Safety Questions?
 

Hey all --

I apologize if this is in the wrong sub-category of Recruitment, but here goes anyway. We are holding Recruitment during the weekend of September 14-17th, and just had Recruitment workshops last week. Most girls that were just initiated or have never been on this end of Recruitment before were having a hard time thinking of "safety questions". That is, if you're talking to a girl and are either nervous or there is just a moment of silence in the conversation. We like to have a safety question to ask that would get the conversation back to speed and where it is comfortable again.

I was wondering what some of your safety questions were, or if you had suggestions of really interesting questions to ask PNMs, rather than the boring "what's your major" blah blah blah boring stuff that they hear all day. :)

Favorite band.
Last movie you saw.

I always asked about hobbies whether I was stuck or not. USUALLY they had at least one hobby in common with me and the conversation was easy from there.

Do you play an instrument?
Do you like to attend plays/musicals/ballet/symphony?
What sports do you enjoy watching or playing?

Hobbies, movies, tv, etc. are all good, too but you need to be careful to phrase the question in such a way that you can also learn about the PNM.

I'd suggest the name trick...in a chapter meeting or recruitment workshop before recruitment starts give out white sheets of paper...have every girl write their names vertically...then beside each letter of their name write a topic or question. Then when they get nervous during rush, they just have to think of their name...for example:

C -- Career -> HS jobs? Part time jobs? What do you want to do when you grow up?
A -- Athletics -> HS sports? Club sports? Varsity sports?
R -- Role Model -> Who has been a role model in your life?
O -- Object -> What is your favorite possession? Thing you can't live without?
L -- Live -> Hometown? Dorm? Do you like your hometown?
Y -- Youth -> Favorite childhood membories?
N -- Novels -> Favorite novels? Favorite classic?

Obviously, some questions would be easier to weave into conversation than others...but at least it'll give you a starting place...

WD - that's an awesome idea :)

What if a pnm is asked about sports and she states her intention to participate in varsity sports at the university. Does she raise a red flag to the sorority due to potential time and scheduling conflicts, such that they may not wish to consider her? Same idea with respect to other students who intend to develop other serious interests. I understand that the sorority commitment is a serious one, but the sister's participation in the sport may in fact bring accolades to the sorority. Do the sororities attempt to work with the new pledge if they participate in a varsity sport?

Bottom line, can the sports questions possibly put the pnm on the spot?

Unless you have a sorority full of girly-girls that would rather die then break a nail on the softball field (extreme example), they're probably going to look at it more from a prestige perspective. They know because Patty PNM plays varsity soccer, that she's probably not going to be around, but then again, they get to claim a soccer team member on their roster (especially if the soccer team happens to be state champions or something). Same with cheerleaders, dance team members (our dance team was about 1/4 of the same sorority), and girls who are constantly in pagents.

Well - they're going to find out sooner or later if she's in a sport, anyway. If not then, later on when/if she gets asked back. It can be cool to have the top softball player or whatever in your sorority, but at the same time, if they're just a face in a jacket and never around, it's not beneficial to the sorority OR the rushee. Then again, for huge chapters, this might not be as much of a problem.

Plus it all depends on what sport it is, at what university - there are some coaches that don't allow their team members to pledge anything.

I dont think it should raise a red flag necessarily. My chapter in particular when I was an active had a young lady on the varsity tennis team. Not only did she do well on the team, she was a highly contributing member to our chapter and always made the dean's list in grades. We all have chapters (though maybe not always our own) that have varsity sports members in them and contribute well as members to our chapters. If their activities/grades/etc. from their recruitment application has shown that they can be successful academically, athletically, and socially together then it shouldnt raise a red flag.

I think it would be a plus for the girl because then the sorority could say that they have a girl on the varsity soccer (for example) team. It looks a lot better during recruitment to say that your members are involved with Campus Ministry, Dance Team, Circle K, Teachers of Tomorrow, Soccer Team, and are RAs than it does to say that a few of your girls have gone to a few meetings in other clubs, but no one really participates in anything too much outside of the sorority.

The current president of my old chapter is a varsity gymnast. She is an AMAZING president, an amazing sister, and an even more amazing gymnast! If a sorority turns their nose up at a girl because of a sport...I, personally, think the sorority is nuts. DG encourages all memebers to be active in AT LEAST one other club or activity (outside of DG). Well rounded girls are are the ones we want!!

By the way...what sorority wouldn't want a girl like this:

I'd love for you to meet more of my sisters today! Let me introduce you to my sister __________.

If you could dress up as any video game character, who would you be?

If you could be any vegetable or fruit, what would you choose?


:p ;)

The safety question that I still remember after all these years, "What's your favorite cereal?"