Bid Day is over, and has been over for several weeks now. And it’s that in the semester where the workload is now getting heavier, and professors are expecting more. While I will be the first to remind myself that yes I’m at this school to get an education, not just to be in a sorority, it’s hard to find a balance between it all. So how do you get to know your chapter’s new pledge class in the midst of the mid-semester craziness?
First thing is first. You have to remember that you were once a new member too. It’s exciting, but scary at the same time. I remember that I used to love it when the older sisters would invite me to go do something with them. It made me feel like I was being included and welcomed by them. Now keeping that in mind, my first piece of advice is invite some of the new members to do something with you! It can be anything, and I mean ANYTHING. Lunch, dinner, coffee, movie night, random shopping trip to Target because you ran out of your favorite eyeliner. It doesn’t need to be a planned out and elaborate event, and I actually encourage you not to make it into that. Don’t get me wrong, lunches and coffee invites are always nice. But it was the times that I got invited to just go by the sorority house to watch a movie, or got picked up from my dorm to go to Cookout for a study break that I remember having the most fun and getting to know people. And thing about doing these kinds of things is that it doesn’t take a lot of time at all. It can be as long or as short as you want to make it. So don’t use the “I have too much schoolwork excuse”, because most of the time you’ll need a break at some point anyways. Instead of taking that break from writing your paper to go on Facebook, go get coffee with a new member.
My second piece of advice is go to the events that your chapter plans. I know that in my chapter we always have events for both new members and older sisters to attend. We do different things like Friday Lunches at Farmer’s Market on campus, or “speed dating” where you get to talk to each new member for two minutes. Another good idea is to have each pledge class or graduating class host a different event. Recently we had the Juniors, Sophomores, and Seniors each host a night for the new members to go to where they could get to know more sisters and have fun while doing it. I’m not saying that you have to attend every single event, because most likely you won’t be able to. But try to go to as many as possible without spreading yourself too thin. The more sisters that show up to these kinds of events, the more fun and successful they are!
Finally, my last piece of advice is to sit in public more. And I know that this sounds like a weird piece of advice, but just bare with me while I explain. While I know that it is all too tempting to go back to your room in between or after classes and watch Netflix, I strongly urge you to try not to do this at every possible opportunity. try to make yourself a little more visible in public places than you normally are. I know that when I’m not in class I’m generally back at my house doing whatever I need to get done. So instead of going back to my house all the time, I’ve started going and sitting in the student center in between classes. Most of the time I’m just answering emails, and doing other things that I don’t need absolute silence for. I guarantee if you do this you’ll be shocked, just like I was, at the number of people, especially new members, that will come up to you and say hi and chat for a minute. Even if you have homework to do, try going to the library instead of sitting in your room or house. You never know who you’ll see there, and most likely they’ll ask if they can join you. Making yourself just a little more visible in public is easy and simple enough to do, and and helps you meet more of the new members.
Just remember that everyone was a “new girl” at some point. Try to remember what it felt like to have an older sister do anything of these things for you. Make fun last minute plans, go on coffee dates, go to events, and start making yourself more visible in public. I promise that if you do these things you’ll get to know the new pledge class faster than you thought possible. So go out there and meet the new girls!
preppyinpinkhpu 