It’s that time of year again! We’re all back from (hopefully) relaxing winter breaks and ready for the new semester ahead of us at San Diego State! As we walk around our home away from home, going to classes, getting food, or just hanging out with friends, we all inevitably see tables and tents set up with people underneath handing out fliers, trying to get us to join their organizations, enroll in a water aquatics class, or sign a petition. But from January 23rd to January 27th, we saw the sororities bring out their Greek letters and scrapbooks to showcase what their houses are all about. Of course this could mean only one thing, Spring Rush would be occurring the following week, from January 30th to February 3rd. So what exactly is the difference between Fall Rush & Spring Rush for sororities here at San Diego State University?
Aside from the obvious fact that it’s two different semesters, Spring Rush has some significant differences from its Fall counterpart. For example, not all the sororities will be participating in the recruitment of new members, also known as pledges, the title given to girls after they have received a bid and before they are initiated. The main reason some sororities may choose not to participate is if they cannot accommodate a new pledge class. Another difference is that unlike Fall Rush, “…girls only see the houses that decide to participate in recruitment and there is not a full schedule every day,” says the Membership Vice President of Gamma Phi Beta, Katherine Pincus. During the Fall, the girls are required to be on time to all events at all houses, but because the Spring is more relaxed, girls can pick and choose which events they would like to attend. Some of these Spring events consist of bonfires, cookie decorating, and movie nights. The similarity between the two is that rushees should keep an open mind and be themselves as they meet and greet with girls who could potentially be their future sorority sisters. The final pledge classes may not be as large as those in the Fall, but the bonds created as sorority sisters will remain strong no matter when you rush.