If you’re involved in Greek life or looking to possibly join a sisterhood, November proves to be a pretty exciting time as Novemberfest rolls around. If you’re a freshman, this is the your first chance to get a sneak peak into Emory Greek Life, as the lodges are open and sorority girls are eager to have conversations with you.
Back in September, your Pi Chis probably pestered you to sign up for Novemberfest even though you had no idea what it was, or, better yet, if you even wanted to go through recruitment. As the date actually approaches, you still don’t know what to expect—how the process actually plays out, how long of a day you’ll have, and how many girls you’ll be speaking with in each house. That being said, here are some of the typical stages you will probably go through right before and during Novemberfest. Definitely don’t fret the fest, but be prepared for a hectic day.
The Night Before:
The night before Novemberfest, you’ll probably be very anxious. It’s normal to be nervous about what to expect—after all, you’ve never done this before! You might try to go to bed early, but the truth is, you probably won’t be able to really relax. Your head will be spinning with questions you might ask, thoughts about if you even really want to go through recruitment, and worrying if you will wake up for your alarm.
Early Morning:
It’s finally the day of and you have just gotten the t-shirt that all the PNMs are wearing. After trying it on, you probably aren’t too pleased with the way it looks, but realize it’s fine because at least everyone has to wear it too. Your Pi Chis hand you your schedule and you become frazzled yet again. You don’t know what the time frames mean, what an ‘off round’ is, or where you go in between the rounds. Don’t worry though! Your Pi Chis will explain all of this to you.
First Round:
As you stand in line for the rounds to start, you’ll immediately be shocked by how many girls are outside on the Lawn with you, and also by how many people you’ve never even seen before that are standing in those lines. Who knew Emory is so much bigger than it seems? In addition, you’ll definitely wonder what kind of girls you’re going to be talking to, what they will ask you about, and how long you’ll talk to them for. Also, you secretly wish that you could just talk to your friend who is three people ahead of you in line, but don’t want to risk getting yelled at by a Pi Chi.
After the First Round:
Wow, that went by fast! You cannot believe how quickly everything happened and you can barely remember the names of the girls that you met. What did you even talk to everyone about? The conversations are mixed up in your mind. Now it’s time to go off to the next lodge! You’re less nervous, a little more confident, and excited to see what’s in store for you.
Off Rounds:
Its finally time for a short break. You get to clear your head of everything that’s happened and just sit and relax. After all that talking, you may be getting hungry and dehydrated, so now is probably a good time for a snack. Pro tip: snag a few extra granola bars or chips for later rounds—you’re going to want them.
Last Few Houses:
At this point, you feel like you know the drill and are ready to just go into these last remaining houses and have some good conversations. Your nerves are now gone and you are not scared by the singing (or shouting) sorority girls standing in the doorways. You’re definitely tired, but are ready to stick it out for another hour or two.
The End:
Well, you made it! One day of Novemberfest is now behind you and it wasn’t bad at all. You are exhausted and overwhelmed as you try to remember everyone you talked to, which sorority they were in, and what you even talked about. While you and all your friends talk about your days, you realize this is only the beginning of your journey; you are actually excited for recruitment now!
As the day approaches, hopefully this will help you prepare yourself. It’s a good trial run to give you a preview for what going through recruitment is really like!