For most people, the beginning of spring semester means shaking off that winter break laziness or readjusting to life at Penn after a fall term abroad. But for about one third of Penn undergrads, January is a whole different animal: rush, AKA the fraternity and sorority recruitment process.
I’ve been through sorority recruitment as both a potential new member (PNM) and a sister. It can be a stressful time for freshmen — I remember frantically trying on hundreds of outfits and hairstyles with friends from my hall — but rush is truly what you make it.
Here are 10 tips for freshmen and sophomore collegiettes about to go through the process:
Relax!
Seriously. I can’t stress this one enough. Everybody walks into their first Open House party with their hands a little sweaty and their legs a little shaky, but once you get past the first-round jitters, it’s really important not to stress yourself out. All of the girls you’re talking to have been in your position, and they aren’t expecting you to be perfect. Just take a deep breath and enjoy the conversation.
Be yourself
It’s such a tired cliché, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good advice. You want to find a group of girls that you can see yourself being friends with for a long time, and that definitely won’t be a sorority that fell in love with you because you pretended to be someone you’re not. Just be yourself…some girls will like you, some won’t, but all that matters is that you end up in the right place.
Forget about stereotypes
It’s super important that you end up in the sorority that’s right for you, so please (please!) forget anything you may have heard or read about different sororities. At around 50 people, each pledge class is so large that it’s impossible to stereotype that many girls. Most girls end up with friends in almost every house. You should be judging each sorority during rush, but do so based on your conversations and experiences, not rumors.
Keep an open mind
I would be lying if I said that rush always works out the way you want it to. Not every girl can get invited back everywhere, and one awkward or awesome conversation can completely change your experience at a house. Even if you get invited back to a sorority that you thought you didn’t like, return with an open mind; they may surprise you. I know I didn’t end up where I expected to, but I love my sorority and couldn’t be happier about how it all turned out. If you keep an open mind, it’s likelier that you’ll end up satisfied.
Sanitize
Purell. Love it or hate it, rush is the time to use it. We all know that winter is the perfect time to catch a cold or the flu, and what better way to do so than by shaking hands with hundreds of strangers. Be sure to carry hand sanitizer in your purse, and think about taking vitamins or an immune system supplement like Airborne this week. Nobody wants to be a sneezy mess on Preference Night or when they meet their new sisters. Stay healthy!
Take care of your voice
The human vocal cords definitely were not designed for the amount of talking you’ll do during rush, and you could easily lose your voice. Don’t worry, nobody will be judging you— it happens to everyone. Remember to take good care of your voice after each round. Drink tea, use cough drops and try to make it last until Bid Night.
Bring warm shoes
Just do it. This was the best advice anyone ever gave me before recruitment. Of course you’ll want to be in your cutest pumps or your brand new boots for the actual events, but in between you’ll be rushing (get it?) from house to house and standing outside in the cold for what feels like ages. Bring Uggs or other comfortable shoes to change into between houses. You’ll have an easier time running around from party to party, and as an added bonus you’ll keep your feet from freezing in the frigid Philly air.
Plan your outfits in advance
Knowing what you’re wearing for each round in advance means you’ll one less thing to worry about during that crazy-busy first week of classes. Each round also has a fairly specific dress code (for example, a cocktail dress for Preference Night), and you want to make sure that you have an appropriate outfit.
Get excited!
After reading all this you’re probably worrying about clothes, germs, the cold and a million other things. Don’t let my advice scare you…get excited about the amazing rewards of the rush process! Your first semester in a sorority will be one of the best times of your life, and once you meet your pledge class you’re going to forget about how cold your toes were or how nervous you were before rush. Sorority recruitment is the beginning of years of fun and friendship, and it’s 100% worth the effort!