No time to decide when rushing

By Brooke Boniface

A sorority is said to be an eternal sisterhood extending throughout generations, offering a network of support and assistance for the rest of a sister's life. Sororities can supply a young lady with invaluable connections and a common bond with a group of girls that transcends their time at school together.

Though Greek life is not officially recognized at Santa Clara, it continues to form a great part of student life. Some of the more popular sororities that Santa Clara students seem to flock to, whether for their reputation or their sisterhood, are Alpha Phi, Delta Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta, and Kappa Kappa Gamma.

But one major dent in the sorority system is how women are welcomed into the sisterhood, a deeply flawed and utterly transparent process known as "rush".

Reading countless Facebook statuses of sorority girls gushing over their new "babies" has led me to think about the rush process here at Santa Clara.

In rush, girls attempting to join a sorority must go through what is essentially an interview process. For three nights, prospective sorority members attend rush parties and have a limited amount of time to make a positive impression on the sisters they meet.

But the prospectives have no idea what qualities the sororities are looking for in a future sister. Many girls are torn between being themselves and being who they think the sorority wants them to be. In fact, one Santa Clara student I interviewed called rush the "ultimate fake out on both sides."

Much of rush is performed in the spirit of a popularity contest. Girls visit houses and rank their favorites in hopes of getting invited back each night, until eventually receiving a bid. Many girls choose which house they want to pursue not because of its merits, but because of what others have told them is the "cool sorority" on campus. During rush week, many sororities put on their best faces to attract as many members as possible.

But once the pledging period arrives, much of the sheen on the Greek letters begins to wear off, as rush participants realize that it is not what they expected it to be. Another Santa Clara student I talked to ended up dropping after her first year in a sorority because it was so remarkably different from what she was led to expect from the rush period.

A friend of mine who attended a few Delta Gamma rush events shared some details of her experience with me.

A group of 40 girls, the prospectives, all dressed in their cutest sundresses, stand timidly in front of an impressive-looking house. They file through the doors alphabetically and are confronted with a gaggle of fiercely enthusiastic looking women, the actives. Immediately, each prospective is engaged in conversation with one of the actives:

Active: Hi! It's so nice to meet you. I'm Katie. What's your name?

Prospective: Hi, Katie. I'm Chelsea!

A: So where are you from?

P: I'm from Colorado. What about you?

A: Awesome! I'm from Oregon! Where are you living on campus?

P: I live in Campisi.

A: What's your major?

P: Um, I'm undeclared business.

A: Oh my gosh, me too! That's so funny! So what do you do for fun, or like what activities are you involved in?

P: Well I play intramural volleyball. I am in MEChA and the College Democrats club.

A: That is so awesome! Well I am getting kind of hot in here so I'm going to step out. Let me introduce you to my friend Cassie.

In the course of this two minute conversation, both the active and the prospective are supposed to have formulated their opinion on whether they would like to be affiliated with one another for the rest of their lives.

How are they supposed to make such a possibly monumental decision based on such trivial surface questions?

Sororities can be extremely beneficial institutions, creating a smaller family in the often overwhelming college environment.

However, the process of rush needs definite changes, so that everyone involved can make the best decision possible when deciding whether or not to become sisters for life.

Brooke is a sophomore history and political science double major.