Why I’m glad Stanford has Spring Rush

The Chi Theta Chi house is not easy to find. It’s even harder to find when you ask for directions to Chai Theta Chai, and people wonder if what you’re actually looking for is a latte. Yes, it was raining. No, I didn’t want steamed milk and herbs. I just needed to pick up my iClicker from a girl who had posted in Free and For Sale.

In the midst of what one might call a torrential downpour, I asked a brave runner where I could find the elusive Chai Theta Chai. “It’s Chi Theta Chi,” she informed me, “and it’s right here.”

This is why Stanford’s spring rush, for someone like me—really for the known world, actually—is a godsend. I can think of no better time to be brutally socialized than after two quarters here on the farm. Here’s why:

You don’t have to arrive early

The only people who should have to pack all of their personal belongings into a few bags and leave the comfort of their own homes 10 to 14 days before the first day of classes are a) athletes and b) those crossing an international border. If you do not need to be in a team meeting or a line at customs, your dorm room should remain vacant until school actually starts.

With a fall rush, though, this is often not the case. Some schools, namely those in the south, require potential new members of Greek life to arrive on campus for recruitment before the academic calendar even begins. Kiss those last few popsicles goodbye.

You can get to know people first

While I’m sure an effort is made to fairly evaluate each potential new member during a fall recruiting process, really getting to know someone in several days seems not only insincere, but impossible. My sister spent five days roaming from house to house, found her true identity, and bought a sweatshirt with the letters of a foreign alphabet. I fear though, that she is in the minority.

What better way is there to get to know someone than a weekend of small talk? How about 20 weeks of legitimate conversation? Enter spring rush.

You have time to transition

It is often said that dating someone at Stanford is like taking a 5-unit class.  If this is the case, then joining a fraternity or sorority is like dating 50 people simultaneously. Though not as morally reprehensible, it is a pretty big time commitment. There are simply not enough hours in the day to pick classes, meet people, and find food all while enjoying your new membership in the Greek community. At least not during fall quarter.

By the time spring rolls around, you’ve had time to settle in. You don’t ask the boy behind the desk at the Arrillaga gym where the dining area is. Your key is in your pocket, not around your neck. Wearing shoes in the shower is natural. So you can focus on other things—like rushing.

After watching my twin endure fall recruitment, and having the unique luxury of spring recruitment myself, I can say with absolute certainty that the latter is the preferred method.

If for no other reason than having the privilege of having 159 days to learn to pronounce the letters of the Greek alphabet.