Q about rush themes....why?

[GPhiBeachbum]

i go to a school where greek life is not very big, our pledge classes during formal recruitment are usually between 15 and 20 girls. we really need to do well this year because half of our sorority is graduating....girls have commented that when they went through rush, we were the only sorority that didn't have a theme in our rush room. some girls feel like that makes us hard to remember for pnm's. but the themes that have been suggested... like candy, or sports... have nothing to do with us. why would you use a theme like that? and i just can't think of a theme that really would have anything to do with us. can anyone tell me some themes they have used, and WHY?

[tunatartare]

Themes are just used to make your rush more memorable and fun for the PNMs. It's better to be remembered "the house that had the the beach theme" as opposed to "Gamma Phi? which one was that again?." It can get girls more interested in you. There are lots of threads on GC about various rush themes that have worked on all types of budgets, if you do a search, I'm sure you can find something useful. Themes that we've done in the past have been Camp, Slumber Party, Hollywood, Luau. Pm me if you have any questions about things you can do with the themes. Welcome to GC.

[PhoenixAzul]

Perhaps do something themed around your symbols/mascot...Gamma Phi Beta uses the crescent a lot, right? Perhaps a moon and stars theme?

[summer_gphib]

We did a theme once, "Shoot for the Stars, We'll give you the Moon" and it was a big hit. I think this one is kind of common for Gamma Phi, but it could be really neat if done well.



Also if you have a local mascot you could set up your room around that. We always had a carousel horse room (our local mascot) and explained how we chose that mascot (We are all different and unique, but moving toward the same goals and with the same purpose.) That always seemed to be popular.

[Sister Havana]

What the others said...it makes the sororities more memorable. Even though I rushed 12 years ago (yikes!) I still remember that Kappa Kappa Gamma's theme was Kappa Cabana, AOPi did a spoof of "Herman's Head," Sigma Kappa had a USO theme, and Phi Mu had a baseball theme.

[ThetaDancer]

Definitely ditto to what other people have said about making it memorable. One of my good friends from high school is a Gamma Phi and I know her chapter has used a "Pretty In Pink" theme in the past.

[TxGirl]

Originally posted by Sister Havana
What the others said...it makes the sororities more memorable. Even though I rushed 12 years ago (yikes!) I still remember that Kappa Kappa Gamma's theme was Kappa Cabana, AOPi did a spoof of "Herman's Head," Sigma Kappa had a USO theme, and Phi Mu had a baseball theme.

Okay - you really dated yourself (an me!) with the "Herman's Head" - I loved that show.

[PhoenixAzul]

We always do our final (pref to you NPC'rs) with a japanese/black and red theme, going back to our original founding. But our novelty has been for many years "TauDeltaville" (a'la Jimmy Buffet)...pinata, mocktails, live band with limbo, hawaiian shirts, leigh making...it's fun and easy to turn a lecture hall into KeyWest.

[tunatartare]

Wow, that sounds really nice.

[adpiucf]

Originally posted by GPhiBeachbum
can anyone tell me some themes they have used, and WHY?

A lot of Panhellenics dictate the general idea for the day's events. Just using my university as an example.

Day 1: UCF Spirit Day
Day 2: Philanthropy Day
Day 3: Video Day
Day 4: Preferentials
Bid Day

On Day 1, our chapter would decorate the chapter room in school colors and we would wear t-shirts that expressed school pride, or polo shirts that represented different clubs and organizations that we belonged to outside of the sorority. This was a great way to show our involvement on campus, and an ice-breaker to talk about our love for the school, the fun events coming up at school this year and how Greek Life and ADPi were a part of that-- which led to talking about ourselves, majors and things that put a PNM at ease to share things about themselves.

For Day 2, we would decorate the house in the colors of our philanthropy, wear coordinating outfits and show a brief video about our philanthropy, as well as giving a brief talk on how we support our philanthropy and other service projects locally. PNM's paired up with sisters would work on a craft project to benefit our philanthropy.

Day 3 was a time to show a "Video Yearbook" of what being a member of our sorority is all about. This was a time to be really creative. My chapter did a theme "A League of Our Own" based on the movie "A League of Their Own" with Geena Davis. Members wore baseball jerseys and decorated the house with a baseball theme. Members were greeted and exited to a special song (we re-wrote the words to "We are the members of the girls' all-American league... we come from cities near and far.") Other sororities did themes like VH1 Pop-Up Video, A Night at the Movies, Gilligan's Island, Back to the Future, Dr. Seuss, etc. It's just fun and you can tie it in with your chapter's personality and ideals in whatever way you like-- it is all about creativity.

Prefs of course, is it's own theme-- and unique to each sorority.

Hope this breakdown helps. Themes are a great way to help the PNM remember the chapters (because all those Greek letters blur together after a day of recruitment parties!) and they also help a chapter look pulled together and coordinated. Well worth the effort and helps keep you top of mind to the PNMs!

[honeychile]

Just as most of the others have said, a theme makes you more memorable. During COB, we tend to serve hot apple pie a la mode (with a twist!), and call it "Apple Delta Pie" (I know, too precious).

One GREAT idea I saw once that would really help the chapters with a low budget was a sorority who chose a Mexican theme for EVERY party. They just put a different spin on it for each party, and saved a TON of money on decorations - to say nothing about frazzled nerves!! I'm trying to think of their party names, but two that I can were something like On the Border & Viva La XYZs.

[PhoenixAzul]

I'd really like to see an international theme at a novelty or other round. If done carefully, it could be really interesting and fun. Different types of clothing, different types of food (example...tapas, kabobs, crepes, etc), international music, decorations. If done carefully, it could be really fun and could highlight the "sisterhood knows no bounds" aspect of sorority life.

[chideltjen]

I've seen pictures of NPC events/theme days we have here.

The "Grease" theme is REALLY popular and pretty easy. (Khaki capris, white button downs and scarves are simple to find for everyone.)

I think one sorority did a "Wizard of Oz" theme and had all the girls get Dorothy dresses. (It was my cousin's and her mom had to sew all summer for her.)

I've seen movie themes, Hollywood themes, baseball themes... I'd honestly look at different campus photo albums on websites and see if there are any pre-event pictures and see what everyone is dressed as.

As a suggestion... does GphiB have a penguin as their mascot? Maybe do like a winter theme. (It's the first thing I think of when I think of penguins.) That way if you have to serve only ice water/ice chips, you can make it seem like it was part of the theme.

Since Chi Delta has a palm tree for their symbol, we do a lot of luaus.

[adpiucf]

Great idea about the penguins! Before we had "UCF Spirit Day," Round 1 was called "Ice Water Day" and we ADPi's did an "In the Jungle" theme with our lion mascot prominently featured!

ETA: If your recruitment is in the fall, when it is still hot out, a polar theme could seem cool and refreshing! You can drape the room in white, put your mascot out, maybe serve ice water and invite someone to go "ice fishing" into a bowl of swedish (gummy) fish!

[Phigirl04]

I know we do a Mexican theme called Phi-Esta, Pinky's Place with music and a cafe setting, Casino Night,

Going though recruitment, I remember a Gilligan's Island theme and they changed the lyrics to the theme song. A luau, a Night at the Movies, a 1920's theme with card games and stuff, a Murder Mystery, Traveling across the world, a TRL theme, Sex and the City theme and a Coffee Shop theme. I can't remember the rest.

I'm sure I'll post more later.