Top 10 Tips For Greek Recruitment at Ole Miss

1. Be confident- Be confident with yourself and who you are. Don’t be nervous! Your application is done, your recommendation letters were sent, and now is your time to shine! When asked what judges at the Miss America pageant were looking for- almost all of them responded with “confidence and the way she carries herself.” If you feel good about who you are as a person, it will show!

2. Smile- Smiling is a universal communication. Babies do it, animals do it, and smiling is something every human understands (no matter what language they speak.) Sometimes you can get so nervous that you forget to smile!

3. Know your list of accomplishments- Recruitment is like a job interview. You should be able to list some things about yourself that make you unique, or tells the chapter a little bit more about you. Be sure and list things that a chapter would find beneficial, such as “I graduated valedictorian from my high school,” or “I volunteer at the Humane Society every week.” Both grades and philanthropy are two important aspects of being a Greek woman.

4. Keep your energy up- Recruitment is a long day for everyone involved. Be sure to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, and get some sleep to stay focused.

5. Keep your head in the game- there are some glitches that happen during recruitment. Maybe you get stuck talking to the awkward girl, or maybe the girl next to you has talked to three girls, while you’ve only talked to one the whole time. Don’t second-guess yourself. Sometimes recruitment makes you question things- but be confident that you will end up in the house that is the right fit for you. 

6. Understand that the girls are just as nervous as you are- Especially the sophomores, because they were in your shoes last year! Being on the other side of recruitment is stressful and exciting for them too. Once you realize this, it will help with conversations, and by preference night you should be a pro!

7. Relax! Take a deep breath and live in the moment. This is a once in a lifetime experience. It can be overwhelming when there are so many smiling faces, and so many houses.

8. Look around- Look around the house and notice the different girls in the sorority. Ask yourself if you could see yourself in this house. Make a mental note of what impresses you and what doesn’t.

9. Trust your gut– Scientists say that the vibe we get from a person or situation causes us to have a “fight or flight” response in our bodies. This causes that nagging feeling in your stomach if you sense danger, or that something isn’t right. If you don’t get good vibes from a house, but feel pressured to rank them higher because of their reputation on campus- don’t do it. Once you are initiated into a sorority you cannot go through recruitment again. 

10. Don’t let friends or family influence your decision- You’ve seen your mom’s college scrapbooks and heard all about her sorority adventures in the 80’s. But just because she was a member of a certain Greek organization- doesn’t mean that you have to join that chapter, too. Any mother wants what’s best for her child, and chapters vary and change over the years. What was a great chapter at her school might not be the best fit for you. Don’t pledge something just because your roommate or friends are, because chances are you’ll end up unhappy. 

Sometimes you might have your heart set on one sorority based on reputation, but ultimately you have to have faith in yourself that you will find where you want to be. Remember- it doesn’t matter if you’re “top tier” or “bottom tier” going Greek means you’re becoming part of something that’s bigger than yourself.

Kathryn Winter is a Social Media Specialist and Staff Reporter for HottyToddy.com. You can e-mail her at kathryn.winter@hottytoddy.com