Finals just ended and it’s time for winter break. This is a much-needed time to relax but recruitment is slowly creeping up on us and I’m sure for any girls thinking about rushing, you’re starting to get anxiety. A lot of my pre-rush anxiety came from not knowing what to expect. I remember worrying what I was going to talk to these strangers about for so long and not getting into the house I wanted, or worse not getting into a house at all.
As a junior here at Lehigh, I’ve learned a few things from being on the other side of rush:
1. PNMs (Potential New Members) really have nothing to worry about: Whether you believe it or not, the girls in sororities are way more nervous than you are. Don’t worry about the conversations because it is more on the sorority to carry the conversation than on you. The conversations will become repetitive, constantly talking about your major and where you live on campus, but just try to smile through the pain and have a little fun with it. If you aren’t having the best conversation in the world, don’t worry! I know I would freak out saying “oh my god we only talked about classes”, worrying that the girls would think I was boring or something silly. You aren’t always going to click with who you’re talking to, and both you and the girl in the sorority have had to make small talk all day, everyone understands how tiring it is. My advice is to sit back, relax and enjoy the free food!
2. As for outfits, your Rho Gams should have already told you the list of days and what their outfits entail. Look here for Her Campus Lehigh’s outfit suggestions: What to Wear for Formal Recruitment.
3. Another piece of advice, talk to your Rho Gam! I had great Rho Gams while I was rushing and I even asked them to check my outfits each night before rounds. They helped me a lot with my decision and it was nice knowing people were there for me.
4. The best way to go through rush is with an open mind. Definitely do not pick a house because your friends like it the best. It is important to pick somewhere you feel comfortable and that you really like. These are girls you are going to be spending most of your time with for the next three years and if you don’t like them, that’s not very fun. It’s nice having friends in other houses so definitely follow your heart and not your friends’ hearts. No matter what happens, if you don’t get the house you wanted or you do, the process really does work and everyone ends up where they belong.
Good luck!
Don’t forget to register for recruitment here: https://lehiun.icsrecruiter.com/pan/enrollment/Registration.aspx?UID=LEHIUN