Rush 2024: Keeping an open mind

The fall rush season began on Sunday, Aug. 25, when Club Night introduced the campus’ social clubs to the new rushees. Sophomores, transfers and juniors who did not rush last school year will be among the students to participate in rush events for the next two weeks. 

Student Leadership Coordinator, Savannah Roeder (Mathews), discussed her new role in Student Life.

“I have been in the Student Leadership Coordinator position since late September of 2023. My job is to manage all student-led clubs and organizations,” Roeder said. “The Student Life Office works to help develop student leaders and mentor them as they make a positive impact on campus.”

Roeder said social clubs provide avenues for students to not only grow relationships, but to generate more student involvement on campus. 

“Social Service clubs provide a space for students to find people who share similar values, morals and goals. I think these groups push students to grow spiritually and socially as they keep one another accountable,” Roeder said. “Students have the opportunity to pour into a smaller community and grow alongside one another. These groups also play a large role in campus involvement as they encourage participation in campus events such as Homecoming, Spring Sing and Intramurals.”

Roeder mentioned the importance of keeping an open mind during the rushing process.

“Go into rush with an open mind. Clubs change every year based on leadership, and stereotypes are not always true,” Roeder said. “Give every club at least one chance as you hope they would do for you. Enjoy it, and do not stress about it. Your club experience is what you make it.”

Roeder said the schedule of events is the main change for the rush process this year. 

“There are no major changes to rush with the exception of a more condensed schedule. We want students to be able to enjoy the club process and make the most of it while managing their academic schedule,” Roeder said.

Roeder also debunked a common rumor in regards to freshman being able to rush a club.

“To debunk any rumors, freshmen will participate as the freshman class and will not rush until they are sophomores,” Roeder said.

Transfer student Pamela Batres said she first heard about rush during the freshman and transfer orientation week, Earn Your Wings.

“I first heard about club rushing in Earn Your Wings during hub time with our group. We were allowed to know, ask questions and talk about it because we weren’t freshmen,” Batres said. “Two of our hub leaders were already in clubs, and they said it was the most fun they’ve ever had and they met some of their lifelong friends through them.”

Batres said her biggest goal is to meet as many people as possible through rush events.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting new people. I am a huge extrovert, and one of my goals in my first year here at Oklahoma Christian is to meet as many people as I possibly can,” Batres said. “Meeting people means connecting with others and furthering friendships. Everyone seems so great here, and I’d like to talk to everybody at least once.” 

In addition to personal goals, Batres expressed nervousness about creating positive first impressions for clubs.

“Honestly, I’m usually a bit nervous with first impressions. I find myself asking, ‘Was that too much energy? Did I not give enough? Am I talking too much? What questions should I ask them?”’ Batres said. “But I realized by just being myself here, I’ll find my people eventually. And everybody has been so nice, which really took my nervousness away.”

Batres said rushing a club is not for everyone, but it can be a positive experience to those who are open to it.

“To anyone thinking about rushing a club, it’s an amazing way to get to meet so many new people. Community is so important, and at club events, meeting new people can lead to amazing friendships down the road,” Batres said. “And if you don’t want to rush a club, that’s also okay. They’re not forcing you to, just because you go to these events doesn’t mean you have to join one. But I would highly encourage it because you could meet some of your closest friends.” 

Sophomore John Meadows said clubs are a fun way to share small, yet meaningful moments with your friends. 

“When you are in a club, you get to know the people in the club and form friendships which will last a lifetime, as well as being able to share goofy moments,” Meadows said.

Meadows shared advice for the rush process. 

“The best advice I could give is to forget what you know about the clubs and use rushing as a way of telling what a club is about,” Meadows said. “It is so easy to go into rush with the mindset of ‘I already  know what club I am going to rush, and I am not going to give any other club a chance.’ Which isn’t fair to you or the other clubs.”

In addition to keeping an open mind, Meadows said friendships outside of club should not end in the process of gaining new ones.

“No matter what club you join, it should not end friendships,” Meadows said. “Just because you and your friend are not in the same club, you can still have friends outside of the club you are in.”
For more information, the fall rush event calendar can be found on the Student Life Instagram page, as well as various social club’s Instagram pages.