Social media trends come and go, and sorority recruitment is the newest viral sensation. Sorority norms, like many things, have had to adapt to the increasingly digital world.
When sororities were brought to USC in 1929, recruitment was exclusively in person. Now, things are different.
Recruitment chairs have begun marketing their sororities like a business, showing off the product of sisterhood. And this commercialization of sorority recruitment has taken away from one large aspect: genuine connection.
This side of the internet, known as RushTok, began to gain attention in 2021 at the University of Alabama and provided a never-before-seen look into sorority recruitment. The process for girls to be recruited into a sorority has been brought to light more than ever. Girls participating in rush at schools nationwide can now upload their experiences, get-ready-with-me videos, outfit-of-the-day videos and viral dance videos through TikTok.
These videos receive a lot of views — and fast.
These new social media influencers can also spark consumer interest through brand deals and sponsorships. For example, Morgan Cadenhead, known for her platform "Bama Morgan" on TikTok, turned social media into a career. And this isn't just on an individual basis in terms of sororities. Every single Panhellenic chapter at the University of South Carolina has an account on Instagram and several other social media platforms.
As RushTok gains more popularity, so does sorority recruitment. In 2024, USC had 2,318 girls sign up to rush. This is the largest number that USC Panhellenic has ever seen.
USC potential new members, or PNMs, can now scroll through a sorority's TikTok page and see what life might be like in the sisterhood. They can see all the best of what the members project.
When watching these videos, it is easy to think, "That chapter looks fun" or "These girls look like they are best friends." This leaves a lingering question: are PNMs influenced to join a sorority based on how viral they are, rather than where they feel they fit in the most?
Before recruitment even starts, sororities will have a work week. As I observed during my own work week in my chapter, sororities have a content hour built into their schedules where social media posts and TikToks are planned based on other internet trends. These videos may go viral, but it's impossible to grasp what a person is like through a camera or a 15-second viral video, especially since these videos are staged.
This creates a false sense of what rush should be.
After watching RushTok videos myself, I thought I knew exactly what the sororities would be like before recruitment even started. Round one, also known as Go Greek, allows the PNM to watch videos of each chapter and score them accordingly. Each chapter receives videos of the PNMs answering questions from a list of prompts sent out. Before I even had a chance to talk to any active members of these chapters, my selections were already biased based on what I saw on social media.
Round two, or Philanthropy, is the first in-person round of recruitment. Chapters have a charity cause that they fundraise money for throughout the year, which they showcase to PNMs during round two. When I walked into these chapters and got to sit down with active members, I realized that everything that I thought I knew was wrong. It is impossible to build a connection over the phone, especially when the only engagement is with the tap of your finger.
Wanting to join a sorority should come from your own personal interest, rather than content posted on social media.
Sororities will never be one-size-fits-all. A chapter that one girl loves may not be the best fit for another. That's okay. That is how recruitment is supposed to work.
The whole point of rushing is to learn about individual chapters, see which ones interest you and figure out how you click with them through conversations with active members. The specific personality of the women in these chapters gets lost in the staged atmosphere that social media creates for sororities.
Rush is a difficult time period to navigate. It is unbelievably stressful due to the long days required to rush. These PNMs may have just left home for the first time in their lives. The one thing that eases that anxiety is knowing that you'll find your place.
In-person parts of recruitment are an important aspect of fostering connections. It helps you find a place where you can be your authentic self, something that can get lost over the internet.
So, to the PNM who is thinking about what chapter suits them best, follow your heart and where you feel like you belong. Base your decision on the connections that you have built in those chapters.
After all, the number of likes and the amount of followers a chapter has on social media will never compare to real friendships between you and potential sorority sisters.