So You Want to Join a Texas Tech Sorority?

I went through formal recruitment (rush) the fall of my freshman year, I recruited for (and was a decorator) my sophomore and junior year, I was a Rho Gamma recruitment counselor my senior year, and I want to help you have the most successful recruitment possible.

Every school does recruitment differently, Texas Tech doesn’t really prepare you for it until the day before it starts (yay nerves), and unless you know someone in a sorority at Tech, it can be very overwhelming.

Here is an example of just how crazy busy recruitment is

Day 0

Where: United Supermarkets/Spirit Arena (USA)

Wear: Nikes and a T-shirt (read: whatever you feel like)

What: Info Sessions galore

I’m calling this day 0 because actually you won’t meet any sorority member besides your Rho Gam this day. I’m saying this because I didn’t understand this concept. I came dressed cute, and hoped that my mom wouldn’t ask too many questions or embarrass me. On this day you can literally show up in Nike shorts with a messy bun and be perfectly fine because all you will be doing is getting information about what to expect for the next week. Consider this your orientation to Greek Life :) Lastly, don’t do what many girls do and freak out over the sheer number of girls rushing (~1,200) and count yourself out. Tech Panhellenic takes in more and more girls every year so it is extremely uncommon for someone who wants to join a sorority be completely released. If you get nervous about what to wear for the next few days, search Instagram for #TechRec #TechRec14

Day 1

Where: Greek Circle, all 11* houses

Wear: Tech t-shirt , shorts, GOOD FLATS

What: Round 1 part 1, meeting every single house

You'll meet with your Rho Gamma and group at the giant parking lot across the little street from the USA and get your schedule for the day (today you'll pretty much stick with your group, but later your group will be scattered all over the place). Then you'll board the busses and be taken to Greek Circle, where your RGs will help you find your house. You'll wait outside on the house's lawn until it's time for your RG to line you up. Then the doors will open to the girls stacked and chanting at you until the bring you in one by one into the house.You must go to all 11 houses this day and will cut 3 houses through mutual selection. Expect to wake up around 6:30-7:00 and not be in your dorm until after 11.

This is honestly probably the most intimidating day. Nerves are high with the unexpected, girls show up unprepared, and literally everyone around you makes you feel like the Designated Ugly Fat Friend (whoo). However, if you don’t allow yourself to get discouraged, this can set you up for an amazing week. We are absolutely serious when we say bring a backpack. It will be around 100 degrees and you will either be outside in the heat or inside an over-packed, stuffy house. Greek circle might not seem all too big, but walking around will kill your feet. Don’t be pressured into thinking that you should wear anything but flats. My sorority usually wears sandals with an ankle strap so that we are comfortable and cool throughout the day, and also so we don’t have a flip-flop break mid-day. For shorts, high wasted ones are great and so are colorful shorts. By some stroke of genius, I braided back my hair on the first day and still looked put together and didn’t have sweaty hair stuck to my neck. It is perfectly ok to put your hair up, as long as it is styled. Messy buns or sloppy ponytails say that you really don’t care about us.

Be prepared to talk about your major and dorm at every house as actives who are just a year older than you will become nervous carrying a conversation with a stranger while trying to impress them. Take charge if this happens and let them get to know you the best that you can. In the few short minutes you talk to a girl, make an impression by elaborating about any organizations you’ve been associated with for long term, any academic achievements you’ve accomplished, or anything else worth mentioning. Don’t assume that every girl has read the information that you sent in because remember there’s 1,000 other girls right beside you. Never answer questions with a short “yes” or “no” and try to keep the conversation going. Even if you do not like a house, nothing makes 10 minutes drag on like an empty conversation. Speaking of houses that you don’t like, never ever EVER be rude. Ever. You never know who has roommates in other chapters that will discuss your attitude, and keep in mind that yes, legacies can be cut. It’s just bad manners.

Day 2

Where: Tech Campus

Wear: Same logic as day 0

What: Round 1 part 2, Greek 101

From 2012-2013, day 1 was split up into two days: 5 houses one day and 6 houses the next. This was done because honestly it is really effing hard to get over 1,000 girls to meet about 200 girls in one day. In 2014 things changed to where the 1st half of the alphabet went to Greek Circle on day 1 while the other half went to what was called Greek 101 and then the two halves switched for the second day. This still broke up the girls so that houses only had to meet 500 girls in a day while preventing people from being out in the hot sun all day for two days unnecessarily. If this happens again, you will have various mandatory and optional activities planned for you around campus and you will receive a schedule and map explaining this. Always ask your Rho Gam what to do if you are even slightly confused. Greek 101 is a pretty chill day to give girls a break from the stress of having to be impressive all the damn time.

Day 3

Where: Greek Circle, from 1 to 8 houses depending on who invited you back

Wear: Casual dress, flats or heels

What: Round 2, Philanthropy day

Today you will again talk to around 3 girls at each house about their sorority’s philanthropy. It can be hard to talk for so long about an event that happens once a semester so it’s ok if you get off topic. Honestly, philanthropy is one of the lower priorities girls place on choosing a sorority. If you talk to different girls from the day before, go ahead and brag about yourself again or just relax and have a conversation about whatever you want to talk about (read: NO boys or partying, you might think you’re making yourself sound fun to hang out with but it will come across as a bad reputation for being a sloppy party girl). Dressing for today can be tricky because it’s dressier than your first day but still not as dressy as the next day will be. Wear a sundress or similar outfit that you would wear for family/graduation photos; it can be slightly casual but not revealing or tight, and flats are still okay or if you want a heel try to stick with low wedges (if you wear heels, make sure flip flops are in your backpack). Remember that is it entirely possible for you to go to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 houses today so don’t assume that up to 8 means exactly 8. Additionally, you may go back to any or all of the 3 that you cut the day before. Every single day you absolutely must go back to every single house that invited you! Make sure that you are taking quick notes about each sorority right after you leave! Tonight you will again rank your lowest 3 houses for mutual selection.

Day 4

Where: 1 to 5 houses

Wear: Nice dress, heels

What: Round 3

This day is a weird day to describe. First of all, it’s the hardest day because this is when sororities make their biggest cuts and many girls discover that they weren’t invited back to a house that they really loved. It can be very discouraging and really is the biggest day to talk to your Rho Gam. Whatever you do—don’t give up! Recruitment can be a somewhat self-conscious experience so just keep reminding yourself that it’s not over yet. As to what the day entails, this day you will again visit less houses but for a longer period of time at each. Skits will relieve you from having to talk the whole time, but this is really where the final steps of recruitment start to take place. Look around at the girls outside of the houses and see if you would be comfortable having them as your new member class; decide if you could see yourself spending hours upon hours with the girls recruiting you; determine where you feel the most welcomed and comfortable. The conversations could vary from a deep this-is-why-you-should-join-my-sorority topic to as casual as the first day, so don’t worry if it’s one or the other. Wear a dress that you would wear to a summer wedding and nice heels. Please don’t wear ridiculous 6-inch heels because we’ll be concerned for your safety (especially houses that have you going up and down stairs). Tonight you will choose no more than 2 sororities that you want to visit the next day. Don’t feel pressured to choose one simply because your friends like it because the Greek system is really great about having friends in other sororities (remember my roommate example above).

Day 5

Where: 1 to 2 houses

Wear: Formal dress (cocktail), heels

What: Round 4, Pref Night

This night is usually the toughest. Any house you go in to has already decided that they absolutely love you and will be working their asses off to get you to choose them. You will most likely only talk to one girl this day. Expect crying from the seniors and lots of stories of why she chose her particular story. Don’t feel pressured to cry though, that’s a crazy myth, but don’t worry if you do shed some tears. Your dress should be something you might wear to a homecoming dance, but fight the urge to be overly sparkly. Try to focus on which sorority really gives you what you want out of Greek life. At the end of the night, you will rank them in 1st preference and 2nd preference, or you can suicide.

Day 6

Where: USA, then your new home :)

Wear: Shorts and a T

What: BID DAYYYYY

This is the best day evaaaa. Jean shorts are probably the safest because you don’t know what your bid day shirt will look like until you get to your sorority and your shirt doesn’t matter because you will take like 10 pictures with of you with your bid card and your new sisters with y’all’s bid cards, and then you’ll get your very first sorority shirt. You’ll arrive to the USA to receive your bid card, take said pictures, and be bussed away for a 3-hour celebration for you. However, if you aren’t thrilled about the letters on your card, you can always go talk to your Rho Gam and decline your bid. Yes, every sorority has a curfew to have you back. No, there won’t be any alcohol (that’s for boys bid night!) It’ll be 50% taking pictures, 40% meeting new people and eating, and 10% informative meeting about the sorority and new member meetings.

For more information about recruitment, check out my post Before Recruitment Starts, and ask me any questions you have about recruitment!

**Tech now has Alpha Xi Delta (#12!!) who will be participating in their own form of recruitment that is different from this and I have no clue how that will go down so see the recruitment website or ask your Rho Gam

#TechRec #TexasTech #Sorority #Recruitment #rush