oh, and i totally forgot one more thing...if you smoke, don't smoke in between parties! esp. if its hot out, the smoky smell will stick to you and its a total turnoff!

I don't know if rush is different at our school because it is "no frills" and defered, plus we don't have houses, but it has become very casual. Our first round is jeans, so we get some fun outfits... I would say where something that makes you stand out.. we had one rushee with these very unique jeans, and the rest of rush we refered to her as "sequened jeans girl." Try to stand out, but not be obnoxious. Also don't always take what an active says to you to heart. "I" statements are perfectly acceptable... such as "I hope to see you on bid day" but that may not be the sentiment of the whole chapter.

I think it is very important to keep a low profile before rush. If something bad happens, even if it is not between an active in a sorority, it can hurt. Big schools become suddenly very small durring rush

We were always told that you could not even say "I hope to see you again" to a rushee, because that could be construed as promising a bid. Personally, I think that's taking too far, but I just want to point out that those are the rules at some campuses. So just cause a sister _doesn't_ say something like that to you doesn't mean they don't want you!

I know this has been said before, but it came up fresh last night.

Never tell an active you are going XYZ because it may come back and bite you on your proverbial arse!

Legacies cut and get cut for many different reasons.

Of 30+ girls my daughter knows who said what about which sororities. Even though she may really like some of these young ladies, do you think she will stand up for one who has already defined herself as a future member of XYZ? Be very careful of what you say. You may not feel comfortable in the same chapter
that Mom, Granny and Aunt Betty were in, or as happens, so MANY legacies go through, some hard decisions must be made.

I can't stress this enough-keep your mind open and your mouth closed.

Competative Rush-During the week, warn "Mom" to be warry of any phone calls out of the blue to see how it's going, who you like and don't like... Yes, it does and DID happen.

BUMPING the thread for everyone's reference!

yet another question that needs to be answered about Rush!!
 

Okay...I'm going to be going through Rush in August (I guess I should add it'll be in the South)....What is up with the posters? Making elaborate, eye-catching posters are just about as big of a deal here as recs are!! Can someone please help me figure out WHAT to put on them and how just elaborate they need to be. How many do I need to make for each house? Golly...anything would help!!!

Thanks to any replies, :D

McCall (from Arkansas)

McCall4544 I've never heard of a PNM making a poster!
WOW! I HAVE heard of "in house" posters that actives make for girls they want to be noticed. My niece's sorority did this at A&M.

Anyone else hear of this? I'm kind of shocked it never came up on GC!

Well, I guess what it is, is maybe you ask a member to put the posters up in the house? But I do know that a lot of my friends that are in sororities are urging me to START NOW! And I'm lost basically....

Couldn't this poster thing be considered dirty rushing?? I mean, theoretically the chapters are responsible for getting recs on the girls...how could they obligate them to do anything else?

they don't necassarily obligate girls to do this but there is SUCH competition that I'm just GUESSING but maybe it's just something else to set them apart? I don't know but it confuses me severely! :rolleyes:

ALSO do not, do NOT, tell the sisters that because you are a legacy that you EXPECT a bid from XYZ sorority. We had a girl say that and that if she happened by chance NOT to get a bid from us that she and her parents would sue us as a chapter and nationally. Act as if you are just like any of the other girls, because in theory that's what you are: just another PNM with a recommendation.

Yuk! Did you bid her?

McCall, where are you going to go to school? Surely not UAF?:confused:

No we didn't pledge her not only because of that but for other reasons too that I can't discuss. And, guess what? Our chapter nor our nationals have been sued! What a surprise? hehehe

Justamom, We did in house posters, also! If you LOVED a girl... you would make posters with her name, picture and information and put them throughout the two floors, bathrooms and kitchen!

I have another question about those posters...Is it good to get girls to put posters up of you that they make even if that particular sorority isn't the one you REALLY want to be in? I have friends in sororities that have made posters for me for Rush but I don't particularly want to be in those sororities...haha...can you tell this poster thing is really stressin me out??!

at UF the posters are made for those who they call "rush babies" it means girks in the house really want you....but its okay to have them in other houses even if you dont want them because you may come to a different realization during rush and change your mind. Also if you dont like them you can always drop them.

As members, we did posters for our favorites ourselves but I have never heard of a prospective new member putting up a poster about herself. In the South, if a PNM did that and no other PNMs were doing it, I'd bet it would hurt her badly.

UF, when you rushed did you ever walk into a house with those posters? Did you have one? If not, did you feel like you didn't belong?

To me the poster thing seems like a ewww we don't want you because we didn't put you on our wall or something. I guess I'd just be dissapointed like the other non=walled girls, ha

I think the posters are in a non-public area of the house. At least I hope so!

I have heard of sorority members making posters for the legacies and the rushees they like so they know them, but McCall's instance sounded like the rushees themselves were expected to make the posters, which didn't sound right to me.

the pnms arent supposed to know if they have posters and they are never out where the pnms can see them.

I have never seen them out in the open... The PNMs should not know about them... And in a house of 100-200 sisters, with 300-1,000 rushees, it is hard to remember everyone. As a member, you do not get to talk to every PNM throughout rush. It is a way for members to remember rushees that their sisters have a special bond with... be it a legacy (in house or out), a sister's next door neighbor, or a best friend since 1st grade. It is not meant to hurt anyone. As a member during rush workshop you see pictures and bios of everyone going through recruitment. However, as I mentioned before, it is almost impossible to remember everyone going through!

As, carnation stated, I have never heard of a prospective new member putting up a poster about herself and my guess is that it would hurt that PNM.

On the poster note........... in the same idea anyway-

When you send in your picture PLEASE PLEASE do not send in your modeling portfolio with you in twelve shots. A recent picture is good enoug, not a poloroid of you at your boyfriends, either.

Trust me, the girls that send in 6 8'x10' glossies are asking for us to joke on you (every house a story about a girl with feathers in their pics, too!)

What do you mean by "feathers" in their pics? Do mean those cheesy "Glamour Shots"? LOL

The Moms before me told her to send in two photos, one was the "studio shot" like your nice, formal setting graduation pic. They suggested another candid shot too because MANY girls look NOTHING like their studio pictures. I think every single girl from here sends in two photos. It was also mentioned she should wear red in her pictures "Because it's so flatering"...she wore turquoise!

Rushees, please remember that even though you might not like a group at first, your opinion might change through out rush. Be a lady and try not to offend that particular group with comments that you make. like "Well, I think that I belong else where." and so on. Just because you like one group does not mean that you will get a bid from that particular group. And your comments might come to bite you later.

Well said, becljohn!

ilovemyglo: I have one of those "feather" shots. Swear to goodness, I'll send it to you. Give it to your Panhell, so they can include it in the freshman rush packet as a "what not to do". :)

*bump*

I have seen some people say that asking to use the bathroom shows disinterest, but I beg to differ. At my school, we do 14 parties in one day. The day is long and hot in August, and some girls forget that if you take a drink at every party, eventually you will have to use the bathroom. It usually happens towads the end of thae day, say the 9th or 11th party or so, and everyone completely understands! Maybe keep in mind that you don't have to take a drink at every party, and if you do, maybe sip instead of drinking the whole thing. Just a thought. But like I said, I think that Recruitment is different everywhere, so it'll really depend on your school.

bump:D

On the bathroom issue . . .

if a girl's gotta go, a girl's gotta go!

i think during rush you really do have to be yourself - if you "act" throughout the entire process, you'll only be cheating yourself by ending up in a house that doesn't have the same interests/likes as you do. so many freshman girls come into college the first week and try to figure out the "stereotypes" of each sorority and make pre-decisions before they've even met the sisters!

what do you guys think? does that happen at your school too?

It's an epidemic at my school! I was completely green about the sororities at my school but within the first two days of rush, I had already decided which houses I didn't want to be a part of because I listened to the other girls in my rush group talking about the house stereotypes. Listening to that really hurt me because I didn't give the house I eventually ended up in a chance (I went through Formal Rush again). The girls know when you think you're "too good" for them. Don't make that mistake! I missed out on an entire year of my sisterhood because I listened to what other girls were saying about the houses. I know it's scary and recruitment is difficult but be true to yourself. If you are, there is a much better chance you will be smiling instead of crying on Bid Day.

We've had lots of interesting pictures come through. One girl was surrounded by bandanas, also if you send in one with a big funky border on the picture it usually stands out, but not always in a good way. Pick a picture that is sedate, I had a simple black and white photo and those are the ones that stand out usually as classy girls. Some of the wild pictures are amusing to us, but who wants to be known as "feather girl" or "bandana girl"?

I know this sounds superficial, but when you're trying to get to know 200-300 girls it can be tough to tell them apart!

It's amazing how many girls cry on bid day, don't you think? i think at least 30% of the new pledges were crying my sophomore year because they were so upset. i hate that it becomes so traumatic for girls.

My advice:

Call the Greek Life office at your school and ask them about the expenses of being in a sorority. Also, ask them about the recommended attire during recruitment.

I'm all for expressing yourself, but when you join a sorority, you are joining a group to "fit into," and not to "stick out." What should stick out during recruitment is your personality and your accomplishments.

If you are one of those people who wears black nail polish and sports a green mohawk, you might not like sorority life, as there is a sense of conformity. Not being a clone, but being part of that group's "corporate culture" and identity. Just as you might put on a suit for an interview, and wear the micro-mini dress out at night, think of sorority recruitment as a weeklong interview. Dress the part, and discern the personalities you will encounter.

bump

In response to Justamom's post from a while back, please DO tell your mother to be wary of phone calls to check up on your rush progress. The women who might have been your recs at that point may be asking for info that will get back to their chapters. Your mom should always tell them that you are enjoying rush and all of the houses, and can even add that you really love XYZ house that the woman or her relative is in. However, I have seen several girls be dropped because their moms shared which houses the girls were invited back to or that they had their hearts set on ABC house.

Also, as a woman who went through rush at UGA (which had 18 chapters and typically rushes 1200-1300 girls a year), I strongly urge women going through to make fashion decisions based upon what they like, what fits well, and what fits the event. I remember meeting a girl at rush one year who seemed very uncomfortable in her unflattering outfit... she confided that her mom and sister had picked it out for her. I recommend a cute sundress or skirt and shirt combo for the first couple of rounds, a dress that's long enough to sit in for skits, and a black cocktail dress for prefs. There are always exceptions (a girl in my Rho Chi group freshman year wore jeans and a very dressy top with heels and got invited back to her top 12 the 2nd round), but it is generally the best bet to dress in line with Panhellenic suggestions... why be the girl who wore the skin-tight lime-green pants and the too-tight top when you can be the girl with the talent in ______ and the great sense of humor?

If you dress in a way that distracts the sister, all she'll remember is your outfit. If you dress in a classy way that accentuates your positives, she'll remember YOU.

Southern Theta has given some GREAT advice here!

SERIOUSLY. You don't know how distracting a LIME GREEN tube dress on PHILANTHROPY (very casual-shorts/jeans and tees) DAY really is.

Oh my GOD.