Rushing in the South as a Northerner
 

Hey everyone,
Im from New Jersey and really looking forward to greek life in college and my list is mostly southern schools. So, as a white, preppy, private school kid, laid back, fairly athletic, and enjoys partying, how would I fair in the competitive southern school rushes such as Clemson, South Carolina, Richmond, Roanoke, Auburn, Charleston, Elon, Wake, Tulane, Georgia, ect.
I really feel like I fit the the fraternity life style. I read TFM and wear vineyard vines, I golf, ski, and lax. The only problem i have little to no connections at these schools, and fear being from the north may discount me from the get go. I dont even mind being in a mid tier house, as long as I still get that brotherhood experience. Are the odds stacked against me? Or am I over thinking it and will find my niche?
Thanks

You will like, totally get into a frat yo!

There are several threads about people in the north rushing in the south. Do a search of the threads.

You might want to stop reading TFM just as a heads up. If you go into rush acting like you're out of TFM you will most likely get blackballed immediately.

And it will get around campus that you are the "TFM guy" and that isn't complimentary.

Well obviously. I know that much haha.

I find it interesting that Yankees who may beat on the South for everything from accents to hairstyles to ancient history are so intimidated by Greek recruitment.

Be your usual self, but polish it up. Mind your manners - VERY important, especially around the ladies. If you don't know much about manners, get a book and learn.

Don't make ignorant statements such as "Back home we did it this way" or "Why is everything so redneck here" or "Where are all the bagel places" or "Why does this town only have 3 Catholic churches?" Think before you open your mouth (good advice for anybody from anywhere).

Be friendly, and LISTEN to people. Smile often.

A couple of things to remember - saying "Sir" and "Ma'm" is looked on favorably around here, not so much by people of your own age but by anybody older. You might, however, want to use it at first with girls.

The term "Yankee" does not mean we think you are a fan of the Pinstripers. A Yankee is someone not from the South. Doesn't matter that they're from Oregon or North Dakota or Ohio or Maine. You're a Yankee if you're not from the South.

But don't worry too much. Almost any manner of social blunder can covered with the remark, "What do you think of the football team's chances this fall?"
:D

This made me LOL. I'm sure that people making the reverse journey to here say "Why does this town have 300 Catholic Churches?"

hi you're my new best friend.

The odds are stacked against you because you talk about TFM, being white and preppy, and house tiers. You sound like a try-hard in your post. There are reasons that a lot of fraternity men wear the clothes they do and engage in the activities they do, but it's not to be "fratty" or whatever. In other words — we don't do it because it's fratty; it's fratty because we do it.

Love this! :)

Dressing like this could work against you.

http://media.carbonated.tv/38947_story__jshore.jpg