Rush 101

First Impressions Last A Lifetime

How many potential new members has your chapter lost due to a bad first impression? Chances are more than a few. The fact is that many men lose interest if they are not immediately impressed with a chapter. Your chapter can offer everything a young man desires but if he is not impressed from the beginning, the odds of him joining your chapter are lessened considerably. So how can your chapter give a great first impression? This question can be answered with one word, CLASS.

Class is not something which miraculously appears overnight, yet something which takes time and hard work to obtain. Furthermore, class must be continually nurtured and cared for. In short, class is very difficult to obtain but very simple to lose. The following suggestions will most assuredly help your chapter in becoming a classy organization.

CLEAN CHAPTER HOUSE: A clean chapter house, both inside and out, represents many things to guests and in particular, potential new members. First, it shows that you care a great deal for your chapter and take pride in it. Second, it shows that the members of your chapter are responsible and capable of living on their own. A clean house also provides a comfortable setting for your guests which, in turn, will help them open up in conversation, the core of rush. Every member of the chapter should take part each week to maintain a pleasant chapter house.

APPEARANCE OF BROTHERS: Whenever guests are over, especially potential new members, brothers should dress nicely. One of the best and easiest ways to make a good first impression is to look sharp. If your chapter is having a dinner for a rush event, have brothers dress in a semi-formal manner. Further, ask the potential new members to do the same when you invite them. Everyone likes to dress up. It makes them feel confident. Disallow hats at such events. If your rush event is casual, dress casually. The important thing is to not dress in clothes that are distasteful, holey, or non-appropriate.

CONDUCT OF BROTHERS: A great way to impress your guests is to act in a mature manner. Brothers should be aware that fellow students, faculty, and administration are constantly observing their actions and forming their own opinions about Greek life. If brothers are goofing around, yelling, screaming, or using profound language, guests are automatically turned off. No one wants to be associated with an organization which will embarrass, anger, or intimidate them. Good behavior and the elimination of distasteful conduct will be welcomed and appreciated by all guests of your chapter.

RUSH IS AN ATTITUDE

It seems that there was once a chapter that was preparing for a week of rush activities. In order to make sure that rush would be a success, the rush chairman asked that all of the brothers devote a little time to reach their goal. All he asked is that each brother pick five names from the chapter rush list, and work on bringing at least one potential member to the chapter for Rush Night.

However, after thinking about it for a while, one of the brothers reasoned, "Well, I'm really going to be busy this week, so if the other brothers bring one or two men, then the chapter won't notice I didn't bring anybody to our Rush Night. Besides, I have already done my part as a brother here at the fraternity."

A few days passed and Rush Night finally came. All the responsibilities were taken care of. The event would start promptly at eight o'clock with each brother bringing one or more men to the Rush Night. Eight o'clock was near, and all the brothers had arrived on time for the event, but...

No men came to Rush Night. Every brother had reasoned the same -- "Somebody else will bring more than one man, so my efforts won't really make a difference..."