Most Important Words of Advice

[AnotherKD]

Originally Posted by BAckbOwlsgIrl

No matter what you think that you will know will happen, YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT.

SORRY, SISTA YOUR CRYSTAL BALL AND EVERYONE ELSE'S IS BROKE.
I don't care what people have told you and how much you have read, even on GREEKCHAT...YOU CAN'T PREDICT THE FUTURE.

This why I encourage women to stick it out at all phases.

That wicked ass bitch, you know the one who is nice once every 28 days?
She could end up being your being your best friend.
You just DON'T KNOW.
That one moment when you are at your lowest, when you least expect it, she will clean off your puke-ridden comforter, take care of you and get you to bed with the towels that she found in your closet.
She will console a broken heart, shattered dreams; encouraging to you put your big girl panties, hold your chin high and show the world that you can and will kick ass!

Or maybe she won't. YOU JUST DON'T KNOW.

On that note? I met a girl on my freshman hall that I absolutely hated. And, she hated me. I rushed and pledged first semester that year, and she rushed the spring semester. She saw me at a rush event and almost didn't stop by, simply because of me. Yadda yadda, she became my little. I still, about 15 years later, consider her one of my best friends, even though we see each other only once every 2 years or so.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by AnotherKD

On that note? I met a girl on my freshman hall that I absolutely hated. And, she hated me. I rushed and pledged first semester that year, and she rushed the spring semester. She saw me at a rush event and almost didn't stop by, simply because of me. Yadda yadda, she became my little. I still, about 15 years later, consider her one of my best friends, even though we see each other only once every 2 years or so.

That's really funny. You never know!

If you don't fall in love with the chapter that gives you a bid, "find your home", or know deep in your heart that you ended up in the place you were meant to be at the end of the week, don't give up. Formal recruitment is a very superficial and artificial week. You haven't really gotten to know the sisters in your new sorority. Give it some time and real effort. You won't regret it, but you probably will if you quit without even giving it a shot.

[LSuz19]

Go in with the attitude of not caring who invites you back after the first two rounds. Even if you have favorites after round one (which you really shouldn't), tell yourself you don't care if they drop you. Just be grateful for any invites you get back!

[DubaiSis]

Try try try to live in the moment. We have all gotten so used to having a conversation while texting while watching TV while eating dinner that it can be hard to do just one thing at a time, but this is the time to get rid of everything in the world except that one girl you are talking to right at this moment.

[MaggieXi]

For every negative you come up with (or hear) try to find a positive. Each house has something great to offer.

And this is your recrutiment, no one else's (not your moms, your sisters, your bff, your roomates or your brother's girlfriend's cousin's half sisters). Listening to your instincts is the most important.

Take stock in who you are. It's ok not to be or be comfortable with the perfectly polished girl in the "top tier" that "everyone" else wants.

[KSUViolet06]

I mean this in the nicest way possible.

You may have been special in your hometown.

You're not special in recruitment.

So please use summer to get over your high school specialness.

What I mean is, don't think "Oh, I'm getting into the top house on campus, I was Homecoming Queen. Duh!"

That's great, but if we're dealing with a competitive recruitment, you're probably not the only 4.0 Homecoming Queen. So please get over it. Sooner rather than later.

[Cheerio]

Trust your Recruitment Counselor, especially if you aren't familiar with the recruitment process.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Cheerio

Trust your Recruitment Counselor, especially if you aren't familiar with the recruitment process.

Sigh. I wish this were good advice, but SO MANY RC's get SO MUCH wrong.

[happilyanchored]

Something I learned first-hand: don't judge the other girls in your Gamma Chi/Rho Chi group by their covers. For all you know, one or more of them could be your sister(s) by the end of the week. And also some of the most amazing people ever.

One girl in my group who I knew tangentially through others not only ended up joining the same sorority as me, but also eventually ended up in the same pledge family! My first impressions of her were definitely wrong and I am so happy to call her my sister and close friend today.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Sigh. I wish this were good advice, but SO MANY RC's get SO MUCH wrong.

Yep, it appears common enough on GC that recruitment counselors either give out incorrect advice or that the PNMs don't understand what they are told.

[Cheerio]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

Yep, it appears common enough on GC that recruitment counselors either give out incorrect advice or that the PNMs don't understand what they are told.

Mine was extremely helpful. But that was back in the day...

Perhaps all incoming freshman women should be told, "We've done away with RCs, they never know what they're doing anyway. Go read Greekchat, those people are awesome and knowledgeable. You'll do fine."

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by Cheerio

Mine was extremely helpful. But that was back in the day...

Perhaps all incoming freshman women should be told, "We've done away with RCs, they never know what they're doing anyway. Go read Greekchat, those people are awesome and knowledgeable. You'll do fine."

Can you imagine what that would lead to?

My RC was very helpful too. Most probably are.

But if the people posting here are accurately reporting what they were told, there are a bunch of campuses not following NPC guidelines and/or a significant number of RCs who give people wrong advice about how bid matching works, the consequences of ISP (is it Intentional Single Preference or Single Intentional Preference SIP for "suiciding" these days?) or the conditions under which you're eligible for COB or snap bids.

Fortunately, I think a relatively small percentage of PNMs are ever affected negatively. But you would have no way of knowing if you were one of them until after you listed a chapter you didn't want on your bid card because you'd been told that maximizing your options gave you a better shot at your top group. Ugh.

[gebbie]

Treat every girl you meet very nicely-- the girls in your Gamma Chi group, your Gamma Chi(s), every active you meet, and anybody else for that matter! You have no idea where you or anybody else will end up.

Do not speak poorly of houses or treat houses poorly.

Be open to all houses. Every chapter has something amazing to offer.

When in doubt, don't drop out. I know a lot of girls who were shell-shocked after big cuts or became surly after losing their early favorites who regretted making a rash decision.

Relax. Enjoy the opportunity to meet so many exceptional women.

[gee_ess]

Start fresh at each round.

On pref night, tell the house you like, that you like them. this is not the time to play hard to get.

[ladybug12]

We want you to go Greek, no matter what the letters.

It will enrich your college years and give you wonderful mentors in the years to come. You will grow in so many ways...whether you are the "superstar PNM" who wins Homecoming Queen thanks to the campaigning of her sisters or the shy smart girl who needed the quiet support of her sisters to have the confidance to take the MCAT or LSAT.

And, stay involved beyond your college days... whether it is by paying national alumnae dues, working with your Alumnae Panhellenic Chapter, or being a chapter adviser or national officer. Some (most) of my best friends are women that I have met through my alumna experience.