Rush 099: Five Biggest Rush Mistakes (Lesson #3)
August 15, 2008 | 93 Comments | Uncategorized
You’ve all seen it. He was the Big Man on Campus in high school. His carefully mutilated American Eagle jeans were always fashionably long, his puka shells were always strategically tight, and his frosted tips always left the sophomore cheerleaders in awe. And now, his high school days behind him, he (and his spray tan) are ready to show those sorostitutes his new haircut.
Simply put, he’s the average clueless rushee…the guy who didn’t have an older friend or family member to show him the ways of the fratty world, and the guy who comes to campus with absolutely zero training in the fratological arts. They’re bound to make huge mistakes during rush. Today, we’ll examine the five biggest mistakes that any rushee can make. This lesson is not only a warning to current/future rushees, but is also a simple guide for current fratdaddies who want to keep their eyes out for those major indications of douchebaggery during their rush efforts.
#5 – The Dress
Thankfully, we are seeing more and more rushees who come to campus with some idea about how the fratty gentleman dresses. It is no longer a rare exception to see a rushee who already knows that the conservative wardrobe of the fratdaddy is the only proper way for the college man to dress, and who has already stocked his personal closet accordingly. However, these untrained new boys still make countless errors that put an early blot on their record of fratting.
Part of this blame goes to Hollywood. At some point, filmmakers decided that all fraternity men dress like unadulterated douchebags, and that every Frat Castle is filled with the finest wares that Hollister has to offer. As veteran fratdaddies, you know that’s not the case. The rushees, however, may not. Keep in mind this important point: just because a rushee is dressed like a douchebag does NOT mean he cannot be cured. This is especially true if a certain rushee’s outfit contains elements of hard fratting mixed with one or two forbidded faux pas. The kid who’s dressed in conservative khaki shorts, Topsiders, a polo, and a choker necklace can easily be cured within his first days of pledgeship. Indeed, wearing pledge gear usually does a fine job of banishing elements of douchebaggery from our wardrobes for life. Even rushees with more egregious dress flaws may be moldable into quality pledges and brothers…but beware, full-on douchebag-like dress is often an outward indicator of deep-rooted GDI tendencies.
#4 – The Act
We always tell future rushees, it is important to be yourself at rush. The problem, of course, is when “yourself” would be more cut out for a Star Trek convention than a band party. There is really no way of getting around this…fraternity life isn’t for everyone. We have a firm commitment to teach future fratdaddies in the ways of fratting hard in order to bring out the fratty potential they have deep inside of them. However, some people lack a sufficiently large frat gland, and there’s nothing that any amount of training can do to fix that.
Don’t put on an act when you’re rushing. If you do, the brothers will see right through it. They’re experienced, they’re knowledgeable, and they will be able to tell that you are not being yourself. This may cause you to receive very little interest from some houses. It may cause you to get interest, though, from other houses. This is important, as your personality will go a long way in determining which house you fit into. The transformation from high school know-nothing to seasoned fratdaddy is process that cannot occur overnight. Practice fratty principles as best you can while rushing, but any attempt to make yourself into something you are not will be identified and shunned.
#3 – The Over-Indulgence
Little can be worse than being “that rushee that ended up throwing up all over my girlfriend.” This is a simple rule…don’t do things physically that will cause you to embarass yourself. We know what you’re trying to do. It doesn’t work that way. You will or will not be chosen to join a particular house based on your character, personality, and fratty potential, period. You cannot show these things while in such a state where you talk to a chair for long periods of time.
#2 – The Bad Advice
This is always tragic. A perfectly fine candidate with good potential is marred because he got some bad advice from some older friend in a bottom tier house at Vermont State A&M&T. Often, this advice involves doing exactly opposite what we’re suggesting above and below. In a way, this is an extension of the “be yourself” principle, but it is a particular problem that deserves some added attention.
Only take advice from people who are 1) on the campus where you’re going and 2) in a good house on that campus. If you don’t know which houses are good, do some research. If a person tells you their house is good because, “All those other dudes are so stuck up,” then rest assured his house is not good. If you can’t verify the information above, then you are better off just being yourself, while keeping an eye on your surroundings to make sure that you’re not doing anything that is making you stick out like a Plan X an anorexia convention.
#1 – Girl Problems
There is no worse error that a rushee can make than being that straight out of high school Billy Badass who makes it his missions to show all the brothers what a ladies’ man he is at his first rush party. This usually results in 1) looking like a douche 2) accidentally hitting on a sorostitute that’s off-limits. Asking a chick who’s dating the house president to come to your pants party isn’t the best way of endearing yourself to that house’s general brotherhood.
Also bad is being the guy who is trying to show off “his moves.” Chances are, my 18 year old friend, that your “moves” suck and will draw nothing but laughter from sorostitute and observing fratdaddy alike. Treat all women at rush functions with respect…in a phrase, be a gentleman. This will get you much farther than inviting a random Plan C to join you for a fish sandwich.
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