From a chickadee: Lauren

Do you have a passion for service? Does you mom keep nagging that you need to get involved in college? Are you looking for a diverse group of life-long friends, who share a love of helping others? Are you just really into cute bows? Whatever your reasoning, we are so psyched that you’re here and considering Chickadees!

If you’ve looked into our organization, you may have seen that slightly intimidating word ~recruitment~. Before you start sweating and worrying and freaking out because you think you need a new dress to wear, here are a few of my little nuggets of knowledge I gained through my own Chickadees ~recruitment~ process.

Throw out all of your preconceived notions about what ~recruitment~ is supposed to be like.You do not need a dress or heels (unless that’s just what you like to wear). You don’t need to get your hair highlighted or your nails done (unless you just wanna treat yo’self). Chickadees are really into the “come as you are, be as you are” mindset. We just want to get to know YOU- what you like, what you’re passionate about, what unique things you can bring to our organization. Are you kind? Are you loyal? Do you want to make a positive impact in your community? These are the kinds of things we want to know. Focus on being yourself and just relax. Let us know what you’re passionate about – whether it’s helping the elderly, bettering your community, loving animals, making the perfect soufflé, or global relations, we just want to see that there is something that really drives you.
Don’t do recruitment halfheartedly. If you come into recruitment with a closed mind, you won’t get all you can out of it. We might ask you some weird questions or ask you to run around campus with us. Whatever it is, have fun with it. You might have some reservations; you might be a little shy. That’s totally okay. Just don’t allow those reservations to keep you from enjoying yourself. We love to see people who put their whole selves into something, even if it’s just a recruitment game. We want to get to know you, and that includes seeing how much dedication and determination you have.
We like that you’re not like everyone else. Chickadees is made up of so many different kinds of people. We come from all kinds of majors, different walks of life, different beliefs, different Netflix preferences, difference groups in the community we like to serve. These differences are what make us so great. They enable us to expand our reach in the community and accommodate a number of interests. We welcome your differences, and we love to hear new ideas.
It’s all about that ~spark~. That ~spark~ is not exclusively reserved for those Rom-Com Indie films you probably watch on Netflix late at night when you’re feeling a little weepy (No, just me? Okay). As someone who has been around the student org. circuit once or twice, I’ve found the most important thing is finding people you just “click” with. Trust your gut and be honest with yourself. “Am I comfortable here? Do I share common interests with these people? Do I feel welcomed or intimidated?” These are all questions I asked myself when considering potential student organizations. Being honest about the answers to these questions will save you so much time and frustration while trying to find your niche on this huge campus. Not every organization is for you, and that’s okay! Even if you’ve tried tons of organizations and none of them have been a perfect fit, don’t let it discourage you from giving all the other organizations you’re interested in a fair shot. The perfect one for you is out there. It might even be us;-)

The primary thing you should take away from these tips is this: we want YOU. Not the “you” that you think we want you to be, just totally and completely you. If you can do that, recruitment for you will go just swimmingly! Hopefully you’ve benefited a little from these nuggets of knowledge. Now all that’s left to do is take a deep breath, give it your best shot, and (most importantly) fly. We are so excited to meet you!

Lauren Ross

Gama Class