Looking To Join A Sorority This Year? Check Out These Tips On How To Take Care Of Your Mental Health While Navigate The Recruitment Process

Starting the sorority recruitment process can be an exciting and nerve-wracking season of life. Whether you’re entering as a freshman, or joining later on in your college experience, there is an incredible amount of fun (and potentially anxiety inducing) change happening all at once. From your schedule to who you’re spending time with during the day, everything can feel very new. Making sure you are taking care of yourself, especially your mental health, during recruitment is incredibly important so that you can have an enjoyable and sustainable experience. Check out the tips below on how to support your mental health as you take on this wild and exciting journey into sisterhood.

Setting Expectations

It’s almost inevitable that you’ll walk into sorority recruitment with some level of expectation. Whether it’s from the movies and TV shows you’ve grown up watching, hearing stories from past sorority members, or you’ve done research and have an idea of what house you’d like to join, many of us have an idea on how recruitment will go when starting the process. The key to having an enjoyable experience, however, is setting healthy expectations and reminders from the beginning. While this experience may feel overwhelming and all-encompassing, remember that an unexpected result does not reflect on who you are or your value. Recruitment is partly algorithms and numbers, and sometimes they don’t go as planned, but that doesn’t mean your experiences in Greek life are over. Entering into the process with an open mind, focused on the connections you make instead of houses, will open doors for amazing opportunities and interactions.

Lean on Your Support Systems

While the recruitment process may feel all-encompassing at times, support systems outside of greek life will be an amazing resource for your mental health throughout the process. The hustle and bustle of meeting sorority sisters, talking to other girls going through recruitment, and conversing with your recruitment advisors can sometimes be overwhelming. Talking to your friends and loved ones who aren’t participating in sorority life is a great way to stay grounded and remind yourself that the world is still spinning outside greek row, and that familiar faces have your back. This may look like prioritizing catch-up calls or dinners with non-recruitment friends, or calling your family every night before bed. It might look like joining friends for clubs or activities in other areas of campus as well, such as intramural sports or art clubs. No matter what, prioritizing relationships with the people around you will be a great mental health boost throughout this process.

Set Boundaries

Establishing boundaries between recruitment and free time is an incredible way to balance sorority responsibilities with mental health care. Boundaries may look different for each person depending on what makes them feel the most comfortable and supported, but examples are:

• Limiting social media at certain times of the day so that you’re not tempted to compare your recruitment experience to others.
• Dedicating time during the week to focusing on other events happening in your life outside of sorority responsibilities.
• Calling a friend from home, or setting up a coffee hangout with friends who aren’t participating in Greek life, when possible.
• Prioritizing your bedtime routine after long days, such as skincare, winding down with your favorite show, or listening to a sleep podcast.

However you choose to establish boundaries, making sure you’re dedicating time during the week for life outside of sorority events can help the experience feel less overwhelming.

Stay Organized

With sorority recruitment’s natural chaos, keeping organized will be a key tool in keeping stress levels low. Using a planner or digital calendar to keep track of schedules and deadlines will give you peace of mind when navigating all the different meetings you’ll need to attend. Finding a place to write down all the information about dress codes, accessories, and what you’ll need to bring with you to events is also an amazing strategy to keep organized and make sure you tackle recruitment clear-minded and stress-free.

Prioritize Self Care

Prioritizing self care as much as possible is another amazing way to take care of your mind and body during this process. While the schedule around recruitment can be intense and there isn’t always an opportunity, making sure you sleep as much as possible at night will give your body the chance to rest so you feel refreshed and ready to take on challenges the next day. Make sure you fuel your energy as well. Eating regularly throughout the day, even if it’s just snacks in between houses, will help fight off the exhaustion that recruitment can bring. And don’t forget to incorporate some joy into the process as well. Whether you like to color, go for self care walks, do a face mask, or watch a few episodes of your favorite comfort TV show, including some low-key fun during the week can help you feel more grounded.

Utilize the Resources Available to You

Taking advantage of all the support resources on or off campus during recruitment is an incredibly important priority as well. Clubs on campus will often host movie nights, self care events, or social hours for students to mingle and share experiences. Many college campuses have counseling centers that offer either low or no cost therapy sessions where you can discuss the wins and challenges that come along with this process, or simply vent about the long hours. Further, there may be a medication provider on staff who is available if you think you need a little extra help managing recruitment anxiety. If you already work with a provider off-campus, keeping up with sessions or prescriptions will be a great way to stay on top of your mental health and utilize all the support you can, as well. 

Overall, sorority recruitment can be incredibly fun while also putting a strain on your mental health. By setting healthy expectations, utilizing support systems and resources, establishing boundaries, staying organized, and prioritizing self care, you’ll be able to take on this experience as the best version of yourself. 

Looking for some extra support while adjusting to college life? Our incredible providers here at Manhattan Wellness are ready to start that journey with you. We understand that navigating mental health while in school can be difficult. With our amazing group of therapists, you don’t have to navigate the process all on your own. A dedicated team working out of Manhattan, Brooklyn, or anywhere in New York, our clinicians are ready to help you start a journey of empowerment and self care. Follow these steps to get started:

1. Contact Manhattan Wellness today or email us at hello@manhattanwellness.org
2. Schedule your first appointment with one of our Manhattan therapists
3. Embark on this empowering path to a more confident you

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Taking care of yourself physically and emotionally will enhance your ability to cope with academic demands and personal challenges. While college has so much to offer, it can feel overwhelming and exhausting, often leading to feelings of burnout.  Setting aside time for you, including finding time to rest and rejuvenate is essential in adjusting to this transition.

At Manhattan Wellness, we understand that the transition to college is an exciting time filled with so much opportunity. But, we also know that with change comes a lot of uncertainty, which can be intimidating and stressful. We are here to support you in finding your path and feeling confident as you take on this new chapter. Follow these steps:

1. Submit a Contact Form or Email Us at hello@manhattanwellness.org
2. Learn More About Our Team of Therapists for College Students and Our Therapy Specialists
3. Get Support As You Find Your Path in College!

OTHER THERAPY SERVICES OFFERED IN MANHATTAN, BROOKLYN, & THROUGHOUT NEW YORK

At Manhattan Wellness, our therapists are here to support you in navigating every aspect of life. This is why we offer a variety of services to ensure you get the support, care, and guidance necessary. The therapy services we offer are Therapy for Maternal Mental Health, Self-Esteem Counseling, and Anxiety Treatment. Along with Dating/Relationship Counseling, Counseling for College Students, and more.