Sorority recruitment week, a well-known tradition in Oxford, commenced on Aug. 12. Perfectly manicured hands nervously gripped canvas totes that read “Panhellenic” as girls raced to rounds at 11 chapter houses on Sorority Row and Rebel Drive. The week marked a new beginning for many Ole Miss students.
Though running home on bid day on Saturday, Aug. 19, was the moment of a lifetime, it took months to perfect the logistics of recruitment for both sororities and fraternities.
With nearly 39% of the student body already involved in Greek life, recruitment seems as if it is an annual Oxford holiday. Many businesses, organizations and city events alter normal hours and routines in order to prepare for recruitment week.
There are various recruitment positions that require different skills to allow the week to run smoothly. Recruitment counselor Gretchen Taylor said that the spring and summer training were demanding, but viewing the process from different perspectives was rewarding.
Taylor has seen many sides of recruitment as a potential new member, active member and now recruitment counselor.
“There’s a new layer you discover in each situation. Every year, I find a new level of appreciation for recruitment,” Taylor said.
In addition to months of preparation, active sorority members must also follow various rules to ensure fairness throughout the recruitment process. Senior Alpha Omicron Pi member Maggie House explained some such rules that are currently enforced by the Panhellenic Standards Board.
“We have a dry period and no contact with the PNMs,” House said. “The cutoff dates are different for each chapter, but Panhellenic has their own dates to follow, too”
After months of preparation and a long week of new experiences, parents, students and the Oxford community gathered in the Grove to watch the young women receive their invitations and run home on Aug 19. Cheering could be heard beyond the campus, and it continued throughout the day as girls received bids and were welcomed by their new sisters.
This year, more than 2,000 women participated in sorority recruitment with new member classes projected to be over 100 girls per sorority. The marked increase can be attributed to both larger freshman class sizes and the popularity of the rush process on social media.
#RushTok has been trending on TikTok for the second year in a row. The pressure of social media has only made the process more competitive for potential new members.
Despite what is shown on social media, House described what she believes to be the most important aspect of recruitment.
“For me personally, I would say to just be yourself,” House said. “I would also say to have an open mind, trust yourself, trust the process and have fun.”
Taylor expressed how the bid day experience is rewarding for both PNMs and those who worked tirelessly to organize the week.
“The hard work that goes into this week is worth it, because in the end, you only have this experience once,” said Taylor.
Although sorority recruitment has come to a close, the UM community can look forward to fraternity recruitment which will begin August 26 with a convocation at the Pavilion. Gov. Tate Reeves is expected to be in attendance to speak on the importance of decision making.
