As the parent of an Ole Miss student going through rush, you’re probably wondering what your role is in all of this rush business. Take it from me, someone who claimed to be soooo independent her freshman year...we don’t just want our moms after Pref night, we NEED our moms. The 12 hours between turning in my Pref card and receiving my Bid card just about drove me and my mom insane!
My mom came into town the day of Pref, and so did my friends’ moms. They knew how stressful the process had been—especially with it being right around midterms—and them being there for us was simply - everything. That night, we went and had dinner on the square and talked all things rush because it was finally over!! If only I had known then what I know now...
Rumors You’ll Hear Before Rush Week:
• Bid Lists Are Made Before Rush Starts
Anyone who has been on the member side of Rush Week knows that this isn’t the case, but somehow it’s the hottest rumor every Rush season. Ole Miss has nearly 1500 girls going through formal recruitment this year. Now how would the sororities be able to pre-pick their members from this massive pool of applicants based on a resume or recommendations sent in the mail? That would take longer than rush does! Girls get into sororities based on a combination of high school GPA, involvement, and the connections they make with girls DURING Rush. That’s it! The best way to get a bid you want is to be open-minded during the week and be yourself! You meet the girls you could see yourself being best friends with and you know which house feels like home.
• You Have to Be Rich to Get Into a Sorority
I get it, dues can be really expensive, but luckily, how much money your parents make doesn’t affect anyone’s chances of getting into a sorority. The process is all about getting to know girls in the house. It’s a MUTUAL selection process!! The house has to pick the girl, but the girl has to pick the house right back! If someone acted concerned about who my parents were and how much income they made, that house would go straight to my cut list.
• Girls That Aren't From the South Won't Get a Bid
There are girls in every house from California, Florida, New York! You name it, sororities have someone from there in the house. Ole Miss’s chapters are HUGE, and that means there are girls from all over the country, not just Mississippi! Having connections with in-house girls is great sure, but having an awesome resume, rec letters, and personality is what gets a girl a bid! We can tell who’s being genuine and who is putting up a front to try and “fit the mold” of an Ole Miss sorority girl. We don’t want a stereotype, we want confident girls who aren’t afraid to be themselves rush week.
• The Most Important Thing Is the Outfit
Ladies, ladies, ladies. Don't stress over your outfit! Yes, you want to feel cute and look put together, but getting dressed for Rush doesn't have to be hard! Half of the rounds have required t-shirts from Panhellenic. The shorts or tennis skirt worn under that baggy XL tee are not going to affect how girls in the house score a girl. As long as girls show up to the houses looking like they put in a little effort (aka brush your hair!!) so first two rounds are super easy! For the Sisterhood and Pref round, general rule of thumb for the dress days is to wear something that shows your personality, confidence without showing a ton of skin. In case you missed the Oxford Fashion Week that POM hosted in late August, you can rewatch videos here. These are most certainly"rush approved."
• Stores on the Square Get the Bid Lists Before Anyone
This again is a hot rumor each year. Let's be very clear here. THEY DO NOT. Not one store, = gets the bid lists before your daughter sees her bid card. Only a very FEW, select people from each Sorority houses are informed earlier in the day, to prepare for your daughters arrival. This is a handful or less.
• "Suiciding" your bid card is a Good Idea
We are not talking about the awful, physical definition here. "Suiciding" in sorority rush is the act of only listing one sorority on your bid card, after visiting two houses on Pref night. This means that if sorority A that you picked only on your bid card, doesn’t pick you on their bid list, you will not get a bid. So, DO NOT SUICIDE ON PREF NIGHT. Say it with me….DO NOT SUICIDE ON PREF NIGHT. It’s not worth it. There are rumors "suiciding" can mess with the computer system and drop girls completely even if they were offered a bid. While I can’t explain the IT behind rush, I can tell you that "suiciding" to one house is never worth the risk. Always list both houses, in your order of preference, cross your fingers for your top choice, and see what happens. If the first choice doesn’t workout, it’s okay to be disappointed, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t a good thing! Trust the process and go to the house that wanted you for you and have the bid day you deserve!
• Skipping Class for Rush is No Big Deal
Skipping classes to go to rush is a huge no-no. 100% not worth the risk. Panhellenic has every girl’s class schedule and the Gamma Chi’s tell the houses when you cannot make it to a round. You don’t get penalized for going to class and it keeps you from being released from rush altogether. Again, to be clear: you skip class to attend rush, you will be released from rush. End of story.
I get it, Ole Miss sorority rush is a crazy thing, especially if you weren’t Greek in college! That week is going to be long and it’s going to be stressful for you and your daughter. But the best thing you can do is be there for her, encourage her, love on her, and let her know that the sorority she joins is only a fraction of what Ole Miss’s campus has to offer! PS. POM is hosting a POM MOMosa event for all you moms coming. This is an event for you as a mom, to work out the jitters during their pref round. Come have brunch, and drink bottomless mimosa's at Thacker 564. You can buy your ticket here!