Bumping Groups

ASAlady16 · #1 08-15-2013, 07:24 PM

Hey guys! I'm new to the forums, but I have a little question about recruitment. I've tried searching the forums for more information, but I can't seem to find exactly the answer to my question.

I'm the recruitment chair of my chapter. Right now, we utilize a sort of cocktail party system to move PNMs around the room during rounds. A couple have sisters have suggested that we look into utilizing bump groups to get to know PNMs. This is something I want to look into for our spring formal recruitment, however, because we've never done something like that before I'm a little confused on how exactly it works.

Our school has 6 NPC chapters, all with about 85 members. Come recruitment time, we will have about 80 sisters participating in recruitment. In the open house and philanthropy rounds, we can have as many as 70 PNMs come in each round. How exactly would the numbers for groups look like for this? Should I do 15 groups of 5 sisters each?

Also, how exactly does the bumping system work. How do sisters know when to bump and how does the process of passing the PNM happen?

I basically just need someone to explain the logistics of this system to me. I know it's a very popular method but I can't seem to find a whole lot of information on it. Thanks!!

FSUZeta · #2 08-15-2013, 07:38 PM

It is really hard to explain in writing. Have you asked the regional officer over your chapter or reached out to nearby chapters who might use a bump system? They might even be willing to come over and show you how it is done.

WCsweet<3 · #3 08-15-2013, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASAlady16

Also, how exactly does the bumping system work. How do sisters know when to bump and how does the process of passing the PNM happen?

I basically just need someone to explain the logistics of this system to me. I know it's a very popular method but I can't seem to find a whole lot of information on it. Thanks!!

How to divide your sisters is up to you. My campus had rules where we couldn't have a PNM with multiple sisters, like 2 on 1 idea, for more than 30 seconds.

Bump groups: My chapter utilized 5 people in a group. The group had 4 PNMs in a party. Anne and Brandy would invite two in and talk. Caity and Danielle would invite two more PNMs in. After a certain amount of time (depending on the round, about halfway through), the fifth bump member, Fiona, would walk to Anne and Brandy. Fiona would join the conversation and "bump" Brandy. Brandy would walk to Caity and Danielle and bump Danielle. Danielle would go to the kitchen/upstairs/somewhere else.

Now if Brandy was having a great conversation, Anne could bump the C/D group. Or If Danielle was having a good conversation Caity could leave.

Does that make sense?

FSUZeta · #4 08-15-2013, 07:42 PM

Great explanation WCSweet. Mine would have been so confusing and convoluted and involved the theory of relativity and some differential equations.

DubaiSis · #5 08-15-2013, 08:11 PM

I would definitely move to a bumping system - the likelihood is the rushees will be much more evenly distributed so that you are giving every girl a more or less equal chance. It's also way more efficient.

As far as the nuts and bolts, I would talk to your headquarters or regional staff. It sounds like you have made the leap from so small you don't need a system to DEFINITELY need a way to keep your parties organized, and to do it right you're going to need help and training. Hopefully there is another collegiate chapter in your area where you can have the system demonstrated to you. When done right it looks like everything just happens organically, but that is anything but the truth! And if you are going to make the change, don't underestimate the value of practice. Use alumnae, a fraternity, even another sorority to work out the kinks. If it's clumsy, it's REALLY not good.

Pearly · #6 08-15-2013, 08:29 PM

Aaand que the pnm's to start freaking out about this... Which is why you didn't find much about this by googling it

ASAlady16 · #7 08-15-2013, 08:31 PM

Thanks for your help guys! I will definitely contact our District recruitment team, I just wanted to get an idea of the system beforehand.

Our Panhel does not have any rules regarding the number of sisters vs. number of PNMs.

So as far as WCSweet's example goes, would Anne and Brandy be having separate conversations with their PNMs or talking as a group of 4? How does Fiona/ Anne and Brady know who to bump/ who is being bumped? That just kind of seems like something that you get to know the feel for over time. Is that correct?

IUHoosiergirl88 · #8 08-15-2013, 10:40 PM

Bumping works slightly differently with my group--we do it in groups, so Girl A always bumps girl B, girl B will go bump girl C, etc. etc. down the line until girl H bumps girl A. It eliminates confusion as to who goes where and who is being bumped, you always are dealing with the girl in front of you in the bump group and the girl behind you in the bump group

DubaiSis · #9 08-15-2013, 10:44 PM

That's how we did it too, in teams of 4 (we had 3 rooms where rush conversations happened, plus one person in transit).

WCsweet<3 · #10 08-15-2013, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASAlady16

So as far as WCSweet's example goes, would Anne and Brandy be having separate conversations with their PNMs or talking as a group of 4? How does Fiona/ Anne and Brady know who to bump/ who is being bumped? That just kind of seems like something that you get to know the feel for over time. Is that correct?

It depends on the PNMs and the sisters. The conversations go where they go. When I went through, one of the members and I connected and broke off on our own conversation leaving the other member and PNM to talk.

The bump groups are assigned in advanced and practiced during spirit/work/recruitment prep/whatever you call it week. So Fiona always bumps Anne and Brandy and one of them always bumps Caity and Danielle. There is also a feeling. If Brandy is having a good conversation it might go something like:
Brandy: "So Patty PNM this is my sister Fiona. Fiona, Patty and I were having an amazing conversation about unicorns, which you know I am obsessed with."
Fiona: "That's awesome! Isn't it funny how we find these connections during recruitment?!"
During this time Anne is also paying attention and can introduce her PNM if they haven't broken off into their own conversation or are having a group conversation.

If Anne's conversation isn't going as well as Brandy's or if Fiona would connect well with the PNM she could say something like...
Anne: "Fiona! This is Penny PNM. We were talking about how she played varsity soccer. You are the captain of our intramural soccer team!"
or
Anne: "Fiona, This is Penny PNM. We were discussing being new on campus and how it is easy to get homesick."
Fiona: "Oh I got super homesick my first term, but sorority life really helped me with that. I got involved blah blah blah" This is where Anne walks away after excusing herself.

It is a little bit of a feeling, but also some obvious social/body/verbal cues.

aephi alum · #11 08-16-2013, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WCsweet<3

Bump groups: My chapter utilized 5 people in a group. The group had 4 PNMs in a party. Anne and Brandy would invite two in and talk. Caity and Danielle would invite two more PNMs in. After a certain amount of time (depending on the round, about halfway through), the fifth bump member, Fiona, would walk to Anne and Brandy. Fiona would join the conversation and "bump" Brandy. Brandy would walk to Caity and Danielle and bump Danielle. Danielle would go to the kitchen/upstairs/somewhere else

This is pretty much how my chapter did bumps. Anne and Brandy would invite two PNMs in, and after a certain amount of time, Fiona would come along. At that point, Brandy would say, "I'm going to get some water - would anyone else like some?" The actives would decline. If a PNM said "yes, please" Brandy would go get some water and give the PNM a glass, the PNM would say "thank you", and Brandy would move on to her next bump group. Pretty straightforward.

FSUZeta · #12 08-16-2013, 09:39 AM

Some chapters have timers: people with stop watches give some subtle sign, and i mean super subtle, that it is time to rotate.

OneHeartOneWay · #13 08-16-2013, 10:41 AM

Two big echos of things said above: 1) reach out to your national organization. They will absolutely be able to help you with nuts and bolts. 2) You HAVE to practice. Because the first few (several/many) times it will be AWKWARD. Don't let this deter you or your sisters. You're exactly right that it just becomes a feeling, a sense, but it won't get that way unless you practice. If another sorority on campus utilizes bumping (I'm guessing they do), go to their house one night and let them practice, and have them come to your house one night to practice. If not, beg another nearby chapter, alumnae, parents, and if you have to, even fraternities as mentioned above. If you haven't walked through the logistics, it won't work.

Other than that, the chapters I have worked with the most with recruitment do what Hoosiergirl said: A always bumps to B, B to C, etc. There is always a common signal to begin that process- A certain alumna or chapter member walking through the room- the only time you see her is when it's time to bump. She walks through a few times, getting to all the hard to reach corners, offering water or clearing empty cups if she has to, to make sure everyone sees her.

Also, everyone always has a set spot, so the person bumping them knows exactly where to go. Person A always goes to sit in the front room on the couch, person B is always in the back room in the righthand corner, etc. You can practice this part with paper plate PNMs to help get the feel for that. Spread the group members out so that if you don't have a natural conversation bump (like the unicorns example above, lol), you always have a fall back of "PNM, have you had a chance to see the back room/finance chart/photo wall/etc yet?" (You know they haven't, but it seems like an innocent enough question.) "Oh, you haven't? Well, come with me [to my assigned spot] and I'll show it to you."

Good Luck!

AOII Angel · #14 08-16-2013, 09:11 PM

Our PNMs always stayed in one place and sisters rotated so no need to figure out how to get a PNM to another part of the room. A sister just "randomly" shows up wanting to talk. Our groups started the bump with a free person off to the side who knew when to come in at a particular time, say five minutes after the beginning of convos. The last person in the group would get bumped out so she would stand to the side and bump the first person when the time was appropriate. Makes it easier to subtly bump without having to ring a bell or anything.