I rushed as a freshman, and even though that was two years ago, I still remember almost everything about it. The excitement, the nerves and that question I asked myself every day, Am I making the right choice? Recruitment can be scary — especially when you’re a freshman and you just moved into college literally a week before, and you can barely decide on what to eat at the dining hall (I recommend the M&M brownies — my roommate and I lived off of them freshman year), let alone choose a sorority.
If I could start college over and go through the recruitment experience again, here are some things I might do differently:
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1. Follow the chapters on social media.
I’m not sure if this was really even a thing two years ago when I rushed, but now sororities have websites, Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, Instagram feeds and Tumblrs solely for the purpose of marketing their chapters. This is your first impression of each house — what they stand for, what they like to do together, their founders, philanthropies, etc. This is definitely something that I wish I spent more time looking into as a PNM. While you should not judge a house based on their social media alone, these are easy outlets to see inside their everyday activities and get some basic background knowledge of the chapters before you visit them.
2. Do not put all your energy and focus into a specific chapter.
Learn from my mistake. I had friends who were older than I am who were all in the same sorority at a few different schools, and that’s all I knew about Greek life. Not saying that I would be in a different house without them, but this is definitely something that swayed my view of what I thought I wanted. I know I made the right choice, but going in with an open mind will make the process not only easier, but you won’t have to worry about potentially hurting anyone’s feelings. Plus, I think it makes the process more fun when you know nothing about the chapters.
3. It doesn’t matter what the guys think.
One of my biggest pet peeves is hearing fraternity men speak about sororities and act like they know what the chapters are really like. But in case you forgot, sororities are women’s organizations, just like fraternities are for men, so you really shouldn’t let their opinions get in the way of where you think you belong. You should not pick a house based on what your older brother’s friend thinks or what the guys down the hall say. They won't be the people you spend long hours with at chapter, during recruitment practices or at initiation.
4. Keep your values in mind.
During rush at ASU you will hear this a ton, and I couldn’t agree more. When I was rushing I wanted a house that focused a lot on overall sisterhood and school, so I made sure to ask those kind of questions to the actives I met in each round. Before rush, I recommend having a list of important qualities or traits you want in a sorority. Having your values and the things important to you in mind can help you decide what questions to ask and help narrow down the houses at the end of each day.
5. Don’t talk about rush with your friends.
My roommate, best friend from high school and I all rushed together. We talked about what houses we liked and those we weren’t sure about, but honestly I found this to confuse me even more. If my roommate really liked a chapter that I didn’t think I fit with, I began to think back and over-analyze the conversations I had with those women. Was I missing something? Don’t get me wrong, it’s sooo fun to have your friends there while you go through rush, but don’t talk to them about the houses you liked or didn’t like. You wouldn’t want to sway their opinion, just like you wouldn’t want them to sway yours. Plus, if you don't get into the same house, think of all the new friends you both will have from each other's chapters. #panlove.
6. Talk to Your Rho Gamma Instead.
My Rho Gamma was an amazing sorority woman, and I looked up to her from day one. (Hi Shaina, if you’re reading this!) I remember talking to her every day about the houses I wasn’t sure about and how I was feeling. She always reminded me to follow my heart and choose the house I felt the most comfortable in. It’s really cool because Rho Gammas can play a big role in your Greek experience even after recruitment ends. My Rho Gam checked in on me during my new member period, reached out to me when I was visiting a city she lived in, and even congratulated me on being slated chapter president, which was more than a year after recruitment. What I’m trying to say is that these women, while they may not end up being your sisters, will be there for you even after you get your bid and truly want to help you find your home in Greek life.
7. Look for your role models.
At the end of the day, you’re deciding who you’re going to spend your college years with and you’re the only person who can make that decision. Look for the women you relate to and look up to and want to be like one day. All Greek women are involved in a variety of different clubs, sports, career paths, hobbies, etc., and I promise it’s easy to figure out who you look up to — take that feeling and run with it!
Rush is confusing and tiring, but four exhausting days of walking in heels and talking to sorority girls you’ve never met is all worth it come bid day ... and the next four years of your life.
Good luck, PNMs!
