Hello, my name is Abby Basford and I am the Vice President of Recruitment for the Epsilon Omega chapter of Alpha Chi Omega here at Cal Poly SLO. As a chapter, we are more excited than ever for this upcoming fall quarter, where formal recruitment will take place. College is arguably one of the biggest transitions you’ll make in your young adulthood, and can feel quite overwhelming. Not only have you been faced with difficult decisions such as which school to go to, what to study, and who your roommate will be… But now you may be wondering, “should I go greek?” Regardless of where you are in your thought process on this topic, I’d love to offer you my advice. 

 

As a freshman, I remember feeling all the nerves that go along with leaving your childhood in the past and entering into the daunting world of college. About three weeks later, I found myself going through formal recruitment. I had no idea what to expect, but knew I wanted to find a strong group of people who would make this foreign environment feel more like home. I was shocked by the overwhelming amount of love and support I felt from all my fellow potential new members and recruitment counselor leaders, even before I chose a home. A process that originally seemed overwhelming and scary became a source of comfort and excitement that reinforced my decision to go greek. 

 

My best piece of advice to all of you incoming freshmen is to put yourself out there, to take a risk, and the reward will be greater than you ever imagined. Within the realm of Greek life, this reward is friends for life, people who have your back, and role models that push you to be the very best version of yourself. Not only have I found this and so much more within my own chapter, but also across the board throughout all of Panhellenic. The Panhellenic community at Cal Poly has given me amongst many other women the opportunity to better myself and make memories to last a lifetime.

 

This new chapter of your life holds endless exciting opportunities. The purpose of recruitment is for you to find a home where you feel supported, motivated, loved, and most importantly unapologetically yourself. Our chapter, among all the other chapters within the Panhellenic community, works hard to make sure that you end up exactly where you are meant to be. Our chapter is so excited to meet you, and enjoy the ride - it goes fast.