Pre-Rush!

Freshman year is almost over, and all other things are coming to a close with finals, packing, and very negative DA$H accounts (your school money account that you can use to pay for laundry machines, Hopkins Center performance tickets, etc.) However, once fall term starts after summer, many students of our ’09 class will go through the fraternity/ sorority Rush process, and the existing members of Greek houses are already getting us freshmen ready for next year.

As Meg mentioned below, there are many pre-Rush events going on. Day after day, I’ve been getting blitzes from the different sororities on campus about barbeques and ice cream socials. I really did not know much about sororities before coming to Dartmouth, and these events are definitely helping me know more about what the sisters do in their respective houses, and whether or not joining a sorority is the right choice for me.

Today, out of the many barbeques and ice cream socials, there was a different kind of pre-Rush event – it took place at a local clothing boutique! The store was opened after its usual hours to accommodate this event, and even gave 20% discounts to those who came to learn about the sorority and talk to the sisters. Amidst the dressing rooms and clothing racks, we got to talk to the sisters about their activities and their sisterhood. They told us about the girls’ nights they have together, their charity efforts, and rush procedure. I used to be hesitant about sororities for the fear of “acting fake” to impress the sisters, but I really felt comfortable talking to the sisters, going through the piles of clothes together, and talking about just school life in general. I normally don’t run into many upperclassmen women, so it was a nice opportunity to meet new people in a fun environment. Of course, the reduced price was also an added bonus!

Some of my friends plan to Rush, and some plan not to. By looking at the upperclassmen who have gone through this, I think each individual has her own preferences. I think the best advice I’ve been given is to approach things with an open mind – the sororities are not the stereotypical ones you see in movies, but shouldn’t feel pressured into joining one, either. I’ll have to see how things turn out sophomore fall!