5 Things Chi Omega Wants You to Know Before Recruitment
To the girls coming through Recruitment:
I am SO excited that you are choosing MSU and considering Greek Life. I can honestly say that the past three years of college would not have been the same without the laughter, community, accountability, and experiences that Chi Omega has given me.
The Panhellenic chapters at MSU have been working and planning for months and months to show you how rewarding and special it is to be a part of such a strong group of women who choose to serve, love, learn, and do life together.
Know that we are just as excited to meet and talk with you as you are to start the process! Here are 5 things that Chi Omega wants you to know as you begin preparing for Recruitment Week:
1. Do not change yourself!
This is cliché, but I mean it when I say that we want you to be completely yourself. No chapter is looking for the “cookie-cutter girl.” All nine sororities at MSU have members of many different backgrounds and personalities. YOU add a spark that nobody else can create. As you talk to different people throughout the week, know that you are treasured and loved for WHO YOU ARE, not for everything you can bring to the table. Do not compare your week, your choices, or your conversations to anyone else’s. I don’t give people many reasons to be selfish, but Recruitment is one of them. You deserve the week to be everything you want it to be, and I promise that it will be if you stay true to who you are.
2. You always look cute enough!
I know you are probably preparing by shopping for all new items- skirts, shoes, earrings, necklaces, dresses, etc. I love it. One of my favorite parts of Recruitment was putting together outfits that showcased my personality and knowing weeks before exactly what I was going to wear each day. I’m going to tell you something though, specifically to the girl who thinks her outfit is not good enough… it is. The outfit you choose to wear each day should be something that makes you feel comfortable and confident, not something that you wear to impress us. In Chi Omega, part of our symphony reads “character before appearances,” and I can honestly say that your old shoes or skirt will not dictate a single thing about your week. Remember- we want to know YOU, not see your wardrobe!
3. Have everything you need!
Since you will not know your party schedule until you meet with your group in the Junction every morning, always come prepared. Each day, I filled my Ziploc bag with a handheld fan, Band-Aids (for blisters), mints, and snacks. It will be so hot! Your Gamma Chis and Pan Exec are there if you need anything but having those items will make you feel more prepared and confident to get through each day! Panhellenic will also provide water!
4. You are choosing lifelong friendships!
I always say that a place is only as good as the people in it. During recruitment, my place was Chi O, and it wasn’t just because I loved the Chi O values, but it was also because the people in Chi O were the people I wanted to do life with. It has been three years, and they have exceeded every expectation. We have gone to countless Chi O weddings, cried on the front steps about graduating seniors, danced with the Party Rocker on senior hall at midnight, and stayed up studying together in the dining room. We have gone on trips together, watched football and baseball together, crammed way too many of us in one of our shoeboxes just to tell a funny story, and taken a late-night drive for ice cream way too many times to count. Something that you might not realize now that anyone my age or older can tell you is that your sisterhood with these girls is unwavering, and their friendship is for a lifetime. Choose the role models you want to be like and the girls you want to surround yourself with. Choose the people that you know will be the best for YOU because I can almost assure you that they are not going anywhere!
5. The week might be tough, but it is so worth it!
Lastly, I want to remind you that Recruitment can be draining- socially, mentally, physically, and emotionally. It was simultaneously one of the hardest and most rewarding weeks of my entire life. Everything might not go your way. Everything might turn out exactly how you want it to. Regardless, know that in the end, it will all be worth it. You will get to meet people you might never get the chance to meet otherwise and learn so much about yourself in the process. Do not be afraid to ask questions, to cry infront of someone you just met, or to journal every detail about each day. I did all three! When you look back in a couple of years and see the way this one week of conversations can change your life for the better, you will want to go back in time and do it all over again.
I hope these tips have made you more confident and excited for the big week! I promise that we are doing everything we can to make this experience all that you want it to be and more. Take it all in, and know that no matter what your choice, we at Chi O will feel that we are better for knowing you. I am praying for each of you, and I wish you the best Recruitment Week and college experience! Air hugs!!!
