How to Survive Sorority Recruitment

Meredith Streppa
Adam Weinstein
English 101
21 November 2007
Since the 1800’s sorority recruitment has played a large role in young women’s lives. Entering college is a large adjustment in and of itself, yet young women all over the United States plunge into the challenge of sorority rush. For women who choose to pledge a sorority this creates a lifetime of opportunities and sisterly bonds that last forever. In this essay, girls from across the country will learn how to survive the stress, excitement, and happiness of rush at the University of Alabama.
Step One: Application process
If you are planning to go through rush, you must sign up and fill out an application during the summer before you enter college. This application explains activities, interests, etc. that you participated in during high school. It gives the Panhellenic Association more information about you. The Panhellenic Association is the association that monitors sororities around the country. They make certain that sororities are following rules, and keeping current on important events. After the application process, you must find numerous women who were members of sororities and are now alumni to write a letter of recommendation. Where will a girl find alumni of these sororities? Many women find them through friends, grandparents, parents, work friends, etc. It is suggested ladies going through rush attach a resume along with a picture for the alumni to write this “rec”. After the “recs” are completed the alumni send them to their respective sororities.
Step Two: Shop, Shop, Shop:
While going through rush it is imperative that you look your best. Many girls buy several new designer dresses such as Lilly Pulitzer, Caché, Allen Schwartz, and many more. Now, if you are on a tight budget, you can of course find dresses that are not expensive and still cute. Dress you should look for should be age appropriate, conservative, and classy. They should portray that you are interested in joining sorority life, and would represent that greek organization well.
Step Three: Rush Week
As you are unpacking your things into your new dorm room, you are probably anxiously awaiting the week ahead. Seven days of stress, happiness, and pointless conversations of what you did in high school, and how hot it is outside will fill the majority of your week. The first two days are seven or eight, fifteen minute parties called “Ice water and tea”. As you approach your first house, you are most likely wondering how it will turn out. Think long and hard about your surroundings. Also, make sure you pay attention to the house, the girls, and the environment. You never know, you could be spending the next four years in this house. As a large group lines up outside the door, the sorority doors swing open with nearly two hundred women singing about how their sorority is the one for you. Do not be afraid that right when you walk in the door everyone is screaming your name and you are confused where to go. Just keep walking and eventually a girl guides you and the awkward conversation begins. You should basically brag about what you did in high school, what you are majoring in, and the weather in 99% of the houses. After these two days are over, you can basically answer the questions before the greek women ask them. Before the next two days, you will go to a computer lab and find out who cut you, and who you would like to cut from recruitment. This is a very nerve-racking time for all the women going through recruitment. Many girls get cut by several sororities, while some get cut from none. Remain calm and if you get cut from some of the houses, do not worry, you probably did not want to be a part of them anyway. After the cuts, the next two days should be spent in comfortable clothes. All the girls will be wearing the designated recruitment t-shirt with all of the sororities on the back, flip-flops, and shorts. These two days are spent to have more awkward conversations, as well as to get to know the philanthropy of the sororities. Everything is basically the same as the previous two days, just in a more laid back environment. Make sure your personality shines through your nervousness. The girls have to judge you on your conversation, so make sure you have a good chat with them. The morning after the philanthropy days is utilized for cuts, yet again. After the cuts, girls dress to the nines just like the first two days and get ready for skit day. Skit day is a favorite of many. Each skit shows the personality of the sorority. Make sure you look like you are interested because the girls in the skit are watching your reactions. Also, you are allowed to relax. There really is no pressure on this day; the sorority is trying to impress you, not vice versa. After the skit you have another short conversation but that is really it. After you visit seven houses, you walk to the computer lab to make cuts. Make sure you think hard about three houses in which you can see yourself. Think: What house can I walk into and feel at home? After skit day, comes preference day. Once again, dress in a nice dress and make sure that your hair and makeup is done nicely. When you go to your three favorite houses, members tell you how much they want you in their sorority and how their house is the place for you. Make sure you make an effort to explain to each girl you talk to that you love their house, and you can see yourself as a member of their sorority. You do not want them to cut you because you said you liked one house over another. You should give all of the houses the same impression so that they all want to have you as a new member. After the three parties, think hard about which house you really loved the most. You will have to walk to the computer lab and rank your houses in order. The first is your favorite, second your second favorite and so on. Make sure you know which one you really want to be in and put that one first. More times than none you will get your first choice pick.
Step Four: Bid Day
When you wake up on Sunday morning, you will be filled with nervousness and excitement to discover your new sorority. During the day, your parents will probably come to help you celebrate receiving your bid. You should spend the day with your family. Go out to lunch, buy some things at the grocery store, and relax. This day is meant to be exciting, not stressful. Around 5:00 you will enter the stadium with all the other girls that went through recruitment. As they hand out your bid in a small envelope they make you sit on it so you can not see which house you are in. After a ten minute talk about how great each girl is, and how much fun you will have the next four years, you can finally open your bid. After you see open your bid, you leave the stadium and run to that house where they greet you with open arms. The rest is history.
Sororities are such a big part in a young woman’s life. Take advantage of them, and enjoy it as much as you possibly can. It will go by fast, so have as much fun as you can, make as many friends, and meet as many people as humanly possible. If you follow these steps you will be sure to join a greek organization, make 200 new “sisters” in one day, and have a blast during your college years.