How To Make It Through Rush In One Piece
Getting involved with greek life has us believing all sorts of crazy stories. Some of the stories ring true while others are totally stereotypical. No matter what kind of experience you have these pointers are crucial in how to make it through rush in one piece in order to get the most fulfilling experience possible.
1. BE YOURSELF
I want everyone to scream this on every rooftop. This does not just apply to make it through rush but to make it through any organization, going to any school, and just any life experience. The number one thing that is going to help you meet the chapter that is the right place for you is being yourself. No matter what, the real you is going to shine through and if you have sisters that build you up and love you for who you are, life will be even better. However, you cannot find this if you are not being yourself from the get go. Some women try to fit the perfect sorority girl mold while going through because they want their first choice of house or want everyone to like them etc. This is not a good idea. If you just are yourself, no matter who you are, you will find the perfect place for you. We all want to be accepted as we really are and we can’t do that if no one really knows who we are!
2. Trust the process
No matter what you will end up where you belong (especially if you follow the pointer above)! The biggest piece of advise anyone can give you to make it through rush is to trust that you are going to end up where you are supposed to end up. There are some instances that a chapter house may feel a girl is a good fit for a different house, but the girl really enjoyed that house and felt she fit their. Despite everything you wanted and felt it just did not work out the way you planned. But, this is not a bad thing. This is only something pushing you closer to finding the home you truly belong in. Think of it like a marriage. You try out several guys and gals and it continues to not work out. As those relationships keep failing they are pushing you closer to the one you will spend the rest of your life with. That is what a sisterhood is. Finding your forever home.
3. Be honest
One of the biggest tricks to greek life recruitment is being honest. This means being honest with yourself, being honest with your recruitment guide, and being honest with the chapters. If you feel a strong pull towards one chapter over another, TELL THEM. Then, tell the other house that they are not your forever home. No one is going to be hurt or offended or sad, even if you are their rush crush! Everyone wants women to find their place just as they have found theirs. Chapter houses want people who WANT to be there. Not people who only half want to be. This is what is going to develop a true sisterhood. People who all want to love and support a chapter whole heartedly because they truly believe their chapter is the best. If we are being totally open and honest, once you make it through rush, you will hardly be remembered by anyone other than your sisters. Maybe you will stick out to some people, but at the end of the day sisters talk to so many new women and you are talking to so many chapter women that it is very hard to remember names, faces and what everyone said. Don’t sweat it and be honest! This will really guarantee you end up in the right spot!
4. Don’t be afraid to say no
Once you make it through the recruitment process, you are still continuing to make it through rush. The members of the chapter are doing everything in their power to make you feel at home and welcome in their organization so you want to stay forever. There is a few months of this before a member is fully initiated and completely committed to their greek letters. This after recruitment rush process can look very different in different chapters and at different schools. There are some schools that have a very strict hazing policy. This means no one is allowed to say anything or do anything that might make a new member feel uncomfortable once they have already gone through the recruitment process. However, hazing is a problem that has not been totally wiped out. No matter if you are at a strict no hazing school or not, always say no to what you do not want to do. If someone invites you out or asks you to do something and you just don’t feel like it, don’t feel comfortable or you have other plans, do not feel like you will not be accepted if you are not totally up for the activity. If you are thrown into a hazing situation never ever EVER be afraid to tell them no. No matter what type of social suicide you feel you are facing that is 1 million times better than actually having your life taken from you for a school organization.
