Category / #bamarushtok

by Kelly Mattei

Great Glossing Detangler for Hair

Great glossing detangler for hair.

It’s not often I share information about hair care products. I’m a low-maintenance hair person, so I don’t use a lot of product. In fact, a friend from New York was shocked when she arrived at my house and asked to use my hairspray. I answered, “I don’t have any. I don’t use hairspray.” The look of shock on her face! “A southern lady who doesn’t use hairspray???” That’s right. I now keep it, just in case someone needs it at my house, but I don’t use it. I have always felt like it causes breakage when I brush my hair.

But recently, a friend told me about a product I now love: Lolavie Glossing Detangler. It’s lightweight and doesn’t make my hair feel oily or mucky. It simply makes it easier to comb through after a shower, and it leaves a healthy sheen, making my hair look healthier and shinier than before. Since I started using it, I have received lots of compliments. I love it, and that’s why I’m sharing it…so you can try it too. I’m glad I have it as fall approaches, because the drier air changes the texture of my hair, and I feel sure this will help. I highly recommend it. You know I wouldn’t recommend it if I didn’t love it! You can get it from Amazon here.

Happy shopping!

***I receive commission on products purchased from Amazon through my links.***

by Kelly Mattei

Sorority Rush Resumés

Sorority Rush Resumés.

Every year, between March and July, I see lots of resumés for girls who are planning to participate in recruitment at various schools throughout the south. And every year, I have to tell almost every young lady to add some information, so I’m going to tell you now what type of information needs to be included on the resumé for recruitment. *Also, keep in mind that old-school “rush packets” are not necessary these days. Most alumnae simply want a digital resumé (not all that paperwork!), because they will be submitting them online anyway.

In asking an alumna to write a recommendation, it’s OK for Mom to make initial contact, but the girl needs to do the “official” ask herself. The girl needs to communicate with the alumna directly via phone/text/email. Also, unless the alumna says “no thank you necessary,” it’s a great idea to follow up with a thank you note. Now, onto the resumé information:

First, keep the resumé to one page if at all possible. In fact, I always say, “Just find a way to make it happen. No one wants to flip pages. They should be able to glance at your resumé and see how awesome you are almost immediately.” There are great samples and templates all over the internet. You can purchase templates on Etsy.com or use the Canva templates. It’s not difficult. See some examples at Etsy here. ***If you have already submitted your multi-page resumé, do not panic. It’s not a big deal; it’s just more ideal if it’s one page.***

So what needs to be included? All of these things:

  • Full name along with the name you prefer to be called. For example, you could put “Mary Ann Jones (Mary)”
  • Full street address, including zip code (you’d be surprised at how many don’t include the zip code). If you want, you can add your dorm information for freshman year, but it’s not necessary.
  • Contact info: email address, cell phone number, and any social media accounts
  • Photo: include a headshot photo of yourself near the top of the resumé.
  • Education: This should include the name and city of the high school (or high schools) you attended. Also, include your year of graduation. THEN put the name of the college you will be attending and what your major is, if you know it.
  • GPA and test scores. It needs to be included. If you don’t put your test scores, they assume they are way lower than they probably are.
  • Family information: Parents’ names, colleges attended, and their Greek affiliations, if applicable.
  • Honors/Awards: This is where you list any and all honors you received in high school, beginning with the most significant! They can be school awards, awards from an athletic club sport, musical awards, theatrical awards…any awards. Remember to include Honor Roll (9,10,11,12), any honor societies, any all-conference or all-state athletic awards, and even any superlatives. If your classmates named you as “Most Likely to Succeed,” put it on the resumé! Add any award that makes you stand out! If you received an award from a volunteer organization for “Outstanding Volunteer,” put it on there.
  • Scholarships: List any scholarships you received for college. If you didn’t receive any, no big deal. Just don’t include the category on your resumé.
  • Leadership: List any leadership positions you have held during high school years. Captain of the volleyball team? Add it. Sunday School leader at church? Add it. Camp counselor? Add it. Secretary of student government? Add it. Swim lesson teacher or coach? Add it.
  • Activities: This is where you list your extracurricular activities…pretty self-explanatory. List any sports, clubs, or anything you are a member of.
  • Service: This is where you include information about your volunteer work during high school years. They like to see that you care about your community. Volunteered to coach little kids in soccer? Add it. Volunteered for Meals on Wheels? Add it. Get it?
  • Work Experience: Had a job? List it. Worked at a Christmas tree lot? Add it. Babysitting? List it. Sold items online for extra cash? If you were doing it as a job, you can count it. Add it.

If you haven’t built and distributed your resumé to alumnae who can write recommendations for you, do it today! It’s officially July! Get it done today! And remember: KEEP IT TO ONE PAGE!

by Kelly Mattei

You Are Not Going to College with Your Child

You are not going to college with your child.

Why am I saying that? Well, because it seems lots of parents think they need to be involved with their child’s college experience. I’m here to tell you: you do not need to know anything, Mom. Even if you went to your child’s orientation session (or plan to attend), you don’t need to remember the information. College is your child’s job. It’s not your job. If you keep assisting your child with everything he/she needs to do/know, your child will never learn to do it on his/her own. Stick with me, and at the end of this piece, I will tell you what you can do to make your child’s transition to college more successful.

I think parents became more “helicopterish” with their college students when colleges and universities started offering orientation sessions for parents. No, just no. It makes me sick. I have said before that I went with my daughter two years ago, but I only went because it seemed everyone else was going, and I didn’t want her to feel like an orphan! I skipped out at lunch on the first day and never looked back. I simply couldn’t take it. It made me crazy that parents were asking questions kids should have been asking for themselves. If I had a second child, he/she would be going it alone, and I would feel great about it. You know why? Well, I truly believe those parent sessions are simply babysitting sessions to keep parents busy after they have traveled there. It wasn’t terrible, but I did not need to know the information they were putting out there. Where to park? I don’t care. Where to eat? I don’t care. I have already graduated from college…way back in the 1980s…and I figured it all out myself.

In 1985, my parents didn’t go to orientation with me! No way! I drove myself two hours to the university, found the dorm without a navigation system in my car, learned what I needed to know, made my schedule, and drove myself home…alone. In fact, I don’t recall seeing one parent at orientation at The University of Alabama in 1985!

And while I’m at it, allow me to also remind you that you don’t need to make your child’s academic schedule. Again, he/she needs to learn how to do it on his/her own. I see parents on the parent pages regularly talking about helping their kids make their schedules. What??? I don’t even know what classes my daughter is taking! And my parents never knew what classes I was taking!

Take a deep breath, Mom. Your child can navigate college without you. If you don’t believe that, maybe your child shouldn’t be going too far from home. Mine goes to a school 450 miles away, and it’s the greatest thing I ever did for her…letting her do college on her own. She takes care of herself and handles everything on her own, and we don’t waste our time talking about school. We talk about life and fun things, instead!

So, how can you help your child with the transition to college? I’m not a counselor or psychologist, but I am a mom, so I know a little bit. Here’s what you can do:

  • Help them prepare to outfit their dorm room. Gather what they need, and purchase what you don’t have. (Amazon Prime Days are coming up in mid-July, and there will be lots of dorm stuff on sale…a great time to get good prices! Come back to my site to get information on some special deals!)
  • Answer the phone when they call you…anytime, day or night. That first semester can be difficult, so they might need a sounding board. Be there for them. Be supportive. Be positive and encouraging.
  • Make sure they know what to do in emergency situations.
  • Provide whatever they need.
  • Most of all:

Let your little birdie fly! It might not be easy, but it’s important! They can do this! And you can too!

by Kelly Mattei

Links to Sorority Rush Posts

Several people have asked for links to some of my posts about sorority rush. Here are some from the past, and I’m sure I will have some new ones over the next few months. ***I am not a rush consultant.*** Please feel free to send me any questions you might have. I am always open to suggestions and ideas for new posts!

Links to sorority recruitment (rush) posts:

  • Sorority Rush Preparation in the South, click here.
  • Sorority Rush Bags, click here.
  • Moms and Sorority Rush, click here.
  • Sorority Rush: Last Minute Items, click here.
  • Sorority Rush Conversations, click here.
  • OK, Moms, It’s Sorority Rush Time, click here.
  • When Sorority Rush is Over, click here.
by Kelly Mattei

Don’t Sweat Fall Sorority Rush Yet

Don’t sweat fall sorority rush yet.

I have received three phone calls from worried friends this week. Their daughters are planning to participate in sorority rush in the fall at big southern schools, and they are worried they should be working on “rush stuff” right now. No. The answer is no. Let your daughter enjoy her senior year!

Mom, you can start thinking about the preparation, but there’s no need to be consumed by it. What can you do now? Look up which sororities have chapters at your daughter’s school. Start thinking of your friends who know your daughter; which ones were in sororities in college and would be willing and able to write recommendations for your daughter? Make a list in the notes on your phone. Or you can do like one of my friends and make a spreadsheet. I’m not Type A, so a spreadsheet was not my thing. I just made a list. Anytime you’re out and about and hear that someone is a member or alumna of a sorority, make a note of it in your phone.

If you’re thinking about hiring a rush consultant, that’s entirely up to you. We didn’t hire one for my daughter when she rushed, and she landed exactly where she wanted to be. I have lots of friends who have daughters who have rushed, and personally, I don’t know anyone who hired a consultant. And all my friends have daughters who are very happy with their rush choices. The hiring of a consultant is a personal choice.

Seriously, right now, just start compiling your recommendation list and having your daughter start working on her resumé. The girls cannot even make a complete resumé right now, because they don’t know what they’ll have to add before the end of the school year.

In May, have your daughter contact your friends who are sorority alumnae by phone, text, or email to ask them to write recommendations for her. This is something she needs to do herself, and she needs to ask people who actually know her. In a pinch, she can ask a friend of a friend. Recommendations are basically introductions of your daughter to the chapters, so she will want them to be able to write about her from personal knowledge. For example, when my neighbor’s daughter participated in “recruitment,” I was able to write a detailed recommendation/introduction of her, because I had first-hand knowledge of her personality and great attributes. Try to get recommendations to every chapter, and whatever you do, make sure your daughter does not say to any alumnae, “I’m only interested in sororities A, B, and C.” First, it sounds bad. Secondly, until rush begins, your daughter might think she knows what she likes, but she might change her mind. She also might not get invited to the ones she think she will.

You can start looking at dresses if you like. Spring dresses are coming out now, so it’s perfectly fine to start looking and even purchasing dresses she thinks she will wear. When shopping, look for fairly conservative dresses but not too conservative. Amanda Uprichard offers some great options at amandauprichard.com.

But right now, the main thing is to have rush in the back of your mind. Keep you ears and eyes open for people who can help with recommendations. Soak up every moment of senior year of high school, and enjoy having your daughter at home with you!

Here’s a rough timeline of preparation:

  • January-April: Find out which sororities have chapters on campus. Also, make a list/spreadsheet of sorority alumni who can write recommendations for your daughter. ***ALSO, make sure your daughter cleans up her social media…no alcohol or extreme photos.***
  • March-May: watch the university’s Panhellenic website to find out when registration is. At most southern universities, you can register for fall rush starting in May.
  • May-June: Your daughter can contact sorority alumni and ask for recommendations, telling them they will send their resumé soon.
  • June: create a resumé using the Canva app or another app. Distribute the resumé to the alumni who have agreed to write recommendations. Most sororities want digital recommendations now, so please don’t do old school “rush packets.” If you don’t know what that is, don’t worry about it…you don’t need to know.
  • July: make sure you have your rush wardrobe, and finish gathering everything for the “rush bag.” For more information on the rush bag, click here.
  • Late July/August: move her into her dorm and let the magic happen!

I will have posts later in the spring and summer with more information.

Mostly, relax. Don’t let your daughter get nervous about it.

***Over the next few days, I will be re-posting some posts about rush and preparation for it.***

by Kelly Mattei

Holiday Gifts for *Future* College Students

Holiday gifts for future college students.

If you know someone who will be off to college in the fall (or even in January), there are lots of gift options for them! A friend contacted me yesterday, asking me to compile a shopping list for those future college students. Knowing someone is going off to college can help make your holiday shopping easier, and you can help them prepare for what is ahead of them! First, you can check out my post about Holiday Gifts for College Students here. That post, however, doesn’t include a lot of the things they will need for a dorm as a freshman. Here are some ideas:

  • Laundry bags. If they’re living in a dorm, they’ll likely need to go down the hall or even to another floor to do laundry. Easiest way to transport that? A laundry backpack. Get a great one here.
  • Rush bag. If a girl on your list will be participating in sorority recruitment in January or in the fall, it’s OK for her to start preparing. A Rush bag is a necessity in the south. They can carry all the little things they’ll need between recruitment “parties.” The best bags are water resistant and have zipper closures. I found a great one at Amazon here. Add a bright-colored luggage tag, making her bag easy to identify here. To read more about what you can put into the bag for the future rushee, see my post about rush bags here.
  • Over the door hanging organizer. I was in a friend’s daughter’s room recently and noticed that she keeps all her jewelry in an over-door hanging organizer. What an awesome idea! The pockets are clear, so she can see each piece without even taking it out of the pocket, making it easy to find what she needs/wants. Purchase here.

  • Laundry cart. One of the greatest things ever, the Rubbermaid rolling laundry cart gets all kinds of jobs done, including moving into and out of dorm rooms! We also use one for pool towels, and anytime I have a lot of stuff to move around the house, I’ll use it. It’s commercial-grade and awesome. Our daughter is a sophomore, and when she moved into the sorority house this past fall, this is what the movers used to haul her stuff into the room. You might think you’ll only need it once, but since we got one, we use it all the time around the house. In fact, I really need one upstairs and one downstairs. Your future student will use it for moving, and will use it for gatherings…taking lots of things to parties. It folds when not in use. Get it here.
  • Moving bags. You’ve seen me recommend these many times. They’re sturdy and make moving easier. They can pack a lot of stuff in these bags. They can even use them for storage in a dorm room! Get them here.

  • Cosmetics organizer. College girls need cosmetics organizers, as their vanity space is usually pretty limited. My daughter preferred an acrylic one. Purchase it here.
  • Basketball. Lots of boys and even lots of girls will want to have a basketball on hand for pickup games, but make sure it’s an indoor/outdoor ball. For a good one at a great price, click here.
  • Light up basketball. For an extra gimmick or for courts where there are no lights, a light up basketball can be a lot of fun! Get one here.

  • Sunset lamp. My daughter had one freshman year, and loved it. They’re fun in dorms. Get one here.
  • Disco ball light. Much like the sunset lamp, these tend to be popular in freshman girl dorms. Get one here.
  • Trinket tray. For the little things on the nightstand. Boys and girls need these. I found one that is acrylic, so it won’t break easily, and the price is right. See it here.
  • Portable speaker. I cannot emphasize this enough. They need a portable bluetooth speaker. Get the JBL Flip 6 (the latest model) here. Or save a little money and get the Flip 5 (a slightly older model) here.

  • Yeti trunk/lockbox. A Yeti Go Box is a great place to store items in a dorm room or anywhere. It can also be used for camping trips. They come in three sizes, and while they’re not inexpensive, they’re built to last. Attach a lock, and you can secure valuables. See them here.

  • Yeti cooler. Since we’re talking about Yeti brand, we have to discuss coolers for college students. College boys need coolers, and they love the durability and quality of Yeti. It’s not so important for girls, but it’s important for boys. They are offered in lots of colors and sizes. Check out the Yeti cooler offerings here.
  • Keurig Coffee Maker. College students love coffee, but parents (like me) don’t like seeing charges at various coffee shops. Therefore, a Keurig single cup coffee maker is a great gift for a future college student. There are lots of different ones, but right (at writing), you can get a single cup Keurig coffee maker with a 36 ounce reservoir for just $50. Hurry. Get it here.

There you have it. Fifteen excellent gift ideas for ***future*** college students.

Happy Holiday Shopping!

by Kelly Mattei

Sorority Rush: Last Minute Items

Sorority Rush: Last Minute Items.

If you’re planning to participate in sorority recruitment in the fall at a southern school, you likely registered already. Mark that off your checklist. You likely have your recommendations done. You probably have picked out your wardrobe and are just finishing up assembling your rush bag. What else is there to do?

Well, you have to wait, of course, but while you wait, there are some things you can do:

  • Shore up your wardrobe. Yes, you have a few dresses for rush, but depending on the school you are attending, you might need/want more than one dress per round. At The University of Alabama, for example, Philanthropy Round takes place over three days. You won’t know your schedule until everything gets started, so right now, you don’t know if you’ll have parties on one day, two days, or all three days. It’s best to be prepared for all three days. Sure, you can wear the same shorts/skirt to all three days of Philanthropy Round, but what if you sweat a lot in it? Will you want to wear it again? What if you spill something on it? Same for Sisterhood Round: if it takes place over two days, can you wear the same dress both days? Yes. Do you really want to? There’s still time to purchase another dress or two if you think you need it. Just remember, it’s hot in the south in August! Amazon has some cute dresses at these links:
    • Smocked Mini Dress. Y’all this inexpensive dress comes in several colors. I love all of them! They’re great for those really hot game days too! Priced under $30, these are adorable! See them here.
    • Love Shack Fancy. I know lots of girls love their Love Shack Fancy dresses. Get their cute Russ dress here. It’s pricy, but it’s cute!
    • One shoulder dress. Pretty Garden has an adorable one-shoulder tiered dress in several colors for under $50. Check it out here.
    • Another one-shoulder dress that resembles Love Shack Fancy, in my opinion. It also comes in lots of colors and is less than $50. See it here.
    • Amanda Uprichard dresses. Amanda Uprichard makes lots of great dresses for rush. See a selection here.
    • Belle Maison Collective. This boutique is out of Huntsville, Alabama, and they have some great options for rush…dresses, shoes, skirts, and shorts. Take a peek here.
    • Revolve. Check revolve.com for some great dress deals, since they have put a lot of seasonal items on sale! Click here.
    • Shopbop. Another great resource is shopbop.com. Click here.
    • Zara. At our house, we love Zara. Click here to see what they have.
  • Pick shoes. When picking which shoes you want to wear with which outfit during rush, remember you don’t need to be uncomfortable. If your feet are hurting throughout the process, you won’t feel your best, and likely won’t project your best self. This is not the time to try a new pair of stilettos. Also, don’t forget to have some comfy slippers/Crocs/flip flops in your Rush Bag, so you can wear them between parties.
  • Accessorize. It’s important to accessorize but not over-accessorize. Understated elegance is best…pearl earrings, small gold hoops, etc.
  • Rush Bag. Don’t forget to put together a Rush bag to help you freshen up between parties in weather so hot it feels like the surface of the sun! To see what you need for the bag, click here.

It’s almost time! So exciting! When my daughter went through the recruitment process last year, she made some great memories!

by Kelly Mattei

Sorority Rush Deals on Amazon Prime Days

Sorority rush deals on Amazon Prime Days.

Amazon Prime Days are here, so it’s a great time to scoop up some of the deals on things you can use for sorority recruitment!

  • Rush Bag. You know that rush bag you need to hold the essentials for hot days in recruitment in the south? There are some great deals on bags that would be great. One great nylon deal is here. Or maybe you prefer neoprene? Click here.
  • Dresses. If you still need to add some dresses to your recruitment lineup, there are some great Amanda Uprichard dresses offered on Prime Days here. See some BB Dakota Prime deals here. Or for great variety, check out Shopbop’s Amazon Prime offerings. We love Shopbop, and I especially love that I can shop them through Amazon. They also have great shoes for rush! click here. Also, don’t forget you’ll likely need a swimsuit right after recruitment for your pledge retreat!
  • Comfy shoes. Last year, when my daughter participated in recruitment at Alabama, she had some comfy shoes to slip on her feet between parties. For a great deal through Prime Days on some, click here. My daughter wore her Ugg slippers. Fluffettes are on sale for Prime Day for $80 (reg $110) here. Or maybe some Crocs? They have tons of Crocs with Prime Day deals here.
  • Rush bag essentials. Band-Aids for those blistered heels? Click here. There are some great Prime deals on Neosporin to treat those blisters here. Prime Day deals on Motrin and Tylenol for that Rush Bag here. Prime Day deals on travel size hand sanitizer here. Get your handheld fan at a deep discount here. And a great deal on a travel/folding umbrella to fit in your rush bag here. If you think you won’t need that umbrella in the south, you’re wrong. Just do it.
  • Small charger for your bag. Get a Prime deal on one here.
  • Velvet hangers. Hang your lovely rush dresses on velvet hangers to keep them from slipping off the hanger, and also to conserve room in your tiny dorm closet. There’s a Prime deal here.

I’ll keep posting more deals as I find them! Get busy shopping!

by Kelly Mattei

Moms and Sorority Rush

Moms and sorority rush.

*The photo above is a file photo from Wikimedia Commons in 2008. It should not be used as an example of “what to wear” during recruitment 2023.*

Yes, it’s a thing. Moms get involved in sorority rush at big southern schools. Does that mean they’re actively going from house to house with their daughters? No. Oh Lord, I hope not…for their own sake but especially for their daughters’ sakes. But yes, Moms help their daughters prepare for rush. They worry about them. They get nervous. They feel all pain and all excitement. Some of them might have been in sororities themselves, and they want their daughters to pledge their chapter. Perhaps a mom has expectations about some chapters offering her daughter a bid. Maybe another mom thinks her daughter couldn’t possibly be dropped by a house. Maybe another one is worried hers will be dropped by every house.

The truth of the matter is that every mom is different, and every girl’s rush experience is different, so different moms and daughters will have different approaches. However, there are some things that are pretty universal…or should be:

  • Help prepare. For information on recruitment preparation, click here. Mom should be calling all her friends asking if any of them are sorority members, and if so, would they write a recommendation for her daughter? She should help her daughter shop for dresses and for the all-important “rush bag.” (See info about the Rush Bag here.) Most moms I know also proofread/edit their daughters’ resumes…or ask someone else to do it. And she should remind her daughter that it is important to keep an open mind about the chapters while she participates in recruitment.
  • Be supportive and positive. This is a stressful time for the girls, so they need the support from Mom. They need reassurance. They need you to be their cheerleaders this week. They need their moms to tell them how much they believe in them.
  • Be realistic. You have likely seen a list of the sorority chapters’ required or recommended GPAs for potential new members. Take those seriously. Those recommendations are there for a reason. No chapter wants to take a grade risk, because the “grade risk” is more likely not to stay in school, based on her academic history. Sororities like to maintain their membership, so if someone fails out of school, it hurts the chapter.
  • Be sympathetic. If/when daughter calls Mom and says, “My favorite house dropped me,” Mom needs to be sympathetic but not enabling. Do not enable your daughter to drop out of the process. If she will stick it out, chances are she will end up where she belongs. Encourage her to continue with the process! If she still has houses inviting her back, then she can still land somewhere she will be happy.
  • Be smart. Remember, some of recruitment is a numbers game. There are different reasons people get dropped, and it’s not always personal. It might be that a chapter is focusing on a different geographic area. It might be that a chapter has a lot of in-house sisters. It might be a GPA issue. Or maybe they are simply looking for something else. Mom, as difficult as it is, remind your daughter not to take it personally.

What are the no-nos for Mom? Well, different people have different thoughts, but I think it’s important for Mom to let her daughter fly. Don’t hover. Get her moved into the dorm, and then, let her start rush without Mom looking over her shoulder. If Mom doesn’t hover, the daughter can make new friends more quickly. And mom shouldn’t put undue pressure on her daughter to pledge where she wants her to pledge.

Mom, you’re likely to feel like you’re going through recruitment with your daughter, and in some ways, you are, but when it comes right down to it…it’s your daughter’s experience. Let her make it her own.

by Kelly Mattei

Your Sorority Recruitment “Rush Bag”

Your sorority recruitment “rush bag.”

I know it’s only May, and most high school graduations haven’t even happened yet. Congratulations to all the 2023 graduates! You’ve finished that big part of life, and now you’re starting something new! Maybe you’re entering the working world. Maybe you’re going to trade/vocational school. Maybe you’re traveling for a while. Maybe you’re going to college. Whatever you’re doing, best of luck to you! If you’re planning to participate in sorority recruitment at a big, southern school, it’s time to start thinking about your “Rush bag.”

What’s a “Rush bag,” you ask? Well, it’s a water-resistant handbag that holds all the necessities for keeping one’s self fresh during a long August day outdoors in any southern state. What kind of bag should you use? What things should go in it? Fear not, for I have answers.

For the bag itself, I recommend waterproof or, at least, water resistant.

  • Rush bag. If you know a young lady who is graduating from high school and planning to participate in sorority recruitment at a big, southern university, a “rush bag” makes a great gift. She will definitely need one! You’ll want to start with a water-resistant bag with a zipper closure. These bags will be left outside sorority houses on the ground when they go inside, so they don’t need to be fancy bags. I found a perfect one that comes in multiple colors on Amazon for about $25 here. (See photo at bottom of page.) If you opt for that one, I think the medium size is great. If you want to go with a Longchamp-style nylon bag from Amazon…shop here. If you want to add the necessities for recruitment, you can add all of these or some of these items:
    • Handheld, battery-operated fan. It’s hot in the south. The heat and humidity are no joke. She will need a fan. Our daughter used this one last year. And at $11.99, it’s priced right and comes in a variety of colors.
    • Waterproof folding changing pad. Sounds crazy, I know, but the girls will be wearing dresses and will need to sit on the ground some during the day. They can save their dresses from grass stains or water spots with this. We got our daughter this one.
    • Blotting papers. All that heat and humidity produces sweat…blot away the shine with blotting papers. Get some from NYX at Amazon for just $4.99 here.
    • Insulated Water Bottle. They’ll need cold water each day. Pick a water bottle from Amazon here.
    • Hand sanitizer. This is pretty obvious. We purchased our daughter some Purell travel-sized hand sanitizers to use between parties. Get them from Amazon here.
    • Small umbrella. A small folding umbrella is crucial in the south, where thunderstorms can crop up at any time. When I asked my daughter which item she used most from her rush bag, her immediate answer was “the umbrella.” We got a great one at Amazon here.
    • Tissues. These come in handy. You never know when you’ll need a tissue. Get Amazon’s Choice here.
    • Deodorant. This is a more personal item, so you can include it or not. I think it’s nice to include one just as a possibility. Get some small, travel sizes at Amazon here.
    • Breath Strips. The girls spend a lot of time going to lots of parties, and they are in crowds. They want fresh breath. Sure, they can use mints, but I think breath strips are better, because they dissolve quickly. Get them from Amazon for $5.09 here.
    • Portable charger. The girls don’t want their phones to die in the middle of the day, so a portable charger comes in handy. For a small, inexpensive one, click here.
    • Lip gloss or balm. Most people have their own cosmetics they love, but Dior Addict lip products are loved by lots of people! If you don’t want to choose a color, their lip balms, maximizers, and oils come in clear versions too. See them here.
    • Band Aids. I would add some regular Band Aids from here. And some blister Band Aids from here.
    • Snack. Gatorade Recovery Protein Bars are great snacks for those hot days…something to put some pep in their step. It’s a great small snack, because it provides a little protein.My daughter loves these on the go. Get some here.
    • Safety pins. For little emergencies, these come in handy. Get a small packet here.
    • Feminine products. You definitely want to have feminine hygiene products on hand, in case you need them.
    • Painkillers such as Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen. Also, a dose of any regular medications you take.
    • You can include a notebook and pen, but I feel like most girls take notes on their phones.

In reality, you hope you won’t need to use the items in your rush bag, but you want to be prepared. You don’t want to have to walk around asking people if they have safety pins or Band Aids if you need one, and you definitely don’t want to use someone else’s makeup or deodorant.

***I’m hoping to compile a list of questions and answers about southern sorority rush. Please send any questions to me!***