By Chloe Bailey
Elm Staff Writer
The week of Jan. 29 marked the start of fraterni- ty rush. Informal rush was held on Saturday. Jan. 28 and allowed students to mingle with brothers from each of the fraternities, along with other pledges-to- be. Fraternity representatives discussed official rules of formal rush and each chapter’s president had a chance to introduce his own fraternity.
Formal rush began on Jan. 29 with Theta Chi , fol- lowed by Kappa Alpha on Jan. 30, Kappa Sigma on Jan. 31, and Phi Delta on Feb. 1. Hopeful pottential pledges submitted bids to Nick Spicer, director of Stu- dent Engagement, on Feb. 2.
This famously hectic, exciting week took place earlier than usual this year.
While the prospect of being introduced to so many brothers in so little time may be daunting, it’s a pure rush of adrenaline for those like standing president of Kappa Sigma, Patrick Mariboe. He said, “Rush can be overwhelming sometimes…but the ex- citement and relief you get when the week is over and you’ve made your decision makes it all worthwhile.”
As for advice to the freshmen and sophomores looking to rush this semester? Mariboe said he rec- ommends being “open minded and to trust your gut.” He, like many underclassmen, “was one of those people who simply thought that Greek life wasn’t for [him.] However, after meeting a lot of the Kappa Sig- ma brothers, [he] instantly meshed with them,” and decided to pledge despite his initial doubts.
Will Carrier, President of Theta Chi, said that it is important to “Keep options open and meet brothers from every different frat, and make sure that the one you choose is the one that fits best.”
In hindsight, Mariboe considers his pledge to Kappa Sigma to be “the best decision he’s ever made,” and has fallen in love with the philanthropic side of Greek life. Brothers in Kappa Sigma host a biannu- al Pancake Breakfast to support the Military Heroes campaign and Prostate cancer research.
Jack Despeaux, a junior member of Phi Delta, advised new pledges to “See Greek life as more than what pop culture makes of it,” he said. “Yes, Greek life is a lot of fun, but it’s also an established standard of self-behavior that is often questioned with hard scru- tiny in the public eye. Rise above preconceived no- tions and help show that Greek life is an honor and a responsibility that you are now setting upon yourself.”