As famous frat star, Jimmy Tatro, once eloquently said, “When are we getting some pledges? The house is dirtier than usual.” It is about that time, Mr. Tatro, because spring rush is just around the corner. Spring rush is the best opportunity, for students who did not rush in the fall, to try again and determine if Greek life is for them. Spring gives everyone the chance to start fresh while taking into account all the experiences of the fall semester. Rushees will come to find that spring rush is similar, yet still very different from fall. Here are the pros and cons of rushing in the spring.
Pros
Experience. If you rushed in the fall, but did not find the right house, you already have a taste of what rush is like. Coming back for the spring rush, the pressure of uncertainty is lifted and you can use what you learned during fall rush to your advantage.
Less intense. Spring rush is always less intense than fall simply because there are less potential new members. You will find plenty of brothers to talk to when you visit houses, since the number of brothers is much greater than the number of rushees. Meeting more brothers and getting to know them is critical in determining where you see yourself belonging. Spring affords you the chance to meet more people and find your niche.
Delay being a pledge. Freshman who rushed in the fall had to adjust to college level classes along with pledging. Spring gives freshmen the opportunity to rush after they have gotten used to their classes and their campus.
Cons
Fewer pledges.One shortcoming of spring rush is that when you become a pledge, there are less pledges who have to do the same amount of pledge work as in fall. Keeping track of who does what work, when there are 50 guys, is much more difficult than keeping track of 15 guys.
Fewer pledge brothers.Fellow pledges share a fate at the bottom of the totem pole, which actually has its rewards. Pledge brothers form friendships that last a lifetime. Fall pledges create bonds with around 50 guys, while spring pledges only include about 15 guys.
No game days. This could be a pro and a con. Game days for fall pledges are a blast even though they have to work. Spring pledges miss out on that atmosphere surrounding a football game. Along with game days, fall includes much more partying with homecoming, Halloween, etc. that the spring pledges don’t really experience until next fall semester after they become brothers.
All in all, spring rush is very similar to fall in terms of how it happens and the process of educating new members. It might be less intense, but experiences and good times shared throughout the semester are something the pledges will keep throughout their lives.
