Top Ten Tips for Rush

Spring sorority recruitment is almost upon us! I have quite a few friends whose schools use Spring as their primary recruitment. I rushed as soon as I got to school, so I figured I would round up some tips for those about to go through it. Rush is such an exciting time, but it can also be very stressful. If you're anything like I was you're probably worrying about your outfit and the kinds of questions you should be prepared to answer.
Since I go to school in the south, my experience may be different than someone going to a northern school, or somewhere on the west coast. It honestly differs between each and every school. Things you should know about your school is: the dates of the different rounds of recruitment, how many sororities you have on campus, whether or not you have houses (this one is a given, but recruitment changes a lot based on having or lacking houses), what your school recommends you to wear for each round (this changes at each school as well), and what you are looking for in a sorority.

Now that I've covered what you're responsible to know, I'll give you my top ten tips that will help you have an easy breezy recruitment process. And remember, stay calm, you'll end up where you need to be!

ONE // Talk to the girls like you're talking to a friend. Because that's what they will be if you join that sorority, right? Be comfortable, laugh, and most of all be genuine. Fake is not fun.

TWO // You will be dropped. Okay maybe there's a few girls who will be wanted by every sorority. It happens! If you're that girl, lucky you. But if you're not, don't fret, this simply makes your decisions easier. You can't be in every sorority - so a drop shouldn't matter when you have many other options.

THREE // Wear something that expresses who you are. Your outfits should be your style. Don't wear something trendy if you don't genuinely like it and feel comfortable in it. You should feel like the best version of yourself in your outfit, so you can show the girls talking to you who you really are.

FOUR // Don't write off a sorority after the first round. So many girls go in wanting only one or two sororities, don't be that girl! You could be writing off the sorority you belong in! The first round is quick - take it with a grain of salt and be ready to get to know the sorority better the next round.

FIVE // Get.Some.Sleep. Please, please sleep as much as you can. It may not seem it but it is tiring making small talk for hours on end, and running from house to house, or across campus to do so. Don't stay up all night and use coffee as your crutch, you won't be able to portray your happy self to the sororities you want.

SIX // Okay, it's going to be loud in rounds... Coming from someone with very below average hearing, rounds were rough. There are a lot of girls in one room all talking at the same time. It takes maximum effort to hear what the girl talking to you is saying. It's possible - just difficult. Keep your ears open and you should be okay.

SEVEN // Think for yourself. I'm sure there will be a lot of girls you know rushing as well, maybe even some you meet during the process. But what's right for them may not be right for you - even if you're similar people. Trust your gut, and your preferences of course.

EIGHT // Don't judge the whole sorority off of one bad conversation. You may not click with someone you talk to during rounds, but odds are you'll talk to more than one girl per round. Make sure you keep an open mind and understand that you don't love everyone you may meet, but you can still love that sorority!

NINE // Make friends with your fellow rush goers! There is a something that happens while you're running across campus just to stand in line and make exhausted small talk with strangers - this my friend is called bonding. Let it happen, these could be familiar faces around campus or your next best friends.

TEN // Be prepared. Alright, take notes. You'll need a small purse with mints, perfume, deodorant, lip gloss, a snack, a water bottle, a notepad and pen (you don't want to forget your impressions of different sororities!), a tide stick, coffee filters or blotting papers for your (soon to be) sweaty face, powder and a brush for the same reason, a change of shoes if your cute ones aren't comfy, and... Okay make that a large purse. Although all of the above are important to bring, there is something more important. Enthusiasm. A smile. Good conversation. A positive attitude. And trust me, if you bring those things you will undoubtedly find your home. 

GOOD LUCK!

xx, Adrienne