Sorority recruitment invites continue throughout weekend

While most IU students plan to spend this weekend packing, checking flight schedules and preparing for their return to campus, IU's Greek women have been in Bloomington for a week preparing to welcome the newest additions to their chapters. \nOn Nov. 11 and 12, 1,400 IU women participated 19 Party, the first round of recruitment in which potential members visit all 19 women's chapter on campus. Stephanie Sautter, a sophomore from Washington, D.C., participated in 19 Party. \n"I enjoyed talking to the girls during 19 Party, because it gave me more of a sense of what the house was like," Sautter said. "Seeing the decorations and getting a tour was nice, but in the end, I like getting to know the girls in the house." \nThis week, women returned to First Invitation Wednesday and Thursday, which allows them to visit up to 12 chapters. During these visits, each chapter puts on a skit for the prospective members. Sophomore Heather Adduci of Phi Mu said these skits allow the chapters to exhibit their personalities. \n"It gives the women a chance to see how we interact with each other and also makes the event more personable," she said. \nFriday, the women will return to up to six chapters for Second Invitation, followed by Preference Round on Saturday and the Panhellenic Bid Ceremony on Sunday, in which the participating women learn which chapter they will call home. \nHillary Breslich, Co-Recruitment director of Phi Mu, has been planning this week since last year's recruitment. \n"The women work very hard to set up and decorate the house for each party," she said. "I think their efforts definitely show during the rounds." \nThe women sometimes work through the night to get the house looking perfect for the skits and rounds. After each invitation, the women must tear down the old decorations and set up the new ones for the next day, Breslich said.\nAfter going through recruitment last year, sophomore Kelley Fernandez of Delta Zeta said she was able to experience the process from a different perspective this year. \n"It's amazing how different it is from this side," she said. \nThis year, the transportation for the participating women changed. Instead of using the University's bus system, IU was able to charter buses for the women. This caused a problem for the chapters and the women, however, as the buses could only carry 50 passengers at one time, causing many women to be late to the chapters and miss the skits that were scheduled at the beginning of each round. \nIt is an exhausting week for both the organizers and the potential members, and it takes a few days to catch up on the missed sleep, Breslich said. \nAfter an involved week of recruitment, the women are able to welcome the new initiates to their homes. Junior Carissa Wheeler of Phi Mu said she looks forward to Sunday. \n"The whole week of work is worth it to see the new women on Bid Day," she said.