Every spring, many motivated ladies go through the process of formal sorority recruitment in hopes of joining a sorority. Here are the thoughts of five students who experienced it firsthand.
Student 1: Abby
Q: Why did you decide to go through formal recruitment?
A: Initially, I signed up because everyone else was and I felt kind of left out. But I think after going through the process that I wanted people to push me out of my comfort zone and my introverted self.
Q: What were your overall thoughts about the process of formal recruitment?
A: It was extremely overwhelming but it was ultimately very rewarding in the sense that I think I gained a lot of interview skills and talking skills and it was really nice to meet new people even though it was a lot.
Q: Do you have any advice for people who are planning on doing formal recruitment next academic year?
A: My advice would be to definitely keep an open mind and don’t come in with stereotypes or thoughts regarding different sororities because you don’t know what is going to happen. You can’t be upset about something because everything is going to happen the way it was meant to happen.
Student 2: Victoria
Q: Why did you decide to go through formal recruitment?
A: I really wanted to be in a sorority, and my sister is in a sorority at a different school, and she loved it and convinced me to go through it.
Q: What were your overall thoughts about the process?
A: I loved it, it was so much fun! It was really long and I was really tired, but overall I really liked how it was set up.
Q: Do you have any advice for people who are planning on doing formal recruitment next academic year?
A: Make sure you pack snacks, because I was really hungry.
Student 3: Sarah
Q: Why did you decide to go through formal recruitment?
A: By the end of the first semester I still felt like I hadn’t really found my place at Christopher Newport. I had made wonderful friends, but I hadn’t been as involved as I wished to be, and I wanted to be (as cheesy as it sounds) a part of something bigger than myself.
Q: What were your overall thoughts about the process?
A: The weekend was incredibly stressful, but looking back it was totally worth it. There were long hours and it was a bit overwhelming at times, but overall it was a one-of-a-kind experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything.
Q: Do you have any advice for people who are planning on doing it next year?
A: Try as best you can to relax and be yourself. You are going to talk to a lot of women and you might not connect with every single one, but don’t give up! Also, try to go in with an open mind and give each sorority a fair chance, you may find your home in a place you never thought to look.
Student 4: Svetlana
Q: Why did you decide to go through formal recruitment?
A: To get more involved on campus, to meet friends and best friends and family.
Q: What were your overall thoughts about the process?
A: It was long and stressful and crazy, but it was really fun.
Q: Do you have any advice for people who are planning on doing formal recruitment next academic year?
A: Don’t stress too much about it. Whatever happens happens!
Student 5: Cydney
Q: Why did you decide to go through formal recruitment?
A: I wanted to get closer to a lot of the people I was around, I wanted to get more involved and more integrated into the campus.
Q: What were your overall thoughts about the process?
A: I thought it fun. I thought it was indescribable like you honestly can’t describe it properly until you go through it. I thought it was really fun, really energetic. It was long but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Q: Do you have any advice for people who are planning on doing formal recruitment next academic year?
A: When they say “trust the system” they really do mean it. You’re going to end up where you’re supposed to be. The first day, if you don’t know where you’re supposed to be, it’s fine! As you go through the weekend, it will become clear.
