For many involved in Greek life, recruitment begins long before the formal recruitment week in January. One example of this is Panhellenic Preview, which will take place on Sunday, Sept. 29.
Any first-year, sophomore or junior girl hoping to join a sorority will take part in Panhellenic Preview. This is the second year that Panhellenic Preview is a required part of recruitment. All eight Panhellenic sororities will take part in Panhellenic Preview. Panhellenic Preview is an all day event starting at 9 a.m and lasting until 5 p.m.
Panhellenic Preview is essentially the first day of recruitment. The girls taking part will be separated into groups and will then visit all eight houses.
Throughout the day, the girls line up in front of the houses, listen to the door chants and talk to girls in every house, just as they will four months from now during formal recruitment week, which is Jan. 12 to 16.
Unlike formal recruitment, when girls are specifically told what to wear, Panhellenic Preview outfits are left up to the potential new member’s choice.
According to Panhellenic President Lauren Fann, the overall goal of Panhellenic Preview is to better prepare the potential new members. Panhellenic Preview is meant to “take away the element of surprise that recruitment tends to give the potential new members. We have found that by allowing a mock run-through of recruitment that both the chapter women and the potential new members feel more at ease when real recruitment takes place.”
Whether it’s practicing door chants or figuring out logistics, many of the sororities have been preparing for Panhellenic Preview for some time now. Sorority members are finding ways to make every girl more relaxed on the day of Panhellenic Preview. Emily Heft, a sophomore Delta Gamma said, “I hope Panhellenic Preview will help [first-years] feel comfortable about the recruitment process and hopefully we will be welcoming some to their future homes when we open our doors to them on Sunday.”
Considering this is the second year that Panhellenic Preview is required the sophomore sorority members have already been through Panhellenic Preview and know what to expect.
“Panhellenic Preview helped me meet a lot of girls from each sorority and gave me a better understanding of what recruitment week would be like,” said sophomore Pi Beta Phi member Alex Wippler.
On the other side of preview, many potential new members are anxious to see what Panhellenic Preview and recruitment in general will hold for them. “As of now, I’m still a little unsure of what exactly happens in rush and what is expected so I’m hoping this will clear things up,” said Lily Thomas, a first-year planning on going through recruitment. “I’m hoping to get to meet some girls and feel better prepared for rush in the spring.”
Although some potential new members may feel overwhelmed or nervous, Fann’s advice is to “be yourself. If you are yourself, you will be sure to find a home in any one of the eight chapters that will build on your strengths and improve on your weaknesses as well as provide you with lifelong friendships.”
