Rushing this fall... with braces?
 

Hey everyone! This fall I am planning on rushing at a California school...unfortunately today my orthodontist told me I need braces a SECOND TIME because I have problems with my jaw. My question is... going through rush with braces is a really bad idea, right? I really want to join a sorority and I think if I went through recruitment with braces no one would want me! If anyone has any advice, I would really appreciate it! Also if anyone knows people who have even had braces in college.
Thanks in advance.

I can't imagine it would be a problem - I'd bet that at least half of all the sorority members will have had braces, and so should be understanding.

What SWTXBelle said.

This thread reminded me of a girl that rushed when I was a collegian. She had a mouth full of metal (Invisalign was not an option) and I remember she had the brightest and biggest smile in the room. To sum it up, she had the grades and personality, pledged, initiated, and eventually became my sister-daughter.

We had a member who had severe jaw problems to the extent she had to get her jaw broken and reset to fix her teeth alignment problems. She was in a crazy head brace and stuff. She got the surgery over Christmas our sophomore year and so she actually got to get out of recruitment that year because she couldn't talk to PNMs normally (we had January recruitment). :D

She did a lot of background stuff like loading cookies onto trays, setting up glue for philanthropy night projects, etc.

I have heard of people and known people who rushed with braces and it did not hurt them. In reality even though I have never been on the other side of rush I would say being confident in you own skin and forgetting about the braces during rush and not being self conscious would actually help you. Almost everybody has had braces at one time or another. Just focus on your positives not negatives and you will be great.
By the way i have known personally about 3 people who had braces in college

Oh heavens to Betsy.

I think you're watching too much Ugly Betty. :)

Hey there!
Dont worry about braces. Two of my sisters in Fall 07 pledged with braces and they are beautiful, outgoing ladies. Im sure the vast majority of women, even in sororities, had braces sometime in there life. I had Invisalign, but they still hurt like crazy. Not to mention I got them the day before my senior prom! I survived prom, you will survive recruitment week :) LOts of luck!

This reminds me of the sticky in the Delta Forum. :)

There are soooooo many circumstances that people could bring up. Rushing with veneers. Rushing when doublejointed. Rushing if your grandmother didn't get a bid from a sorority.

rant/
This one particular NPC sorority on a campus was considered one of THE BEST and this young lady successfully rushed with one leg. A wonderfully spirited young lady for a wonderful sorority. Makes most of these "I have (insert circumstance)" threads look frivolous and silly.
/rant


:)

I had braces from the end of my sophmore year till the beginning of my senior year. :cool: We also had girls come through that had braces, and I don't think anyone ever mentioned it.

Two of my sisters rushed with braces, and a third was a senior when I was pledging (freshman year), and she had braces. I don't know if she had them when she rushed. Thing is, if you worry that you're this big loser with braces, your insecurity will show, and THAT will be the turnoff, not the braces. Just be confident and smile and no one will care about your braces.

i have braces and will be rushing with them. this past semester i hung out at the sig kap house and there were at least three sisters who had braces. lets just say its a great way to have a back up conversation as many have pointed out most of the women will have had braces themselves or have known someone who has. so you can talk about how much they hurt and are a pain. im excited about recruitment and never once thought about my braces affecting my fate

Ahhh thank you so much everyone! You have really made me calm down alot. I'm going to see if I can still postpone getting them until after rush, but if not, I know I'll be fine now! ahhh sigh of relief.

What some people will do to get out of Recruitment! LOL

Seroiusly, braces are the least of your problems. IMHO, they show that you care about your health and overall appearance.

Good luck!