RACH_DG - I agree with you 110%, as everyone who is tired of seeing me proselytize for deferred rush on this board can attest.
I think about myself and if I would have had to rush first semester. (I know no one "has to", but you know what I mean) With the exception of a 2 week trip to Florida the previous summer, I had never spent time away from my parents. I dated very little, had had the same friends since 7th grade, and lived in the same house all my life. I didn't even have any friends whose parents were divorced, that's how sheltered I was.
My point being, I had NO CLUE who I was, or what I wanted out of life - I don't know how I could have picked the women who were going to become my new family with what I had to go on. I had to learn who I was first and what I wanted out of life before I made that choice. It was bad enough I started seriously dating a guy before I was really ready - if I had made as bad of a choice with my sorority, I probably would have burned all my letters long ago.
I think the reasons against deferred rush are bogus, especially "we need them to go in with a fresh start and no preconceived notions." Well as we've seen on here, there are PLENTY of freshmen going in with preconceived notions, so that argument kind of loses support, doesn't it? Yeah, I knew all the "reps" when I rushed, and so did the other women who joined. Our chapter wasn't one of the more prestigious ones and I was GLAD people knew that going in. That way we knew they were there for the sisterhood, not the house or boys or social climbing. I can't imagine choosing a chapter before I even had a class. To me it's like buying a car without test driving it.
If NPC really wants to end some of the negative connotations of "rush", I think they should give deferred another look instead of just changing terminology.
zetagirly, bravo to you. You're right, every rushee is a superstar - maybe not for XYZ, but she might be for ABC.
Threaded Mode