Rush starts tomorrow! Any last minute tips?

[wildcatchick]

I start rush at UK tomorrow! I'm really excited, but also extremely nervous! I hope that I get to pledge somewhere--Greek Life sounds like something I really want to experience! Anyone have any last minute words of wisdom for me and all the other girls starting rush soon?

I appreciate all your help!

[AlphaFrog]

If you bought your outfits awhile ago, try them on so you know they still fit like they did when you bought them. Make sure you have all the pieces (shoes, necklaces, etc) together so you're not stressing each morning trying to find them.

Start drinking extra water now. Dehydration is not impressive.

Go to bed early and get some good sleep.

[tunatartare]

Think of an unusual or interesting fact about yourself that you can tell sororities to stick out in their minds better after parties. (By an unusual or interesting fact I don't mean "I have a pet rock that my roommate is babysitting while I'm at recruitment" more like "I did an abroad program to Germany in HS" or "over the summer I went sailing with my dad on his boat around the world" or "I was born in Sweden.")

[adpiucf]

Eat breakfast.

Have a little spiel worked out for the question you will get 10 times at each party: Tell me about yourself.

Have a few questions prepared to ask the sorority women you will meet. Mostly, ask them about themselves and why they joined, their hobbies, what they like about the university, etc. Ask them what they like most about their sorority. Say: "Tell me about your new member program." See what they say.

Don't be afraid to say "I'm really excited to be here, but I'm so nervous!"

Smile!

And eat breakfast.

[_Lisa_]

I'm really excited for recruitment this coming week!

I think the worst part about recruitment at UK is drudging around in the heat from house to house (especially the long haul from KKG to Pi Beta Phi!) Take some blotters for your face (although I hope your gammi chi will already have some) and DO NOT continue to reapply makeup before & after each house. The pancake look isn't popular. Lucky you don't have to see all of the houses in one day like we did back in my day!

Keep the weather in mind too...some of the days this coming week are forecasted for rain! I know what the recruitment pamphlet says about what to wear, but be practical when it comes to weather. You can leave umbrellas or rain jackets outside the houses before you enter if it rains.

Also, keep your outfits comfortable. You'll be sitting, standing, walking, talking, etc. ALL day every day. If you aren't comfortable in your clothes it'll show and possibly be misconstrued as disdain or a lack of interest.

Good luck this week! I guess I'll "see" you around!

[PhoenixAzul]

The following three rules have gotten me through mostly anything in life.

Eat Right. Gets lots of sleep. Drink lots of water.

It's exciting to stay up til 4 talking about whatever it is freshmen talk about these days, but for pete's sake, you're basically walking a half marathon in heels in august every day for a week! Recouperative sleep= attentive, happy, intelligent PNM without dark circles under your eyes. Get some rest. Take some naps.

Make sure you eat. Sometimes heat can quash your appetite, but its important to fuel up, again see above. Being crabby and having a headache because your blood sugar is low won't make recruitment any easier on you. Granola bars and trail mix fit nicely into a purse, and maybe an apple or two (nature's toothbrush!)

Drink lots- again it's hot. Proper hydration makes you function better. You're more alert, more attentive, and it does wonders for your skin.

Aside from that...be gracious. Even if you have no desire to join XYZ house, remember that sister has pledged her life to that sorority and it means a lot to her. It is absolutely NOT acceptable to be rude. If you slip up and say something that could be taken the wrong way, appologize and clarify. Please and thank you, of course. Conversly, this applies to tent talk/Pi chi groups as well. Some girls may have fallen in love with XYZ sorority, while you hated it. Discussing houses in negative terms/gossip affects others, so avoid it (although, be honest, but something like, "I had a good time, but I'm not really sure it is the best fit for me" is fine, but something to the tune of, "OMG XYZ are a bunch of (whatever explicative is trendy), I can't believe anyone would want to pledge that looser sorority" is NOT helpful nor Panhellenic).

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by PhoenixAzul

Even if you have no desire to join XYZ house, remember that sister has pledged her life to that sorority and it means a lot to her.

Can we sticky this quote somewhere?? I like it. Seriously.

[WVU alpha phi]

Make sure your breath is fresh, but don't chew gum during or in between parties. During, for obvious reasons, it just doesn't look very "put together" if you're chomping away while trying to talk. In between, you MAY be ok, but I know when the girls are waiting outside our house, we sneak peeks out the window. It probably isn't a big deal, but I wouldn't do it just to be on the safe side. Plus, then you have to swallow it or spit it out- definite no no. I'd suggest those Listerine strips, they dissolve on your tongue and work REALLY well.

Also, when you're waiting outside the house, or however UK does it, for a sister to come pick you up, look excited, or atleast interested. Nobody wants to walk out of a house to 35 girls staring at you with their arms crossed and bored expressions.

[GtownGirl98]

This is obvious but don't fudge the truth on anything. The school and the girls will find out the truth... so if you didn't fly to Bolivia to do a mission trip... don't tell anyone that you did. (This has happened before.) Be yourself. Follow your heart. And relax during the moments that you can... get into the skits and the songs because the chapters have worked really hard to get to this point and they want you to enjoy it.

[wildcatchick]

Thank you all for all the advice you've given me so far! Greekchat has helped prepare me sooo much...I had absolutely no idea what to expect from rush before coming here!

I'll update you all tomorrow evening of what's happened throughout the day!

[aephi alum]

Make sure you get a good night's sleep tonight, and every night of recruitment.

Make sure your outfits still fit right and your shoes are comfortable.

Don't wear a watch or carry a cell phone into parties. Leave them in your room, or if you think you must have them with you, give them to your rho chi (or whatever they're called) before entering each party. If you feel naked without your watch, wear a nice bracelet on the wrist you normally wear your watch on.

Smile.

Relax and have fun! Good luck.

[ADPi Conniebama]

ok every one is going to hate this advice but . . .




(it is kind of like the same advice everyone gives you when you are planning your wedding or your wedding day)

HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

if you are having to fake your "enjoyment" it is obvious (and i know i am old and it is easy for me to say) but you really need to figure out a way to calm down between parties and HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[honeychile]

Everyone has given you such excellent advice, I'll just add one thing: Remember each moment, especially with your Rho Chi group. Enjoy yourself, the good times, and the omigosh-i-can't-believe-i-said-that times - because you will laugh just as hard at the bad times in the future as the good! And even if everyone in your Rho Chi group goes to a different house (or doesn't bid at all), they are still the start of the friends you'll make at college.

Good luck!

[Stef the Pef]

Ditto to absolutely every piece of advice given already, especially the bit about getting good sleep (you have a whole year of schoolwork ahead of you--why get tired already?), not doing anything that distracts from yourself (having a watch, chewing gum, etc.), never talk smack about other houses (your rho chis and the members you talk to will inevitably have friends in those other houses, too), and the most important piece I've heard: HAVE FUN!

Seriously. Hopefully, you'll only be going through this side of recruitment once, so enjoy it! Everyone's excited to see you walk through that door, and it's a blast.

[Akkus]

Smile smile smile! No make up will make you as beautiful as wearing a smile.