Just wanted to give you my insight on rush! I can totally tell you everything you want to know about rush, both formal and informal, at Washington State. Unfortunately I didn't get a bid on bid day.
The first day you arrive at your dorm and your Rho Gamma greets you. Mine was super nice and helped me through my entire experience, by the end of the week I could basically tell her and the other girls, about 15 of us, in our group everything. That's how close you get to everyone!
The first couple days of the week,
Sunday and
Monday, are just all about learning about greek life, values, and going on campus/greek row tours with your group. I encourage you to really get to know the girls in your group and make relationships with them. This is a rough week and you will need friends to be there for you if it doesn't go as planned.
The first day,
Tuesday, you get sorted into tour groups, which are a size of about 60 women. You get put in alphabetical order and walk single file to the houses on your group's schedule. You also have "PNM cards" to hand to the women you talk to in the houses. This day, you only tour 7 houses (half of them). Keep in mind that this is all starting around 8am so get plenty of sleep! You will go to each house on your tour group's schedule for about a half hour or so.
At you first house, you stand facing the house in a single line and the girls will come out and sing a song about their house. Depending on the house, the women will come out and lead you in, or you walk into their house and you will be greeted by someone. This is where you hand them your PNM card with you name and number on it. Don't forget!! The women will offer you a water, and then will lead you into their dining room or formal living rooms. This is where it gets LOUD. You are in a room of girls trying to shout over one another so just imagine. The rooms are also filled to the max so it gets extremely hot not to mention it will probably be 90 degrees outside already. It's random at whether you will be approached by two women, or one woman, or be talked to in a group of two or one on one. Regardless of the case, be sure to talk about more than just "what's your major?" and "where do you live?" You will switch who you talk to about 2-3 times. These women are hearing the same things all day so bring up something different (appropriate) and let them get to know the real YOU and make yourself stand out from the other 800 women rushing.
The next 6 houses you go to on this day pretty much run the same drill. You'll be tired of yelling, exhausted from the heat (girls have passed out before from dehydration), and you will get less nervous after your first house. The same drill goes for the next day with the other 7 houses you didn't get to go to. The second day of the set of 7 houses,
Wednesday, is your very first preference round. You'll get a sheet of paper at the end of the day with each houses name on it. In the blanks next to it, you put a 1 next to each house til you have 7 1's (I think, not sure). The ones you don't put a 1 by are the ones you drop. After you submit your preferences, it goes into a computer system where the matching takes place.
Basically if a house wanted you and you wanted them, you'll get that house on your schedule the next day. If you didn't want them but they wanted you, that house may or may not be on your schedule depending on if a house you wanted dropped you, then this "unwanted" house would fill its spot. If it was a mutual disagreement then the house will not be on your schedule. If they don't want you, whether you wanted them or not, then it will not be on your schedule.
The next morning,
Thursday, you will get a new schedule. You will have 7 houses at max for this day,
philanthropy day. Depending on whether your preferenced houses wanted you, you can very well have less than 7. I had 5 this day. At this point you are responsible for finding the houses on your schedule and being there on time on your own so find a buddy! The drill is pretty much run the same way, greeted at the door, talking to 2-4 different women, in groups or one on one, in a LOUD environment. You might get a delicious fruity drink at the houses! After going to all your houses, you will once again preference your top 5, I think. The system matching is done that night.
The next day,
Friday, is
house tour day! You will have 5 houses max. I only had 3 this day. For about 45 minutes, the women will greet you at the door and take you through the house. After the tour, with extra time, you will once again sit and talk. The tour is also done either in groups of 2 or one on one. At the end of this day your pref your top 3.
The last day,
Saturday, is
preference day. Wear a nice brightly colored dress! Once again you will get your schedule with 3 houses max. I had 3 this day. You will go to each house (all dolled up
) and each house will greet you with a hymn-sounding song. This is a serious day! There is not really any conversation, except for talking over a delicious dessert or strawberry lemonade before their little ceremony. Then the women will lead you into their living room and stand/sit in a circle where they sing, give speeches to one another, and cry reminiscing on good memories they have. Then you'll be sent out the door! It really is quite emotional. On this day, you will notice that you have a "rush crush" or a woman who you seemed to have talked to almost everyday of the week. You will have formed a bond with one or more of the women in the house you want by now! If you're a legacy and you make it to this day, you are guranteed in. Once again you pref your top 3, but this time using a 1,2,3. FYI they say that 80% of girls get #1, 15% get #2, and 5% get #3. I was 5% and got #3, which was none. Though these stats were taken from a year before, when 200 less women were rushing.
Then it's
bid day,
Sunday. I did not get a bid, so I didn't make it to this day. You get a formal breakfast at the CUB ballroom, while sitting on an envelope with your sorority in it. After breakfast and jumping nerves, you get to see which house your Rho Gamma is in, then everyone opens the bids! Girls will either scream and run to their house, or cry and walk away, your choice. Your sorority will be waiting with your name on a sign, to welcome you, and most sororities travel and go on a little field trip outside of Pullman. It's supposed to be a blast of a day, but as for me, I was completely depressed for 3 or so days (not to unmotivate you, but personal experience and a lesson not to let this get to you if it does).
Just some extra tips:
-If you find that you really didn't like a house and they held onto you til Pref day, don't pref them at all. Meaning only preffing 1, 2, but leaving 3 blank. Because if you get that bid and don't want it you'll be upset, and you can't do informal rush to try another house. This is what I did and I wasn't guaranteed a bid because of it but I'm happy I did it because now I can do informal!
-Don't forget to hand over a PNM card each day, each house!!
-Have these items in your bag at all times (you are given a bag): Water, chapstick, your preferred mints (you get tired of the ones they give you), and flip flops (in case you aren't wearing any and your feet get tired), face powder (to clear the shine from sweat, you WILL sweat).
As for dress code, this is what most girls wear:
Sun, Mon: Casual tank, shorts, flip flops
Tue-Fri: Cute Fashionable Tank, Tops, Shorts, TOMS
, flip flops
Sat: Maxi-dress, Knee length bright sundress, colorful cocktail dress, WEDGES.
Sun: Casual Tank, Shorts, TOMS, tennis shoes
Sorry for writing an essay but I want you to go in completely prepared so you don't make my mistakes, such as not opening up and showing my true self. Good Luck!
. Okay then, back to that. 
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