College Survival: BAMA RUSH 2024

This week we are talking about what everyone is waiting for… BAMA RUSH 2024! Primary recruitment is right around the corner. Though it does not start until August you need to get prepared now. Let us tell you what to expect, what you need, and if you’re on the fence we will tell you about non-Greek life.  

What to Expect 

First thing is first you need to register for BAMA primary Recruitment. For the 2024 Rush you can register starting May 1^st, 2024, at 10am (CT). For people who do not know this costs $375 to register and $180 to move into the dorms early. This is a steep fee. Please be prepared to pay this when registering. This year Rush is from August 10^th to the 18^th . With campus move in August 7^th –9^th. Now that you know what costs are required and the dates we will cover rounds, clothes, and experience.  

The main rounds of recruitment are Convocation, Open House, Philanthropy, Sisterhood, Preference, and Bid Day. Convocation and Open House happen on the same day. These rounds are just intros to the process of primary recruitment. Convocation is where you meet your Rho Chi groups and get to know more about what the week entails.  

Open House is when you see all the sorority houses. You will normally get to see the houses via short introduction videos.  

Then you will move onto three days of Philanthropy rounds if you make the Open House cuts. Once you make the Open House cuts you will have a possibility of three days to get to make your first impression on the sorority houses. You will get two T-shirts for this round. I would suggest pairing the shirts with stylish summery shorts or skirts. Philanthropy is a very easy going round. You just share about yourself and talk about your connections to the sororities philanthropies that you may have. Be yourself! Once you have completed your houses for this round you will rank the houses. This will narrow down your final home.  

Next you will move onto Sisterhood round if you make the cuts for Philanthropy round. Sisterhood is another three days, in which you could be asked to attend each day. This round it is crucial to wear a dress or dressier clothes. Think summer brunch dresses or church dresses. This is the round where you want to talk more about what you do for fun and who you hang out with. Think anything related to sisterhood, hahaha. Once again after this round you will rank your houses in your preferred order. 

Then if you make the cut you will move onto the Preference round (two house max.). This is the longest round and only one day. The other two rounds go by fast, but this round gives you time to sit and talk one on one with the sisters. These are deep conversations usually. Be open and honest when having these conversations. You should wear fancy dresses and heels. Think modest cocktail dresses. At the end of this round, you will again rank your houses or house.  

After those intense days, you will either make it to Bid Day or get cut. Bid Day is a huge celebration day where families and locals come out to the row to watch the girls run to their new homes. You will wake up early and put on a cute work out set and sneakers. Then you will head to the stadium and wait to hear what house you have got. Once you open your bid you will run home with your new sisters. This is a very exciting event.  

Hopefully you got the gist of the recruiting process. Remember throughout the rush process, you need to focus on being 100% wholeheartedly YOURSELF. There is a house that will align with your core values. Engage and ask questions to find your home. Evaluate how you feel after each house, and do not forget to WRITE IT DOWN. Notes are crucial during the rush process.  

Now that you have an idea of the experience you will need to know what to pack in your rush bag. Here is a list of essentials to pack: 

• Mini fan 
• Flip flops 
• Makeup  
• Oil sheets 
• Chap stick 
• Hairbrush  
• Snack 
• Tide pen  
• Pain medicine  
• Band-Aids  
• Hair tie  
• Water bottle  
• Mints 
• Umbrella 
• Cough drops 
• Mirror  
• Deodorant  
• Perfume  
• Portable charger 
• Airpods  
• Sunglasses 
• Beach towel 

These are the items I could think of, hopefully I did not miss anything. Remember you will be outside most of the day in the Alabama summer heat. Drink lots of water and stay as cool as you can. You want to be in tip top shape for each house you visit.  

Non-Greek Life 

Now this section is for the women who are still trying to decide if they should Rush. We want to share what it is like as a non-Greek student at The University of Alabama. Here is Sierra to tell you about her experiences. In my experience going to a school where a large number of the students are members of Greek life has its challenges. That said, there is still hope in finding your place on campus. A great opportunity is Get on Board Day which happens at least once a semester. This is when all campus organizations set up on the quad, and you can learn more about joining different clubs. It’s typically in the afternoon and lasts for a couple of hours so that you can hopefully find time to go in between classes. If you don’t go to BAMA I know a lot of other schools do something similar. Also, if you are unable to make it to Get on board day there is a division of student life website where you can see a list of all the organizations along with their contact information. Most of these organizations have some other times throughout the semester where you can get involved. The opportunities for getting involved on campus are just a search away. Don’t be afraid to not join Greek Life. You can make friends and be involved, I promise.  

Whether you decide to Rush or not, we wish you the best of luck when coming to BAMA. You will love it here. Don’t forget though it is important to branch out and meet new people to make the most of your time here. You can do this by joining a sorority or by joining a campus club.