Fraternity Rush, what is it like?

Question

I'm thinking about rushing Phi Delta Theta and I'm nervous about what rushing and initiation is like. The university i attend has a no hazing policy, but i don't believe that will stop anything. What do normal rush and initiations consist of? i know they aren't the same everywhere,but i'd just like ideas.

Answer 1

Rushing is completely different from being a pledge and initiation.  While rushing, look for a good time.  If you are showing interest in fraternities, you will have at least one or two fraternities talking to you about their fraternity and talking it up saying things like theirs is the best on campus, the perks of being in that fraternity (like networking), the sororities that hang out with them, and so on.  You will also have the chance to go to a lot of parties and many times the fraternities will get the sororities that hang out with them to talk to you and try to get you to pledge their fraternity.  As far as pledging and initiation goes, there are times where it may seem rough, but it is always worth it.  The university may have a no hazing policy, but it doesn't always stop it from happening.  The fraternity will be punished if they are caught, but unless it goes too far there is nothing to worry about.  There may be some yelling, cleaning, do chores and helping with errands, building and/or repairing things, and so on.  Unless they are hitting you, forcing you to drink yourself into coma, or making you fail your classes, you shouldn't worry about anything.  The semester I was a pledge and my initiation are two of the greatest moments in my life and they are times I will never forget.

Just remember though, no matter what the fraternity tells you, you should always consider your family above everything else, and school above the fraternity. A good fraternity will not make you fail your classes in order to accommodate their needs and wants, in fact they will help you out with family matters and school from the moment you pledge them, and probably even in rush as well.

Answer 2

Rush everyhouse just so you have something to compare your current choice with. Rush is ment for prospectives to meet brothers at each house and for the brothers to get to know you cause they will be deciding whether or not to give you bid(invitation to pledge their fraternity)

Rushing is a great thing to do to make sure the house that you want knows you are interested, ask lots of good questions and be friendly.

Initiations and pledging is alot different from rush. the only thing that I see with most pledge processes is that they are time consuming. But I personally did better academically when i was pledging as my fraternity required study hall for the school week. Though if I knew I had a busy week ahead of me I would spend the weekend in the library to get ahead of my work so that I could confidently attend the pledge meetings prepared and knowing my stuff  

Answer 3

First, to clear-up what the other two answers said...

The timeline of joining a fraternity goes like this:

Rush -> Pledging -> initiation

Rush is when you and the Brothers get to know each other.  It usually consists of a few planned social gatherings, which can range from going to a baseball game at a stadium to a card tournament at the fraternity house to almost anything else.

If the Brothers want you to become a member, they will give you a 'bid' at the end of rush (or earlier or later, depending on how it works at your school).  A bid is an invitation to join.

If you accept the bid, you become a pledge (some fraternities have other terms for this, or don't call it pledging).  Phi Delta Theta calls it pledging.  During the pledge process, you basically learn about the history of the fraternity system in general, and your fraternity specifically.  It's like taking a history class, taught by one or two of the Brothers.  The chapter of Phi Delta Theta at your school may also ask you and the other pledges to organize a few events, like a community service event, a fundraiser, etc.

Once you finish pledging, you will get initiated.  Initiation in Phi Delta Theta is just a ceremony where you learn the secrets of the fraternity (like what the greek letters mean, what the secret handshake is, etc.).

Phi Delta Theta specifically prohibits hazing.  If you are worried about it, make sure you make it known to the chapter officers what your limits are.  You shouldn't compromise what makes you *you*, so if they ask you to do something you don't want to do, don't do it.