Your Guide to Sorority Recruitment

In case you're new to my blog or somehow missed my posts from the past three years, I was (still kinda am...since I haven't graduated quite yet) a proud member of Greek Life at my school. Four years ago I definitely could not imagine that I'd be saying that, but here I am a sorority woman. 

Greek Life definitely isn't for everybody, but I don't think you can be judgmental of it until you have given it a chance. 

Sorority recruitment can definitely be an overwhelming thing.  No matter how many blog posts you read, pinterest pins you have, or how great your outfits are I don't think you can ever be fully prepared for recruitment.  It's important to remember as you read all of these things that recruitment is a little or a lot different from school to school. My recruitment experiences in eastern Pennsylvania definitely differed from my friends who go to larger schools down south. With that being said, my tips for recruitment are based on my personal experiences, so don't let them intimidate you or get frustrated if they differ from something else you've read or experienced. 

Before I share my tips, I thought I'd share a brief synopsis of my recruitment story.  In August of 2013, I transferred from my dream school to a state school that I wasn't in love with. I was struggling to become involved on campus, and quite frankly I wasn't really motivated to join any organizations. My mom being a sorority woman, encouraged me give Greek Life a chance. I was incredibly apprehensive, but agreed to give the recruitment process a chance. When I went through recruitment, there were eight sororities on campus. The format of recruitment was two days of open house rounds, philanthropy night, and preference. I missed the second night of open house rounds due to the stomach bug, so I missed the opportunity to meet half of the sororities on campus (this definitely limited me). I went through philanthropy round and was definitely feeling hesitant. During the first night of open house round I attended a session about a sorority that would be colonizing on campus immediately after formal recruitment ended. I decided to drop out of recruitment to go through this new chapter's recruitment process. Long story short, I ended up joining Alpha Delta Pi as a founding sister and absolutely loved (almost) every moment of it. If you want to read more about my experiences, check out my links at the bottom of this post. 

Be Yourself

This is one of the most important things. It's easy to become something you're not during the recruitment process. You may want to join a specific chapter, so you try to act or dress a certain way to impress them. Definitely do not do that. Answer all questions truthfully and don't try to be someone that you are not. The whole process will work out much better if you allow the Panhellenic women to get to know the real version of who you are. 

Take notes

The weeks leading up to recruitment, I'm sure you will be keeping an eye on what the Panhellenic women on campus act like.  Sure these things are important, but it's more important to form your opinions during actually meeting these women in the recruitment process. Meeting all the different sororities can be a bit confusing, so try to take as many notes as possible. The more notes you take the easier it will be to select the chapter you want to run home to on bid day. When taking notes, it might be helpful to jot down the names of the women you meet, several positives you liked, and several negatives that you didn't enjoy. 

Form Your Own Opinions

It can be easy to get caught up in all of the rankings, what other potential new members are saying, and what you hear on campus. Try to make your own judgements on what each sorority is like and if they would be the best fit for you. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what anybody else says about the chapter because you have to be the one to want to spend time with them. 

Always Be Positive

When mass amounts of women get together, it can be easy to go down the negative road. However, it is important to avoid this route during recruitment. The days are going to be long, there might be things that you don't like, and it's easy to get frustrated when the process doesn't work out as you had imagined it would. Having a positive attitude will make the whole process much more pleasant for both you and the people you're close to.

Trust the Process
The recruitment process is incredibly unique. It's really unlike any other life experiences I've ever had. At most schools, almost every woman is matched with a chapter. Each school's recruitment process looks a little different, but there are so many similarities at the heart of it. You might get frustrated or discouraged at times because things aren't going as you wished, but you just have to trust the process. Things happen for a reason- you just don't always know the exact reason at that given time.

Be Inquisitive
Each chapter you visit will want to know about you. It can be easy for the sorority women to dominate the conversation, in order for them to get to know you and decide if you would be a good fit for their chapter. However, you should be in control of the process since you get to make the decision too.  Don't be afraid to ask questions about aspects of their chapter you are curious about. It's important that you feel comfortable and are knowledgable too.

Take Care of Yourself
The whole process definitely has the potential to be a long roller coaster filled with emotions. Depending on how your school has set up recruitment it could be spread across two weeks, take up a long weekend, or be during the week at night.  Regardless of the format, your health is important. Be sure to eat well, drink enough water, and get enough rest to fuel your days.

Choose Your Outfits in Advance
As far as what is and isn't appropriate to wear you'll have to talk to your recruitment counselor. This definitely changes from campus to campus.  Picking out your outfits in advance will give you one less thing to stress about when recruitment finally rolls around. The last thing you would want is to be late to an event because of a wardrobe malfunction. When picking out your outfits, remember that you will want to be cute, comfortable, slightly modest, and confident.  This means if those wedges you have give you blisters, then you might want to reconsider your shoe choice.  Also when you're picking out your outfits, don't be afraid to be yourself.  Wear clothes that resemble your style rather than clothes that you think a given sorority would wear.

Best of luck!
XOXO

Photo Challenge Recap: Alpha Delta Pi Edition

For those of you who follow me on twitter and Instagram have probably seen me using the hashtag #ADPiSummerChallenge. For the past week I have been participating in my chapter's photo challenge.  It has been fun to recap some of my favorite memories from the past year and remind myself why I love being a sister of Alpha Delta Pi. 

Day One: #ThrowWhatYouKnow

This is a picture of me with my Little Diamond Sister. Alpha Delta Pi does the whole Big/Little thing slightly different.  When you are a new member you are assigned an older member to guide you through the new member process, and then once you are initiated you can choose whether or not to maintain your big/little relationship.  My Little Diamond and I met during a pre recruitment meet and greet last August, and from the moment I met her I knew I wanted her to be my Little Diamond. We don't get to spend a ton of time together, but when we are together we have so much fun. In this photo we are throwing diamonds at Longwood Gardens. 

Fun Fact: we accidentally matched!

Day Two: Bid Day

Bid Day is frequently described as Christmas Day for sorority life. It's the day you get your sisters, who disaffiliated to help run recruitment, back. The day your chapter gets bigger. The day women find their home with the organization that has helped shape your college experience. It's the reward to all those long hours you spent recruiting and in workshops to prepare to recruit.  This picture is of our chapter's first ever Executive Board. We put in a ton of work last year to make sure we had a successful recruitment, and this photo just captures the release of excitement and relief we felt on Bid Day.  These seven women were the greatest support system to have and I will forever be grateful for the time I was able to spend leading along side them. 

Day Three: Formal

Formal happens once a year for our chapter.  It is held at the end of every Spring semester. Alpha Delta Pi calls it Black Diamond Ball.  This was one of the greatest nights of this past semester. I had so much fun dancing, laughing, and making memories with some of my favorite people. 

Day Four: Diamond Days

Diamond Days are the days leading up to Initiation. They are filled with ritual, sisterhood, celebrations, laughter, bonding, food, diamonds, white and blue, and sentimental moments. In the Fall, we held a photo shoot after having a ceremony outside.  The fall weather was a little chilly, but the scenery was perfect.  I mean how much better can it get when you have boots, fall weather, leaves falling, a November sunset, long sleeve shirts, cardigans, sisters by your side, smiles, the classic power point, and many laughs. 

Day Five: Sisterhood

Sisterhood is the bond that brings a group of women together. For me sisterhood has given me over a hundred women that I can count on at any given time.  Sisterhood has given me friendships across the  nations. Sisterhood has given me the sister(s) that I never grew up having. Sisterhood is Alpha Delta Pi.

Day Six: Why ADPi?

Why ADPi? I came home to Alpha Delta Pi, in September of 2013, when the Theta Sigma chapter colonized at WCU. Joining Alpha Delta Pi and becoming a founding sister have been the best par of decisions I've made while in college. It has given me the opportunity to form friendships that will last a lifetime, gain leadership experience, and be part of something that is so much bigger than myself. Being a sister of Alpha Delta Pi has taught me the importance of living my values and being a well balance woman. Every moment I spend with my sisters is filled with fun, laughter, and creating memories that I will always cherish. I am forever grateful to be part of the first and finest, forever.

Day Seven:Favorite ADPi memory

When you join an organization like this you don't realize how many opportunities it will provide you with. I have made so many many memories that it is too difficult to pick one to be my favorite. Over the course of the past two years I have made so many memories that I will never forget.  However, the memories would be meaningless without the wonderful sisters I share them with. 

Go Greek!
XOXO

Perks of Attending a Sorority Convention

So remember how in my last post I talked about empowering the women in our lives? Well, last month I found a place where women were empowering each other for five consecutive days. This female empowerment happened at a beautiful resort in Scottsdale, Arizona during Alpha Delta Pi's 164th Grand Convention.  Grand Convention is held in odd years, and every chapter of Alpha Delta Pi sends at least one representative. I had the privilege of attending as the Chapter President for the Theta Sigma Chapter of Alpha Delta Pi. 

The week was filled with Lilly Pulitzer prints, monograms, jack rogers, Kendra Scott jewelry, and lots of azure blue & white. This Lilly loving Pennsylvania girl felt at home being surrounded with southern belle sisters. I swear I left that week with the slightest southern accent. We spent time learning about the direction our organization is taking, voting on important business, electing our new Grand Council, networking with sisters from all over the place, polishing our leadership skills, learning about all that our organization has done the past few years, mental health and well-being, and enjoyed the scenic views that Arizona had to offer. 

As you probably have read by now, I am a founding sister of my chapter.  Being a founder has been quite the roller coaster of high and low points.  It is a lot of hard work, but it comes with a lot of rewards too.  My time at Grand Convention reminded how great my chapter is doing for being so young. We received many awards, which was a great tangible reminder and motivates me to continue to lead the chapter in a positive direction. 

My Tips for Attending and Fraternity/Sorority Convention:

Take Notes: 

You will be provided with a ton of great information during your time at these conferences.  Be sure to bring a pen and a notepad to write everything down. Once you leave, the week feels like a blur and you will most likely forget things if you don't write them down. The education sessions and networking you do will provide you with lots of great ideas to bring back to your chapter.  

Make Friends!

You have an opportunity to network with people from around the world who have similar interests as you. Chances are if you are attending this conference, then you are passionate about your organization and your leadership role.  The people attending the conference will most likely have that same vested interest that you do, which makes for great conversations and friendships. These people will be able to share stories, experiences, and so much more with you. Be sure to exchange numbers, emails, social media accounts, etc. because these are the best resources you will take from attending convention.  Last year I attended a smaller scale version of convention, and the women I met have become my support system and friends!

Recharge.

Take advantage of this opportunity that is being given to you. For me, attending these conferences always seems to renew my love for my organization.  It is a great reminder for why I continue to serve in leadership roles. Additionally, it motivates me to become an even better sister. This year's convention inspired me to become involved once I graduate. Sometimes difficult semesters can drag us down, so this is the time to remind yourself why you spend so much doing what you do. Coming together with people who have a common goal reminds you why you are so passionate. 

Have you ever attended a sorority convention? If so I would love to hear about your experiences! 

XOXO

Sorority Leadership Conferences

At the end of June I spent a long weekend in Atlanta, Georgia with Alpha Delta Pi sisters from across the United States and Canada.  I flew to the Peach State, representing my university, with my chapter president and one other sister.  This year was not a convention year for us, but instead we had two types of leadership conferences Impact and Leadership Seminar. Impact, which I attended, was for rising leaders in the chapter to attend, while Leadership Seminar was a leadership workshop for chapter presidents.  The whole weekend was quite an experience from maneuvering an airport that had its own subway, finding out my roommate would be a total stranger, getting to see my sorority's memorial headquarters, and just listening to the stories that other sisters had to tell about their chapters. 

Yes, this is the country singer Deanna Carter pictured with us!
She gave us a mini concert our last night at the conference.

It was an unforgettable weekend that I am so fortunate to have attended.  I loved making new friends, learning things to bring back to my own chapter, polishing my leadership skills, and just being totally immersed in so much Greek love. 

10 Things You'll Learn From Attending Convention

I do have to admit that reading TSM articles is my guilty pleasure just because of how ridiculous they are sometimes.  The other day as I was browsing the site I came across this article and actually completely agreed with it.  TSM does it right this time.  Check out the article on the 10 things you'll learn from attending convention or something like it.

Did any of you attend your sorority's leadership conference this summer?

xoxo

-mQs-

It's that time of year- Formal Season

This weekend was my chapter's first formal ever! The event was a ton of fun! Since tDn couldn't come, I brought my best friend since age three.  Rather than write about it, I thought it would be fun to share some pictures instead.
  

"Sometimes the people whom we've known for only a short amount of time have a bigger impact on us than those we've known forever." 

xoxo

-mQs-

I'm Back Part 3- The First, Finest, Forever

Happy Friday everyone.  My Fall break has officially started as of an hour and a half ago!
The other day I shared with you my Formal recruitment experience.  Today I am here to share with you something that has a much a happier ending is rather uplifting.

I mentioned in my last post that I dropped out of recruitment.  Well, I actually did this for a purpose. During the first night of recruitment I attended an information session about a sorority that would be colonizing (added to) campus this Fall, Alpha Delta Pi.  In order to go through Alpha Delta Pi's recruitment process I had to drop out of formal recruitment because ADPi had their own recruiting process, since they were colonizing.

Alpha Delta Pi's recruitment was the week after formal recruitment, last week.
Day one was an information session about their recruitment process and information about Alpha Delta Pi.  Their international president came and spoke to us, which is a pretty big deal!

I wore jeans, clark boots, a blue and white striped shirt, and a cream cardigan.

Day 2 of recruitment was on Wednesday: Philanthropy Night

ADPi's philanthropy is Ronald McDonald House.  We got to socialize with sisters from other collegiate chapters in our area, listen to a presentation given by a RMH representative, and we made a craft.

We made wrist bands for the children at RMH.  These go over their hospital bracelets.  The lion is ADPi's mascot.

My outfit for Philanthropy night:

White and Black polka dot blouse, dark jeans, and my clark boots

Day 3 of Recruitment: "The Interview"

Since ADPi is colonizing on campus, the alumni and members of executive had the opportunity to choose the type of woman they were looking for to represent ADPi.  In order to get to know you better, each woman wishing to join ADPi was required to have an interview with two ADPi alumnae women. During the interview, they asked me questions about my history of leadership, why I wanted to go ADPi, and characteristics to describe myself.  It only lasted about thirty minutes, but to me it felt more like a conversation rather than an interview.  I think this because the two women who interviewed me were so friendly. 

I wore a Navy and white striped dress from GAP, black pumps, and (of course) my pearls.

I got a compliment from the two women because I wore blue and white, ADPi's official colors.  I swear I didn't mean to do so, it was just a coincidence.

Day 4 BID DAY (Friday)

We were told that if we received a phone call from 8-10 a.m. then that meant we did not receive a bid, but if we did not receive a phone call then we were to pick up our bid at noon in the student union.  Well, let me tell you how at 9:55 my phone rang and it was a number I did not know, so I answered it...  turns out it was just a telemarketer.  

After taking an exam and attending two more classes, I went to the student union building to accept my bid.  I was greeted with a big hug, a tee shirt, and tons of lovely alumni congratulating us.  

We were to come back in three hours for our Colony Bid Day Celebration. So I went to the library and did some homework I went on pinterest to create my ADPi board. 

Bid Day Celebrations included chanting, sisterhood bonding, ice breakers, pinning ceremony, pizza, group pictures, making trick or treat bags for the children at RMH, and a trip to Kiwi Frozen Yogurt courtesy of ADPi. 

 Since we are colonizing on campus, there were absolutely no existing members for our campus so we recruited a large number of girls (approximately 90).  Since there are no existing members, this means that my sisters and I are the founding members of ADPi WCU.

 The energy of that afternoon was indescribable. Everyone was filled with such happiness and positivity.  

These are two of my sisters. The one on the left actually was who i was paired with every time during formal recruitment, she too dropped out of formal recruitment for ADPi.  My sister on the right side of the picture is one of the first people I really connected with at my new school.  We have a class together three times a week.

Bid Day was the first of many days of meeting new people and getting acquainted with all my sisters. I met some great people, and I look forward to getting to know them better.

Sunday was our sisterhood retreat.  We learned about the history of ADPi, had sisterhood bonding, ate some delicious food, played games outside, took pictures, learned about values, filled out paperwork, played icebreakers, and crafted. It was a long day but definitely important.

My very first sorority crafting experience. I am a terrible painter, but I love this saying.

We were placed into groups, and spend the day with these people.  These are the sisters I got to know better on Sunday.  What I enjoy about being a sorority this far is that everyone is different and we each have something unique to bring to the table.

This is Katie, she is a consultant for Alpha Delta Pi.  After telling Miss ALK (a blogging friend and now sister of mine) that  I was joining ADPi, she asked me if I had met Katie.  Well, the answer is YES! Miss ALK had met Katie when she was going through recruitment several weeks ago at her college down south.  I asked Katie is she knew Miss ALK, and it turns out she remembered talking to her.  Katie shared with me that Miss ALK had told her she knew somebody at my university going through recruitment who was considering joining ADPi, referring to me.  It is really such a small world.

These are just a few of the items I received over the weekend thanks to Alpha Delta Pi!

So there you have it, my complete sorority recruitment experience.  I am so excited to be a sister of Alpha Delta Pi, and I can't wait to see the opportunities that it will provide me with in life.

Xoxo

-mQs-