If you're part of Bama Rush Tok, we've got answers to all your questions.
Why are people obsessed with Alabama colleges recruitment? The south has long been the object of entertainment when the start of a new school year arrives. Big schools, southern accents, and lots of blonde people make up the large majority of the big state schools in Alabama. Down there, rushing for a sorority is a BIG thing. Most of the hype came from horror stories about hazing in the south, but nowadays, thanks to TikTok, recruitment becomes another reality show for people to enjoy. From OOTD (outfit of the day) to making fun of southern accents, Bama Rush TikTok is in full swing. The only thing left to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.
Why do they insist in calling it recruitment and not rush?
If you have friends in greek like, they probably correct you if you call it "rush" or "rushing" instead of recruitment. Sororities began pushing this to distance themselves from the hazing-heavy movie culture. Not only has recruitment being affected. A lot of terminology that sororities used in the past has been changed to try to change the culture.
There are strict rules during rush week when it comes to interacting with potential new members.
Making a PNM (Potential New Member) feel like they secured a bid in a specific sorority is actually prohibited. As a result, sisters have a lot of rules to avoid making someone feel a bit too confident about their chances. For instance, they can't take a PNM away from the parties for private conversations. No gifts. And surprisingly, no touching (hugs, kisses, etc.) cause this can be seen as a gesture of favoritism.
There's even etiquette for when a recruitment party ends.
There's a time limit for recruitment parties, which is enforced strictly. Sisters will get a subtle nod when their time is almost over, which will have everyone rushed to leave. For every minute the party is still on, the sorority gets fined. When leaving, sisters are not allowed to tell PNMs "See you tomorrow" or "See you later." They don't know who's getting cut, so giving someone subtle hints is frowned upon.
PNMs are not the only ones who have to prepare. Sororities also practice extensively for rush.
According to a Buzzfeed article, sororities practice about 6-7 hours a day to prepare for PNMs. In these sessions, sororities go over rules and etiquette, practice their songs if they're performing, and are given the week schedule. They will also discuss what is permissible for them to say and what should stay in the dark.
Sorority Sisters have various topics that are off-limits when interacting with PNMs.
Some of these make sense. Others not so much. Every house might have it's own rules when it comes to off-limits topics, but there are core ones that most sororities keep as rules. Guys from fraternities (not always); alcohol, partying hard, and binge drinking; money (ex, how much does your family make?); bad news/negative news; and politics.
Landing a bid in a popular sorority can be a result of lineage.
In the south, having a mom or grandmother who had membership in a particular chapter can make a huge difference for a girl who's rushing. There's this big concept of "legacies," which means that you're the X member in your family to join a house. As if there wasn't enough pressure already from your parents to get into a school...
Is the process shallow? Yes, but is there another way to give out bids?
This comes from a girl who made a TikTok answering questions about recruitment. In her video, she admits that the process of picking members for a house can be quite superficial. But when it comes to Alabama sorority recruitment, there are hundreds of PNMs waiting to be placed. The thought that sisters will remember every face and name is impossible. However, how mean and cruel this process really is will forever be a secret kept behind close doors. After all, the horror stories from rushing in the south must have at least some truth to them, right?
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