No Connections? No Problem! 

Hello lovely,

A common misconception about recruitment is that you need to know someone in the sorority to get a bid. However, this is definitely not the case! You don’t need any connections before going through recruitment—focus instead on making new ones throughout the process. It’s not about who you KNOW, it's about who you ARE. I know this from personal experience because that was exactly my situation when I rushed!

I moved from a small town in Missouri to Los Angeles, California, to attend the University of Southern California. I didn’t know a single person at the school, let alone in a sorority. But I always knew I wanted to rush, so I went into it with excitement rather than nerves. Initially, I noticed many of my friends had connections, and I worried I might be left behind. Luckily, this wasn’t the case at all—in fact, it turned out to be an advantage!

Since I didn’t know anyone, I was paired with girls I hadn’t met before, allowing me to create genuine, authentic connections. This helped me get a better feel for each sorority and its members. I ended up at my first choice, and it was the best decision I could have made.

Having a connection in a sorority might seem reassuring, but the decision to offer you a bid isn’t up to that one person. They can’t guarantee your spot. Instead of focusing on the connections you already have, concentrate on making new ones throughout the process. This will put you in the best position because now you have multiple people rooting for you!

My friends with connections often went to them for advice on what to wear. This backfired because each sorority has its own personality and style. They ended up wearing pieces that reflected their friends' sororities rather than their own personal style which led them to feeling out of place at other houses. Meanwhile, I wore outfits that I loved and felt comfortable and confident in.

Here are some similar styles to what I wore, which made me feel fabulous!

Another perk of not knowing any actives is that you can have a completely open mind. The recruitment process was entirely my decision and free from outside pressure from friends trying to persuade me to join their sorority.

It’s perfectly normal to feel nervous about not knowing anyone in a sorority but remember that the majority of people rushing are in the same boat. Plus, there are huge benefits to going in independently and establishing new, genuine connections. If it worked for me, it can absolutely work for you too!