With wide eyes and tired feet, over 500 young women dedicated their weekend to a series of “speed dating” style rounds to find their soul mates – their sisters. Initially, the idea may come off as a tad skewed – basing an opinion of another girl off of a simple conversation about high school activities and future goals. However, after the first few days, it becomes clearer that everything works out as it should.
This past weekend, I strapped on some blister-causing heels, painted on prom-level makeup, stretched out my toothy grin and went out on a search for the perfect sorority.
Now, I will be the first to admit that I didn’t always see myself doing the whole “sorority thing” – from the outside looking in I regarded them as the typical “popular girl” groups from cheesy television shows. They seemed untouchable.
Over the summer, I interned with two sorority girls. They had nothing but amazing things to say about their experiences with Greek life. Their passion convinced me to at least try out recruitment.
My roommates and Rho Gammas, sorority women who temporarily “give up their letters to help you find yours,” helped pump me up and convinced me that, if nothing else, I would enjoy the recruitment experience.
Open house began on Friday. I felt overwhelmed in a sea of Potential New Members (PNMs). Latching onto my trusty PanHellenic Recruitment guidebook, I waited in lines to meet and greet all six of the sororities that UT offers. The thing that worried me most was the looming possibility of not getting asked to return for the following day. As the recruits enter the rooms, current members sing their sororities’ songs as a way to welcome PNMs – some loud and energized, others soft and warm. I visited sorority after sorority, crowd after crowd of singing girls, trying my hardest to connect with everyone I spoke to.
With some people, conversation came pretty easily; with others, I had a list of prepared questions in my head to fill dead air. I only felt the conversation flow naturally with two sororities, so when ranking time came, I placed them highest on my list – my top choice being the sorority where I felt most welcomed, the place where I was able to act silliest.
When Saturday came and I had not received the dreaded phone call telling me that I would not continue on, I started to feel a bit less anxious – excited even. My Rho Gammas gave me a slip of paper with the names of sororities that a computer decided on, based off of mutual rankings between both the PNMs and the sororities themselves. No one I spoke to knows how this computer system works, but it is all-powerful – much like the sorting hat from Harry Potter– so you kind of just go with it.
I felt thrilled to read that my top choices picked me back. That mutual acceptance is very comforting. It made me feel as if I had done something right. Maybe the system worked for me. Unfortunately, other girls did not feel so lucky. It touched me to see the recruitment groups joining together to help fellow PNMs who contemplated leaving. Maybe the system had not worked for them or maybe it just knew something that they did not.
Regardless, I continued on, grateful and hopeful – still worried that these “Survivor-style” eliminations would catch up with me. It may seem silly that I cared so much and felt so anxious about this whole process, but I got very attached to the idea of having this solid sisterhood – a group of girls that cared about me and accepted me.
On Sunday, Preference Day, I had no idea what to expect. Again, we received slips of paper with the names of mutually decided sororities – this time only up to two. The sororities’ rituals usually include a ceremony for the PNMs and a ceremony to honor the seniors. Each ceremony differs based on the sorority you visit. After visiting my first Preference Day ritual, my mind was set. They made me feel like royalty – like they were honestly excited about my return. During the senior portion, I almost cried for sisters that I had never so little as exchanged glances with before.
That was the moment Rho Gammas and other Greeks talk about, when you just know. I had decided which group I wanted to spend my years of college and beyond with. I ranked my remaining sororities for a final time and I felt really good about my decision.
On Bid Day, I could barely sit still through my classes. I just wanted to see which letters adorned my tank top and run into the arms of my new sisters already. It was all very out of character for me. When I finally saw the letters that I wanted most, a smile spread across my face and has yet to fade.
I realize that not all girls received bids from their dream sororities, not all girls continued through every round and not all girls believe in what sororities stand for. However, in this past week, I have seen how Greek life can affect so many people positively and how many friendships have blossomed because of it.
I searched for the perfect sorority but I realized that none of them are perfect. They are simply groups of girls with common bonds who all found a place to fit in. While I may never find the perfect sorority, I believe that I found the perfect sorority for me. I only hope everyone who went through recruitment took something similar back from their experience.
Bianca Lopez can be reached at bianca.lopez@spartans.ut.edu