Hello, and welcome to my very first edition of #SororityLifeSundays. This is a limited-run series of blogs on various topics and themes related to the sorority experience, from recruitment to graduation (and maybe a little bit after that)…

Each post has a target audience in mind, but it’s intended to be accessible for readers at all stages in their sorority journey, from our unaffiliated and enthusiastic potential new members to our passionately committed lifetime members. The goal is 500 words per post, making them a quick and light read!

Wherever you find yourself in your journey, you’re always welcome here.

Hi, potential new member!

Is this your first time participating in the recruitment process? Whether you’re a first-year student, still getting familiar with the campus buildings, or an upper-class student with eyes on the prize for graduate school programs, international experiential opportunities, or your dream career, it can be a challenge to break into a new social space, especially in such a condensed format as sorority recruitment often is.

You may want to jump into intense hours of research on the local and national philanthropies, social events, extracurricular involvement of members, symbols, colours, history, and much more. If you’re that kind of person, I commend you for your commitment to research, but I implore you to channel that energy into school.

Sorority life is absolutely beneficial if you put the right amount of energy into it. I can’t measure what that might be, for you, but I can let you know that your primary objective at an institution of higher learning, is learning. Don’t skip classes to attend recruitment events; chapters and councils should be planning recruitment to minimize the impact on their studies, too! If they’re not doing that, feel free to give them that feedback… especially if it’s a barrier to your participation.

Ask your professors questions during class, or during their office availability. Reach out for friends or classmates, or even other potential new members, to create study groups or to hold you accountable to keeping up with the other essentials such as eating, personal hygiene (including everyone’s least favourite: laundry), and taking breaks just to give your brain a rest.

You are a student first. Your experience as member of a sorority may enhance your student experience, but you will not be able to enjoy the privilege of sorority membership if you are not maintaining your status as a student. Find out about other members’ programs, future academic pursuits, and research topics of interest. You may find that you have something in common with another member, or learn about a new aspect of the world around you. Life is about learning, so get out there and learn as much as you can.

Yours in sisterhood,

Maya

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Let’s chat! What tips would you give a potential new member (or your past PNM self), to ensure they can enjoy both recruitment and a strong academic standing?

Stay tuned for next week, when we’ll be discussing how you can show PNMs those skills as an active member.