What to wear
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Go Classy and Comfy for Formal House
Sewanee class dress is perfect for Formal House. It’s not too dressed up, but you also look like you care about the first impression that you’ll be making on a lot of people. Sewanee sororities aren’t as strict as big school sororities; so don’t worry about having to fit a certain mould.
Like I tell my sisters during formal house, be comfortable! You’re going to be walking all around campus and standing. A lot. So maybe leave the 6-inch stilettos in your closet and put on some comfy sandals instead!
Also be sure to dress for the weather! It’s easy to throw on a jacket and cardigan over a cute dress, so I’d recommend it. Every house should have a place you can lay your jacket, so don’t worry about having to lug it around if you get too hot.
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Go Nice and Comfortable for Return House
Okay, so Return House is a little less formal but still look nice. Don’t show up in ripped jeans, or pajamas, or sweatpants, for instance.
Casual class dress would be good for Return House. I’m a huge fan of cute dresses because they take minimal effort, but jeans and a blouse work just as well!
Be sure that during Formal and Return house that your personality shines through more than your wardrobe!
Conversation starters
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You’ll be asked this. A lot.
No lie, you’re going to be asked “What are you studying? Why that? How do you like Sewanee? Why are you rushing?” about three million times throughout the night. Be prepared to repeat yourself. And definitely drink some water because you will be talking. A lot.
These openers can be really good for you though, because they’re safe so you might open up more and get more comfortable if you’re a bit introverted (like myself).
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Be original
Be sure to come up with some of your own creative conversation starters as well! If you’re really into superheroes then ask what superhero a girl would pick to be. If you’re into makeup then see what their favourite cosmetic is or, better yet, compliment their makeup and ask them for some pointers.
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Be yourself
Definitely can’t overstate this. As Katie Snyder, from Kappa Omega, states, “Choose the Sorority where you feel the most like you — because the right sorority will love you for just the way you are.”
If you feel like you have to put on an act for a sorority then stop and think about that. A sorority should be a place where you can be the most you possible without fear of judgment, literally a family.
Gabby Valentine, from Alpha Delta Theta, explains the importance of feeling comfortable and being one’s self: “[Is the sorority] going to judge you for hairy arm pits or are they going to offer to [dye] their pit hair with you? Do these ladies and possibly nonbinary peeps accept your sexuality, your religious commitments or lack of? Would you trust these peeps enough to get shitfaced around them (bc you probably will)? Do you trust that they won’t judge you if you don’t drink? How do they treat and talk to other women and femme folks?”
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Be Engaged
Nothing is more of a turn off then someone constantly glued to their phone while another person is trying to talk to them. Leave the phones in your pockets and talk to people.
When picking a sorority
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Don’t base it on your friends
The biggest thing is that you should never, ever join a sorority just because that sorority is the one your friends are rushing. Some people rush a sorority because they’re scared of losing their friends, but as Gabby states, “If they’re really friends, You won’t lose them even if you go somewhere different.”
Plus what if something happens and you no longer are friends with those people? Or what if they drop that organization?
As ATZ Alumni Kait Dawson stated, “Many people are tempted to join a sorority because a good friend also wants to join them. At the end of the day, go where you best fit. Don’t follow someone else and end up regretting your decision. A sorority becomes your family. Make sure you actually match with the members.”
So please, please, please rush somewhere that you know you can be yourself and you really feel connected to the goals of that organization.
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Ask about community service
Ask what the sorority does for the community. Every sorority has a big community service event that they must put on each semester. Ask about it. Also ask about what they do outside of that event for community service.
Community service is a huge part of being a sorority on Sewanee’s campus, so be sure to know what individual sororities do.
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Ask about Sorority values
This follows along the same lines as asking about community service. Ask what makes the sorority unique. How did they get started? What are their collective values? So on and so forth. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!!!
Another good thing to do would be to ask different people why they joined that particular organization!
Also be sure to talk to different people in the sorority, new members and old members, upperclassmen and lower classmen, officers and non-officers, etc.
Clean up your social media
You might want to go through and clean up your Facebook. Not only will this help you professionally, but also it will help get into a sorority. We do look at your Facebooks, usually just to remind ourselves of your face or to see what interests you have that we didn’t pick up on during Formal House.
With this being said, please make sure your name tag is the same name that appears on your Facebook page. Help a (future) sister out, please.
Not getting your first pick
Erin Ritchie, a Sewanee and Alpha Tau Zeta alumni, states this particular piece of advice best: “Don’t be disappointed or disheartened if your number one choice didn’t pick you. Go to shake day regardless. Feel out your number two or three, or even four. If you don’t feel like it’s a good fit, fine. But so many girls miss out on something great because only have eyes for one.”
Be sure to seriously consider at least three sororities, and be sure to get to know the people in them during Rush. You may be pleasantly surprised because, chances are, if you end up in a sorority (even a second or third choice) then that’s probably the best fit for you!
Try it out, have fun, and don’t feel pressured!
Falling through
So here’s where it gets awkward. Shake day comes and instead of getting a preference card, you get a notification that you ‘fell through.’ You may experience the following emotions:
- Dismay
- Sadness
- Anger
- Acceptance
- Irritation… A lot of it.
These emotions are perfectly normal, so embrace them. Go pick out your favorite snacks, grab a pillow, cuddle in your blankets, and blare Netflix if that’s what makes you feel better.
But remember that it’s not personal.
Chances are that sororities just felt you didn’t get to know them well enough to be happy with them. They want you to go the best place you possibly can.
As Gabby puts it, “ If someone falls through it could easily just be that people [in the sorority] just don’t really know them well enough to have an opinion either which way. Don’t assume people hate you. Just get back out there. And if you don’t want to rush again, there’s nothing wrong with being GDI. You still get to party.”
And sometimes the best place for you is independent. 10% of Sewanee is GDI, and those people are hella proud of it.
Maria Baker, of Alpha Delta Pi, also shared her personal experience with being GDI: “I have been GDI and not-so-GDI in equal proportions during my time at Sewanee, and you know what? I’ve been happy, fulfilled, loved, and accepted in each and every stage.”
It may feel like no one likes you because you didn’t get picked up, but I promise you that’s not the case. You’re friends still adore you, and hey, there’s always upper class rush! Upper class rush is a lot chiller and you have more time to get to know sororities before rushing them. So you can really find the right pick for you.
So don’t be too discouraged if you fall through, and don’t take it personal, and definitely don’t worry about it during rush. Just be yourself, have fun, and it will all work itself out!
Also, one last tip from my pledge sister, Anne-Stuart Bell: “Don’t wipe out a srat’s food early in the day. They’ve got other groups to feed, ya gremlins.”
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