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". :)

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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.

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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.