s0phie's spring rush '06 thread

[s0phie]

Hey everyone! My name's "Sophie" and I am going to be rushing the sororities on my campus in the spring. I told myself I was going to wait to post on here, but I'm just so excited (and maybe a little bored).

My school has all local sororities and there are 7 total on campus. Our formal rush is during the spring, but I did participate in some events during the fall.

I am a sophomore, and last year, rushing never even crossed my mind. This year, however, it seems really cool and I would love to be a part of a sorority.

I have already come up with my code names for the sororities and I'm just excited to go through rush. I don't know if I will be picked or not, but I decided to go into it with an open mind and just be myself. I am rushing all of the sororities, even though I have an idea of where I want to be. I am just going into it with confidence and to make some new friends. If it is meant to be, then I will find the right sorority for me. If not, then it's for the best.

I love the show on MTV called "Making the Band," so I have decided to name the sororities after some of the girls on that show. Here are their names and some of my thoughts on them:

x AUNDREA : This is the sorority that I really would like to join. I never even knew they existed until this year. I've met a lot of the girls from this sorority, and I just think they are really cool and really nice--genuine, authentic. They're pretty, nice, down-to-earth, but still stylish, too. I've been to a couple of events and I like how they aren't centered completely on partying, even though that's an option, too.

x AUBREY: Before some fall rush events, I was 100% sure that I wouldn't want to be a part of this sorority. They were too prissy for me... but after hanging with them for a little bit, I realized they were pretty nice. Still not exactly sure if they are right for me, but I do want to remain open to them. There are nice girls in here, even if they are a little intimidating.

x TAQUITA: This is the smallest sorority on campus. I think the girls are nice, but I am also intimidated by them. I am not sure if I want to be a part of this sorority, but again, I am keeping an open mind.

x DOMINIQUE: I have a couple of friends in this group, and I think they could be pretty okay... but they don't seem as spirited as the other ones. Also, they are really centered on partying. But again... OPEN MIND!

x DAWN: I am pretty much sure that I wouldn't pledge this one. They are all nice, but it's really small and not exactly what I am looking for in a sorority. However, I am open to the opportunity of making new friends.

x SHANNON: These girls are nice, but I am not sure I quite click with them. I wouldn't be opposed to joining them, but I am not quite sure if they are right for me. Time will tell...

x DENOSH: I will rush this group, but I am about 99% sure that I would not join them. I have my reasons based on what I have seen of them, but they are nice girls.

[tunatartare]

Ooooh a locals thread! Good luck with recruitment!!! Do you mind giving the name of your school and the sororities that are there? Pm if you don't want to post it publicly.

[PhoenixAzul]

Huzzah! I love local threads

[Duchovnysfan]

I love how you used people from Making the Band 3 as code names Sending out best wishes to you for recruitment!

[JenMarie]

Woot! for locals!

[s0phie]

Yes! They posted the Rush Schedule for 2006. I'm excited and nervous, even though it doesn't start until the end of the month.

Here's how it goes:

• GENERAL MEETING
• ROUND ROBIN
• FIRST ROUND OPEN PARTIES
• SECOND ROUND OPEN PARTIES
• FIRST ROUND CLOSED PARTIES
• THIRD ROUND OPEN PARTIES
• SECOND ROUND CLOSED PARTIES
• FOURTH ROUND OPEN PARTIES
• THIRD ROUND CLOSED PARTIES
• FIFTH ROUND OPEN PARTIES
• FINAL TEA
• PREFERENCE PARTY
• BIDS

I'll be posting after each of these events. Oh gosh, I am excited and a little bit nervous... but really just ready for it to get started. Sometimes I get a little scared: "What if they don't like me?" But I just have to remember to be myself, to have a good time, and remember that it is a MUTUAL process. As they are picking me, I am picking them. And if for some reason I get dropped, then it shows that maybe it wasn't as right for me as I thought it was and they are saving ME the time and pain from being in a place where I don't fit in. I'm so excited, though! I'll be posting "officially" again after the General Meeting at the end of this month.

[Drolefille]

Can someone explain this system to me? Either s0phie or someone familiar with a similar system.

How does the overlapping open/closed work? Is this more like a fraternity rush except organized together? Help! I'm confused!

Good luck s0phie!

[s0phie]

Thanks for the wish of good luck.

As for the overlapping of parties: no two parties happen at the same time EXCEPT for at the end of rush. Anyway, the closed parties are the ones which only a certain number of invitations can be given out, but anyone can attend the open parties. So, I guess it's like everyone still has a chance, even if you weren't invited to the closed parties. But... let's face it... not being invited to a closed party to me feels like you're not at the top of their list for being recruited, even if you aren't OUT.

The tough thing about my school's system is... is no one is cut during RUSH, but at the end, there is only ONE pref party that you can attend. So you place all your eggs in one basket and if they don't want you, then you've got nothing.

One of the sororities that I really would like to join, I've heard of them stringing along girls until the end just so that they can get that person's friend, and then that girl ends up with nothing at the end. I think that's horrible! But that also makes me want to put my friends at an arm's length, just so that they know I'm not attached to anyone. (That doesn't mean I'm ignoring anyone, but I'm going to make efforts for them to get to know ME, and not me attached to another girl.)

[Drolefille]

Thanks s0phie! I was a wee bit confused and I agree that the 1 pref party does make you commit really early, especially if going to pref doesn't mostly mean that you're getting a bid. Can you list more than one sorority on your bid list/ ranking card/ whatever you use or is your pref your only choice?

Hopefully you'll get a feeling if you're just being strung along, but I wouldn't worry about it so much, especially earlier, you should focus on meeting the women and learning about each group!

Have fun!

[s0phie]

Originally posted by Drolefille
Thanks s0phie! I was a wee bit confused and I agree that the 1 pref party does make you commit really early, especially if going to pref doesn't mostly mean that you're getting a bid. Can you list more than one sorority on your bid list/ ranking card/ whatever you use or is your pref your only choice?

Hopefully you'll get a feeling if you're just being strung along, but I wouldn't worry about it so much, especially earlier, you should focus on meeting the women and learning about each group!

Have fun!

I know that you can only go to one PREF party, but I am not sure about the bid list or ranking card... I don't even know if my school has them.

And you're right, I definitely won't worry about being strung along, especially in the beginning. Since there are so many rounds and so many parties, it might be easier to tell who really likes and enjoys my company. And I'm going into Rush alone, not like with my best friend or anything, so there's really no reason for anyone to string me along anyway.

[s0phie]

AHH GUYS! Rush starts this week... YES! Will post after it starts.... I'm pumped!

[kansas13]

Good luck in finding your new home!! Can't wait to hear more news!!

[s0phie]

Well, I've gone to the Round Robin event. It was a lot of fun. There were slide shows and skits and talking and it helped me to define who I really wanted to Rush. Rush is different at our school; it's unlikely for girls to rush more than two... I think I have decided on my two: Aundrea and Dominique. Today I just felt the most comfortable with them, I know a lot of the girls in both, and I think I could have a good time. The others are nice, but not really for me. So we have parties for the next couple of weeks. I'll let you guys know how it goes.

[AChiOhSnap]

Good luck with the upcoming parties!

PS: I was personally voting for Aubrey.... she's an Alpha Chi Omega in real life!

[s0phie]

So, we had first round of parties and I went to Dominique and Aundrea. And now I feel sort of a dilemma, even though we still have tons more parties to go. I think both sororities are absolutely great, but I'll just let you guys know a little bit of what is going on inside of my head...

Dominique: These girls do have a little bit of a reputation on campus that is not that great, but the thing is: I know a considerable amount of them and they have always been nice people (even outside/before rush). When people insult them, I'm starting to feel insulted because I don't really feel like they deserve it. Anyway, I went to their event and I just felt at home, kind of like I did with Round Robin. I didn't explain it to you guys here, but during RR, when I got to them, I just had the BEST time. I was laughing and talking and I felt like a part of it. And when it was over, I didn't want to leave... I wanted to stay and hang out some more with the girls. And the first event was like that, too. I felt like I could COMPLETELY be myself and they accepted me. I didn't care about how I was dressed, I didn't care if I was a total goofball; they seemed to love me just as I was and they seemed to really like me. One of the girls I did RR with asked me if I wanted to join them because I seemed so at home with them. It surprised me because I didn't think I was going to have them at the top of my list... especially because of Aundrea...

Aundrea: This whole year, they have been my first choice. They have been the most consistent. The girls in it are nice, and there are some girls in it that are simply exceptional. However, this sorority is bigger. It seems like most of the girls at our school that are doing rush are rushing this sorority. Their first event was a little overwhelming in a way because there were so many people. Since there were so many people, there weren't that many real conversations happening. You'd state the basics, and then you'd be passed on to someone else before you could have a conversation. I understand that they had to do this in order to give the other girls a fair chance, but I kind of felt like I wanted to start connecting, esp. after Dominique, and we didn't. So, the night went on and I found myself sort of forcing laughter at some parts. I would sneak glances at other girls in the room and they looked like they were having the time of their lives and all I could think was: "Do I really see myself here?" I don't know if I just got intimidated with all of the other girls, but I... I don't know. All these thoughts that I had never had just sort of hit me. Like, if I did join the sorority, would I ever feel like I was truly a part of it? And because it's one of the bigger ones, would there be a bunch of little cliques (well, that's true for almost every group)... but if there were cliques, where would I fit? I don't know if I would have felt this way if I hadn't have attended Dominique's event, but it's like the balances sort of shifted.

I am going to keep an open mind. Just as my feelings for Dominique changed, my feelings for Aundrea may change, too. I can't really make a real decision until I have had more events with them. Hopefully some of the girls will be weeded out (there are just too many to start to try and get to know them) and then once there are less people, maybe it will be easier to have some real conversations and to feel comfortable. I hope, at least.