There are many things associated with the initial return to school for a second semester. Some students hopefully anticipate the start of their classes, but they’re often already thinking about the workload that awaits them. Plus, it is also the beginning of a new recruitment season for Greek Life on campus.

Since most sororities on campus do not participate in a fall recruitment season and freshman girls would be ineligible for that process anyway, most girls (of all grades) going through recruitment are filled with excitement and anticipation, but more overwhelming is the sense of nervousness. One of the most frequently asked questions, and often the most daunting, is, “What do I wear?”

The simple answer to this question is: whatever is comfortable to you. However, there are some guidelines that hopefully will be helpful so that “comfortable” is not synonymous with yoga pants and leggings for these two weekends.

The first two weekends are fairly casual; jeans without holes in them in any style that fits you best and a nice shirt (something that could be worn out to a nice lunch with your friends or family). Most importantly is what will keep you upright all day; comfortable, clean shoes work great and boots are always nice, but remember these rooms are crowded and can get hot.

These first two days are pretty simple. Cherish them because wearing pants allows you to evade the cold outside when walking to meet your Rho Chis in Thwing. If you are worried of getting your shoes dirty by walking in the snow, pack them in a backpack and find a safe place to store your boots at the event.

Remember, however, that clothing is not the most important thing going into recruitment. What is, is the experience you take out of it. Victoria Onufrieff, an active member of Greek life on campus, said, “The one thing I probably wish I knew going into recruitment was not to over think about trying to find where I would best fit in. You just come to learn that you click with a certain group of people best, and you’ll know where you’ll fit in.”

The second weekend is where things get to be a little more formal, but formal in a very casual sense, meaning prom dresses will not be necessary by a long shot. Day three, or the Saturday of the second weekend, can be classified by attire as something you would wear to a nice dinner with your family or something that could be classified as business casual. A skirt or nice pants paired with a nice shirt are always easy, and casual dresses are safe too. The key for this day is to wear something first and foremost comfortable but something you take yourself seriously in. For this day, nice boots or comfortable heels typically tie these looks together.

As cliché as it sounds, trust the system.

“I also wish I had known that it is totally fine to not get your first choice coming back on days two through four,” said Katie Cox, a former Chief Recruiting Officer for a Greek chapter. “Just because you get invited back to chapters that you might have ranked lower doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t be a good fit.”

Finally Day Four, you’re almost done and the excitement has only grown since Day One. This is the most formal of the days. That being said, the best looks for this day are often dresses or nice pants (slacks; not jeans) and a blouse that could be dressed up for a social or family gathering, such as a casual daytime wedding. Most girls typically do wear heels on this last day, but if you are simply not into heels, nice flats are always practical.

The following are some tips to avoid the cold weather on these days if you go sans pants (aka you wear a skirt or a dress). Don’t walk in heels when you meet your Rho Chi at the start of your day; instead, pack them in a bag and wear boots. Also, if it is as frigid as it was last year, no one wants to walk in negative degree weather in only tights; grab sweatpants and pull them over your dress, or let the dress hang out of the top of your pants. Yes, you will look silly, but you will be warm, and it wouldn’t be surprising if you saw actives doing the same thing. They get cold too, just like you.
To add to this, Cox also advised, “It does feel like speed dating girls, so make sure you bring mints, chapstick—more so because it’s cold— and your water bottle. Or five water bottles.”

Remember, as much hype as outfits get, no matter what you wear, it is the least important part of the weekends. If you are not comfortable in what you are wearing, that’s all you will be thinking about rather than finding the best home in Case Western Reserve’s Greek Life for you. It is, after all, the primary objective of the two weekends. Cox solidified this statement with her own statement: “Greek life is a values-based organization, so we recruit on values. If your hair is a bit frizzy or shoe comes untied, no judgment from our end. Why? Because my hair is frizzy 90 percent of the time and I trip over my own feet regularly.”

To close out, the final tip is as follows: Be yourself, because people recruit people, not your wardrobe.