#rush advice

Happy August! With the fall semester rapidly approaching, I thought I’d share some tips on how to survive recruitment. Rush is such an exciting, stressful time, and joining a sorority can be such an amazing opportunity! So without further ado, here is how I survived:

Keep an open mind. It’s hard not to judge people based on a first impression, so just like you would with anything, take some time before making a final decision.

Remember that this is a social event. Treat your conversations like conversations, not interviews. The purpose of rush is just as much for you to get to know these sororities as it is for them to get to know you.

Pretend that you’re just talking to someone that you’ve just met in class. Keep it real, and be honest.

Stick to your values. Don’t sacrifice your beliefs for an opportunity to climb the social ladder.

Talk to people after rounds. Your friend, your mom, your cousin - going through your impressions and feelings with someone else can be really helpful to clear your mind and decompress.

Outside of rounds, stick to your normal routine. Don’t let this affect your habits or sleep schedule. Sticking to normalcy as much as possible will help lower your stress.

Be yourself. Yes, you should smile and be polite, but turning into someone else completely won’t help you. You want sororities to want you for you, not a different version of you. Besides, it’s easy to tell when someone isn’t being genuine.

Remember that it’s not the end of the world if you don’t get called back to your top choice. You probably wouldn’t have fit in there anyway, and you want to be somewhere where they really want you.

You’re gonna get sick of hearing this, but trust the process. I promise you that wherever you end up will be the perfect match.

Don’t be nervous!! The rush process is basically speed dating for friends haha, it can be tiring but it can also be a lot of fun. Some things to keep in mind..

>> Be yourself but also outgoing! It will make the conversation flow easier on both sides.

>> I know it can get nerve racking but the girls on the other side are just as nervous so don’t let that get to you. 

>> Go in with an open mind and make your own judgements about each chapter (Also, remember that chapters are different at every school)

>> Engage in the conversation by asking questions and telling them about your -best qualities-this is the time to brag about all your achievements. Chapters like to see that you’re interested and want to learn more but they also want to hear about things you could bring to their chapter.

>> If conversation lags, comment on ANYTHING to keep it going-maybe talk about the room decor or on what they’re wearing. Nothing is worse than awkward silence and believe me, it can happen. 

>> At the end of the day, join the chapter that makes you feel comfortable not a chapter you feel like you have to impress.

>> If you’re not happy with your bid on bid day, give the chapter a chance. Try out the pledging period first and then make a decision on whether you want to be initiated or not. Thats what the pledging period is for and like I mentioned before, some chapters may surprise you. 

Many would think that I live a very contradicting lifestyle. How can you be apart of greek life and yet still be the “Catholic Girl”? As formal rush is just around the corner this topic has gone around in my head dozens of times. As a freshman last fall I made the decision to not formally rush. I had always wanted to be apart of a sorority but as the time came closer I chose not to rush right away and wait and see how my first couple weeks of college went..... WORST MISTAKE EVER!!!! I looked around at all the girls that had rushed and all the girls that they had met in the process and felt nothing but regret. I wanted that! Those friends! Those older, experienced college girls taking me in and showing me the ins and outs of this new place I called home. At that moment I decided to do informal rush. Through the process I got to meet many different girls from different houses but I always had that though in the back of my mind, “Are they going to respect my beliefs?”, “ Am I going to have to do something I don’t feel comfortable doing”? Through the process I was fortunate to have found my place in Alpha Gamma Delta. Accepting my bid from AGD was one of the best decision I had made. In the process of recruiting they talked a lot about the importance of sisterhood and philanthropy and why I should be an Alpha Gamm much like the other sororities, but something about them was different. They made it a point of letting me know that they respect and understand any religious obligations I may have and no matter my beliefs I was their sister. Till this day I have never been forced by my sorority to do anything against my wishes or my religion. So if your someone who fears going through the recruitment process because of the stereotype sororities may have, don’t let that get in the way. Go into the recruitment process knowing what you want out of a sorority and I’m sure you will find the right fit for you!!