Unfortunately I can't relate

[WhirlwindTNX]

Okay, so I think it's great that everyone is getting all dressed up for whatever sorority they are pleding, but I'm glad I didn't have to go through it. I can truly say that while rushing TNX I didn't have to go buy some special dress that wasn't our colors or get approval from other people on a dress. I knew I wanted it bad enough so I let them see who I truly am.

I'm not getting on how NPC does things, but it's kind of disheartening to constantly read about what people are going to wear for rush. I know NPC isn't all about what you wear and how you look, but I think some of the prospective rushees think it is. Know what I mean?


ONE Luv

[33girl]

WhirlwindTNX,

A lot of the rushes we are talking about are at very big, very competitive schools that have 1000-2000 girls going through rush. With that many people, even if you are normally the most self confident person on earth, it's normal to be worried about being noticed and doing things right. Not to mention that many of them are going through rush before they even have their first class - all they have seen of the campus is orientation and visits.

I think a lot of NPC members on here could tell you that while our rush was exciting and somewhat nerve wracking, it was basically low key. I didn't buy any new clothes (that's what 60 dorm-mates are for ). I did worry somewhat about what I was wearing but no more so than the somewhat pleasurable girl-worrying we all do before a date or public appearance.

[kddani]

Originally posted by BrownEyedGirl
WhirwindTNX, while I understand your perspective and I am happy you could have such a relaxed recruitment experience, please keep a few things in mind:

Great explanation!

Whirlwind, please also keep in mind that the culture at Pitt is not the "norm" when it comes to greek life.

Looking your best is important in any aspect of your life. From job interviewing to meeting a future spouse to even making friends, a lot of it is based on appearance (how put together you are- would you want to be best buds with a stranger who wore ratty old ripped t-shirts, dirty sweatpants, and smelled? or would you want to hire someone who looked like that?).

And amongst a sea of hundreds or thousands of girls, even if you have a fabulous personality, wearing some boring t-shirt and jeans wouldn't make a girl stand out. I'm likening it in my head to my job search right now as a law student- there's so many people looking for jobs and so many out there, what's going to make me stand out? But in law, my first impression to a firm is generally on paper- so I have to make my cover letter and resumes stand out. In rush, your first impression is generally the first day that they meet you (rush apps don't give THAT much info).

[ThetaPhiAngel]

I think it all depends on where you go to school. I live and go to school in NJ where greek life isn't a big deal at all. When I rushed (informal - we don't even have formal at my school), some of the sisters were wearing sweatpants and sweatshirts. Some were dressed up, but most were just wearing t-shirts and jeans. It was very laid back and made me feel right at home.

[MoxieGrrl]

I guess the reason why we see so many clothing threads on here is that GC can help someone decide what to wear. I know that I like opinions on stuff because I get a little nuts sometimes. My take on things is that the PNMs that come on these boards already have the sparkling personality needed to conquer a competitive recruitment....the just need some help with the outside.

[kddani]

Also, a lot of women (myself included) feel A LOT more comfortable when we know we look good and are put together. It gives a lot of women much more self confidence

[WhirlwindTNX]

Thanks for the responses.

I do have to say one thing and it's that my rush experience wasn't as relaxed as it seems. Trust me, it wasn't. Out of many girls I had to distinguish myself somehow (because, as I already said, I wanted it really bad) so I did hardcore research and brought out any facts that I knew when I talked to the other sisters and pleadges. Also, I don't want you to think that the rushees showed up in jeans. . .not at all. . .it was a business-casual type setting. Very professional.

Wearing nice clothing makes me feel good too, but a potential pledge can wear nice clothes and impress me with her knowledge. . . . Then I can see her on the street the next day wearing some sweatpants, have a great conversation, and she'll still impress me.

I guess our rush process is a little more "relaxed" because when it comes time to be a pledge. . .you better come correct!!!!


THETA NU!!!!!!

[KappaKittyCat]

Whirlwind, I totally agree with your bewilderment. I'm from a small, Midwestern school where Greek life isn't a big deal at all, and reading some of these threads, especially the ones from the huge, Southern schools (especially Ole Miss, UGA, UTA, LSU, and UF) just boggles my mind.

One thing I've found is that when I'm nervous about something that's far away, I do what I can to give myself the feeling that I'm in control of some aspect of the situation. Fretting about clothes is a way for PNMs to get excited and channel their nervous energy into an area in which they have total control. By posting on here they're not getting approval for their attire necessarily, but sharing their nervous energy. And after all, everybody likes clothes!

Finally, it's not that PNMs can't wear houses' colors, but that they know that being overly obnoxious about one particular house's colors or symbols can weird the sisters out. Kappa's colors, Sky & Sea, are very popular. I'm not saying that rushees can't wear blue to any of our parties, but if a girl showed up to every party wearing Sky & Sea, I'd start to wonder, and I'm sure the other houses on campus would, too. Similarly, I'd wonder if a PNM showed up to all of our parties wearing another chapter's colors. This becomes a big issue especially for preference round. I mean, if a girl were preffing Kappa and Chi-O, and she showed up wearing Cardinal & Straw, the Kappas might think that she wanted to go Chi-O and put her lower on their bid list. Even if she weren't actually preffing Chi-O, the chapters that she is preffing don't know that. However, if she showed up just wearing red, the Kappas would probably think that she liked red. Take Theta, for example; their colors are Gold & Black. Lots of girls wear black to pref, sometimes even black with gold jewelry, but we don't automatically assume that they want to go Theta. So the combinations are really more important than the colors themselves.

I'm curious as to whether that final issue is one that's necessarily unique to NPC. I mean, what would the reaction be at a DSQ intake event, for example, if a rushee came in decked out in Crimson & Creme? Or Pink & Green at AKA? Would any of our D9 ladies care to weigh in on this?

[texas*princess]

Whirlwind, I could totally relate to your bewilderment!

My first university was =extremely= small, and had an even smaller greek population that included only local sororities. From what I had seen their rush process was extremely informal, and even my experience with Delta Sigma Pi (professional business co-ed) didn't have a rush anything like NPC does.

When I first joined Greekchat and started reading all the rush stories (I joined very near to the beginning of most schools formal recruitment) I was extremely bewildered!

I had also just moved to a new school that was much bigger than my first and had 6 awesome NPC chapters. It happened that I moved in during mid-rush week, and was amazed that it seemed so much went into it. There were hundreds and hundreds of girls all dressed neatly looking eager to go into the next chapter room, and the parking lots were dotted with cars that had huge sorority-colored greek letters. I was amazed!

I joined my house this past spring, and now that I'm an ADPi, I've now seen how much work actually goes into recruitment and how excited the sisters are to have fall rush around the corner, and I'm pretty sure the other chapters on campus feel the same and put in the same effort to make the rushees feel welcome! I also know more about how the whole process works and why it's different than other forms of rush (My boyfriend who is in a NIC fraternity is still bewildered as to why recruitment is such a big deal!)

I think BrownEyedGirl & KappaKittyCat explained it beautifully! In pools of hundreds or even thousands of other pnm's it's nice to make yourself stand out!

[sugar and spice]

I can't relate to some of what's being said, either. I went to a school where the rush was competitive (11 sororities, around 700 rushees) but definitely not cut-throat like UGA or LSU or Ole Miss. I worried about my clothes to some extent, but I definitely didn't rush out and buy a $200 Pref dress.

Like those above me said, clothes are important in NPC rush, but their two biggest purposes are to make a good impression (that you're put together and look nice -- not that your clothes are this brand or that brand or cost so much money) and to help the sisters tell you apart from the other rushees. When you've got 600 girls coming through recruitment and you're meeting them all in one day, you can bet that the clothes help. Your sister might say to you "I just LOVED Suzy Smith," and you might be like, "I don't remember her at all!" but if she adds "Remember, she wore the sundress with the little pink and blue flowers" this might jog your memory.

Again, having the sisters wear matching clothes helps the rushees remember. When you're touring ten houses and all you can remember are unfamiliar Greek letters, it can definitely help if you remember that all the Pi Beta Phis were wearing red shirts and khaki skirts but the Gamma Phi Betas were wearing black dresses.

I think the rushees worry about their clothes so much because NPC rush is such a frightening and unfamiliar process. You have no idea what criteria they're using to decide if they want you as a sister, you have no idea what rush will consist of, you have no idea why they're pounding on the doors of the house from the inside and singing while you and your fellow rushees stand on the outside, you have no clue what you're going to talk about, you're so scared of getting cut by your favorite house . . . clothes are one of the things that you can control.

[sairose]

I can't relate either.

While I DO understand the point of trying to stand out and make a good impression, I'm just glad that I didn't have to do that.

My chapter does Rush in the spring: a few Informal Rush events followed Formal Rush. For Informal Rush, everyone just wears jeans and t-shirts. Formal Rush is dressy, but that's all.

Of course, what makes a difference in my case is that because mine is a music sorority, we already know all the girls in the music department so first impressions aren't even an issue. Likewise, by the time Rush rolls around we already know who is rushing and who we are extending bids to (for the most part).

[PM_Mama00]

I get so confused reading all the clothing threads. Our rush up here is nothing like that at all. Yeah we want girls to rush that are put together, but there's no need to go out and buy a dress that costs $100. Hell you could shop at SuperK or a thrift shop and as long as you're a cool chick then it's all good.

I'd feel bad if someone from around here or that went to UM-D saw these threads and felt that they should follow them.

[AZpinkkittie]

I've always loved shopping and talking about clothes. I've never been able to spend a lot of money on them, so it kinda makes me nervous when I read about the really expensive (but super worth it) outfits some are buying, but I understand where they're coming from. If I had $100 to spend on a skirt, I would in a second. I think the reason it's so easy for all of us PNM's to focus on what we are wearing is because it's one of the few things we have real control over, and it's way to "rush" before rush actually starts. Planning our outfits is like holding us over until that first party. I haven't even been able to go shopping yet (I have to wait for my financial aid to come before I can go crazy) but I have been planning the type of looks I want for each day for weeks. It's the same reason most filled out and mailed in our registration form within 5 minutes of receiving it. With all the anticipation, we have to do something or we'll burst, and that is definitely going to get us cut

[Munchkin03]

Originally posted by rainbowbrightCS
I don't want to join a group becasue of what I wear, but you can only make a 1st impression once, so I don't want to blow it by over dressing or underdressing. I don't want to stand out (in the bad way) I believe when in "Rome do as the Romans" So how will I know what is expecded of me, when I have no idea.

There is a difference between "doing as the Romans do" and getting so involved in the superficial aspects of Recruitment as to overshadow the real reasons you are considering membership--positive friendships with strong women, a way to help out your university and larger community. Yes, your outside appearance is totally within your control, but it is possible to take it overboard, I see it all the time on the boards. It doesn't matter what name brand of clothes you're wearing. It doesn't matter which TV star you had your hair cut to resemble.

[WhirlwindTNX]

Originally posted by Munchkin03
There is a difference between "doing as the Romans do" and getting so involved in the superficial aspects of Recruitment as to overshadow the real reasons you are considering membership--positive friendships with strong women, a way to help out your university and larger community. Yes, your outside appearance is totally within your control, but it is possible to take it overboard, I see it all the time on the boards. It doesn't matter what name brand of clothes you're wearing. It doesn't matter which TV star you had your hair cut to resemble.

Go Munchkin!!! I completely agree. All I have to say for the PNM's for my sorority is. . .be yourself and you will go far. . . .