RedRoseCousin's rush at IU (starts Nov 12!)
 

Woo-hoo...I get to write a rush thread!

My cousin is a freshman at Indiana University, and rush begins this weekend. She's very excited! She's already attended two meetings with her Rho Gamma and got all sorts of advice there.

This weekend is 19 party. First Invite, Second Invite, and Pref are not until January so there will be plenty of time to reflect (both good and bad, I suppose).

The sororities at IU are:
* Alpha Chi Omega
* Alpha Delta Pi
* Alpha Epsilon Phi
* Alpha Gamma Delta
* Alpha Omicron Pi
* Alpha Phi
* Alpha Xi Delta
* Chi Omega
* Delta Delta Delta
* Delta Gamma
* Delta Zeta
* Gamma Phi Beta
* Kappa Alpha Theta
* Kappa Delta
* Kappa Kappa Gamma
* Phi Mu
* Pi Beta Phi
* Sigma Delta Tau
* Zeta Tau Alpha

Panhellenic has given all PNMs an identical long-sleeved t-shirt, and it's been recommended that she wear it with jeans. Any IUers know if this is accurate advice? I assume IU is not as crazy as SEC rush, but I also know that the advice given to SEC girls by their college panhellenics is not always what plays out in real life. I don't want her to be the only one in jeans if everyone else wears something else (although, what else would you wear in Indiana, in November, with a t-shirt?) If any IU alumnae would like to share their rush experiences, I'm all ears!

She has SWORN she'll call me on Saturday night and Sunday night, so I'll try to write an update ASAP.

So is this weekend more of a preview open house, with formal selection and parties beginning in Jan? I wonder how many PNM's they lose over the break? But that might be a good thing-- the ladies who come back in Jan have a semester's worth of grades under their belts, some time to get involved on campus, and have had time to really think about if they want to join a GLO and can afford dues. But I would imagine there might be danger of "Dirty Rushing" with such a long break, don't you think? Any alum or collegians on here to give insight?

RR: Looks like the weather this weekend is in the 50's and 60's, so your cousin will have to wear some kind of pants. If they're advising jeans, maybe she can wear black pants and cute shoes so she stands out a little bit more?

My daughter has tons of friends at IU, including her three closest friends who all joined sororities last year as freshmen (three different ones who shall remain nameless!).

IU rush is known for being very competitive. One of her friends did really well meaning she had lots of invites and choices but still got cut from a few favorites. One did "medium" well meaning she had invites but also cuts but got the sorority she had honed in on fairly early so it was a positive outcome. The third struggled some and it was a very tough, intense time for her. She didn't get as many invites and got cut but still pledged a group that she was happy with. All were very happy with the outcomes and love sorority life at IU.

The 19 party is the first round and there are cuts although I don't know when they do them i.e. closer to January rounds. I also assume that waiting until January gives them time to see grades.

Jeans are fine - lots of girls wear them. Nice jeans, that is, with heels.

Good luck to your cousin - I hope she has a great rush.

I just a wrote a rec for a young lady who is going through recruitment at Inidiana. Her twin sister is an AOII (getting initiated this Sunday 11/13) here at Ole Miss. Apparently they do this thing this weekend and then start in January with formal recruitment.

Woo hoo! A Spring Rush thread! :)

On the flip side, there are some girls who are released over the break but don't find out until they get back in January. Somewhere on here there is a PNM thread about it.

Good luck to her! :) yay for an IU rush thread!

Re: RedRoseCousin's rush at IU (starts Nov 12!)
 

This is accurate. I'm wasn't a part of an IU chapter, but I've witnessed recruitment as an observer. So yes, during the first rounds girls wear the standard shirt and jeans. She'll be fine. :D

I talked with some of my friends who are alums of two different IU chapters. Yes, recruitment is competitive, but they say that there is a spot for everyone if they keep an open mind.

Wish her luck for us!

Re: Re: RedRoseCousin's rush at IU (starts Nov 12!)
 

Re: Re: Re: RedRoseCousin's rush at IU (starts Nov 12!)
 

I'm with you on this. I think a really nice, cute pair of jeans that fit really well would be a better choice than black pants.

I agree. If it were me I'd probably wear nice jeans, and try to find a cute belt and some heels to go with it!
Best of luck to your cousin!

if it's at all like purdue, some folks will get unofficial one on one visits before christmas.

You mean someone (their Rho Gamma?) will visit them to let them know they've been cut?

I hope that's what happens...I'd hate for some girls to spend Christmas break shopping for rush stuff and go back to campus early, only to have been cut by everyone.

no....
houses invite folks back for an unofficial chat.
in most cases, no chat no advancement.
i hope it's changed....but.

Hmph...interesting. It sounds like that could border on dirty rushing.

UPDATE
 

Just a quickie update...

I IM'd with RRCousin this morning. She didn't call yesterday because she was totally exhausted by the time they were finished, but she did say that it went well! She didn't have time to go into detail, so I'll find out more tonight.

I had a high school friend go through IU's recruitment a few years ago. She said she never heard anything until break. I would imagine it would be dirty rushing to talk right after first rounds. It's a weird way of going about recruitment, but it's the way they've been doing it for years.

UPDATE
 

I talked to RRCousin tonight. After 19 parties her voice was shot, but she was in good spirits. Overall she really enjoyed the experienced and liked meeting so many people.

As is our custom, I've renamed the sororities. After thinking about, and then rejecting shoe styles (Kitten Heel, Espadrille), 80s power ballads (All Cried Out, Home Sweet Home), and cosmetic companies, I've decided to name the sororities after DCI Drum Corps . So, we have...

Blue Devils
Blue Knights
Bluecoats
Cadets
Carolina Crown
Cavaliers
Colts
Crossmen
Crusaders
Glassmen
Madison Scouts
Magic
Mandarins
Phantom Regiment
Pioneer
Santa Clara Vanguard
Seattle Cascades
Spirit
Troopers

We didn't review each house (19 is a lot!), but the standouts so far are Cadets, Pioneer, Seattle Cascades, Crusaders, and Carolina Crown.

There was one house she really disliked - Cavaliers. The sister she talked to didn't make eye contact, conversation was awkward, etc. In addition, they're among the smaller houses, and she's worried about their viability on campus.

She told me that some of the houses have cold dorms (separate rooms where all the girls sleep) and wasn't sure how she felt about that. I told her not to let the sleeping arrangements disuade her from an otherwise great sisterhood!

She's really looking forward to the First Invite round when things get a little more indepth and interesting. The next update won't be until January, so hang on until then!

aww I was just about to type "gooo Cavaliers!" and then read the bit on how she didn't like the 'Cavaliers'...they're my favorite DCI group:p

I hope she has fun with it!

I am so cheering on teh Cadets and SCV.

Great choice for renaming the orgs.

Love and SAI Roses
Stefanie

I was so thinking the same thing.

Guess I've gotta' root for Carolina Crown! Well, okay, I'll root for the Cadets, too. :)

Re: UPDATE
 

When I rushed at IU I asked about the sleeping arrangements at all the houses and kind of ruled out all the houses with cold dorms. Of course knowing what I know now I should have been more open-minded.

I have a feeling I know who Cavaliers are. If they are who I think, it's too bad...they were pretty strong when I went there and I had several friends in that house.

Haha - you guys are so funny! I paired the DCI names with the IU houses before I talked to my cousin, so it is ironic that the house she liked the least is named "Cavaliers" considering their winning streak (well, not this year) as of late. I have to admit though, I work with several former marching memebers of the Cavaliers and at times I really get tired of hearing about The Green Machine over and over and over and over and....

UCFStephanie, I didn't know you were an SAI! *hugs*

[aopirose singing to the tune of "Bread & Butter"] I like flags and rifles; I like drums and horns; I like the looks of those Cavalier boys; They're my favorite corps. Oh Yeah, Yeah! [/aopirose singing]

Actually, I am an SCV, Blue Devil, and Phantom fan all the way but a lot of guys from my HS marched with the Cavaliers. To really show my age, some of the other guys went to the Bayonne Bridgeman and most girls went to the Stars of Indiana. :p

rose, tell you cousin that there are advantages to "cold dorms" aka sleeping porches. my house at fsu had them when i was there( house has since been remodeled and expanded, so no more sleeping porches). anyway, rules at my house kept the lights off in the sleeping porches and a quiet rule was always inacted. if one of your roommates needed to pull an all nighter, she could, because you were snuggled down on the sleeping porch. you could take a nap anytime.

I love me some Scouts and BD :)

Good luck to your cousin! I think waiting this long would drive me insane!

Can someone please explain the sleeping porch/cold dorm to me? I mean, pictures or something? i hear you guys in big unis talk about this all the time, and I'm curious. Is it like a big room with lots of beds? a separate building?

OR if you're in the cold zone, it's an unheated room. The idea of the sleep room seemed strange when I first saw a chapter house with one but the members loved it. They had their "day rooms" with desks/ closets and a day bed that you could sleep on if you were sick, or needed to study late. They were strict about no hitting snooze buttons and using heatsets if you had to have a radio/ music. No roommate wars over lighting or noise. The dormer was always quiet, dark and cold.

Personally, I think the cold part would drive me nuts...I like the room to be warm when I sleep!

I've got to cheer on the Bluecoats for two reasons!

a) my boyfriend was one!

and

b) they're the hometown DCI group! ;)

I'm with RedRose I need a cozy, warm room to sleep. But to each their own I guess.

I wonder at schools where some have them and some don't, do the ones who do get cut by a lot of girls because of them ever.

It doesn't seem to be a problem at IU.

ETA: Previous thread about cold dorms.

Yea for an IU thread! Can't wait to hear all the news.

Both of my parents lived in fraternity/sorority houses with cold dorms and ran our home sort of like one. I was in college before I found out that you didn't HAVE to turn the heat down to 50 degrees when you went to bed. It's addictive!

While my chapter didn't have cold airs, many of the chapters at Iowa State did and the girls (and guys) would say, once you got used to sleeping in cold airs, it was difficult to get used to sleeping in a regular room again.

I'm sure some people would use that as a deciding factor for or against a chapter, it didn't seem to affect chapters overall during recruitment, so I'm guessing it's the same for IU.

Yippeee.....I am excited about an IU recruitment thread. I am a grad student at IU (I didn't go to IU as an undergrad.), so this should be interesting. I can't wait to hear what happens. There are 19 awesome groups to choose from at IU! Each organization has their specific strengths. I know that it is sometimes hard to do, but I hope your cousin keeps an open mind and finds a home where she can make a positive contribution to the Greek Community and IU.

Best Wishes!

OMG! Drum Corps!!! And people know what they are?!?!? How exciting! :D

OK, well, since I'm a Spirit alumna (back when it was Spirit of Atlanta) I'll put my money on them!!! It's a Corps with heart and drive, so it must also be a great sorority too!!

Cavies not her fave? Yes, incredibly ironic ....oh oh...sidenote (sorry I'm really straying here) whomever mentioned Bayonne....my Mom and Daddy both marched against them in the 70's! I know exactly who you are talking about!!!

Yep, I love this thread already!!!

OMG, you are making me all nostalgic with the DCI names. Bringing back some SERIOUS memories. (I was in the colorguard) :) I loved watching DCI

This is the most creative naming of sororities yet :D

I loved cold airs. I admit that when I first heard about them, I thought the idea was a bit weird, but once you try it, you learn to love it pretty quickly.
My chapter had our Cold Air on our third floor, with bunked beds that doubled back. The room slept about 50-54 people. When I was an active member, it wasn't air-conditioned, which while it sounds awful, was only bad during August, sometimes early September and maybe May. Nowadays, the room is air-conditioned during those months. The windows are left open year-round - though when it snowed and rained we always closed them almost all the way.
Electric blankets were a wonderful thing to have.

Has anyone heard an official update yet on which house she joined?