Ok, I'm freaking out already about rush!!! HELP

TaraHopeful · #1 06-26-2002, 01:51 AM

Ok, i was perfectly calm and cool a little while ago. But then i let my imagination run wild. I started thinking about how i've heard numerous times that UArk sororities are hard to get into, recommendations and how i have none, the number of girls that will be rushing, will i get cut and be devastated, etc.... I'm a little tired so my emotions are kind of running wild.... Anybody that knows ANYTHING about UArk rushing, please PM me or something. I don't know why but i'm feeling like i am just getting my hopes up of joining a sorority and making lifelong friendships. It seems like its too good to be true for me. Gosh...my mind needs o stop overanalyzing things. I swear i'm never this anal/senile/rambling.... Any help would be appreciated. The bottom line of this post: I think I may be wasteing my time rushing if i have no recs and there are 300 or something girls rushing with me.
"Oh the drama" as my brother would say....
~Tara~

carnation · #2 06-26-2002, 08:31 AM

Hey Tara--

It's true that it is quite competitive but the competition seems to center around only 4 of the 7 sororities.

Talk to your teachers and your relatives! Try to find sorority women for the recs.

Also, the number rushing won't hurt you because Arkansas will take the number of women left after a certain amount of parties and divide it by the number of sororities. Someone may have told you what it used to be like there--how you had to be a sophomore to rush and were expected to move right into the house after rush; well, then quota was the actual number of beds available in each house. Then you saw some real competition! However, the more rushees, the bigger a pledge class each group can take.

justamom · #3 06-26-2002, 01:58 PM

Tara, do you know some of the girls ahead of you that went through recruitment last year? Have you been in contact with your local Panhellenic Alum Assoc?

We got the best info from the mothers of girls who had been through rush. They already had names and put us in touch with the ones we needed. Spend one afternoon and just call-call-call. Most women don't mind helping if they have a little notice.

TaraHopeful · #4 06-26-2002, 02:10 PM

wow, i just love you two. You always know what to say.
carnation:thanx for filling me in on the quota info. My nerves are calming now. Many people on GC have also been a huge help in the recommendation department (you being one of the most helpful). They've told me who to talk to, and gotten me e-mail address of people that may be able to help me in my area (south fla). I plan on contacting these people today.
justamom:i have gotten in touch w/ the Panhellenic guy from the UofArkansas. He's very nice and he wants to meet me at orientation. So, thats a plus. I think i'll try to contact some women from last year too...thanks for the tip ;-)

I was wondering....one of my friends who will be a sophomore this year at FSU is a DG. Would it be ok to ask her for a rec, or will they think that she's too new to the GLO or too young to give me a rec? Just wondering.

ladybug1116 · #5 06-26-2002, 02:14 PM

I'm sure some of the DGs on this site will let you know what their "official" rec policy is but even if she isn't able to write an official rec she can probably at least write a letter of introduction for you. Good luck with rush

TaraHopeful · #6 06-26-2002, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ladybug1116
I'm sure some of the DGs on this site will let you know what their "official" rec policy is but even if she isn't able to write an official rec she can probably at least write a letter of introduction for you. Good luck with rush

Any DG's out there wanna help out with this one???

A letter of introduction? I've heard of them but how are they different from recs? (thanx for the tips ladybug, by the way)

kdonline · #7 06-27-2002, 01:25 AM

Tara..

Your profile states that you are in South Florida - where? Both Ft. Lauderdale and Miami have their own Alumnae Panhellenics. You should probably contact the one that's closer to you & then you can ask them if they do anything to help potential new members.

Years ago, when I was a member of the Miami Alumnae Panhellenic, we held an "information tea," when we'd invite local girls to an afternoon to explain Rush. (It's awesome how alumnae members of all sororities work together - the common cause is just to get girls to join a sorority.)

We'd get their information & then send our recommendations to our respective chapters at the girls' schools, if we felt we needed to.

I'm not sure if Miami still does this anymore...

Good luck!

carnation · #8 06-27-2002, 09:04 AM

Tara,

Unless something has changed over the summer, I don't believe that DG has a chapter at Arkansas any more. Try the Alum Panhel route!

AOIIBrandi · #9 06-27-2002, 11:19 AM

Tara,

Just adding to what KDonline had to say... Orlando and Tampa also have Alumnae Panhellinic. Also if you are anywhere near Orlando maybe I can help you out.

Brandi

TaraHopeful · #10 06-27-2002, 10:14 PM

Oh i didn't know that recs for a chapter had to be written by someone of the same GLO. I guess that's the blonde in me kicking in. Anyways.....PnguinTrax actually helped me to get in touhc with the panhellenic rep from palm beach county which is my county, Yay! So, i haven't heard back from this woman yet, but hopefully i will shortly...thanx for all of your help everyone!
~Tara~

sairose · #11 06-27-2002, 11:37 PM

Hello Tara,

I don't think by any means that rushing would ever be a "waste of time". I realize that I had a complete different rushing experience because I am in a music sorority not a social sorority...still, I have friends in the social ones and they all have told me that some of their good friends at college include not only the girls in their sorority, but the other rushees she met. The way I look at it, even if you DO get cut, you still will have made some awesome friends, so it wouldn't be a total loss.

Let's say you do get cut...try exploring other options available at U of A. Are you involved in band/choir and plan to be at college? I know for a fact that U of A has Sigma Alpha Iota and Tau Beta Sigma. There may be other departmental GLOs too that I am not aware of that you could pledge.

I'm not saying that SAI and TBS are below social sororities; certainly not, as I am a sister of SAI.

They are different, and the rushing experience is completely different.

Tara, I truly hope that you do have a wonderful rush experience and get a bid from your first choice sorority. Being greek is truly something special.

Just take a deep breath, be yourself, and I'm sure all the groups will be fighting over you.

Best of luck!