Dear potential new members, this week’s column goes out to you. Keep on rushin’ on.
The “how to” of rush is that there is no how to. Don’t waste your time overanalyzing the system or searching for a formula. It won’t work. I’ll be the first to admit that rush is not easy. It’s exhausting, deflating and frustrating. These may be my last words because our vice president of PR might strangle me after reading this, but it’s true, we all know it. The best and only advice I can give you is how to survive and thrive.
First, you just need to put yourself to bed at 10 o’clock every night this week after consuming about a gallon’s worth of water. You may wet the bed for the first time since third grade, but you’ll be okay with that when you save yourself from an unfortunate fainting incident because of dehydration — it happens, even in January — or a day full of searing headaches, which happens even more frequently. You’re also going to need to put Mellow Mushroom, Jimmy John’s and the College Inn’s number into your phone. O-Hill isn’t going to cut it this week, kids.
Take advantage of your Pi Chi. God bless Alexa Vasiliadis, wherever she is, for listening to me talk in circles for an hour and a half at the Starbucks on the Corner. Pi Chis understand our Greek system better than almost anyone else. Their sole job this week is to keep you guys sane and happy. And while you’re at it, stop swapping opinions with your friends. Every time you go to a house for a round you get a little taste of that sorority’s flavor, but everyone has different taste buds and therefore a different experience. This is not the time to start liking licorice just because everyone else does. Tune out all the background noise and make this decision all about you. Blindly following others won’t do you any favors in the long run.
On a similar note, remember to keep an open mind. Knowing what you want in the broader scheme of life is usually a good thing but not so much when it comes to sorority rush. You have to take a leap of faith and trust the process. I know you guys are sick of hearing that, but there’s a reason people repeat it ad nauseam. Sometimes the computer system knows where you belong even more than you do. The bottom line is that almost everyone gets cut from somewhere, usually multiple places. Do not allow those setbacks to cloud your judgment and turn you off from sorority life. Some of the happiest girls I know had awful rush experiences but are adamant today that they ended up where they truly belonged. It’s easy to get caught up in the recruitment process, but remembering that there’s a bigger picture will not only keep you sane but will also help you find that perfect place for you.
Finally, be yourself and get weird. I’m serious; you have a very limited amount of time to talk to these sorority women who see hundreds of potential new members each day. We’re only human and our memories can only hold so much, so talk about what it is that makes you you. The girls you click with will remember your uncanny Marcel the Shell impression and love you for it.
Remember, real life is nothing like rush. We don’t curl our hair for class, and we definitely don’t have a team of girls standing at the front door cheering as you walk in the house. After nine days, recruitment ends, the sweats come on, the makeup comes off and the ice cream comes out. Do yourself a favor this week and listen to your gut. Ignore the tasty snacks and clever skits and ask yourself where you want to be when the decorations come down, the house gets messy and things get real. Answer that question truthfully and you’ll not only find your home away from home, you’ll also find the sisters you never knew you were missing.
_Anne-Marie’s column runs biweekly Tuesdays. She can be reached at a.albracht@cavalierdaily.com. _
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