You Never Know What You Might Find
From Student to Sorority Girl
Recruitment From A New Member's Perspective
My Experience
I was in my dorm room four days before the recruitment process at Ramapo when my roommate crashed into my room. She was trying to convince me to sign up for formal recruitment with her. I was beyond nervous because sorority life was not a part of my college plan. As a nursing major, I thought I was going to be way too busy to make such a big commitment. It didn’t take my roommate long to register me for the recruitment weekend. As the days led up to the events, I felt overwhelmed. Then after worrying about if I was wearing the right outfit or if my makeup wasn’t too heavy, I walked into a world of everything I was looking for in my college experience. The women I talked to were interested in my hobbies and showed me everything that I would be able to enjoy in being a part of their family. I knew what I was looking for in sorority life, so at that point it was just a matter of if SDT wanted me back. After waiting a weekend that seemed like forever, I was given an envelope that would change my life forever. I will never forget the feeling of absolute excitement I felt when I opened the letter to see Sigma Delta Tau’s bid card. All of a sudden I was hugging girls who would soon be known as my Pledge Class and was getting prepared to meet our future sisters.
For anyone who is questioning going out for recruitment, I say it is definitely worth it to put yourself out there. Even if you end up not joining Sigma Delta Tau or any of the sororities at Ramapo, recruitment alone opens doors to new friendships and connections that you may never have made in college. No matter what your major is, recruitment is a perfect example of being an experience that is welcoming to everyone.
Sisterhood
The most important value I was looking for in a sorority was having a big family of sisters who I knew would have my back and support me through my future at Ramapo and after. Personally, my hobbies are all over the place. For example-- I enjoy running and yet nothing is stopping me from wanting to lay in bed and binge an entire show on Netflix. The idea of a sorority made me nervous that I wouldn’t be able to find a group of people that would be accepting of everything I liked to do. However, the amazing thing about sororities is that you will be a part of a diverse group of girls who you will be able to form unique relationships with based on the common interests that you share! During recruitment, I remember getting a good sense of which sororities had that strong sense of sisterhood and others that we’re my fit. This definitely helped me decide what family I wanted to be a part of. I was looking for girls who I could trust with anything and everything, and I am over the moon that I found it. In the second round, I was sitting next to my GBig while listening to my Big talk about our philanthropies without even knowing it!
Engagement
Another aspect of greek life that attracted me was the amount of opportunities provided from joining a sorority. All greek organizations have a specific charity or multiple philanthropies who they support and hold events to raise money for. SDT supports Prevent Child Abuse America; this is an organization that I was interested in as an apiring pediatric nurse. Being a part of a sorority gives you the opportunity to make a difference for a cause that means something to you and all of your sisters. Taking it one step further, the saying, “What you give is what you get,” is very true in greek life because sororities offer the chance to hold leadership positions that range in responsibility. If you value community service, there is a position that allows you to arrange events for your sisters to help out in places like food drives and schools. But if you want to be more involved in the sorority itself, we have a Secretary and even President position that allows you to manage your chapter. If you are worried about your resume after college, a sorority gives you an opportunity to show employers that you are capable of managing groups of people, organizing events, and having an outgoing and diligent personality.
Lifelong Memories
It is amazing how I haven’t even been a part of a sorority for a whole semester and I have made memories that I will hold close to my heart forever. From my first tabling event to the moment I met my big, I have created such an amazing bond with this group of girls who I now feel like I have known forever. These girls will be in my life for eternity and so will Sigma Delta Tau. I look forward to wearing these greek letters with pride and welcome every person that they introduce me to. I will never forget how many strangers became sisters when they texted me congratulating me on my bid. Through bad and good times, I will always have a backbone of sisters there to support me, some of whom I haven’t even met yet. But trust me if you are one of them, just know that if you’ll have us, we will welcome you with open arms and lots of love! You never know what you might find, if you never try.