There is no doubt that the five days of sorority recruitment were some of the longest, most stressful days of my life. When I walked into a room of seven hundred women after waking up at 6:30am, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. What I did know was that I was going to be in need of quality snacks, comfort foods, and hot drinks to get me through it. Luckily, these seven foods did just the trick.
1. Granola Bars
Granola bars gave me the perfect boost of energy during those twelve-hour days of recruitment. When nerves were at an all-time high and women going through recruitment had no appetite whatsoever, Clif bars and Kind bars were a go-to. They’re a perfect breakfast for days when you wake up at the crack of dawn, and they give you just enough energy needed to power through.
2. Soup
If you’ve gone through recruitment, you know that by the end of day one, your throat feels like it’s on fire from screaming during your conversations at each house. Whether it’s instant ramen made in your dorm room or chicken noodle from the dining hall, soup will always do the trick.
3. Peanut Butter
You can never go wrong with peanut butter. It gives you the protein you need and is filling enough to hold you over for a few houses before your next break. If you’re at the dining hall, spread it on a piece of toast with sliced bananas. If you’re in your room, put a scoop of it on instant oatmeal before you leave for the day.
4. Mac and Cheese
We all hit a point during recruitment when all we want to eat violates every healthy rule we’ve ever been taught. When you’ve gotten to this point, mac and cheese always hits the spot. The cheese and warmth give you everything you need to calm your nerves and fill your stomach.
5. Coffee
If you’re a coffee person, get excited because you’re going to need twice the amount of caffeine than normal during recruitment. When going from house to house, especially on the first day when you have to visit all of the houses, talking so much makes you very tired, very fast. If you’re not a Starbucks Gold Member yet, that will probably change by the time bid day comes along.
6. Tea
Drinking a cup of tea before bed during recruitment was the move. It’s calming, which is especially needed as you get closer to the end of the process. It’s also the perfect drink to help soothe your throat and save your voice for the many conversations to come.
7. Ice Cream or Fro-Yo
Finally, everyone needs to indulge a few times during recruitment. Whether it’s out of excitement or the need to eat your feelings, taking a trip to Häagen-Dazs or Yogurtland after you finish your day gets the job done. Besides, calories don’t count during recruitment.
During this process, these seven foods became my fuel for long days of girl-flirting and small talk. There was nothing more important during recruitment than having energy and being in a good mood, and eating right is a major factor in making sure that happens.