To Rush…
Throughout high school I was constantly told by older friends that I would end up being in a fraternity. Some of the people who told me this were GDI’s and said it in a condescending manner, while anyone in a fraternity or sorority flaunted the positives to rushing and meeting new people.
My first week of college was rush week. I was finally off on my own, no curfew, and best of all no parents to tell me not to drink to the point I couldn’t stand…. No sir, life was good. My first frat party was on Monday of rush, after the shenanigans that occurred that night my roommate and I convinced each other that this could quite possibly be one of the wildest weeks of our lives and we shouldn’t stay in the fraternity for another night.
Now I’m not going to sit here and tell you that every fraternity is right for you. That is what rush week is for! During rush, you get to survey each fraternity for a night or two to see how well you get along with the members. Every fraternity has different values, I went into one house and a member asked me what my parents do and to write it down on a “getting to know you survey” haha yeah right bud I’m outta here. But not every fraternity is like that, I ended up liking the Sig Ep’s the best. It worked out perfect for my roommate and I, we both got bids along with one or two other kids we knew from our 45 person pledge class.
On bid night they took us into the basement and gave us a speech (sorry I can’t tell you what the speech consisted of). After the speech we went into a football huddle of a sort while the brothers surrounded us singing songs about life in the brotherhood. At this point my adrenaline was pumping something fierce. They piled us all into cars and brought us to our bid party. That night was one of the wilder nights of my life. We partied well into the night and I ended up kissing more girls than I probably should have (haha I was in college and needed to get my feet wet). At the end of the night my roommate and I walked back to the dorm with grins on our faces. How we didn’t get arrested or in any trouble, to this day I don’t understand, but we were now college students and soon to be fraternity men… life was good.
Once you get to this point, pledge semester begins. The saying I loved the most was “it’s the best semester that you will never want to do again” It describes pledge semester to a T. During pledge semester, you are obviously every ones grunt, but you get the opportunity to meet so many people and do so many fun/probably border line extremely dumb things. The positive side to pledge semester is that it’s ONLY one semester, and then you get the next three and a half years to be on the other side of the spectrum. The moral of my story is that everyone should at least try rushing for a fraternity/sorority. Meeting new people and venturing off on your own doesn’t hurt. Unless it’s your dignity.. but hey, you are in college–you don’t need that anyway!
yours truly,
fratbro
…or Not to Rush
Rushing is one of those very personal decisions that end up subject to a lot of pressure from outside sources. Maybe your mom or dad were in a sorority and want you to be a Lambda Lambda Lambda too because they loved it so much and feel allegiance to it. Maybe your hall-mates are all rushing and you would feel left out in a stressful transition period. Is your new roommate eager to be ‘besties’ and can’t wait to rush with you?
At some schools Greek life dominates the student culture, front-and-center at the student event fairs for freshmen, a week devoted to rushing, and a gulf between Greek and non-Greek students. At some schools, which sorority or fraternity you choose “defines” you to a certain extent as ‘girlfriend material’, the ‘priveledged kids’, the ‘pre-med nerds’, the ‘jocks’, in a way that’s reminiscent of high-school. At Princeton, we have a Jewish frat that support each other through the Yom Kippur fast and enjoy a huge meal together at the end of it. Choosing to rush that frat would absolutely play a role in defining those students.
I chose not to rush and have never regretted it. I’m sure this has a lot to do with my school’s weak Greek life presence (they aren’t recognized by the school, no houses, etc.). Benefits that I think would receive consideration no matter where I went:
1. The expense. Unless your parents are footing the bill or you’re taking out massive student loans, the expense of sororities can be extremely prohibitive.
2. I experienced less pressure to drink. The option will always be there on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, but if your sorority is throwing a party, or a mixer is going on, you will feel a lot more pressured to go. If you’re not naturally outgoing and are meeting a lot of new people, you’ll experience a lot of pressure to drink.
3. I got to pick all of my friends, they weren’t picked for me through a rush process.
I have no doubt that rush can be a lot of fun. I welcome input from anyone with a different experience!
Thanks for reading!
Wonderbread
I’m reading Intermediate Accounting
Sorority recruitment week is a great time to meet new friends in Greek organizations, and the perfect time to learn your way around your new campus. This week can be a bit overwhelming because of the amount of people you meet and the introduction to your new home, but we can help. Here are some Dos and Don’ts of going through recruitment!
DOs:
1. Ask Questions
- The best way to learn the most you can about which sorority is right for you is to ask lots of questions. The sorority members you are meeting are there to answer any question that you have about what they are all about. Ask questions about their philanthropy, events, sisterhood, and financials to get a good grasp of what to expect. Do not be embarrassed to ask too many questions!
2. Meet Everyone You Can
- You do not only need to focus on meeting the sorority girls in the houses, but you have the opportunity to meet the girls you are rushing with too. This week is a great time to meet other girls in your dorm and make some friends to help settle into school. Since you are moving into campus a week before everyone else, this gives you an advantage in being social and meeting people.
3. Get a Good Nights Rest
- Since you will be walking around in the summer sun for a few hours a day, a good nights rest and a healthy breakfast is a great kick-start to your day. Try and settle into your new living arrangements and make yourself at home for a good nights sleep so you can be refreshed in the morning. You can give the best first impression by being awake and attentive!
4. Stay True to What is Best For Yourself
- Be open-minded to the whole process and choose the sorority that fits YOU best, not your friends or family. A lot of girls base their choice off what sorority their mom was in, or what sorority their friends think is cool, but put those aside and figure out what you are looking for in a Greek organization. Sorority chapters are different at every school and change over the years, so go into each with others opinions set aside.
5. Be Prepared
- Not only do you need to prepare yourself with some good questions, but also prepare yourself with items to stay fresh. Since you will be walking in the heat all day, I suggest having some flip-flops, mints, perfume, and a comb in your purse. You want to be ready to go at every house you go into and with these items you can stay clean and cool at every sorority house you walk into.
DONTs:
1. Don’t Believe TV’s Interpretation of Greek Life
- Joining a sorority does not mean you have to party or go through terrible hazing to be accepted. Television portrays sororities as a clique of catty girls that want to torture pledges and use them as personal slaves. From my experience, sororities are NOTHING like this so don’t worry. If you decide to pledge a sorority, the number one importance is sisterhood bonding, not hazing, partying and meeting guys.
2. Don’t Talk About Partying or Guys
- Questions like “Do you like to go out and drink every weekend?” are inappropriate to ask when meeting with the girls in the sororities. Not only does it make them uncomfortable, but it gives the impression that you are only looking for a group of girls to party with. Also, you do not want to come off as boy crazed because this is usually a red flag to the sorority. You can ask questions about how social the sorority is and their involvement with fraternities without coming off as a “party girl”.
3. Don’t Write Off a Sorority Based on Gossip
- All sororities have their pro’s and con’s, which change based on who you ask, but all that matters is what you think. You may hear from your older sister that a certain sorority is not the best, but they could have made changes since she was in school, or it could be what you are looking for. Every girl has a different check list of what they are looking for in their perfect sorority and by sticking to your morals and choosing the best for you, the 4 years ahead will be much more enjoyable.
4. Don’t Attempt to Speak to Sorority Girls Outside of Rush During Recruitment
- During this week, the sorority girls you are meeting are not allowed to be involved with the girls going through rush. They can get into very big trouble, so do not be offended if they do not carry a long conversation when you bump into them at lunch, or if they ignore your Facebook friend request for that week. The girls are not trying to be rude and this does not mean they did not like you, they just have boundaries during this time so don’t take it personally.
5. Hold Grudges If You Are Cut From a Sorority
- If a sorority cuts you during rush week, do not take it personally. The way a sorority bids on a girl differs for each Panhellenic administration, college, and chapter. If you are cut from the sorority you thought you wanted, keep an open mind and realize that maybe it was not meant to be. By staying positive you might realize that another sorority was perfect for you and they all wanted you as their sorority sister!
Kelsey the Intern
I am reading Accounting Information Systems
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