12 Ways 'Meeting The Parents' Is Exactly Like Rushing A Sorority

Having experienced sorority rush and meeting the parents, I found the two experiences remarkably similar.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized just how much the two events have in common. From getting ready, to experiencing rush and meeting the parents, to the aftermath, the two are a lot more alike than different.

1. You Prepare the “Natural but Made-Up” Look Because You Have to Look Your Best

Getting ready for rush is a lot like getting ready for the parents. You have to look as natural as possible while still not looking like you just rolled out of bed.

This also calls for conservative but fashionable outfit that makes a good impression. Basically, you don't want to be too much or too little.

2. You Get Very Nervous Before Entering the House

Before you enter either house, the butterflies are rushing through your stomach. For sorority rush, you are praying that you like the girls and they like you, while for meeting the parents, you pray that they like you and you like them as well.

You are excited for this new chapter but also extremely nervous. In both scenarios, you are very excited to be asked into the house in the first place, nerves aside.

3. When You Enter the House All Eyes Are On You

In sorority rush, you are surrounded by pretty girls who all seem to be smiling and singing at you. Everywhere you look, it seems like someone is smiling at you.

With meeting the parents, you are immediately welcomed by various members of the family who have heard all about you (though you're not sure what), and are curious to put a name to the face.

4. You Make Small Talk With People Who Ask You Questions That They Already Know the Answer To

With meeting the family, they have already heard tons about you from your significant other. They probably already know where you're from, college details and a variety of other fun facts.

With sorority rush, they may know that you're from xyz town or that their friend rushed you yesterday. You are asked a variety of questions that they may know the answer to already, but at least the basic questions leave little room to mess up.

5. Speaking of Small Talk, You Can Only Discuss Certain Topics

It's known in the rules of rush that there are certain topics that should not be discussed. These include drinking, religion, boys and politics.

Generally, this is created to avoid making any girl feel uncomfortable while in a house. With meeting the parents, it's also important not to discuss these topics, as they may cause an uncomfortable situation. They could leave a bad impression (no one wants to hear about the time you took 21 shots for your twenty-first birthday).

The only boy you should be discussing is the one in the relationship.

6. You Mentally Make Opinions About Them While They Make Opinions About You

You decide that your significant other's mom is the nicest, or that the sorority girl rushing you from XYZ house is your new rush crush and you want her to be your big.

Vice versa, the parents are probably deciding whether or not you're nice, smart, good enough for their child, etc. The sorority girls in the house you're in are probably doing the same, and deciding if you seem nice and finding commonalities that you share.

7. You Are Being Compared to Previous Girls

Sorority girls are probably comparing you to previous girls they have met and figuring out that you are the nicest and best girl they have ever met (hopefully).

Similarly, with the parents, they may be comparing you to your significant other's exes while you pray you come out on top.

8. As You Are Leaving the House, You Pray That They Liked You

As the sorority girls sing goodbye to you and the family of your significant other say their farewells, you pray that they like you and wonder if anything you did was wrong (and hope it was not).

You leave the house hoping with all of your might that you are liked.

9. When You Have Left the House, You Are Being Talked About Behind Closed Doors

As you leave your significant other's house, the family is probably giving your significant other a hard time about how you were, versus how they described you and discussing what you were like.

On a sorority note, the girl who rushed you is probably talking about how nice you seemed and how cool it was that you're involved in xyz organization.

10. You Pray That You're Invited Back

Sorority rush is all about rounds. Each round, you pray that you get the houses back where you clicked the most with the girls. Every time you do, you get super excited and hope that again you will be invited back.

Meeting the family and being invited back means that your relationship is succeeding and you (hopefully) got the approval, so being invited back is definitely a positive.

11. The More You Meet, the Longer and More Serious It Becomes

Each meeting, or round, with sorority rush becomes longer and more serious as you learn more about each sorority's values and philanthropies. You find where you fit the best and truly find where you belong.

Meeting the parents more often and for longer periods of time also means that your relationship is becoming more serious.

12. When You Become Bound to Them for Life, It's Celebrated With a Big Day

This day is commonly known as “bid day” in the sorority world and “wedding day” in the dating world. The day is filled with festivities and celebration as you embrace the new sisters, or family and significant other, that you have decided to spend the rest of your life with.

Don't worry; both are also filled with lots and lots of photos and Instagrams.