With the rush season upon DePauw, it’s important to look at the general schedule and what to expect from a physically and mentally taxing three days. Formal rush will occur from Jan. 25-27, including three days of meeting the houses and eventually finding your top pick. DePauw’s Interfraternity Council (IFC) includes ten chapters including Alpha Tau Omega, Beta Theta Pi, Delta Tau Delta, Delta Upsilon, Phi Delta Theta, Phi Gamma Delta, Phi Kappa Psi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Chi, and Sigma Nu. Each chapter has certain strengths and weaknesses regarding current house numbers, academic standing, and social life, but the beauty of rush is each prospective member can find the group of men that best encompasses their interests.

Day One

During day one, members are usually led by their Rho Gammas around all houses to get a quick speech and shake a few hands. This day is more for PNMs to get a taste of what each house has to offer, where the house is, and what it looks like. While PNMs are only in each house for around 15-20 minutes, it is important to meet a few guys in each house and have a quick conversation regarding what they like about the house. This is important because these prospective members have to narrow their ideal list of houses down to five.

Day Two

Day two encompasses a more in-depth look at each house, with some providing food and speeches. This is usually where PNMs sit down with the brothers of each house and have more quality conversations with them to understand what the house is all about. As much as the PNMs are selling themselves to each house, the houses are also trying to show the prospective members what they have to offer. Whether it be a close-knit brotherhood or fun social events, each house has to compete for the same pool of young men. Day two is often regarded as the most important as rush begins to become formal, and, at the end of the day, PNMs must narrow their list down to two final houses.

Day Three

Day three is the final day of rush and involves the most in-depth conversations and experiences at each house. PNMs will be able to spend over an hour at each house, having more serious conversations at the houses discussing the possible future each young man could have. This day encompasses a full meal at the house and formal dress. By the end of day three, some young men have their ideal house decided, but many do not. It will be a nerve-wracking, pressured decision to write down the final two by the end of that evening. However, PNMs have to realize this decision will affect them for the next three and a half years so they must be selfish. Make the right choice for yourself.

To sign up for rush visit IFC’s sign-up page at https://dpuifc.mycampusdirector2.com/landing/ or contact them at ifc@depauw.edu for more details.