen? Yes. But is it likely? No. This is the best choice and is usually what you are encouraged to do.

Put only one house down (Single-Intention Preference)

If you only visited one house great! Put that house down and there's a good chance you'll get a bid from them. But if you visited more than one house and limit your options by only putting one house down then that is a Single-Intention Preference. I honestly think you should only do that IF you really really could not see yourself at the other chapter. This works out sometimes for people like a good friend of mine who got her dream chapter. For others you may end up without a bid.

OTHER SCENARIOS

-No Bid

If you end up not receiving a bid then you will usually find out before bid day starts. They usually call you to let you know that way you don't show up to get your bid and there's nothing for you. If this happens there is still a chance for a snap bid or informal recruitment. A lot of my friends actually prefered informal recruitment to formal.

-Snap Bid

The way it usually works is that you will receive a call from a chapter member extending the offer of a bid to you. If you accept then off to bid day you go!! You are not obligated to accept the bid at all if you don't want to!

----------------------------------------------------------No matter what happens at the end of this week you are amazing!! If you don't end up joining a sorority then you are still fantastic and they are missing out! There's other opportunities in the future to look into. If you do join a chapter good luck in this next part of your life! I hope you have a great time.

Remember follow your heart and make the best decisions for you!

Good Luck!

[gogreeklife]

Recruitment- Preference

The last day!!!!! 😭

Preference is commonly the last day of recruitment week and when you will be making your final decisions. Usually girls go to a max of 2-3 chapters this day. I had 60 minutes at each house this day and it should be used to make a great final impression.

TIPS

Okay so first of all when I went through recruitment my recruitment counselors told me preference was the round they really knew where they wanted to be. They both cried during the preference ceremony at their current chapters and just knew that was the one. While I didn't cry (I did get emotional but I don't cry in public), this day helped me decide between my last two chapters.

TRUST YOUR GUT! You're going to feel if that's the chapter for you. Make your decision only on how you feel, don't let others influence your opinions!

Pay attention to how the girls interact. This is usually an emotional event and it's a good time to see into their sisterhood a little more.

Think of any last questions. What are your deal breakers?

Record your thoughts you're really going to need them later

CLOTHES

This is the dressiest day of the week. Look nice!! Think going to a wedding.

I would avoid wearing white, navy, or black dresses as these are the colors current members usually wear this day.

This is the time to pull out those heels, wedges or nice flats with shoes to bring for in between rounds.

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This is the last day so make it count! Next is bid day and then you're on your way to becoming an initiated member!!

Good Luck!

[gogreeklife]

My Girls

During recruitment, I really was drawn to my current chapter because the moment I walked in it felt like home. It felt live-in, warm and welcoming.  Compared to some of the other houses which were gorgeous, but didn’t feel very lived-in. They felt kind of cold and like a lot of their beautiful decor was just for show. The girls did not feel as connected as they did here which I think was because we are a little smaller than some other chapters. In my opinion that can be a big benefit because it makes it easier to know everyone and bond with them. I did get discouraged by some other PNMs while going through this process but I ended up still giving them a chance and I a so glad I did. Without these amazing women to support me, I honestly think I would have dropped out of college.

Always keep your mind open and follow your heart!

[gogreeklife]

Recruitment-Sisterhood/ House Tours

For some colleges, they blend these two events together while others there are two different days. Once again it all depends on where you go to school.

For this round, sisterhood is the topic of the day. It’s time to learn all about each chapters sisterhood, social events, and scholarship program/requirements. Also, you may get a house tour and learn what it is like living in the house, the live--in reuirments, and dues.

As recruitment week goes on, the rounds get longer so for me this was the fourth day and third round. While I had 20-25 minutes at each chapter before now I had 40 minutes. It's a good time to really get to learn and connect with the chapters.

TIPS

-Think about questions to ask to help narrow down the houses. What are your dues? What kind of payment plans are there? Is there a GPA requirement and how will they support your education?

- Lots of chapters have study hours and/or a study area in the house. See what you can learn about that. Students in greek like usually have a higher GPA than non- affiliated students.

- As you tour the house, could you see yourself living there? Do they have sleeping dorms or regular rooms (doubles, triples, quads)? What are their in-house dues and how’s the food situation? For me living in was the cheapest option compared to dorms and apartments in the area. Remember to stay open-minded about the houses, just because one isn’t as large as others, doesn’t mean you can’t still have a great experience!!

-Is the cost okay for you? Really take that into account because you may love a house but can you afford to be there?

-This is a big-time to figure out where you want to so take this seriously but remember to have fun!!

- As always stay hydrated, record your thoughts, and use good hygiene!!

CLOTHES

- CHECK YOUR GUIDEBOOK!!!! If you do not have one email, someone, to get an idea.

- For me, this was the second to last day and the first day I got to pick my own outfit. I wore something you could where to sunday brunch. A romper, dress, nice shirt and skirt or nice pants are all good choices. If you wear heels, bring shoes for between rounds!!! 

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Remember to be yourself!! Go into this day with the thought “ Is this sisterhood for me?” You want to find a group of girls you would be proud to call your sisters!

Good Luck!!

[gogreeklife]

Recruitment- Preference/Rankings

So as you go through recruitment you will end up ranking the houses, usually referred to as preference. This happens at the end of each round which is why you should always take notes!!!!! 

-If possible in between visiting each house jot a few notes about how you felt there and a few things that happened to help you remember more during preference. It sucks when you’re trying to rank the houses but can't remember which one is which.

How does it work?

Usually, you rank the chapter and they rank you. It is a mutual selection process to help you end up in the best possible place. 

- A chapter will commonly rank a PNM on if she would fill in well in the chapter. If they don’t think this would be a good fit for her she gets ranked lower. If they think she could really thrive there she gets ranked higher. It isn’t really about looks, weight, and other outside features but more about how a PNM would get along with other members.

This process continues until the end of the week where on Preference night you will sign the MRABA or membership recruitment acceptance binding agreement.

I know going through this process can seem scary and stressful at times but remember to trust the process!

( However, if you really don’t feel connected to any houses you’re visiting and just can not see yourself there then consider dropping. It isn’t any good to keep doing something that can be really stressful if you aren’t going to benefit from it. There is always informal recruitment to consider later or maybe greek life isn't for you. Look to your recruitment counselor for extra help because they are there to support you during this time.)

Good Luck!!

[gogreeklife]

Recruitment- Philanthropy

This is the first invitational day of the week depending on where you are.

On this day you’ll be learning all about the chapter’s philanthropy. It’s a great day to learn more about what a chapter is passionate about. There should be a lot of chances to ask questions about what kind of volunteer work they do and what event’s they put on.

TIPS

-Drink lots of water & practice good hygiene

- Talk about what topics you’re passionate about in relation to volunteering

- How can you relate to the philanthropy? How do the sisters feel about it? How involved are they?

- Each sorority has their national philanthropy while each chapter may have something smaller (but no less important) that they do as well. Try and find out what makes their chapter stand out!

CLOTHES

For this round, it really depends on where you go to school. In some places you will be given a shirt to wear in others you can pick your own outfit.

Remember to check your guidebook for their outfit requirements and when in doubt dress up rather than dress down!!

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This may also be after your first ranking so you may not get the number of houses you wanted back but that's ok!! At my college, you can get a max of 9 out of 12 houses back this round but some girls may only get 3, others all 9, and some only 1. I really wouldn’t immediately drop because you didn’t get the house you wanted or you don’t have as many as others. Give it a chance because one of those houses may end up being the one.

Good Luck Ladies!!

[gogreeklife]

Recruitment- Open House

So for most schools Open House is the first 1-2 days of recruitment. On these days you visit all the chapters on campus and are usually the most casual outfits of the whole week.

On these days I would recommend taking notes after each house to help you remember them better when ranking chapters.

Tips

Think of questions you want to ask before hand

- things like, Why did you join? What is it like living in house? How involved is the chapter? etc.

DRINK WATER!!! Staying hydrated is very important and at my college the girls will offer you water and trust me if it's hot during recruitment then take it.

If you can have a little bag, pack at least some gum, mints, bobby pins, and deodorant.

BE YOURSELF! Be the best version of you but don't pretend to be someone your not. You want to end up somewhere where the girls accept you as you are.

Trust your gut! If you really feel someplace isn't the one for you then move on.

Keep an open mind. I don't recommend going into it with a certain house in mind then being crushed when you realize that it's not the one. Give all the chapters a fair chance.

Don't talk about boys, booze, bars or politics. As much as someone would love to hear about your boyfriend, they want to get to know you.

Outfits

This is the most casual day and depending on where you are the school may give you a shirt for open house.

It's usually better to be slightly overdressed

Also if you are unsure about something ask your Rho Chi/ recruitment counselor

Dress comfortably for the weather ( shorts, pants, skirts)

- usually they don't allow denim but check your guidebook!

Sandals/flats are good but if you can wear sneakers I would. You might have to do a lot of walking.

Remember again just be yourself, don't stress to hard, and have fun!! This is a chance to get more involved in your campus and find a new sisterhood, a family to be with you through could college and after.

[gogreeklife]

Greek tv show

I just started watching the show GRΣΣK and wow. It's so interesting to see and the most accurate ( still way off tho) portrayal of Greek life in the Media.

Lots of things really reminded me of my chapter (rip) and it was so great to the the amount of representation in the show.

Overall really cool and would recommend

[babyanimalgifs]

[gogreeklife]

RECRUITMENT

Just a reminder that if you're going through recruitment to be yourself and go with the flow. You may here "trust the process" a lot and I think that's true as long as you're the most authentic you. Going through recruitment is about finding the group of sisters to be your family and best friends for the next few years and even longer past that. These are girls that hopefully will be a part of the rest of your life. Would you want to commit somewhere where they don't know or love the real you? I'll post some tips about each round soon. That being said be the best version of you:

- use great hygiene

- use deodorant (honestly you'd be shocked how many people forget this). etc.

You're going to do great!

[gogreeklife]

PETTINESS

One of the things that kills me is there is a chapter on my campus filled with amazing diverse women. This chapter is one of the only ones who says they're diverse and actually are. All the other chapters hate on this one sorority. Like just because they aren't all white and blond they aren't as good as you? Idk there's a little more to it but that's the big reason why they get hate. I just wish everyone got along better and didn't hate on each other so much.

[gogreeklife]

DANCE COMPETITIONS

One thing I love and hate are dance competitions for frat weeks like Fiji islander or Derby Days. Dancing is one of my passions and it's fantastic but I don't love dancing in front of a group of random men. It really irks me that most times they don't even judge for talent it's who danced the dirtiest. Sororities shouldn't force their girls who don't want to dance like that do it. I know so many girls who hate to dance like that but are forced to do so. If you love to dance sexy that's great but forcing others and changing dancing into a strip tease is not it.

[gogreeklife]

Hello there,

so I decided to make this to help anyone who needs Greek life advice and other concerns. I also wanted a space to talk about my experiences while being apart of a sorority in college. It's a wonderful experience but it was hard to decide as I am a black woman at a predominantly white college. It was a tough decision joining a PHC sorority instead or an NPHC but I love where I am and would never change my decisions.

Much Love.