Rush/Recruitment can be a stressful time in both a fraternity and sorority member’s lives. It’s the time of year when you get to meet the people who will become the future of your chapter, so it’s important to look for the best of the best, a common goal. It’s no secret however that the way this is done is extremely different if you’re in a fraternity as opposed to in a sorority. Here’s a peek at some of the things that happen.
Fraternity: Planning- There is definitely some planning that goes into our rush week (recruitment week), but it still ends up being a frenzy regardless because it just happens that way. The most of our planning is the theme, we want to be creative, but not lame or “too much”, and sometimes it’s a hit, sometimes you end up on fail Friday. We elected the person who is in charge of rush the previous semester, but nothing gets done until the rush semester starts.
Sorority: Planning- The person in charge of recruitment was elected the previous year, and they are fully immersed in recruitment before her actual turn. This is a year long planning, and the closer the time comes to recruitment, the more and more this person starts to lose their head. Balloons, glitter, practicing talking skills, retreats. There’s a never ending amount of planning.
Rush/Recruitment Week. (typically not the same week)
Fraternities: IFC (Interfraternity Council) has declared the week before individual chapter rush week, “dry week” IFC rush week, very common during rush. All that means however, is that you are not allowed to throw parties at the fraternity house or have alcohol at the house for that week (2 weeks because actual individual rush is also dry). This does not mean however that the members have to be dry, of age fraternity members can go to bars and have a grand old time.
Sororities: Dry week is in effect, and rather than having two “rush weeks” PanHellenic (Sorority version of IFC) runs all sorority recruitment week of, so they only have one recruitment week. Dry meaning all sorority members are not allowed to have alcohol, and are not allowed to be seen at establishments that only provide alcohol.
Fraternities: During the week we have specific “days” with a specific event, could be a tailgate day with the guys that come out, video game night, golf night. It’s never ~too~ stressful, seeing as there’s almost always food at these events, you get to do fun activities all while trying to get to know potential new members in a hangout environment. You answer questions, you ask them questions. Nothing is difficult unless you encounter people who are “difficult” to talk to, but that’s a whole other story. There is no official “bid day” but bids are typically distributed after the week ends, and if it is coordinated well, which sometimes it’s not. During this entire week, we are
Sororities: There is a “meet the chapter” two-day event in which they force you to watch presentations by all sororities, and learn everything and anything about them. There is a philanthropy night, where you learn all about each sororities philanthropies. There is a pref night, I’m not 100% sure what this means but it’s something where you rank your top two sororities and hope they also ranked you in their tops. Keep in mind while this week is happening, eliminations are also happening. There is last but not least, bid day. IF you thought you hadn’t seen or hung out with your favorite sorority girls during the week, don’t even try on this day. It is like the most sacred day, they have activities planned from before the sun comes up, until the sun has gone way down.
This is just a snippet of some differences and similarities as recruitment approaches. I consider myself lucky not having to go through what sorority women go through, but very much respect it. The amount of hours put into sorority recruitment planning as opposed to fraternity men recruiting is astounding. In our different ways or recruiting, however “extreme” some may put it, we reach the same goal, to recruit the best.
