Help! Nervous about LSU rush!

SwimminFishie · #1 05-24-2001, 03:21 PM

Wow, all of this talk about how competitive rush is at LSU has got me a little scared! I plan to rush there in the fall & hopefully yall can give me some good advice about rush at LSU. I know most of the technical stuff, about recs and all, but is there anything else I should know? My biggest fear is that I will be cut from the sorority my friends join or vice versa. (Even though people say not to worry about what your friends do during rush!) I mean, I have good grades & participated in lots of clubs & sports during high school, but what if that is not enough? And I hear so many different things about all the sororities...I don't know what's true and what isn't! I'm just a little worried now, because I guess I thought rush would be no problem, but I had no idea just how competitive rush at LSU (and all over the south) really is! Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks a lot!!

HeidiHo · #2 05-24-2001, 04:38 PM

I know nothing about southern rush, but I can offer a few words. Everyone says not to worry about where your friends go, because it's true! Don't be a follower & join a house because your roommate or next door neighbot does. Follow your heart & put our best face forward. Everything will work out
Best of Luck
Heidi

dzrose93 · #3 05-24-2001, 04:55 PM

Hey Fishie!

Here's my best advice. I hope it helps ease your fears a little. BE YOURSELF during Rush and try to learn a little about the different sororities (their websites are great for research purposes) before Rush so that the girls know that you're truly interested in going Greek. (It's always flattering when someone takes the time to find out about you and your sorority before they meet you.) Feel free to ask any specific questions. I'll do my best to answer them!

Good luck with Rush!! Also, check out more detailed advice in the other LSU Rush columns. A lot of Greeks (including me) have offered some insight on Southern Rush, so scan through old threads to find more info too.

AlphaXiGirl · #4 05-24-2001, 05:18 PM

I'm not familiar with LSU but I do have some advice for any woman going through recruitment.

(1) Make sure that the groups that you are interested in know that you are interested in them. It's okay to tell them that you are really impressed with the chapter. I'm not saying to be over eager, but a chapter is less likely to release you if they know that you are interested. NPC encourages local Panhellenics to use what they call, Release Figures. I'm not sure if LSU follows this or not (I'm sure someone in GreekChat World will know). If they do, Panhellenic will give each chapter a recommended number of women to invite back - this number is different for each chapter and is calculated based on a few factors. Many times, chapters can't invite back everyone that they like and sometimes (after releasing women for grades, lack of activities, etc) they make "blind" releases - meaning there is no real reason for the woman to be released other than they can only invite back X number of women. If they know that you like them, it will be harder for them to release you.

(2) Don't fall in love too fast. I've seen a lot of women devastated because the ONE chapter they really wanted to join, released them. Many times these women are so heart broken, they drop out of recruitment completely and then lament over whether or not they want to try again the next year. Keep your options open. There are many great chapters at LSU and if you happen to not be invited back to a chapter you love, realize that maybe it wasn't meant to be and keep searching for your "Sorority Soul Mate."

(3) Remember that the chapters are almost as nervous as you are.... they want to be liked just as much as you do.

(4) Be genuine and gracious to ALL of the chapters, not just the ones that you really want to join. Sorority women have friends in other chapters and word spreads quickly when potential members are rude at other houses.

Recruitment is hard. I wish I could say that it's 100% fun all the time, but I can't. I can say that the rewards are well worth it. Enjoy the experience, make new friends, and you will make it through.

juniorgrrl · #5 05-24-2001, 05:49 PM

SwimminFishie:

Hey there, soon to be Tiger!!! I'll be a senior at LSU this year and I've been through rush twice. I'm not in a sorority, though.

If you want to talk about ANYTHING, please email me, I know pretty much all the ins and outs of LSU rush.

PiPhiAlum · #6 05-24-2001, 10:11 PM

SwimminFishie,

I graduated from a mid-size school in the south and will try to give you a bit of my knowledge. Keep an open mind. Do not drop or rush a sorority just because your friends do. Even though you might have grown up together and have the same interests, college is different. (You will grow apart and together at the same time), as that happens so will your interests. You can remain best friends, even if you are not in the same sorority. Treat Rush like a job interview, dress well, ask questions, be honest and above all be yourself. Get as many recs as possible for each sorority, even if you do not think you are interested in XYZ sorority. Recs give you a valuable introduction to ABC sorority and are required by most sororities to pledge. Talk to teachers, friends parents, contact the local alumnae chapter/panhellenic alumnae. Rush is a very exciting time, but the name says a lot about it. LSU has a very informative Greek Life website. Also, check out each organization's national website. You would not go to a job interview without knowing a little bit about the company and you did not chose LSU without checking the school out first. Please feel free to email me with any additional questions. Though I did not attend LSU, two of my sorority sisters transferred there and my college sweetheart attended LSU, so I know enough as they say "to be dangerous"

Enjoy your summer!!! Though no one can promise that you will pledge XYZ in August; I can tell you that if you keep an open mind, you will find the right place for you.

DGPhoney · #7 05-24-2001, 10:33 PM

Hey all, and Hey Swimminfishie, well orginally I am from the south and I know and seen how compeitive rush can be in those parts. Only thing I can say is really be your self, have fun, and cherish the experience cause I am sure it's one you won't forget. By being yourself thats the best u can offer, YOU. So good luck with Rush, and keep us posted and how ya do

DGPhoney~

rolltidesoon · #8 05-25-2001, 12:12 AM

Hey! I'm going to be rushing at the University of Alabama this fall, and I've read a lot about LSU rush. I know that rush is pretty competitive at any SEC school, but after reading about LSU I just wondered how UA rush compares to that-is it less competitve, the same, or what? Thanks!

[This message has been edited by rolltidesoon (edited June 16, 2001).]

aopirose · #9 05-25-2001, 09:59 AM

Your family friend may have a good reason for doing this. At LSU, some sororities do blind releases if you don't have the required number of recommendations (2 in most cases where it is done) to be invited back to second round. She may be trying to get some more references for you. If your parents belong to a Krewe and her contacts belong to the same Krewe then the recommendation can be written as an acquaintance. It is better to have recommendations come in as personal or acquaintance then as a "Don't Know". IMHO

Between my husband (a Pi Kappa Phi) and I, we belong to 4 Krewes. We don't know everyone's children but we do know the parents. If any member asked us to write a recommendation, we would do it based on our personal knowledge of the family as well as the child's resume.

Quote:

Originally posted by worriedsenior:
Guess what, a friend of our family is writing a rec for me and she needed to know if my parents are in any krewes!!!!I thought rush/recruitment was about ME and MY qualifications. Yes I am shocked, but I guess I shouldn't be. My question is, do ALL the sororities ask this information at LSU or is it an exception?

IowaHawkeye · #10 05-25-2001, 11:27 AM

ok, this may be just my ignorant northerner lack of southern rush knowledge - but what in the world are krewes?!?!?!

aopirose · #11 05-25-2001, 11:46 AM

You are not ignorant. Krewes are private organizations like clubs. They are mostly active during Carnival (Mardi Gras) season with balls and/or parades but they may have other activities throughout the year. Membership in most Krewes is by invitation only and secret to outsiders. If they want you, they come to you.

Here is a good link to find out a little more. www.mglinks.com

Quote:

Originally posted by IowaHawkeye:
ok, this may be just my ignorant northerner lack of southern rush knowledge - but what in the world are krewes?!?!?!

shadokat · #12 05-25-2001, 02:13 PM

Fly-a-Kite--

What a great post

juniorgrrl · #13 05-26-2001, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by worriedsenior:
Guess what, a friend of our family is writing a rec for me and she needed to know if my parents are in any krewes!!!!I thought rush/recruitment was about ME and MY qualifications. Yes I am shocked, but I guess I shouldn't be. My question is, do ALL the sororities ask this information at LSU or is it an exception?

I hate to sound cynical here, but some of these groups (which I won't name here) want to know if you're "their kind", i.e. if you belong to Rex, Comus, Momus, Proteus, etc. The "connections" they're trying to make are whether or not you're a part of New Orleans society. Just a thought...

juniorgrrl · #14 05-27-2001, 04:54 PM

Worriedsenior, please email me privately at juniorgrrl@hotmail.com...I think I can answer a lot of your questions.

Keep in mind theres TONS of stuff to do at LSU w/o being Greek. You'll find lots of ways to fill your free time if you decide not to pledge. I did

Hope to hear from you soon. Geaux Tigers!!!

BrianMUDU · #15 05-28-2001, 12:13 AM

I figure the fraternity aspect of this is the same, so as far as where your friends go, I experienced something similar. My first year in college, there was a group of about 6 of us who were pretty close. Rush came and two of us went Delta Upsilon, another Sigma Pi, another Kappa Alpha, and another Delta Chi. It doesn't matter where your friends go because we are all still good friends, so that shouldn't be something to worry about. Personally, I would have preferred to get split up like that. Otherwise I would feel like the person who goes to a college where about half of the high school goes, you're always around the same people.