[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by joescott

Here I Come:

I rushed this past fall at a large school where I knew nobody in the Fraternity system. It was a really fun experience.
I go to an SEC school, and from what I understand it's quite a different situation.
Here's my advice to you based on my own experiences...

1-Rush is mostly informal, but don't be fooled. Look out for the unwritten rules. EX: When I went through, dress codes were prevalent, foul language was not used at some houses, and I remember one where no one would talk to you unless you initiated the conversation. Try to notice these subtleties so you can avoid awkward situations.

2-Talk to as many guys as you can from each house. There were a couple I went through where I had really great conversations with one or two guys. When I went back, I discovered I didn't really like about 10 or 15 others.

3-Frats and Fraternities are VERY different. Decide which one you want to be a part of and eliminate choices from the begining. Where I go to school, fraternities wear a shirt and tie to football games. Frat guys get drunk and play Xbox.

4-Don't waste time at houses you don't care for. My school has over 20 fraternities; If one of them made a bad first impression or made me feel uncomfortable, I didn't return. Bad first impressions usually mean that they don't care much about recruitment, or they just don't like you.

5-Stalk the members on facebook. I know it's creepy, but you can tell a lot about a person through these online things. A friend gave me this idea so that I could pass on fraternities where too many members were "Very Liberal". Haha, facebook is very useful.

6-Check out websites for the fraternities you're thinking about. Most will post accomplishments or impressive social schedules.

7-Many times, fraternities will have a couple sororities that are always on their social calendar. Try to meet some of these girls. It will give you an idea about what kind of guys you're talking to.

8-Find out what you want out of a fraternity and try to figure out what the members want out of their own experiences. This is a big one. You should look for guys that you'd like to be your BROTHERS.

9-Any offers for some type of "dirty rush", take it. The extra effort usually means they want you. I got two free lunches by the end of the week.

10- Mind your manners. After a few minutes, you should be able to understand what kind of behavior is acceptable in each situation. If you cross the line, you'll probably be crossed off their list.

I'm sorry this was so long, but there are so many things I wish I had known going into rush week. I can give you more specifics on what I went through (if you really want them), just let me know. I'll post anything else I remember later. GOOD LUCK!

-Joe

I can't help it: GO GATORS!

Great post, Joe. There is a lot of good stuff in here that should apply to every fraternity recruitment.