<p>I am going to Mizzou this fall, which is a large public school with a pretty Greek campus. The impression I have gotten is–if you want to make a lot of friends and go to parties, you should pledge.</p>
<p>I am not the sorority type by any means. I’m not skinny or blonde or preppy. I’m not fat, but I am half Hispanic, so I definitely look different than most of the sorority girls at Mizzou. Besides that, from my limited exposure, I just don’t think my personality fits the sororities at Mizzou.</p>
<p>I am planning on getting involved as soon as I get to college with the campus newspaper, as well as joining the Magazine Club and the Society of Professional Journalists. These clubs have meetings and parties and go on trips together, so its a good way to meet like minded people. I’m also living in a Freshman Interest Group, or a FIG, which is a group of about 30 kids who live in the same wing and take three of the same classes together. So I know I will meet people and be involved.</p>
<p>Still, there is this lingering thought of, am I screwing myself over by not at least rushing and seeing what’s out there? </p>
<p>Does anyone have experience with this, either rushing or not rushing, at a larger public school?</p>
<p>i think that you should most definately go out to rush and see what happens. just because you go out doesnt mean you have to join. as a member of a fraternity at a large public school i think that it was a great decision because it gives you a sence of community and makes the population of the school more manageable. if nothing else just go out to rush, you have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain.</p>
<p>I don’t think there’s any reason not to rush - there’s no obligation and who knows what can happen. All my friends who didn’t rush regretted not going through rush - even if they dont regret staying independent.</p>
<p>I know at my school you have until the start of your senior year to rush, and you can rush in the fall or the spring. This may be different at your school, but I wouldn’t be in any hurry to rush esp. if you already know of groups you’re going to be active in. </p>
<p>I’m not currently in a sorority, but I am planing on rushing a service sorority in the Fall (would have rushed this semester but I had class when all the meetings were!).</p>
<p>herecomesthesun, it sounds like you will still meet a lot of people, make many new friends, and go out to parties and other social events with the stuff you will be involved with. So I don’t see what you will be regretting. As the others said, you can always rush but you never have to join.</p>
<p>Thanks you guys. I guess my hesitation about rushing is, what if I don’t get any bids? Not that I’m this total loser or anything like that–I’m friendly and social–but the sorority girls at Mizzou are kind of intimidating. I don’t want to go through the process of rush and just end up feeling deflated about college life in general, you know? I guess I just don’t want it to backfire, but I suppose I’m being a Negative Nancy and I need to give it a chance, because it could work out great, and at least I’ll know, right?</p>
<p>RUSH. you won’t regret it. I met my best friend though recruitment, and we would have remained friends had we both gone greek or not. </p>
<p>Don’t worry about bids now. Although I’m proud to be greek, I know that I’m a cool chick with or without letters, and I’m sure you are too. Don’t let it define you; just try your best and enjoy the overwhelming (but interesting) process.</p>
<p>And don’t fret if you don’t get the first choice - lots of girls find the most life-changing experiences and amazing girl friends at their second, third, or even LAST choice house. Believe me.</p>
<p><3,</p>
<p>Izzie Bear</p>
<p>^ again, no reason why you can’t rush and then stay independent, i know several people that did that</p>
<p>Going to echo what others have said. Go through recruitment. You’ll at least meet other girls through that process.</p>
<p>Also, about bids, be sure to check out Mizzou’s greek life website <a href=“http://www.mugreeklife.com%5B/url%5D”>www.mugreeklife.com</a> and find out about recruitment there.</p>
<p>It is possible that Mizzou might allow you to “play fair” which would guarantee you a bid from at least one house if you go through the entire week of recruitment, taking your maximum number of visits every day. You may end up with your third choice of a chapter giving you a bid, at which point you would have to make a decision, but at least it is a bid.</p>
<p>Finally, as a recent alumnus, I will promise you that you will regret far more NOT doing something in college in comparsion to things you do do. You might as well try it, then you’ll know.</p>
<p>So I am checking back in after probably a year since last posting on here… I’m a junior now! For those of you who are lurking around thinking about Mizzou or rushing or rushing at Mizzou… this is what I have to say about it - I know that I would be a very different person if I were in a sorority. Not to say that they are all clones - there is actually WAY more diversity in the Greek system here at MU that my high school senior self thought! Lots of different racial backgrounds/body types/personalities/styles. Still, I know I would have very different friends and a different lifestyle, and those things do affect you as a person. You grow and change so much in college and so much of that has to do with what you’re involved in and who you surround yourself with. So I can’t say I wish I had rushed, because I don’t think I would be who I am today, and I am happy with how things worked out 
Since I am independent, I enjoy that identity and would feel weird if I were Greek. Just wouldn’t feel right for me where I am in my life right now.</p>
<p>BUT - looking back, I do realize that rushing would have been a great way to meet people, as everyone said. My best friend rushed and she was able to make friends right away, and she dropped her house shortly after recruitment. Recruitment is intense, for sure, but its not that big of a deal to not pledge or even to drop, so I think if you are considering it, just do it just to see if its something that might be for you. Like I said before, the blond bimbo stereotype is definitely not true at all at Mizzou, so don’t let that scare you off - you will be able to find like-minded girls easily.</p>
<p>Cool to see your perspective looking back and I’m glad it was the right choice for you. :)</p>