It’s that time of year again. The girls are parading around Affinity Commons, and Northern On Main is filled with intimate one-on-ones between girls looking to get to know each other. Yes, it is Panhellenic Recruitment season here at Ohio Northern.
Panhellenic Recruitment is the process that allows unaffiliated women to survey each Sorority chapter and explore eventual membership. It can be a stressful time for a potential new member, who is more commonly known as a PNM among chapters. These women meet multiple people in small amounts of time. They are exposed to different environments and cultures and are expected to choose chapters based on these brief experiences.
Grace Vining, vice president for recruitment on Panhellenic Council, said that Open House is an essential round for helping PNMs find their future homes.
“Open House is a fun round because it’s a time for chapters to really show off what living in the chapter house is like. Members can give tours of their rooms, which is always fun, because potential new members can see pictures and decorations on the walls and start to get a feel for what it’s like to form those really close friendships,” she said.
For those who may not be familiar with the process, PNMs are prohibited to be in any chapter housing facility from the start of the school year until Bid Day. This is why rounds are so important.
Grace mentioned that Open House can often be a deciding factor in a woman’s decision to go through Panhellenic Recruitment.
“After Open House, we had a spike in our numbers because it is the last round before formal recruitment begins, and because it’s very laid back and fun. Girls start to realize that Greek life really has a lot to offer.”
Over 100 women have signed up as of Wednesday. As recruitment season comes to a close, new Greek women will begin to find their homes, and Bigs will find Littles. One common unchanging aspect though, will be the feeling they get when they walk through the door to their new house – or rather, their new home.