How to Get Ready for Rush Week
When every sorority and fraternity does its part, Rush Week lends a festival-like atmosphere to the Greek strip of any campus. Sorority rush and fraternity rush are the key to recruiting new members. New to the planning process? Here’s a rundown of what you and your Greek brothers or sisters will have to think about.
Spare nothing! Rush isn’t just another fraternity party or sorority party. It’s the number one way your organization will recruit new people. Pledges bring in fresh revenue and social capital. You want to encourage as many people as possible to join up, and the best way to do that is by being extra impressive.
Pick a Theme for Your Events
Some sororities are content to pick a color and weave decorations around that color. Some fraternities don’t bother at all, choosing to focus on the entertainment instead.
Yet a well-thought-out theme can add excitement and interest. Why not focus on both the entertainment and an awesome theme? One can in fact inform the other.
Casino Themes
For example, you could pick a casino theme, and center a bunch of cool frat house decorations or sorority decorations around becoming a mini-Vegas, complete with various gaming tables and high-class (possibly non-alcoholic) cocktails.
The classic colors for a casino theme are red, black, white, silver, and gold. You can make your own decorations if your sorority or fraternity is on a budget, or you can make your own: painted boxes make awesome giant dice, for example. It’s also easy to find a ton of pre-made casino decorations.
You’ll want to check your university’s guidelines and state law before gambling anything more serious than Oreos of course.
Pick a Decade, Any Decade
Choosing a decade is another easy way to punch up frat house decor or sorority room decor. There’s plenty to choose from: the 1960s, the 1940s, the 1980s, or the 1920s are all popular.
Dress up, play that era’s music, and have someone on hand to teach the most popular dances of that decade. Any of these activities can help you put together a sorority house party people won’t forget any time soon!
Think decorations like psychedelic confetti or disco ball balloons. Props and memorabilia will make your decade-themed party a rip-roaring success.
Get Creative
The truth is you can pick any theme as long as it offers you a way to tie all the festivities together.
Make sure the theme you pick is something your frat brothers or sorority sisters will be interested in and love. You want your own members to show up en force while you’re trying to recruit new ones!
Rent Equipment
You’ll need tables, chairs, and lots of them. You might want to get these reserved well before Rush Week so you aren’t having to scramble, calling around to find them at the last minute.
Figure Out Food
Nobody wants to be at your events if the food isn’t great. Food boosts attendance, keeps people there, and leaves potential pledges with good feelings about your sorority or fraternity.
Or, as The Fraternity Advisor notes, “Pizza=pledges.”
Gather Decor Supplies
You can start ordering supplies once you’ve picked your theme. There are a few things to think about, such as:
- Lawn decorations.
- Plates, cups, & napkins in theme colors.
- Garlands & streamers.
- Light strings.
- Balloons.
- Tablecloths.
- Signs.
- Sorority or fraternity recruitment flyers.
- Event advertisement fliers.
- Pictures of past events or volunteer projects.
Make sure you have something fun for every area and event.
Don’t forget the fun!
Rush is serious, and you’re trying to communicate what your fraternity or sorority is all about. Yet your recruits and pledges want to know they’ll have a great time with your organization.
What makes that happen? The people. So, while you’re getting stocked up on party supplies, don’t forget to smile lots, extend the hand of friendship to potential recruits, and make people feel welcome. It’s that feeling of being welcomed and fitting in that will ultimately get people to join your ranks. The fun surroundings and events just make it a little easier for your best selves to shine.
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