4 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Rushing

old-time-sorority

While you may just be settling into your summer break groove (that cute barista at the local coffee shop finally remembers your name), fall is creeping up. And for those just starting their first year of college, it can be a stressful time.

Along with registering for classes, learning to navigate a new campus and preparing your dorm room digs, there is another important question that you may have to answer: Are you rushing?

Rushing, or Rush Week as the process is often called, is the formal recruitment period university students go through when deciding whether or not to go greek.The weeklong process involves attending events sponsored by different sorority and fraternity houses, meeting with current house members and ultimately, deciding if the sorority/fraternity life is for you.

While many students have been looking forward the day they can wear a greek graduation stole around their neck for some time, still others may not be sure if pledging a house is right for them. Before jumping into rush week, here are a few important questions to ask yourself:

1. Are you going to school far from your hometown where you don’t know a lot of people and are worried about making friends?

If the answer is yes, then joining a fraternity or sorority is a great way to easily acquire a core group of friends not just during your college years, but likely ones you’ll keep for years to come.

2. Are you okay with living in tight quarters with other people, in particularly when it comes to your sleeping routine?

If the answer is no, you might want to think twice about joining a sorority or fraternity house, particularly if you are required to live in the house for an extended period of time. Often times new pledges will have to share sleeping quarters with multiple housemates.

3. Do you want to give back to your community?

While it’s often one of the lesser-mentioned attributes of greek life, virtually all greek chapters are tied to some sort of philanthropy.  While school life is often busy, being a part of a house will ensure you make time for volunteer work. It’s estimated that fraternity and sorority members in the US volunteer a combined 10 million hours annually.

4. Can you afford the extra costs associated with sorority/fraternity life?

We all know college is expensive with tuition, books and room and board, but pledging a house can mean additional costs for students. Things like house dues, the cost of attending social engagements and added wardrobe items like greek-themed pins and graduation sashes can add up. Before joining, be sure to think about the extra costs that may come up.

Do you have a rush week experience? Share it with us!

Photo credit: http://nycap.wordpress.com/author/jilliang/

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