Beginning Rush
Before the school year even began, I registered for Rush. I had a clear goal in mind when it came to starting college, and it was to truly make an effort to connect with the community, something I failed to do in high school. The idea of each sorority’s philanthropy was something that especially piqued my interest, as I wanted to be a part of a group of women who are dedicated to making a positive impact in our community. As a commuter student who isn’t involved in any sports, I was excited yet nervous to discover a sisterhood where I could truly belong and make a contribution.
Meeting the Sororities
On my first night of rush, I walked in, knowing nothing about what to expect. I had attended a few of the sorority recruitment events before rush, including bouquet making, and while I met some nice girls, I wasn’t experiencing any immediate connections. We were given name tags upon entry with our names and a number corresponding to the group we’d be going with that night. Twenty girls were split up into three groups, each paired with our respective Rho Gammas, girls involved in Greek life but not affiliated with their respective sororities. We were allowed to guess who we thought each girl belonged with at the end, but during recruitment, it may have revealed bias.
Over the course of three nights, we visited the houses to learn about each Sorority’s philanthropy, their beliefs and values, and form connections with the girls themselves. For example, Chi Omega supports Make-A-Wish, a foundation focused on children suffering from cancer. We were also given a tour of each house and saw their various living spaces, formal parlors, and finally, some of the girls’ rooms themselves. It gave us a glimpse into what life in a sorority house was like day-to-day. After each night, we were led back to the MAC lab to vote, ranking each house from highest to lowest. This is where I feel my experience becomes unique.
Preference Night
The last night of Rush is Preference Night, where you are supposed to go back to the houses you ranked highest. However, I only went back to a single house that night, and it was not one of my top choices. I was confused and, upon entering the MAC lab for voting, was told that the one house I visited was the only one I could accept a bid from in formal recruitment. Alternatively, I could drop out of formal recruitment, which would allow the other two houses to send me an open bid through informal recruitment, which is what I did.
The only problem is that open bids are up in the air, so I would have to wait and see if I even got an open bid. Essentially, I fell asleep that night under the impression I’d missed my chance to experience Greek Life. Upon awaking at 10 the next morning, I saw a dozen missed calls and messages on my phone from friends and unknown numbers. The message was the same in all of them: I’d received an open bid from Chi Omega. In true Audrey fashion, I see the messages two hours after they were originally sent, leaving me scrambling to make it up the hill in time to actually experience bid day. Overall, I wouldn’t change a thing, and I am very happy with my experience. If you are contemplating going through with Rush, I suggest taking that leap, because you never know what might happen.
