Rushing a Professional Business Fraternity 301 (As Told by Childish Gambino)

In another unlikely combination, we have a few words from Childish Gambino or Donald Glover and some guidance/tips on rushing a professional business fraternity. 

If you haven’t yet, check out what Drake has to say on the topic here and here, they’re oldies but goodies and we don't want to hurt Drake’s feelings by skipping over him. Cover the basics, then come back. 

I know I’m not perfect, but I am original.
We don’t have a rubric you must follow or a shape or mold you must fit in, there is no perfect or ideal rushee. The most common question I get is something along the lines of “what do you look for in a rushee?” ...YOU! In the time we interact, I am looking to get to know you and understand you in order to determine if I want to call you my brother. 
Tip: You should have an answer to the (dreaded) question, “tell me about yourself” that expands to cover more than your name, major, and where you are from. ​

Being happy is the goal, but greatness is my vision.
While your hobbies and interests, job, travels, etc. can be great talking points, don’t just look to the present and past to describe yourself. Look to the future. What are your goals, your visions, both personal and professional, it’s really up to you. And yes, the obvious goal is to get a bid, but why? Think beyond that and the larger goals you could achieve, with and without Alpha Kappa Psi.
Tip: Having a lot of goals is great, but quality trumps quantity here. You can achieve quality, not in the goal itself, but the reasoning and why behind it. 

I know I ain’t the coolest, but I got passion.
Some people have approached me with the concern that they don’t have cool or commendable experiences that would make them stand out. When you take a look at our Brother Spotlights and you see us interning in Germany or working as a choreographer for the Olympics, you can’t deny that those experiences have their cool factor, but that factor can only help you so much. It’s how you talk about your experiences, cool or not, that matters. What stands out, at least to me, is when a rushee talks about their experiences with passion.
Tip: There is nothing better than connecting with someone over similar passions. It’s okay to do your research on our brothers and seek us out during Rush, it not only adds something new to the conversation, but can make you memorable. 

I don’t talk soft, that’s that other guy.
Another reason to keep your list short is that for the first and second night, you have the chance to meet as many Brothers as possible. Great. What’s not so great is the 140ish other rushees trying to meet as many of the 70ish brothers as possible… in one room. Time is short. It also gets loud. Rush is not the time or place for the soft-spoken. So whether you’re in a big group or a small group, speak up and annunciate.
Tip: Loud talking (not yelling, please don’t yell at me), can indicate confidence, something that can help you stand out. 

Don’t be mad because I’m doing me better than you doing you. 
I’m not going to lie, it’s competitive. Not just in selection, but during rush. With a larger and larger turnout each semester, one-on-one time with a brother is becoming a rare commodity. It could be you and two other rushees with one brother at a time. I’ve even seen groups of five rushees with one brother at a time. It’s competitive, so do the best you can do.
Tip: Don’t be mad. When we’re all trying to get our two cents in, it’s easy to look impatient and frustrated, or just plain disinterested and bored if it hasn’t yet been your turn. Even if we are juggling 10 rushees, we notice. 

It’s important to make people see you the way you see you.
Once you do some soul searching on yourself, on your goals, visions, hobbies, etc. and figure out your highlights, the next step is actually communicating them to us. This is where I see the disconnect. Whether it’s due to nerves, time shortages, whatever, it’s important to make us see you the way you do.
Tip: Practice what you’re going to say (whether in front of a mirror or not). This tip is nothing new because it works. Once you take your inner thoughts and reflections out of your head, they’ll sound a lot different.

Good luck!

By Leah Grubb