Bama Rush and My Experience
In the age of social media, trends can emerge and gain traction seemingly overnight. Over the past three years, the phenomenon of “Bama Rush Tok” has taken the digital realm by storm, captivating audiences far beyond the bounds of the University of Alabama. As students at Alabama and active members in the Greek life community, the surge in popularity of this social media trend has become an integral part of our daily lives. The question that naturally arises is, why has this particular facet of Greek life garnered such sudden and widespread attention? Today I will be talking about my experience with rush, and what I have learned from going through both sides of the process.
My Rush Experience
It’s really interesting to see how Alabama has become a hub for influencers and TikTokers. As a public relations major, I can notice how the dynamic has changed since coming here as a freshman in 2020. My sorority now receives PR packages for the chapter in the mail weekly, and I’ve gained followers on social media simply for being in a sorority at Alabama. When I committed to Alabama, there was no such thing as Bama Rush Tok. I am from the West Coast where sorority recruitment is definitely prevalent, but not anywhere near as intense as it is at Alabama. When a family friend whose daughters had attended school here found out I decided on attending Alabama, he immediately contacted me and told me that he wanted to arrange a Zoom call (Covid year you know the vibes) with his daughters and I to discuss rush. Although I was super eager and grateful for the opportunity to talk to these girls, I can’t say I was shocked that even a father knew that I needed a mentor to give me advice for rush. I had heard how cut-throat Alabama rush was, especially for girls not from the South.
On this Zoom call, the girls gave me a run down of every sorority and their stereotypes. They told me which ones I should absolutely not join, which ones were considered “top tier” and “bottom tier”. Although this could be categorized as being shallow, I found this advice helpful so I had an idea of on-campus reputations rather than going into things blindly. I wrote down their stereotypes on a piece of paper in a notebook that I still have, which is super funny to look back on, considering I have some outsider’s perspectives about my own sorority in there. The girls also told me everything I would need to do prior to rush. For those who have participated in sorority rush, you know this is an all-summer long process. Some people even plan for this for years leading up to rush. You have to complete a social resume, submit an introduction video, and get outfits for 7 days. The lengthiest part of the process for me was acquiring 2 letters of recommendation from an alumni from every house on campus. I had a spreadsheet of each letter of rec to keep track of which ones I still needed to get. In hindsight, this is definitely no longer the most important element and is something I probably could’ve saved my energy doing.
At the end of rush, I was really conflicted between two houses that I liked a lot. I also had reputations of houses in mind, which was very normal since our rush was entirely on Zoom and there was only so much we could go off of. I was nervous that the sorority I was in would depict my entire college experience. Honestly, in a way, it does. It’s a really big decision since these will be the people you are surrounding yourself with for the next 4 years. I decided to go with the house that I knew less about their reputation, but felt more confident in the connections I had formed with the actives. This ended up being the best decision I could have made. All of my friends who accepted bids to the other sorority ended up dropping within a year or two, and not making many friends in the house. I’ve had such a great experience within my sorority and this story has made me passionate about participating in the recruiting side of rush, in hopes that it can inspire other girls to go with their gut when choosing between houses.
“Trust The Process”
As a potential new member, you will hear people tell you to “trust the process” a million times. This is definitely good advice to some extent. A lot of people do have a seamless experience where they can tell where they are most wanted, and where they feel they belong. However, it is not uncommon for girls to get dropped from all the houses they wanted. This can be a result of a variety of things, like GPA, or the fact that rush is a numbers game. It is based on a computer’s algorithms and it is easy to slip through the cracks. What people won’t tell you is that this isn’t the end of the world. You don’t have to transfer, and that doesn’t mean you can never be in that sorority. Almost every sorority participates in continuous open bidding (COB) that you can do after dropping rush, or even skip the rush process entirely. You can inquire directly with the sorority you’re interested in and get a bid sometimes on the same day. This isnt promoted by the panhellenic community due to the fact it isn’t a traditional process, but I wish it was because of how many girls I’ve seen heartbroken and crying during rush.
Why is Bama Rush trending now?
Sororities and fraternities have a long and storied history, steeped in tradition. These institutions have been pillars of the college experience for centuries, providing a sense of belonging, fostering leadership, and contributing to the personal growth of their members. However, the emergence of platforms like TikTok has provided a new avenue for these traditions to be shared and celebrated on a global scale.
“Bama Rush Tok” has become a digital showcase, offering a glimpse into the unique and sometimes elaborate elements of the recruitment process. From bid day reveals to behind-the-scenes moments during rush events, the content shared on TikTok provides an intimate and relatable perspective for viewers, whether they are current students, alumni, or outsiders curious about the inner workings of Greek life.
Historically, Greek life has been subject to various stereotypes and misconceptions. “Bama Rush Tok” provides an opportunity to challenge these stereotypes by showcasing the diversity and inclusivity within the Greek community. The videos depict not only the traditional aspects of sororities and fraternities but also the philanthropic efforts, community service, and genuine friendships that define these organizations.
By offering a more authentic portrayal of Greek life, “Bama Rush Tok” has played a role in reshaping public perceptions. As we know, the most fun part of Bama Rush Tok is the “characters” that come out of it. Seeing these people out and about after seeing them on TikTok throughout rush is like seeing a reality show star.Viewers gain insight into the individuality of each sorority, while creating “characters” and guessing which girl will end up at which house. This can also create a toxic environment where girls are influenced by the perceptions of outside stereotypes. This is already prevalent going through rush by things like the website “GreekRank”, a website where people can anonymously give rankings and comments about fraternity and sorority houses.
My takeaways from being in a sorority
Since I went through recruitment in 2020, my experience was very different from the typical Bama Rush Tok experience. We didn’t actually get to go into the houses and it was all on Zoom, so this called for a much more awkward and impersonal rush experience. My entire freshman year, we didn’t have a single date party, swap, chapter, or any typical sorority event. I didn’t think being in a sorority consisted of much because we didn’t know a normal freshman experience. Although I’m super saddened Covid took everyone’s freshman experience from them, it has made me value the past 2.5 years in my sorority that much more. I can say with confidence that i’ve been at Alabama as an individual extremely disconnected from my sorority, and as an individual extremely involved in my sorority. Being involved has made all the difference and offers a sense of belonging and the home away from home I was hoping to get when rushing. It is so much more than “paying for friends”, it’s being a member of a large community on campus, participating in philanthropic events, making business connections, and learning valuable life lessons that couldn’t be taught anywhere else. I didn’t really have a big idea of what to expect when coming to Alabama and involving myself in Greek life, but I am super glad I did and would say it is without a doubt worth the often tedious process.
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– Libby Vodicka
