“The sororities rushing you want to impress you just as much as you want to impress them. Be yourself and trust your gut when you’re making decisions.”

“Don't be afraid to start a conversation of your own. You don't have to just sit there and answer the questions that they ask you!”

Rush is undoubtedly a stressful time for many girls who choose to join a sorority. The stress about finding the right outfit, the fear of not getting the one you want, and the constant worry that you will run out of conversation topics are just some of the fears I experienced during this time. But everyone has different experiences, depending on the school, their comfort level with social situations like these, or their goals surrounding this experience. Nonetheless, it is comforting to hear about others’ rush experiences and see what wisdom they can offer about the process. So I talked to five girls from five different colleges to gain some insight into the ins & outs of the sorority rush! Each of these girls were asked these three questions, and their answers are packed full of good advice: 

How did you expect rush to go compared to how it actually went?

Would you go through it again?

What is your best piece of advice for someone about to go through rush?

The first girl I interviewed goes to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. When asked the first question, she said, “I expected it to be more intimidating, but it actually was very natural and easy. Conversations flowed because I got paired with a lot of people I knew. It helped that I had an older sister at the school because I knew a lot of people coming in.” She also said she would absolutely go through it again. She met many new people with whom she wouldn’t necessarily cross paths in different circumstances. She’s still maintained friendships with girls she met across other sororities. Finally, her piece of advice to someone going through rush is very useful. She said, “I would say to be your genuine self. You don’t have to put on an act to make people think you are “cool” because they will see right through that. Also, trust the process. You will end up in the right sorority that is meant for you, even if it’s different from what you had in mind originally.”

The second girl interviewed goes to Wake Forest University. When asked the first question, she said, “I was super nervous and didn’t really know what to expect. Compared to what people from other schools had told me, I was really surprised by how easy Wake’s recruitment process was.” She also said that she feels like she has gone through rush again because, in her opinion, being on the other side is just as hard as it is as a potential new member! Finally, her words of wisdom are as follows: “The sororities rushing you want to impress you just as much as you want to impress them. Be yourself and trust your gut when you’re making decisions.”

The third girl I interviewed is from The University of Colorado Boulder. She said that she did not know much about rush before going through the process, and it was a very new experience for her. She also did not know many people that were already in sororities. Overall, she said that although this was the case, she enjoyed it way more than she expected. She also said that she wouldn't necessarily go through rush again but thinks it is a good experience for people to get out of their comfort zone and expand their circle of friends. Finally, her words of advice are, “Don't be afraid to start a conversation of your own. You don't have to just sit there and answer the questions that they ask you!”

Girl number four is from the University of Virginia. When asked about her experience, she wrote, “I expected rush to be a much more superficial experience. I was pleasantly surprised at how genuine the process is. People also don’t talk about how you make friends with girls in the sororities you don’t end up joining. That was a really cool aspect for me.” She said she would not go through rush again, not because it was an unpleasant experience, but because it is definitely very tiring. She also warns that it will be a week full of looooots of caffeine consumption! Her piece of advice is, “Disregard what anyone else going through it says about any of the chapters. make your own decision and go with your gut. Where you gravitate towards and are not dreading to go is usually where you would be happiest, regardless of whatever your friends are doing or saying.”

Finally, my last interviewee is from Wofford College. She explained that although she tends to be quieter, rush gave her confidence to be a little more outspoken than she is used to. She had fantastic, authentic conversations with many of the people she talked to and had more fun than she ever expected! When asked if she would repeat the recruitment process, she said, “I would definitely go through rush again. I love my sorority and all the friends that I have made through it. I can honestly say that some of these women will be my lifelong friends.” Finally, she said, “The biggest piece of advice I would give someone going through rush is not to stress out. In the end, everything happens for a reason. Just have fun with the process!”

Overall, the most common theme we see among these answers is to be yourself no matter what. Don’t try to be someone you are not to impress a particular group of girls. Focusing on showing them who you are will lead you to the place you belong! Once again, it is a stressful process, but finding a group of girls that also become your best friends and a strong support system makes it all worth it!