With Rush approaching, you might be having a hard time trying to figure out what theme you want for your Rush apparel. The theme can also be used on any and all marketing your chapter wishes to do for recruitment. Similar design elements can be used on your flyers and social media posts to brand your chapter's rush.

So we've compiled a list of 21 unique Rush theme ideas for you to make the process of finding one easier.

 

1.USA Theme

 

Can’t go wrong with the red, white and blue!

2.NEON Colors

 

Stand out from those pastel rush shirts by doing something bold!

3.Space/Galaxy

 

Show ‘em your house is out of this world. Tell them all you do is reach for the stars!

4.Wild Wild West

 

Cowboys and horses? YEEEhaw!

5.Floral

 

Pick your house flower or the state flower your chapter is in, and base a design around it.

6.TV Shows

 

What show did the chapter love watching last year? What show does the whole house love? Got it? Now base a design using elements from that show.

7.Brand/logo Parody

 

Pick any evergreen classic brand and imitate the logo/colors to make a unique one that matches your house’s vibe!

8.Gradient

 

Why pick just one color when you can get a gradient?

9.Animals and creatures

 

Pick a real animal or a mythical creature that really speaks to you all. Maybe it’s the house’s spirit animal. Now use that on a rush shirt!

10.Typography!

 

Do something cool with fonts. Make it loud! And you’ve got a centerpiece for you.

11.Tye Dye

 

Bring back the 70s vibe. Keep it groovy

12.Music festival parody

 

Is there a festival everyone in the house likes going to? Pick one and use elements or themes from the festival to create a design. Bonus: you can wear it to the next music festival you go to.

13.Movie theme

 

Pick a classic film or a modern one. Take a character, saying or iconic scene and parody it to match your vibe.

14.Album Artwork

 

Parody the artwork of an iconic album!

15.Monuments or iconic buildings

 

A state monument or a campus building you all love. Make it the centerpiece of your rush shirt

16.Meme theme

 

Me: Let’s do something simple for rush shirts

Also me: Meme shirts. Hell yeah!

17.Auto racing theme

 

Have a house full of people that love cars and car racing? Then why not have a shirt that speaks to that!

18.Fruit theme

 

Is that bananas? Well, maybe that’s what y’all need to do!

19.Retro/Vintage

 

Pick an era from the past and copy the vibe. Bring it back to the 21st century!

20.Arctic theme

 

Stay icy! Keep it cool and stay chill.

21.Video games

 

Got a game y’all play much too often at the house? Then why not use it as the

 

 

What theme do you think is great for recruitment apparel? What is something that has worked for your house in the past? Comment below and let us know!

Change it up this rush by not constantly asking what major they are, which dorm they are living in, or which city they are from. Here is a list of seven questions you can ask to find the best rushee(s) for your chapter.

#1 If you could only listen to one genre of music for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?

Get to know what kind of music they are passionate about and which brothers they would hit the concerts/raves with. You can even go as far as to ask them which artists they can listen to on repeat every day. This might also get you able to get some good new music recommendations to expand your playlist choices. Besides, who doesn't love music?

#2 What kind of games do you like?

Learning someone’s favorite video game or board game can tell you a lot about a person. Do they like strategy-based games or games that need teamwork? If they say Monopoly, you know they have patience. If they don’t have a favorite game, feel free to show them the door.

#3 What would make you say “I’m sold on this fraternity”?

Find out what they are looking for in a fraternity. What is the most important thing to them about finding the right chapter? Are they interested in the brotherhood for friendship and support? Or are they looking for the alumni connections, the social events, and/or personal growth? If they say something that you believe your brotherhood can cater towards, let them know why and how.

#4 What’s your biggest achievement in life so far?

Getting to know what they value in life is extremely important in finding out what kind of person they are. Is their achievement in academics? In sports? About their family? Find out what it is, and you will have a better understanding of who they are as a person. Plus, talking about achievements will definitely help get them feeling good about themselves.

 

#5 If you were made manager of your favorite sports team for a week, what would you change about the team?

Find out how passionate they are about sports. Are they passionate to the extent that they have a strong opinion on how things should be ran in their favorite team’s locker room? Plus, it's not as generic as the overused questions: "What's your favorite sports team?" or "Do you watch sports?"

#6 What is your biggest strength and weakness?

This might sound like a job interview question, but being self-aware about oneself is super important for personal development. If they know their strengths, they know how to use it to their advantage. If they know their weaknesses, they know how they can improve themselves. You want to familiarize yourself with their strong qualities and see how they can help the chapter while also letting them know how the chapter can help them iron out their weaknesses

#7 What’s something you’ve always wanted to learn more about?

 

Everyone is curious about something or other. As humans, we are wired to seek out more information than we already have. Use this question to learn what they are passionate about apart from their major. Getting them talking about something they are excited about will also make them feel more comfortable. You might be surprised by what unique topics people are interested in.

#8 What’s the first thing you think of when you hear “fraternity”?

Learn what they associate the word “fraternity” with. Is it something that you think your house matches? Use this as an opportunity to tell them about the mission of the chapter and what your fraternity stands for. You want to make sure their understanding of brotherhood is in line with yours.

 

#9 What’s the one food you can’t live without?

Food is important to everyone. A lot of family gatherings involve food, so it usually induces positive and happy feelings. Get them talking about the food they like, and you will definitely put them in a good mood. Bonus: you will know if they will be your next food adventure buddy.

 

#10 How do you handle failure?

Life comes with its ups and downs. College can definitely be a challenging time for many, and how they deal with failure is important for you to understand how resilient they are in general. Additionally, if they are proud of an adversity they overcame, they will definitely be happy to talk about it. You can also use this as a chance to tell them about a time the brotherhood helped you get through a tough time.

#11 How did you feel when you first walked into this fraternity and why?

Find out what emotions they are experiencing. Are they nervous? Excited? Ambivalent? This will help you understand if they are vibing with the fraternity so far. You can use this as a chance to tell them how you feel everytime you com back to the fraternity house. Explain to them how and why the fraternity puts you in a good mood.

 

Hopefully these questions will give you more ideas of what to ask the PNMs coming out to recruitment. Remember that they might be visiting multiple chapters so don't be generic and try to keep conversations unique and engaging to spike their interest.

Comment below to tell us what you think are some good questions to ask PNMs during recruitment. And good luck with Rush!

With rush season around the corner, it is import to
know how you and your chapter can get the best
new members to join the brotherhood.
Here are some tips that might help you on Rush Day!

1. GET HYPED

 

No one wants to join a chapter with low energy. Make
sure you and your fellow members are all excited about
the recruitment season, keep the energy levels high, and
get hyped about getting the best new recruits to join
the chapter!

 

2. HAVE A PRE-RUSH MEETING!

 

Being on the same page about how everyone wants rush
to be is super important. Have a meeting before
each recruitment day to assign roles, go over schedules,
and set goals as a chapter.  How many pledges are you
aiming to get? Which brothers will be giving house tours?
What qualities are you looking for in the new members?
Recruitment season is important for your fraternity.
Don't just wing it!

3. KEEP IT REAL

 

It is completely unnecessary for you and the house to
pretend to be something you’re not. Keep it real and
you’ll ensure you get new members that vibe hard with
your tribe!

 

4. ADVERTISE EFFECTIVELY

 

Getting your rush events and schedule publicized is
extremely important. Create unique flyers and graphics
that you can use to advertise face-to-face as well
as online. Text/message potential new to invite
them to Rush days.

4. HAVE ACTIVITIES DURING RUSH

 

Make sure there are a few activities going around the

house that the brothers and PNMs can participate in.
If everyone is just standing around, the house might seem
dull. Some good activities that are fun and allow
brothers to have conversations with PNMs are:
cornhole, ping pong and pool. Get creative!

 

6. INTRODUCE YOUR FAVORITES TO OTHERS

 

If you like a PNM during rush, and you think they would

be a great fit for the house, don’t just hold on to them—
introduce them to other brothers in the house. This will
allow more brothers to vouch for the PNM.

7. FIND SIMILARITIES

 

Use your conversation to find things in common with you
and the PNM. Or maybe they have something in common with
another brother in the chapter. If you discover this, you can go and
introduce the PNM to the brother they have shared
interests with to break the ice.

8. MAKE PNMs FEEL COMFORTABLE

 

Rush can be a daunting experience for some introverted
individuals. Walking into a house full of people they
don’t know might already be a challenge for them. So do
your best to make everyone who comes out to rush feel
comfortable.Make sure you greet them with a smile,
answer their questions,and be engaged in your
conversations with them.

9. DON'T OVERCROWD THE PNM

Don’t have more than 2-3 brothers talking to a PNM at
any given time. Having less brothers talking to each
PNM will allow the PNM to converse more and not
feel like they are not being heard and/or feel like the odd
one out in the group. This will also ensure that you have
brothers who are available to talk to PNMs that might
come in later.

10. SELL THE BROTHERHOOD

Show the PNMs why joining the fraternity is going to
benefit them. Tell them about past and upcoming events,
highlight the chapter’s achievements, and talk to them
about how the chapter can help with their personal
growth. Make sure you expand on the things that
are important to them.

11. UPDATE YOUR FRATERNITY'S WEBSITE
AND SOCIAL MEDIA

 

Make sure you have the rush events publicized on your
website and social media. PNMs will definitely look you
up before coming to rush. So make sure your online
presence aligns with the house’s vibe.

 

12. CLEAN THE HOUSE

 

First impressions matter. Make sure the house is in

a presentable condition for recruitment. PNMs would
want to be part of a house that feels like home. A dirty
house is a big red flag and doesn’t leave a positive
impression.

13. DON'T BREAK THE RULES

 

If your university and IFC have a set of guidelines for Rush,

make sure you follow them all. There’s nothing worse than
loosing all your PNMs by getting punished and/or
probation by IFC for breaking a rule.

 

14. MAKE BIDDING FEEL SPECIAL

 

Handing out a bid shouldn’t be taken lightly. Once the

brothers have decided to bid someone, make the process
of giving the PNM feel special. Outline to them why
the house wants them to join and why they would be a
great fit. If the accept, make sure they know how hyped
everyone is about their decision.


Finally, don’t forget to have fun during recruitment! PNMs want to join a chapter that has good vibes. So make sure you put your best foot forward and show them why joining your fraternity is the best decision they will ever make!

What are some questions you ask potential new members during Rush?
Comment below and tell us the questions that will help chapters find the best rushee(s) during recruitment season!