As senior year comes to a close, many are starting to think about future plans such as groups or clubs they would like to join in college. One of the more popular organizations incoming college freshmen think about joining is Greek Life.
For many, Greek Life is a way to get involved on campus and meet new people. This happens to be the case for seniors Maia Bajich, Coco Thomas, Ben Rothwell, Jenna Tinberg and Sam Dunton.
Tinberg said she wants to join a sorority because of the atmosphere the women create.
“I want to rush at Arkansas because is really prominent there, and it’s a good way to make friends,” she said. “It’s important to be surrounded by people who have the same values as you. It’s important to find girls I want to be around.”
Rothwell agreed with Tinberg on wanting to join Greek Life because it provides opportunities to meet others.
“I want to rush to meet new people and have new experiences — just reach out a little bit,” Rothwell said.
Others, such as Dunton, believe both rush and Greek life are advantageous experiences for its participants.
“The connections are beneficial within fraternity and sorority life,” Dunton said. “Having some friends and some brothers have your back would be beneficial. Everything you get and learn throughout it would be beneficial.”
The process of rush brings several moments to be excited for. One thing Thomas is looking forward to is the experiences she is going to have.
“I’m excited for the events — there’s a lot of different events that go on within the houses, whether that be planned functions or a group of friends to go out to a game with or spend a weekend [with],” Thomas said. “It’s things like that.”
While Thomas is ready for the experience, Bajich is awaiting the time she gets to meet the girls in each chapter who are similar to her.
“I’m excited to meet a lot of people are as driven and passionate about certain things as I am,” Bajich said. “Obviously to be in a sorority, you have to have a good GPA. Everybody’s driven, [and] everybody’s passionate about something. Everybody has different talents which you can learn from and grow together.”
While there are several moments to look forward to, there are also things people are scared about going into rush. The part Thomas is most nervous about is having to find the energy to get through the entire week.
“[During] the rushing process, you get pretty tired, especially talking to that many people at different houses and having pre-calculated responses,” Thomas said. “Being prepared for all the interview sessions and having energy throughout the whole process [is nerve-wracking].”
Bajich agreed with Thomas that she is worried about the amount of effort it takes to rush while also adding the fear of not being accepted by certain chapters.
“I’m nervous they’re not going to like me in certain groups,” Bajich said. “It’s also a lot of social battery you have to use when you’re going through it.”
Despite the fears and possible hard moments, Thomas believes rush is a great opportunity for college students, especially those who are going to different states.
“It helps out-of-state kids find a community,” Thomas said. “My sister and both my parents rushed and had a really good experience. It’s a good way to get involved with your school and meet a bunch of new people.”
