All I have to say is: Wake me up when it is Bid Day.
People outside of Greek Life or people who never went away to school usually judge or poke fun at the concept of being in a sorority. In reality, it's an amazing resource to take on leadership roles and learn actual skills for the "real world." And trust me-- trying to properly lead and make 75 girls happy all at once is as difficult as "expert" level Guitar Hero; if you press too many wrong buttons, you'll find yourself offbeat for the rest of the song, unlikely to make a comeback.
When I tell people I am the Vice President of Membership Recruitment, or “VPMR” OR in the simplest terms, Recruitment Chair, 9 times out of 10, they have no idea what I am talking about. Or the work that goes on behind the scenes. So, for those of you who aren't a professional sorority girl, allow me to debrief you.
I ran for this position knowing all the requirements, which are:
Coordinate monthly workshops
Coordinate two 2 day long recruitment workshops
Choose ERC and communicate with them often
Hold weekly meetings
Plan 3 day long formal recruitment
Coordinate rush events
Keep in constant contact with recruitment advisor
Select people for meet the Greeks and attend event
Attend meetings and workshops with Panhellenic council
Represent sorority at all times in a positive light
Submit forms and recruitment plans to HQ
Keep track of a large budget
Ability to delegate tasks
Ability to effectively communicate
Be organized and have good time management
Have A LOT of time for this
Oh and many bullet points I never knew existed---and then do well in school, work, edit the Entertainment section of the newspaper, and maintain somewhat of a social life.
So basically to say the least, I am in charge of scouting out girls who I think share mutual values/would be a good fit for my sorority and planning events-- with one final event-- to do so successfully.
This is definitely the most challenging role I have had to date in my college career. Not only because of the workload that I had to endure, but because it was imperative to rely on others for help which oftentimes I am not very good at asking for.
I currently do not remember when I got an actual well-rested sleep, well, because, recruitment doesn't sleep. I might as well have a coffee IV placed in my left arm vein and my eyes taped open. I totally underestimated running for and taking on this position and I am not afraid to admit it. Heck, I just want people who are considering running for this in their sorority that it is not for the faint hearted, those who find it difficult to maintain organization, or push overs-- I know this because I struggle with a combination of the three.
If you possess these character traits there is absolutely nothing wrong and does not measure your ability to succeed, it just maps out how much harder you have to work than those who oppose these descriptions. **Clears throat** Which would be me.
I have only truly felt comfortable once in this year-long position and it wasn't until this past weekend. I was thanking my sisters for coming to the workshop I was hosting and apologized for making changes that some may have not liked. When everyone had left, my advisor pulled me aside and said, "You are doing great. Except for one thing. Stop saying 'sorry' and losing your confidence, because you're doing perfectly fine."
After hearing that, I was finally able to lead without caring if anyone considered me "bitchy." Finishing my day knowing I did my best to make the majority happy and not stressing about the rest became a lot easier and I found a new kind of personal confidence I never knew existed.
Oftentimes, I sit back and wonder how much easier my life would be if I never ran for this. But then I wonder what kind of person would I be If I couldn't handle a challenge. A pretty boring one, don't you think?
As my final week as VPMR approaches and the weekend I've awaited since spring 2016 is in sight, I am compelled to look back and realize how much I have grown and how I have found a new reason to believe I can do anything I set my mind to-- no matter how much I cry or how much sleep I lose. And you can do it, too.
