In 2021, #BamaRush took the Internet by storm as students at the University of Alabama documented their sorority recruitment experience on TikTok. For 2022, Her Campus is giving you the inside scoop — we’ve partnered with active sisters at U of A to tell you everything you need to know about rush and going Greek this fall.
Sorority recruitment, or “rush,” can be extremely nerve-wracking. You will meet around one hundred people in one day. And in those short conversations, you are expected to find your “home,” your place for the next four years, and your sisters for life.
It’s hot out, your heels are high, your heart is beating loud and fast, and the doors to your first house of the day are about to open. Doors open with screaming, singing sorority girls, and that shocks your system more than helping it. You throw on a smile and walk inside.
It takes a minute to realize, but the girls talking to you each round are just as nervous as you. They are also just as excited to talk about their sisterhood, their philanthropy, and their college stories with you! These girls, the actives, want you to be here and they are so elated to be talking to you.
Sorority rush is intimidating, sure, but it doesn’t have to be terrifying. With that being said, here are three things I wish I knew before going through my own recruitment experience.
Don’t Be Afraid To Talk To Someone
I wish I talked to my roommates and friends more during recruitment. Sometimes, it felt like a competition for who got the most houses back or got the “best” houses back. There is no best house, just the best choice for you. It’s fun to talk to your friends and hear their funny stories or hear about what other houses did during recruitment. These talks should be cathartic and fun, not catty.
Speaking of talking, use your recruitment counselor! They spent weeks training to be the best guides and have been in your shoes feeling the same feelings and nerves. Chances are, they can offer you some great advice should you need it.
Keep An Open Mind
Don’t get me wrong: I love my house and it was my top choice all week, but I shut out so many other good fits. I didn’t want to be in the same house as my sister and despite the genuine conversations and fun I had, I kept rating them low just because I would share the same letters as my sister. She went to a different school than me and went over 10 years ago. There would be nothing the same other than the values we would share. Letters are just letters, but friendships are key.
To that same point, I wish I didn’t do so much research. Before rushing, I made a PowerPoint with the supposed reputations of each house at my school and created a ranking in my head before I had ever met anyone. I pulled information from their national websites about their philanthropies and alumnae. I judged their Instagrams and videos… the same thing I feared they were doing to me. Go in with a blind eye and open heart and mind, it’s only fair to the houses and to yourself!
Enjoy the Rush experience
It goes without saying, but don’t forget to have fun! Rush is an unforgettable experience, so live in the moment, be yourself, and remember that everything that happens, will happen for a reason.
Remember, sorority rush is more than just a week of blistered heels and packing your rush bag. This will be a home for four years. Just like with choosing a college, this decision is for you–not your mom, not your family, not your friends, not anyone but you. You are the one who will be associated with this group for the next four years—and maybe even for the rest of your life. This is all you, and you’ve got this.
This article was originally published on Aug. 11, 2022.