What Exactly Happens During Sorority Recruitment At Southern Methodist University

Oh, recruitment. A rite of passage for every sorority girl. Lucky you because at SMU you’ll have the whole fall semester to freak out and overthink it all! But really, here are some things to expect during sorority recruitment at Southern Methodist University.

1. You will think you have it all figured out.

Because SMU has deferred recruitment, you spend the whole semester getting to know the girls from each house. By the time January rolls around, you might think you know which house you want. Well honey, your whole world could be turned upside down, so keep an open mind and don’t rule out any of the houses.

2. Those door chants? They’re real.

Don’t be scared. Just know that every sorority door on Dyer Street will open at the same time and those girls will start screaming. Don’t forget to smile, it’s show time! Also try to not trip up the stairs (but it’s not the end of the world—I did at my favorite house and they still gave me a ((pity)) bid!)

3. You will be asked the same question approximately one million times.

“So, what’d you do over break?” Oh, the classic icebreaker. Try and figure out a way to spice up the fact that you laid in bed for three weeks watching Netflix and eating Ben & Jerry’s.

4. Your face will be numb.

Not because it’s cold (when I went through recruitment it was about 50 degrees and windy…gotta love Texas in January). But because you are smiling from 8 AM. until about 3 PM. Every. Day.

5. You will want to tell someone everything that happened minute-by-minute.

Thankfully, my mom made the trip down to Texas with me. We stayed in a ~lavish~ hotel so I could relax a little bit every night off-campus. Most girls may not have this luxury, but I totally recommend not staying in your dorm during recruitment because you want to get as far away from campus as possible when you’re done girl flirting every day.

6. People will be taking videos and pictures.

Not the sorority members or other PNMs (because God forbid you have your phone with you), but people driving by, your mom, or maybe old ladies that went to SMU and are trying to relive their glory days. Sorority Row is conveniently placed on a main strip of campus where cars pass by frequently, so of course they slow down when they see the mayhem.

Making the Transition from High School to College

7. But hang in there, it gets better.

I saw so many girls crying and leaving the process once their favorite house dropped them. I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and tons of my friends ended up being the biggest endorsers of a sorority they never thought they’d be a part of.

8. You will be running.

Hopefully you did some cardio between Netflix and dinner over winter break because the run from Hughes-Trigg Student Center to the Sorority Houses is not short, my friends. But once you get through the hordes of boys taking videos and pictures, you are home. If you are like me, you may not know a soul on that lawn. But, as cheesy as it sounds, they’re your sisters now!