It’s that time of the year again. The acceptance of sorority bids, marking the end of recruitment season for all sororities on campus. Within the past month at Ohio Northern, unaffiliated young women interested in Greek Life have had their share of times to get to know the social sororities for what they stand for, as well as the numerous members within them. This was a time for these young women to explore their interests and to understand what sorority could be right for them.
However, one thing I have quickly understood since being at Ohio Northern is that sorority recruitment is completely different than the fraternity recruitment I went through. Being able to stand back and look at sorority recruitment from the outside is definitely a learning experience on its own.
For instance, are sororities really getting a chance to truly understand a potential new member in such a small time frame? Sororities have about a month to truly learn the qualities of potential new members. Doing so involves forced conversations and the topics are quite limited. A sister of a sorority may only get to know a potential new member’s name, major, or class right away. They may not get a chance to learn about the character traits or work ethic of this young woman, who may still receive a bid. Very few potential new members really break out of their shells to sincerely express themselves to a sorority they’re interested in.
This being said, I feel as if there is a huge dilemma when a woman’s looks and personality are taken into consideration within sorority recruitment over work ethic or how committed she could be to the sorority. Of all the things that could make a potential new member uncomfortable when looking into sororities, it would be having to question herself as to whether or not she can fit in when it comes to issues such as these. I can assure everyone
that this is not how a sorority’s founders would have wanted things to be. Selection should find a balance between keeping true sisterhood alive, while also maintaining enough numbers to remain financially stable.
At the end of the day, a potential new member will only receive a single bid from a certain social sorority that she will have the decision of accepting or not. Compare this to fraternity recruitment on Ohio Northern’s campus, wherein multiple bids can be handed out to one young man, who would have the chance to accept one of them from the selection he is given.
In terms of sorority recruitment, if I were to summarize the process in one word, stressful immediately comes to mind. I feel as if recruitment should be fun and relaxed, not confined under numerous strict rules. Undoubtedly, I feel as if there are some unfair practices within the sorority recruitment scene. I willbethefirsttosaythatitwill not be changed any time soon.