What to Expect After Sorority Recruitment Ends

New Greek Members Experience Bid Day, Big Sisters and Initiation

Feb 25, 2008

After sorority recruitment ends, the fun really begins! From bid day to big sisters to initiation, here's what you can expect as a new member in your sisterhood!

Bid Day Celebration and Sisterhood Activities

After you receive your bid you will spend time with your new sisters. Bid day activities vary from campus to campus but you will probably have a pledge class picture taken and participate in some kind of activity with the entire sorority.

You may also receive a temporary big sister. This older member of the chapter will be your go-to person in the first days as you adjust to everything. She will also keep in touch with you and help you navigate the events and meetings coming up.

Activities and Meetings for New Members

You will spend time with your new member class and the New Member Educator (formerly Pledge Trainer). You will have your own meetings with the other new members during which time you will learn more about your sorority’s history, the founders, the national philanthropy, etc. Your new member class may elect officers and select representatives to the Junior Panhellenic.

At some point you will receive your big sister in a special revealing ceremony. Some sororities call them mothers, but in any case this is the older chapter member who will take you through initiation and generally assist you in adapting to the sisterhood. Some members develop very close relationships with their big sisters. Some do not. It varies greatly from person to person so do not be disappointed if your big sister does not turn out to be a dear lifelong friend. It does not always happen that way.

Formal Sorority Initiation

Lastly, you will spend time preparing for initiation which will take place at the end of your new member period. Initiation is a beautiful, highly symbolic ritual during which time the secrets of the sorority will be revealed to you. Although each sorority’s chapters may vary greatly from campus to campus, every chapter performs the same initiation ritual. It is the one thing that binds all sisters of a particular sorority together across time and geographic boundaries. If you are a legacy to your sorority, you may invite your legacy relative to attend your initiation ceremony.

A Word of Warning about Hazing

Every campus Panhellenic should have an anti-hazing policy in place since hazing is absolutely forbidden by all National Panhellenic Conference member sororities. Hazing is defined by the National Panhellenic Conference in this way:

...any action or situation with or without consent which recklessly, intentionally or unintentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, or creates risk of injury, or causes discomfort, embarrassment, harassment or ridicule or which willfully destroys or removes public or private property...

You should not be hazed in any way. If you are hazed or know someone else has been, you should contact your national office immediately. While it might be very hard to come forward and speak out, it would be far harder to deal with tragic consequences and know you had the knowledge to prevent it.

Finding Your Place in Your Sorority

Gradually over the first few months you will begin to find your place in your sisterhood. Like all new things, it will take time and effort on your part to feel that you belong. You will not fall in love with every sister. There may even be a few you actually don’t like very much. That is ok. You will find sisters with whom you develop deep relationships. You will be friendly with many other sisters. Some you won’t get to know very well because of time constraints or lack of similar interests. It is ok. Give it time and you will find your niche and start to feel a part of the sisterhood.

The end of sorority recruitment is just the beginning of sorority life. From bid day to meeting your big sister to initiation you will experience all kinds of great moments as you begin your sisterhood experience.

The copyright of the article What to Expect After Sorority Recruitment Ends in Campus Activities is owned by Sallie Schaaf Borrink. Permission to republish What to Expect After Sorority Recruitment Ends in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.