"Brace yourselves, sorority recruitment is coming" - Ned (Natty Light) Stark, Frat Bro
With summer halfway over, the reality of back to school is setting in on college students everywhere. They are half excited to go back to living in the bubble that is college, yet half dreading the thought of actually having to learn again. But, with the impending semester comes something arguably more exciting and frightening lurking over the shoulders of millions of young girls across the nation: SΘRORΙΤΨ FΘRMAL RΣCRUΙΤΜΣΠΤ (cue girly shrieks and door chants).
Whether you are deciding to rush after getting used to school or are coming in as a freshman ready to go, here are 11 things you need to know to get through rush this fall.
1. Do some research.
Don't be afraid to check out everything you can. Look at your school's Panhellenic website to get information on rush including FAQs, dates and chapters' information. From there, check out the social media and promotional material of the chapters your school offers. Thats right ladies, it's time to put all those creeping skills you self taught in middle school to work! Look at promo videos, tumblrs, websites, instagrams, vscos, twitters, etc, etc. Don't leave any stone unturned because these are key components as to who these girls are and what they're interested in.
Don't be afraid to research how the system of getting a bid works as well. Though it may be different on each campus, the same general rules apply.
2. Know when to close your computer.
Although you need to do some research, don't let it skew your opinions too much. Everyone looks great on Instagram because they only post the coolest, hottest, you-know-you-wanna-go-Greek pictures around. Being in a sorority is much more than that and joining one of those chapters goes more than skin deep. Do a search, get some facts straight, get a vibe from each chapter and power down. Over searching can result in misconceptions (which we'll get to next.)
3. Don't go after one house just because they're the "best."
I've seen it time and time again. A girl meets someone in a "top house" or finds some sort of misconstrued ranking and says to herself "Oh, I just have to be an XYZ." One of two things usually happens next: failure, or a let down.
Some of these girls get dropped by this so called dream house and end up devastated. They often spend the day crying or drop recruitment entirely. Simply saying "I'm going to be one of them" just because you think they're going to make you popular or seem interesting is probably the reason you didn't get called back to their house. You were there for the name, not for the sisterhood. However, some of these girls actually get in to the places where they thought they wanted to be. After awhile though, they realize that it's not what they thought it was and end up more miserable than they would be if they had been dropped by the house in the first place.
Moral of the story, it's OK to favor a house, just don't put your heart and soul into something without even knowing the girls first.
4. Presentation is a major key.
They say it takes between seven and 30 seconds to form a first impression of someone, so make sure yours is a good one. You don't need to look like a Victoria's Secret model, but you need to make sure you present yourself the way you want to be remembered. Make sure your hair and makeup is presentable enough for an interview. When it comes to your outfits, be mindful: dress how your normally would, but follow the style guidelines put out by your school's Panhellenic. Also be aware of low cut shirts, crop tops and short skirts on you. Though you may look hawt for a night out, it may not be the impression you want to give during recruitment.
But don't be fooled, while the clothes you wear and how you look does have an effect on the sororities' perception of you, your personality is definitely more important.
5. Block out what everyone else thinks.
One of the worst things you could do is ask your friends what they think of the house you're interested, or not interested, in. When I was rushing, I saw so many houses that I absolutely loved, but the girl in front of me in my recruitment group hated. She trashed talked them to my face after each round and made me feel weird for liking their genuine nature. When it came down to it, my favorites were the ones she despised the most and the ones she liked were by far my least favorite.
From this, I learned that this decision is one you need to make for yourself. Nobody else can tell you the right choice, it is up to you and your heart to guide you. Your perfect fit might not be the perfect fit for your best friend, and that's OK.
6. Don't be nervous.
Whatever you do, do not go into a recruitment party full of nerves. Odds are, the girl you're talking to is just as nervous as you are to make a good impression. Just be yourself and remember: you are just a normal college girl talking about normal college things, there's really nothing to be afraid of!
7. See through the act.
During recruitment, all the girls rushing may put on their best face, but so do the sororities. Your job is to figure out the fakes of the of chapters. Find the houses that seem genuinely interested in you and make sure you keep them around. If the house is fake to you during recruitment, the friendships you'll make there are likely to be fake as well.
8. Give everyone a chance.
If Ben can give possible psycho Olivia a chance, you can walk into every house on campus with an open mind. You never know who's going to be your perfect match.
9. But remember to choose wisely.
Ultimately, the choices you make at the end of each round of recruitment will dramatically affect who you end up spending the rest of your life representing. When you choose, you need to be open minded, yet critical; genuine, yet judgmental; picky, yet understanding. At least one sorority will usually (there's always exceptions) be dropped from your list after each round, make sure you're dropping the right one for your interests.
10. Know that everything happens for a reason.
Just because you were dropped from your favorite house, it doesn't mean it's the end of the world. Remember that everything happens for a reason and that when one house shuts its door, it's because it knew you didn't belong. They selflessly let you go so you can find your own perfect place in the Greek community. Do not be bitter, but be excited to find your real home.
11. Forget all regrets.
If I could promise you one thing about sorority recruitment, it is this: you will not regret going Greek. From the memories, to the friends, to the opportunities in and out of school, Greek life is an amazing community. It will give you more than you could ever imagine. So pack your bags, fill out that registration form, and get ready for the experience of a lifetime. Recruitment may be long and stressful at times, but just remember, "no ragrets."
