Welcome to the first part of my rush edition articles! I’ve decided to write these articles for the fall/spring to prepare any interested potential new members. I hope my tips will help prepare you for your new journey in Greek Life. Hopefully, you’ll find your home away from home and you’re best friends!
When you think of rush, you think of rushing as a freshman. Why? It’s because it’s your first year in college and joining a sorority adds to your first-year experience. But it doesn’t have to be. You can also rush your sophomore, junior, or even senior year. I thought that rushing as a sophomore could make me less likely to get a bid but it didn’t! Realistically, it doesn’t matter what year you are. What matters is who you are and which house you fit in at. I’m here to reassure you that it’s totally okay to be a sophomore when rushing a sorority!
Disclaimer: In no way, am I saying don’t rush when you’re a freshman but take your time and figure out if and when you want to rush. If you happen to rush when you’re a sophomore, go for it! I did it and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve done at MSU so far.
- You’re Not The Only Sophomore
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I was self-conscious when rushing in the fall because I thought I was the only sophomore amongst freshmen. How wrong I was. There were so many sophomores that I had to mentally take a step back and realize that I’m not doing this alone. Whether they were rushing for their first or second time, we were all on the same page. I even noticed that some people from my high school were rushing at the same time I was. This was surprising too and helped calm my nerves that I wasn’t the only upperclassmen. After bid day, some of my new member class were sophomores. This made things more comfortable and relatable when talking about MSU and our experience so far.
- Rush When You’re Ready
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After rushing as a sophomore, I realized that it’s perfectly okay to take time and chill out during your freshman year before you become involved in sorority life. I did it and I’m so ever glad that I did. I wasn’t in the perfect situation financially and ultimately, wanted to focus on my classes first. Think about the situation you’re in: mentally, emotionally, and financially, and determine if you’re ready to take on a new set of best friends. I wasn’t ready my freshman year but it made for interesting conversations when they asked why I decided to rush as a sophomore. Do it when you’re ready!
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You’ll Have More Time To Think About Rushing
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When you rush as a freshman, you’ve probably been thinking about rushing for a while or decided to just do it the summer before your first year at college. If you don’t rush as a freshman, you’ll get the feel of Greek Life and see if you still want to rush. Some of your friends may have found their homes and others may not prefer Greek Life. But if you end up wanting to, there’s Continuous Open Bidding (COB) in the Spring that is informal recruitment but not all chapters participate. Otherwise, you’ll have a bunch of time to think if you want to rush and I thought about it all throughout freshman year and the summer afterward. I didn’t know what sorority life entailed but seeing how much fun my peers had and wanting to explore another side of MSU, I signed up for it last minute! This reiterates another idea of rush when you’re ready. No one’s pressuring you and if you find out that you’re not fit for sorority life, you can always drop it.
- Your Big Will Most Likely Be A Sophomore So It’ll Be Super Relatable
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Most of the time, your Big (a currently initiated sister) will be a sophomore too so it’ll be like meeting a classmate you never talked to (it was for my Big and I). This way, whatever you talk about, you both probably experienced already and it’s fun reminiscing on past memories. In this case, this could give you that best friend you’ve been searching for. In some cases, your Big could be a sophomore or junior if they rushed as a freshman or sophomore, respectively, which could give you that big sister you’ve always wanted but never had. Nevertheless, Big and Little relationships are meant to welcome initiated sisters into their sisterhoods and to always have someone to go to.
- It’s Totally Fine For Juniors And Seniors To Rush, Too
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If you’re thinking about rushing but see your graduation date holding you back, don’t let it. Being in a sorority isn’t about money or how long you’ll be in it during your college years. Instead, it’s having your sisters as your best friends after college is over, meeting new people, and the connections you’ll make out in the world. Recruiters want to get to know you, the REAL you, and though they may be interested in what year you’re in, they’ll just realize that they’ll have to make the best in a short amount of time. Don’t let your graduation date hold you back from something that you’ll regret.
- It All Works Out In The End
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If you still feel nervous and self-conscious about rushing as an upperclassman, you’ll do fine. There’s a reason why you didn’t rush as a freshman alongside your friends and classmates and I felt left out too. But if you decide to rush, you’ll feel what they felt during recruitment: a whirlwind of excitement, worry, nervousness, and tears for all five days. You’ll find your future home, new friends, and sisters that have been waiting for you (they just don’t know it yet!)