Happy 2020!
New year, new you – right?
That’s what The University of Mississippi seems to be going for. This morning, their University Panhellenic Association broke some exciting news: they announced a new sorority recruitment schedule for this fall.
Specifically – the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life has confirmed that the University of Mississippi is officially moving both its CPH recruitment (Sorority Recruitment) and IFC (Fraternity Recruitment) UP weeks forward on the calendar. Sorority Recruitment will run from August 29th to Sept 6th 2020. Fraternity recruitment will take place concurrently from August 30th to Sept 6th.
Why is their sorority recruitment schedule change a big deal?
Ole Miss, unlike many other SEC schools, has historically held sorority recruitment five weeks into the semester, towards the end of September. Tradition is big deal here.
A week-long, mid-semester sorority and fraternity recruitment posed some academic challenges to students, so the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life felt it was best for the campus as a whole to move it up. By hosting it earlier in the year, they hope it’ll remove some of the stress and academic pressures that coincide with the time management required.
What does this mean for PNMs? Is this good? Bad?
In some ways, having it earlier in the semester is definitely easier. Sorority recruitment is fun but it’s definitely an exhausting process. You’re walking from chapter to chapter in the Mississippi sun – usually in wedges, standing for hours, and making conversation with tons of girls you’ve just met. It’s exciting, but even the biggest extroverts will be a little tired after that. Coming home from recruitment afterward and landing face down in your comfy bed – versus the books, is definitely a win.
On the flip side, the previous recruitment calendar did allow for PNMs to end up meeting active sorority members prior to rush, which was especially helpful for girls who didn’t know anyone at Ole Miss, (like out of state PNMs, for example) who arrived on campus prepared, but still hoping for the chance to meet a few more girls in classes or on-campus beforehand.
The best parts?
1) An immediate sisterhood. You don’t have to wait five weeks!! You get to find and join your new sorority home that much sooner. You can immediately start bonding with your new member class, participating in sorority/fraternity mixers, and enjoying the benefits of membership!
2) No FOMO. Let’s be honest – it’s hard to not have some serious fomo when all of your friends from high school at BIG 12 or SEC schools have already gone through rush, and they’re posting all their cute bid day pictures in matching tank tops with their new letters and dang it, you’re ready for yours! You won’t be the first to complete recruitment, but you’re up next vs last, making the wait a little more bearable. Sorry spring PNMs – you’ve still got to wait…
While overall positive news, these changes make it even more important than ever to get ready ahead of time, especially since PNMs can no longer rely on meeting on the possibility of meeting sorority members in the month leading up to recruitment.
What can you do, right now, to get ready for recruitment this upcoming fall at Ole Miss?
—-> Know your deadlines! Letters of Recommendation should be turned in by May every year. <—-
Decide if you plan to work with a rush coach. A recruitment coach can help you navigate the entire process, and even be on-call to answer your questions during formal recruitment. If you plan to work with one, enlist their help sooner vs. later for the maximum benefit.