Thinking about rushing
 

Hi. I'm thinking about rushing for a fraternity, if it ends up being my thing. I have some questions about doing so, though. It's the middle of march here (Just got out of my last class before spring break), and all of the get-togethers are either exclusive to greeks, or you never hear about them. This makes me wonder how I'm supposed to get to know a group if they are so to theirselves. Someone told me you don't do that until rush, but how are you supposed to get to know someone in a week's time?

These are just some things I don't get, but if someone would like to enlighten me on this, I'd be more than happy to listen.

SMSUBear

when are you planning on rushing? next semester?
Do the fraternities on your campus have parties at the end of the semester or so? That's usually how the guys here get to know fraternities. Or ask a guy wearing letters in your classes.

Good luck though. It's very rare that I see a male potential new member starting a rush thread. It's refreshing. :)

I'm kinda afraid no one will be interested in giving me a bid. I rushed once, and got a bid from one fraternity, but to be truthful, they were way too wild for me. They were nice, but I don't think I ever saw them not drunk. They would all get drunk during their rush parties, and you're not supposed to do that. I actually ended taking off the next semester, and when I came back, that fraternity wasn't there anymore. I don't know where they went. There's an apartment at the old house, and I can't find anything on the school's website telling me what happened or where they went to. I'm also kinda afraid that the same thing will happen if I join a fraternity

I wasn't ready to rush before, and I'm not going to accept a bid just because I got one (even if it is the only one).

SMSUBear

Do you have national fraternities at your campus or are they locals (meaning they are only at that campus.) You said your campus is smaller so I am wondering if it's the latter (or a mix).

I would give it another try honestly. Obviously you have some experience going through the recruitment process. Technically all campuses should have a dry rush period (ie no alcohol) and if the group doesn't follow that rule, that should be a red flag for sure.

Go with who you feel comfortable with, not where ALL the guys are going. And go in with an open mind. I have known guys join up with a fraternity that was "the" fraternity on campus. They didn't last very long.

But have some confidence! :D

ETA: nevermind the first paragraph. i did a little research and you have:
Alpha Gamma Rho
Alpha Gamma Sigma
Alpha Kappa Lambda
Alpha Phi Alpha
Delta Chi
Iota Phi Theta
Kappa Alpha
Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Sigma
Phi Beta Sigma
Phi Delta Theta
Sigma Chi
Sigma Phi Epsilon
Sigma Pi
Theta Chi
on your campus.

I'm sure there are brothers of the groups in your classes...try doing group work with them or asking to study with them and get to know them that way. Also, just approach them! Let them know you are interested in their org. and you'd like to get an invite so you could get to know more of the guys better.

Thanks. I go to SMSU (Southwest Missouri State University). It's about 18,000 people (13,000 full time), and the school has about 1,400 greeks. It's fairly large, almost all of the sororities are over 100 people, and the fraternities are usually around 50 people).

I'd still like to know what happened to the fraternity who gave me a bid. Just in case they got the boot, I won't say their name, but they aren't on their school website, or their fraternity website. I haven't seen any of them around campus either, now that I think about it. Hmmmmm...

SMSUBear

Try looking at back issues of your school's newspaper online (if it's online) or on the fraternity's website. You might be able to find out what happened that way.

They could have had their recognition pulled. You said that they were drinking during rush. Maybe the school had been following them for a while and when you left, they did something that was the final straw and they had to disappear.

I won't speculate. But do what 33girl said and check newspaper archieves... or hell... search around here. Hoosier always seems to find articles on greek orgs that are having issues.

Wasn't Lambda Chi, but I was wondering why the Theta Chi's took their big ol house. Big step up for TX, cause they were in a regular house about a half of a mile away from campus.

My Cousin was a Lambda Chi. He went to Truman State.

SMSUBear

I know the SigEp chapter there is pretty good one of my friend's brothers is in it. Otherwise check out Sigma Chi..okay I might be partial :)

I think you should go for it like Jen (Chideltjen) said, keep an open mind & follow your heart. I know it is a different setup for the guys but you may want to check out 2-3 groups like the others have mentioned.:)

Good Luck and please keep us posted (some of us are "rush thread junkies)!:D

Dietetics... I'm not a muscle head, but I'm big on eating healthy (my gf told me that was cause I am a Virgo).

SMSUBear

LXA is no longer on SMSU Campus, various reasons, but I would imagine all of the reasons for being Dis Chartered can be lumped into one word :"Stupidity"!

Of course, the correct word would be "Risk Management".

Yes, I would defently try to contact Members. If you just blend into the crowd, you can go unoticed. Not knowing rush schedual at SMSU or how the add PNM I cannot give to much advice.

Good luck, I think there are many Good Fraternitys there!:)

hijak/ I am just excited to see people mention Truman State! I went there and don't run into that many people who know the school.

SMSUBear is your cousin a current member or an alum? (just curious)

end hijak/

He's alum, graduated last year or the year before... I can't remember.

Truman State is ranked the best public university in the midwest which doesn't offer a doctorate program. They have their ducks in a row.

SMSUBear

I just read all of the articles for the campus newspaper for the last two years, and didn't find anything about them leaving. This is wierd, it's like they just vanished.

SMSUBear

Maybe they were a local interest group for a national fraternity that never colonized. This might explain why they wouldn't be on their fraternity HQ web site or why the university might not have anything on them as well.

They're definitely not just local. I guess just in the interest of wanting to know what the heck happened to them, I'll go ahead and tell you who it was. It was Pi Kappa Alpha. They were some good guys, but now they have dissapeared off the face of the earth. I tried their website, the schools website and computer, and cannot find anything. They weren't very big so their chapter may have dissolved cause there was something going on with the house they were in.

SMSUBear

Bear, when a group leaves, it doesnt take long for people to forget them!:(

That is why most Greek Organizations wait for a period of time to recolonize at a school! The old are gone so it is something new again!

Well, I wish you the best of luck when you rush. Keep an open mind. A good way to get to know brothers of a fraternity is to talk to one on campus during school...if you see a guy with letters on, stop and talk to him and tell him you are interested in joining a fraternity on campus. Also, if they have IFC (Interfraternity Council) you could try and contact the President and I'm sure he can give you tons of information. Once again, best of luck! :)

I found this on the Greek Zone site.

1969 [Zeta Chi ] Southwest Missouri State University.

My guess why you couldn't find anything regarding the Zeta Chi chapter was because many fraternity HQ web sites do not list their inactive chapters and the Pikes being one who do not list. The same may be said for the SMSU's web site in that they most likely do not list inactive organizations. Especially if it's been a few years.

By the way, I agree with all that ASTLuv21 wrote. Good advice.

ETA: I forgot to add that this was with respect to the Pikes at SMSU.

Hi Bear,
I used to go to SMSU too, a couple of years ago. I left there because of all the drinking in the frats and sororities. It was a waste of my time. I wanted an education. My boyfriend flunked out because he got with a frat that just wanted to party all the time. Be careful when choosing a frat, especially if you aren't one of the lucky ones who can get good grades without the effort.

Gee, I didn't realize SMS had such a reputation for drinking. I've noticed a few fraternities who drink a ton, but there are also some who are people who know balance. I don't really drink all that much at all, and if I ever do, it's usually with restraint.

I think the key is to only join if you get along well with them and are compatible with your interests and hobbies.

SMSUBear

If you can't find one that you like, you can always start a chapter of a fraternity.

Russell, if it was only true!:(

Did not Know All Of the Chapters of Greek Organizations were such drunkards!?

Bear, you must find the one that fits with you and they with you.

No, Not All are what you are looking for! If that is the case, maybe Russell is right, look in to starting your own Group! I did!

That is why I am so dissapointed that LXA Chapter the got the Charter Taken for being Stupid!:(

No there is No One who can tell you what to do, you have to make up your mind yourself!;)

Thinking seriously?
 

Just wondering if you have a girlfriend? and if so, is she in a sorority? The frat took all my boyfriend's time. I didn't have time for a sorority, and quit. we never saw each other except when we both went home the same weekends. Sometimes they are hard on relationships if both aren't into greek life

Re: Thinking seriously?
 

But certainly not impossible. My boyfriend is a GDI and we are awesome together.

thinking about joining
 

But you are in a sorority are you not? We attended a lot of things together when we were both involved, but when I quit, he was always busy with the frat and I was busy with school. Suddenly our mutual friends were just his friends. They didn't take kindly to my dropping the sorority, even though I just didn't have the time to put into it. I felt like I was cheating them and myself, so I quit. But nothing is impossible.

She said that her boyfriend is a GDI and it works. It can be hard, but the key is understanding. I dated independents that did work out and ones that didn't. The question is do they RESPECT the time you put into your Greek org, and that you've made this commitment. If not, it won't work. If you can't do that for a person you probably shouldn't be with them anyway.

GDI is not a fraternity...it's a term for an independent.

missed the GDI part
 

oops, missed the GDI mention. Glad that worked for you. But with the guy in the frat and the girl not, it just didn't work for us. Of course, they were major partiers too, and since his girlfriend wasn't part of the Greek life, they thought he needed a new girlfriend. He eventually found one. Then he flunked out. I don't even know where he is now. I'm about to graduate and am heading to grad school. Funny though, most of the girls who were my friends in the sorority are still friends.

Hey y'all...

Let's put the thread back on track...the boyfriend/girlfriend/which GLO drinks the most on campus is for another forum, not Rush.

Mod hat off...

Tootles...

Sorry this just kind of irritates me, but I hate it when people blame flunking out or having problems on their fraternity or whatever they're involved in. I'm not saying that being in a fraternity didn't give him easy access to drinking, but HE is the one who made the desicion to party all the time or to let their partying affect him. I'm not trying to sound bitchy, but yeah. Ok done. :D

kinda glad someone else agrees with me... cuz i was a little skeptical with the intentions of that original post.

You chose your destiny... don't blame everyone else for your failures.

the end.

I live in Columbia, MO and will be going to Mizzou Fall of 2004... I've always heard SMS referred to as a huge party school (for missouri)... SMS and CMSU.

Never really checked it out but I've heard it many many times.. *shrug* Kinda surprising since it is right in the middle of the "bible belt"

--
Also -- starburst you go to Mizzou? What year are ya? Are you currently in a sorority? It is always a pleasure to find fellow Tigers on this board! :D
-Matt

Haha I wish Mizzou was a hardcore party school. Though if it was I wouldn't probably still be here. :( But either way...it's a fun time.
And I wish I still loved Columbia as much as you do, after so many years here I am ready to vamanos. I want to live in a big city right NOW!!! :o :)