Potential sorority members logged onto Zoom this week in hopes of meeting their future sisters in the University's first virtual rush process.
To first-year Margaret Seets, a new member of UNC’s chapter of Phi Mu, the virtual rush process was fairly straightforward.
“We watched videos surrounding each sorority, and then based on that, we narrowed down the ones that we are interested in,” Seets said. “When we got to looking at specific sororities, we had individual Zoom meetings with girls in the sororities."
Seets would have preferred to rush in person, like she would during a traditional school year. Greek life has been a hot topic on campus, after COVID-19 clusters emerged in fraternity and sorority houses.
As an out-of-state student, Seets wishes that she could have accompanied the other new members in scheduling an appointment to visit the sorority house and take photos while social distancing. But Seets found the Zoom process to be less stressful than traditional rushing.
“A lot of people think it's based on looks, and I feel like it's almost more awkward,” Seets said. "Being on Zoom, everyone was just as confused as I was, and no one knew what was happening.”
These feelings of there being less judgment on Zoom also rings true for many non-Panhellenic sororities and their potential members.
Sophomore Allison Thorson and sisterhood co-chairperson of alpha Kappa Delta Phi, felt that the process was much simpler to conduct virtually. Alpha Kappa Delta Phi is an Asian-interest sorority, but it is not exclusive to members of that community.
Some aspects of in-person rushing, Thorson added, were maintained in the process even though they were all virtual.
