Signs a Sorority Wants You
There is a burning question asked by most girls prior to and during the sorority recruitment process—how can I tell if a sorority wants me as a new member?
If only these girls had the power to mind read and have this question answered for them. Or, if they were able to have a “That’s So Raven'' epiphany where they could see into the future and which house they run home to on Bid Day, then I’m sure the process would be much easier for everyone. Yet on the bright side, sororities will often act in implicit ways to show that they WANT you, and this blog is going to give you the rundown on how to read these specific signals and channel your inner-Raven Baxter.
It is important to remember that the goal of sorority recruitment is for each chapter to find the best new members for their sorority. So, it’s each chapter’s mission to make it known that they want you in order to avoid the risk of losing you as a future sister, without “Dirty Rushing” (most of the time).
Side Bar: Dirty Rushing occurs when sororities break the rules set by their college’s Panhellenic Council. One of the most common cases of rule breaking is when sorority members break Panhellenic’s code of silence. It is against the rules for the sorority members to say things like, “See you tomorrow,” or, “I can’t wait to see you on Bid Day!” The girls are not allowed to promise a bid or explicitly state that you will be invited back for another round, which is why the sorority sisters often resort to indirect cues.
Because of the Panhellenic rules put in place, it can be hard for potential new members (PNMs) to know whether or not a sorority wants them. This is why I am here to give you the 411 on how to gauge if a sorority wants you and how to successfully read their unspoken signals.
7 Signs A Sorority Wants You
What is actually five-seven days of a recruitment process may seem like weeks and weeks of endless conversations, exhausting walks from house to house, and day after day of coordinating your outfits and accessories. The waiting time until Bid Day can be mentally draining, but the emotional toll you go through will not even come close to the enjoyment you will feel on Bid Day. As you anxiously await whether you are going to get a bid from your top choice, I hope you remember the following signs that can answer the burning question referenced above.
Throughout the week, you notice that sorority members are following your social media pages.
We all know the prevalence Instagram has in the world today. Pertaining to Greek Life, practically every sorority and each and every college sorority girl has an Instagram account. Oftentimes, sorority girls will tell their friends to follow a PNM’s Instagram account when they are excited about her. By following this girl’s Instagram, they believe it is expressing their interest in her without explicitly vocalizing it. This technically goes against Panhellenic rules (contacting a PNM before/during recruitment), but the girls tend to do it anyway.
When you first step foot into the house, you notice that the sorority sisters are chanting very loud at you/making eye contact as they walk you in.
Although it sounds silly, one of the ways the sorority members will express their excitement for you is by how loud they scream their chants and the big smiles on their faces as you walk through their house’s front doors. Girls may loudly scream, “Hi, [your name]!” or enthusiastically sing their chants in your face. Although not having a consistent sound level does go against Panhellenic rules, as it tends to show favoritism towards certain girls, it is often a rule the girls are willing to break to express their excitement for a PNM.
When you are inside of the house, different girls keep approaching you and introducing themselves (especially the President or VP of Recruitment).
Back in my sorority days, we often had “rush crushes.” Rush crushes were the girls that you wanted to join your chapter more than anyone else. When a girl is labeled rush crush status by a sorority, every sorority sister wants to meet her. So, one of the telltale signs that you may have reached rush crush status is based upon the amount of different sorority girls that are continuously coming up to you to say hello or introduce themselves. Even better, if you find that the sorority president or the rush captains are going out of their way to meet you, then this is a clear sign that the sorority is speaking highly of you.
When the chapters are giving speeches, showing videos, or performing for the PNMs throughout the week, where they place you to sit is a telltale sign of interest.
You might not realize this, but the PNM seating arrangements in each sorority house are very thought out. Typically, the sorority’s “top girls,” or the ones they are most excited about, tend to sit at the front.
When other PNMs start exiting the house, you notice that the sorority girls are holding you back to continue speaking to you, or you may notice that you are one of the last girls out of the sorority house.
When the sorority girls are continuing your conversation until the very last moment possible, this is their way of showing that they value both you and the conversations that you have been having with them. By leading you out of the house at the very last minute, the girls are hoping this signals that they wish they had more time to continue forming the connection between the both of you.
You have had the best conversations with the sorority.
The sororities you have genuine and memorable conversations with are the ones who want you. When sorority girls are genuinely excited to see you, you can tell based upon the value of the conversations you have been having with them.
From the start, you have easily formed connections with the sorority girls and you have always felt very comfortable.
The feeling you have when you enter and exit a house is often a clear sign of whether or not the sorority wants you. If a house feels like home to you, and you have established connections that you know will last, this is a great sign. Also, another signal you should not ignore is if the conversations you are having with the sorority members feel as though you are talking to your good friends from home. If your feelings of anxiety have transitioned to complete excitement, then this house and these girls could be your home away from home.