By Julianne Fullerton | Copy Editor
And just like that, recruitment week is finally over. After anticipating this week all of last semester, you may have just experienced the best week of your life or the most exhausting week of your life. Maybe it turned out exactly how you expected it to, or maybe something unexpectedly went wrong and you’re left feeling disappointed and confused. Either way, I encourage you to see the spring semester as one full of new opportunities and new beginnings.
If I could go back and give my freshman self advice, this is what it would be:
Deep community doesn’t form overnight
When I joined a sorority, my initial impression was that I would instantly find community — that I would find “my people” right away. However, I discovered that, similar to the beginning of freshman year, those deep friendships took time to form. They didn’t happen overnight, but instead took time and intentionality. As it is often said, “Nothing good ever comes easy,” and this is true of forming friendships in a sorority too. It may have taken time, but I found “my people” — a community that still supports and loves me to this day. Better than that, I have found that in every season of my life, I have been able to expand my community and develop more friendships along the way. Don’t be discouraged by the number of people you know on bid day; it’s only the beginning of a season of friendship and growth.
Support those around you
If you or others went through recruitment, I’m sure you soon realized that it wasn’t a perfect experience. Many come out on the other side incredibly saddened by unexpected twists and turns the week brought their way. During the next few weeks, I encourage you to be a supportive and caring friend to those who were disappointed by this week, and do your best to love them in ways they appreciate. Familiarize yourself with their love languages and figure out how to meet your friends where they’re at. For some, this can be done by spending quality time with them, and for others, being encouraging with words of affirmation will mean the world.
Don’t let comparison get to you
During the next few weeks, some may begin to rethink their decision, question where they ended up or compare their experience to the experience of others. Let me remind you: The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. Focus on making the most of your experience instead of overanalyzing what others are doing. Most chapters offer ways for you to be as involved as you want to be, so it is entirely up to you to make the most of it. Also, make sure the people who are pouring into your life are filling you with truth. Your mindset can define your sorority experience, so will you let it be positive or negative?
Baylor is so much bigger than Greek Life
It goes without saying, but the Baylor community is so much bigger than Greek Life. Only around 30% of the total undergraduate population is involved in it. It can be easy to get caught up in the Greek Life bubble, but it’s important to broaden your perspective. You can only talk about All-University Sing and intramurals for so long. If you’re looking for additional community outside of Greek Life, or if Greek Life isn’t the place for you, one resource I love is Baylor Connect. This website is full of events put on by every organization and is a great resource to learn more about ways to get involved on campus.
Remember where your identity is found
As a last reminder, you are worth so much more than any Greek letters that you may or may not be wearing. How many adult men and women do you still see wearing Greek letters? Not many. You are valued and loved just as much at the beginning of recruitment week as you are now. Your identity is not defined by the things you are involved in, but by the person God created you to be. Regardless of whether you had a good recruitment experience or not, one thing remains true: God’s plan for your life is so much bigger than just one week, and that is something I take comfort in to this day.
