Now that all the hussle of recruitment is over and everyone has found a home, you have time to look around. Suddenly you see the sad posts that begin with the tragic sentence, “I didn’t get a bid,” and  you’re at a loss of what to say, how to feel or if you should even respond.

I received my bid my freshman year after I went through formal recruitment. If you have never gone through formal recruitment let me tell you from both sides, you do not have any time to think. You scramble to get your homework done, then scramble to make it to the events where you talk to so many people that you end up feeling a little lost at the end of the night.

Finally, you make it to the dive and run home. You are so overwhelmed with happiness and meeting new lifelong friends that you could not think of a place you would rather be. Then, you get on Facebook, ready to tell the world you have found your people when you see your best friend post they did not get a bid.

I will not lie to you, not getting a bid sucks. It sucks being the person that did not get one. It sucks being the friend that did get one and having to try and hide it. It’s an awkward situation all around. What I want to make sure you know is that there is nothing wrong with you. You are a person and that is enough. There is nothing that you “said wrong” or that you “weren’t pretty enough.” You just didn’t get a bid; that’s the end of the story. All I ask is please do not ask me or the recruitment chair or anyone, “Why didn’t I get a bid?” There is no specific reason, and even if there was they wouldn’t tell you. It’s best to just let it go.

It breaks my heart to see people get so down on themselves just because they did not receive a slip of paper. Some of my best friends are not Greek, and that is completely okay. Your worth is not proven by the letters on your chest but the person that you are.

There are so many opportunities to find your tribe here at Millikin. Did you know that we have over 70+ student organizations here on campus? There is bound to be something out there that makes you feel at home. Maybe if you are feeling particularly adventurous you can start your own student organization! Yes, you can if you have 5 friends that want to help you start it! I happen to be involved in a number of student organizations that have connected me to people that I would have never met if I did not join. You can get many networking opportunities within a student organization and utilize Millikin’s main staple of performance learning.

If you find yourself still wanting to be Greek, I strongly encourage you to go through recruitment again. You never know what could happen the next time around, and there is really nothing to lose. You get to talk to a lot of people you would not have gotten a chance to talk before, and also there is free food. What can be better than that?

I love my sorority with all my heart, but there are many opportunities at Millikin to find people that you really click with. Do not let this one thing bring you down. As cheesy as it sounds, it is not about the destination; it is about the journey.