What To Expect If You Plan On Rushing A Sorority This Fall

Rushing a sorority can be intimidating and stressful, so here are a couple of things you can expect from rush this fall. So put your mind at ease, everything will work out the way it’s supposed to!

Rushing a sorority is extremely stressful but it’s important to remember why you’re there. Why did you choose to rush a sorority in the first place? What were you looking for? Come back to that core reason. There will be times when you feel too tired, or maybe you even feel rejected, but you have to remember that no matter what happens, you’re still you.

1. All. The. Rounds.

Sorority rush is a couple of days long, so get ready. At first, it can seem extremely overwhelming to go to multiple rounds in one day, but remember, the sisters are going through the exact same thing. We’re all tired, we all need a break, but most importantly, we’re dying to meet you. We are so excited to get to know you and add new babies to our sorority, so we’re just as nervous as you are.

Usually, you will go to 3-4 rounds per sorority, this depends on the school of course. At some schools, you only rush the sororities you want to join, and at others, you rush all of them. When you’re rushing a sorority, the first round is usually a “get to know you” round. Take this opportunity to make an impression on the sister you’re talking to. Be open, be honest, and be yourself. You can tell when someone is being fake so it’s important to be authentic if you don’t click, then that sorority isn’t for you, and that’s 100% okay.

The following rounds usually have to do with sisterhood or philanthropy, this is how you can get to know the sorority. This is often where the sorority tells you about their most notable events (and yes, I mean formals!), one or two sisters that are highly active in the sorority will give a speech, and you’ll hear about the sorority’s philanthropy aka their purpose, their main fundraiser, the big kahuna. You should pick a sorority that has a philanthropy that is close to your heart, do you believe in what they are fundraising in? Do you see yourself organizing and supporting fundraisers and events? Each sorority has a different philanthropy so make sure you remember which one is which.

The last round is a preference round. If you’ve made it this far, the sisters think you’d be a good fit for their sorority, and now it the time when the sisters are trying to convince you to join. This round is fun because, while it’s still all about you, the sisters want you to join and will really go into depth about what it’s like to be a part of their sorority.

Then of course, after all the rounds are over, you get to enjoy bid day. A whole other experience in and of itself. Bid day is highly specific to the university and the sorority that you rush but I promise you it will be so much fun 🙂

2. Bring Necessities

Like I said, the rushing a sorority is long, it usually takes at least 2 days, oftentimes 4+. Make sure that you bring a snack, some water, a phone charger, and makeup if you want to refresh it. I remember it was snowing during my spring rush and we all showed up in sweats underneath our dresses. It happens! Make sure that you’re prepared. If you’re sitting around during an empty round, bring some homework to do, or headphones so you can watch tv or listen to music.

3. Bring Water, Please.

I seriously cannot stress this enough. You’re going to be talking all day long, you’re going to need water. Honestly, I would even recommend bringing tea because your throat will hurt from talking so much, yes you really will talk a lot. We are there to learn about you and vice versa. And oftentimes, there are a lot of girls in one room and you have to talk quite loudly. Just please stay hydrated, don’t pass out, take care of yourself first.

4. Learn About Their Philanthropy

While we are asking you a ton of questions, you should also be asking us some. What do you want to know about our sorority? While we are seeing if girls would be a good fit for our chapter, you should also be asking yourself if the chapter is a good fit for you! Choose a chapter you think you’ll belong to. The most common mistake you can make during sorority rush is choosing a chapter based on popularity, or one where your friends are going. You should choose your sorority based on how you feel about it. You’re choosing a group of friends and sisters you’ll have for a lifetime and it’s important that you actually like them.

5. IF You Don’t Get The Sorority You Wanted

During rounds, it’s common to get cut from sororities, especially when you’re rushing them all at the same time. But like I just said, it’s common! It happens to everyone! Please don’t get discouraged. Just because you didn’t get into the sorority you thought was your first choice doesn’t mean that that same sorority was the only good fit for you. Look at all your options and give them all a fair chance. People will drop out of recruitment after getting cut from one sorority and it’s honestly disheartening, there are so many good chapters out there and you should give them all a chance. Hopefully, you’ve heard this before from someone on Panhellenic, but I hope you take it to heart.

Joining a sorority is fun and you will be making lifelong friendships with your sisters, however, if you do not get into a sorority that semester, don’t get discouraged! You can rush multiple times, it’s common to rush twice, and the second time is so much easier than the first. Just because you don’t get into a sorority doesn’t mean you won’t find your place on campus. Sorority rush should be a positive experience, and something you will remember long after you join a chapter. Just remember to be yourself and have fun, make the most of it!