So I am a member of a Panhellenic sorority at my university. We've got about 180 members currently active, a great reputation on campus, and a number of dedicated girls who love our chapter and each other.
This, to me, is what defines a "great" sorority: girls willing to put time into service, diversity and acceptance among members, sisters who care about each other beyond Monday night meetings, a home that encourages and supports the growth of honest, passionate, self-respecting young women, and, upon graduation, the overwhelming feeling that your membership shaped you for the better. I can honestly say that since pledging, I have found all of these things and more in my own membership.
As rush is quickly approaching, these are the things I want to desperately to communicate to potential new members, and I wish each of my sisters felt the same. Unfortunately, I get the vibe that communicating these awesome qualities comes second to a handful of girls. They forget about these enriching aspects and instead focus on the superficial for an entire week of rush:
"Guys love to hang out with us, we've all got expensive MATCHING jewelry, we're better than other sororities on campus because XYZ, we all wear specific MATCHING shoes, and we've all got MATCHING reasons why you should join."
It is heart breaking. Sometimes it is so bad that I leave recruitment meetings furious with our leaders for allowing this to happen. They (we) are oblivious to something so obviously missing from the recruitment process.
BEING GENUINE.
If a potential new member cares so much about my wedge heels being peeptoe instead of closed, I don't want her. If a girl judges my entire sorority based on whether or not we've all got $80 Kendra Scott earrings, I don't want her. If some superficial story about a crush party is enough to completely win over a girl, I don't want her.
I am all for having each member look her best during the recruitment process, and while very cult-ish, I understand that matching outfits can be important, but matching designer earrings? Wedges that MUST be wooden heeled instead of cork? Come ON. I want PNMs to know that regardless of what they're wearing or how much their necklace cost, we care about what is on the inside. I want them to know that I have tattoos and wobbly bits and I love cats too much, and I'm still loved by my sisters. I want them to know that when I have a panic attack about school, my sorority roommates sit in the tv room looking like hobos, eating pizza rolls, stressing out with me. And I want every current member know it is alright to share these things with PNMs. If it scares them away that we legitimately are there for each other, great! Their home is somewhere else.
This started out going somewhere, but it's trailed off into a rant. I don't want people to think my sorority is superficial. They're not at all, I just get frustrated with the things we focus on during recruitment. Sigh. Wednesdays.
This, to me, is what defines a "great" sorority: girls willing to put time into service, diversity and acceptance among members, sisters who care about each other beyond Monday night meetings, a home that encourages and supports the growth of honest, passionate, self-respecting young women, and, upon graduation, the overwhelming feeling that your membership shaped you for the better. I can honestly say that since pledging, I have found all of these things and more in my own membership.
As rush is quickly approaching, these are the things I want to desperately to communicate to potential new members, and I wish each of my sisters felt the same. Unfortunately, I get the vibe that communicating these awesome qualities comes second to a handful of girls. They forget about these enriching aspects and instead focus on the superficial for an entire week of rush:
"Guys love to hang out with us, we've all got expensive MATCHING jewelry, we're better than other sororities on campus because XYZ, we all wear specific MATCHING shoes, and we've all got MATCHING reasons why you should join."
It is heart breaking. Sometimes it is so bad that I leave recruitment meetings furious with our leaders for allowing this to happen. They (we) are oblivious to something so obviously missing from the recruitment process.
BEING GENUINE.
If a potential new member cares so much about my wedge heels being peeptoe instead of closed, I don't want her. If a girl judges my entire sorority based on whether or not we've all got $80 Kendra Scott earrings, I don't want her. If some superficial story about a crush party is enough to completely win over a girl, I don't want her.
I am all for having each member look her best during the recruitment process, and while very cult-ish, I understand that matching outfits can be important, but matching designer earrings? Wedges that MUST be wooden heeled instead of cork? Come ON. I want PNMs to know that regardless of what they're wearing or how much their necklace cost, we care about what is on the inside. I want them to know that I have tattoos and wobbly bits and I love cats too much, and I'm still loved by my sisters. I want them to know that when I have a panic attack about school, my sorority roommates sit in the tv room looking like hobos, eating pizza rolls, stressing out with me. And I want every current member know it is alright to share these things with PNMs. If it scares them away that we legitimately are there for each other, great! Their home is somewhere else.
This started out going somewhere, but it's trailed off into a rant. I don't want people to think my sorority is superficial. They're not at all, I just get frustrated with the things we focus on during recruitment. Sigh. Wednesdays.
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