Sorority Zoom Recruitment: The Good, The Bad, and The Comfy

As spring approached at Elon, many students were waiting on the decision whether sorority recruitment and rush would go forward or if it would be pushed to the fall semester of 2021. After much deliberation, it was finalized to occur during the last weekends of February and the beginning of March on Zoom. Zoom sorority recruitment has never been done before at Elon and was a new experience for both potential new members and current sorority sisters. 

Students at Elon had very mixed opinions on whether sorority recruitment this year was fun, worthwhile, and enjoyable, or if it was “not the same,” tiring, and disengaging. The Edge spoke to many first years about their experiences with the rush process on Zoom and heard their thoughts and opinions. All sources will be kept confidential to protect the integrity of the students and organizations, and because as this is being written, recruitment is still in progress. 

To begin with the pros, the first thing we heard from many students was “I get to wear sweatpants. It’s amazing.” 

Many students were beyond excited that Zoom only records students from the waist up and therefore, they can relax in sweatpants and sit at their chairs all day. Many students noted the fact that they get to be in the comfort of their room, without the loud presence of people surrounding them. Many believed that Zoom recruitment was not only quieter, but more personal and comfortable, as they got to have sit-down conversations without distractions and noise. 

We’re always here for a good waste-up fashion statement, but doing everything over Zoom has its downsides too according to many students participating in sorority recruitment. Image by Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay.

Now the cons. Other students claimed almost the opposite of all the pros. Yes, they were ecstatic about wearing sweatpants, yet believed the rush process was not accurate in comparison to past recruitment processes. 

“Being on Zoom isn’t the same,” says a first year potential new member. “You don’t get the same connections with the girls and it’s almost more awkward. You don’t get the feeling of walking into the room and seeing the sororities, the songs, the craziness, and of course, we don’t get a bid day.” 

Some students agreed with this idea, and that the rush process on Zoom could never amount to the regular process. 

Although rush is different on Zoom, a handful of students were just grateful that the process was permitted to occur during a pandemic. Many students were worried that rush would be pushed back, and they had been looking forward to it all year. 

“I’m just happy that we actually can rush,” says another first year woman. “I’ve been looking forward to joining a sorority for so long, and even though it is not the same as previous years, it’s still happening. Most other schools have had to be on Zoom for recruitment and right now we simply cannot have a regular process, it’s for the safety of us and our peers.”

While Zoom sorority recruitment wasn’t ideal, it was likely the best that could be done at this crazy time. Love it or hate it, this year’s recruitment numbers skyrocketed in comparison to other years, and this year's attendance of recruitment signups was the highest in contrast. 

“Being on Zoom made it easier for people to want to sign up,” explains one student. “It was an easy option when you don’t have to leave your room and go through a large process. That’s why I think so many girls signed up for rush.” 

So all in all, sweatpants and not leaving their room was a pro for many students. The comfort made them feel less nervous about the process and many potential new members enjoyed talking over Zoom. Still, others had a different reaction and would have preferred a more personal in-person rush. 

“I’m happy I did it,” says a first year woman at Elon who rushed. “Whether it was online or in person, I’m excited to see how the process ends and where I end up.”