It's rush season here at Furman, and it's been one crazy week. Currently, I am sitting in my dorm and writing this article to the sounds of "Closer" by The Chainsmokers and the non-stop screams from all 7 sororities outside. After hearing about sorority rush from my Odyssey friend, Becca Colehower, I decided it would be appropriate that we reverse the roles, rather than me just writing this article about fraternity rush. I just accepted a bid to Pi Kappa Phi and I am beyond satisfied with my decision to go through the recruitment and rush processes. But along with this, many of my friends are girls who are rushing, and, to an extent, I feel like I have gone through the sorority experience with them.
1. Hey College! See Ya Next Semester Sororities.
Rushing second semester has its ups and downs, especially for the ladies. Throughout fraternity recruitment, freshman guys are free to spend time with the brothers on their hall, in their apartments, at parties, wherever. But for sorority recruitment, freshman girls aren't allowed anywhere near sorority territory, for any reason, and if they do, they can expect to be "blacklisted," from whichever sorority catches them. This basically means you broke the rules and you won't get a bid from that sorority, and is often the biggest fear of freshman girls.
2. Follow Me On Instagram? I Think Not.
It's sad that this division even comes down to restricting freshman girls from following any upperclassman sorority girls. "Getting to know" and interacting with people through social media has become undoubtedly one of the easiest and most used means of communication. As unreal as this form of human interaction may be, it's still annoying for girls not to be able to follow girls that they see every day in class, in a club, or on a sports team.
3. 8 Hours Of Small Talk, There's No Way.
Jumping into the new semester by meeting 7 unique sororities all in one day can be a little hectic, and by "a little hectic" I mean " a lot hectic." On Furman's campus, we have Alpha Delta Pi, Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Gamma, Kappa Delta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and Zeta Tau Alpha. At each round of recruitment, freshman girls are paired with a number of sorority girls with whom they introduce themselves to...but this is potentially the only interaction that these two have ever had together...and girls can only meet so many girls in such a short amount of time...maybe a semester of meeting sisters would make more sense.
4. Wait, Now I Have To Pick?
After the first round of recruitment, freshman girls must break down their options to four sororities. But wait. If one of the sororities doesn't pick them, they have to go back to a sorority that they already dropped? What's the point of that if they already said they weren't interested... Granted, some girls may like each of the sororities for a different reason, but come on, everyone has a least favorite.
5. My Top Sorority Dropped Me, What Do I Do?
What happens if a freshman girl's top sorority choice drops her? Does she give up? Maybe. Does she cry in the bathroom for a few minutes? Probably. But everyone has a place for them. And if your first choice sorority didn't select you, then maybe that just goes to show that the sorority you thought you liked the best just wasn't right for you.
6. It's called "Pref Tea" But You Don't Actually Drink Tea?
One last day to dress up all nice in a dress and, of course, complain all day bout wearing heels. I, being friends with a lot of girls on campus, found myself chauffeuring girls from building to building for their sisterhood and pref tea rounds. And no, even though this specific point in the recruitment process is referred to a "pref tea" does not mean tea is served...I guess it's just make "preference" sound fancy or something.
7. It's Bid Day! *cries*
And here we are, the finish line. After a full week of stressing over what to wear, tending to blistered feet, and can't forget about almost, or maybe literally, crying about what sorority you were to end up in. But now it's the happy tears. Throw some glitter, paint some faces, hand out some props, gifts, hugs, snap a couple of pics, whatever. It's time to sing & scream at the top of your lungs because you are now a srat girl.
Greek life isn't for everybody. But if you do find an interest in forming a brotherhood or sisterhood with some long-life friends, then I suggest you give it a shot. But girls, for real, you only have one week of Hell, and now we have eight. Wish us pledges good luck.
“IN THE END… We only regret the chances we didn’t take, the relationships we were afraid to have, and the decisions we waited too long to make.” -Lewis Carroll
But girls, for real, you may have had one week of Hell, but now us associate members of fraternities have eight. Wish us pledges good luck & show up at our parties, thanks.
