Dirty Rush: Fools Rush In with Daisy Kent, Gia Giudice and Jennifer Fessler

Summary

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Two Ts In A Pod: Dirty Rush - Fools Rush In

Hosts: Teddi Mellencamp & Tamra Judge
Guests: Gia Giudice, Daisy Kent, Jennifer Fessler
Date: August 4, 2025
Podcast: Two Ts In A Pod (iHeartPodcasts)
Episode Theme: The Truth About Sorority Rush – Personal Stories, Social Pressures, and Sisterhood Realities

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Episode Overview

This lively, candid episode kicks off the "Dirty Rush" series, diving deep into the highs, lows, and sometimes scandalous realities of sorority recruitment (a.k.a. “rush”) and Greek Life. Joined by Gia Giudice, Daisy Kent, and Jennifer Fessler, the hosts share raw, personal rush stories, demystify decades of myths, and offer honest advice for those curious or anxious about rushing. This tell-all format especially highlights how the sorority experience has evolved—from the pre-social-media era to the viral “Bama Rush” influencer moment, and how social, financial, and personal pressures make the journey complicated, emotional, and unforgettable.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction & Purpose of Dirty Rush

[02:12-03:34]

• Purpose: The hosts aim to “pull back the curtain” on recruitment, sharing what sorority life is really like before, during, and after rush—from clothes and cliques to pressure and drama.
• Personal stories, myth-busting, and tips for surviving—and thriving—during rush and college years.

Jennifer Fessler’s Experience – Rush in the Pre-Social-Media South

[03:45-06:42]

• Jen transferred to the University of Texas at Austin from Boston University, seeking a "quintessential college experience."
• She describes UT sorority life as “big,” “mean,” and dominated by looks and reputation, saying:

  “The girls were all beautiful and they were all thin and they were all perky and I was none of those things... my rush experience… was tense, anxiety-provoking, exciting, a little pukey..." (Jennifer, [05:00])

• Jewish sororities dominated her choices, each boxed by cruel stereotypes (“pretty girls, nice girls, and... what they called dogs, pigs, and elephants”). Jen looks back with empathy for her younger self, disturbed by the social hierarchy and pressure even decades later.
• Despite anxieties, she achieved her goal of joining AEPhi, a "top tier" sorority, but recognizes the problematic focus on status and appearance.

Gia Giudice’s Rush – Finding Comfort Amid Fame

[06:42-12:43]

• Gia describes rushing as a freshman at Rutgers:
  • GPA minimums restricted which friends could rush alongside her.
  • Greek life was “either sororities or sports.”
  • Recruitment included seeing all houses, evaluating who called back, rounds themed by values like philanthropy and sisterhood.
• The process was “intense,” highly judgmental, and defined by superficial first impressions and house amenities—Gia admits picking ZTA over a possibly better fit because it was “top tier” and had a nicer house, chef, and friends “from home.”
• When asked how rushing as a celebrity impacted her, Gia is transparent:

  “I think it was a little easier... nobody that I wanted dropped me... If anything, I felt the pressure of choosing the right one. And... I chose ZTA because people knew me from home in that sorority.” (Gia, [12:08])

• She expresses concerns about fake friends and wanting protection within the system.

Daisy Kent’s Perspective – Newcomer to Sorority Life

[16:44-20:28]

• Daisy, raised in a small Minnesota town, had “no idea” what a sorority was until a friend pressured her to sign up last minute at San Diego State.
• She describes recruitment as “bonkers,” likening it to speed dating and being scrutinized for looks and designer clothes.
• Daisy ended up in Alpha Phi, initially hating the experience due to clique dynamics but ultimately found deep friendships once she found her group:

  “Not every girl in there is going to be your best friend. And at the beginning, I was definitely in the wrong group of girls… but then I found my group and ended up loving it.” (Daisy, [19:38])

• Her experience shows how sorority life can be both alienating and ultimately rewarding.

Generational Perspective – How Sorority Rush Has Changed

[22:33-24:04]

• Jennifer contrasts the anxiety of rush without social media to the scrutiny girls face today:

  “I didn’t have social media… but now... these stories of how you have to scrub your social media... to look like nobody had as much fun as you.” (Jennifer, [23:34])

• Daisy and Gia confirm that modern rush includes detailed checks of potential members’ online presence before meeting them.

Who Gets Picked & Ranking Systems

[24:20-26:51]

• The process is highly image-focused (“your look, your image”). Sororities do background checks through Instagram and other platforms, determining “top picks” before recruitment starts.
• Daisy revealed the discomfort of ranking other girls:

  “I would always get sick to my stomach because I was like, this is horrible. And I hated doing it… but I also think it’s important, too, you don’t have to be in a sorority to love college and have a great time.” (Daisy, [26:13], [26:51])

• Both guests stress that fitting a mold often overrides all accomplishments and personality.

Social and Mental Health Pressures

[30:51-31:46]

• The vulnerability of the process: rejection by all houses is “probably the worst feeling... nobody wants you... that could just send the girls into such a spiral...” (Gia, [31:19])
• Parents experience their own anxiety, sometimes waiting close by during rush to comfort or celebrate.

Financial Realities

[34:39-35:14]

• Gia and guests outline the economic burden:

  “I think I paid like maybe $2,500, close to $3,000, probably a semester... My friend went to Bama... it was... probably close to $6,000 a semester.” (Gia, [34:47])

• Cost is a major barrier, especially at southern schools like Alabama.

The Good: Community, Instant Social Circles & Core Memories

[36:17-37:15]

• Despite issues with cliques and elitism, bid day and “big/little” events are highlights:

  “Bid day was probably, like, one of the best days... these times and these memories... that was super fun.” (Gia, [36:18])

• Sororities help large schools feel smaller and provide immediate social support.

Critical Reflections & Looking Ahead

[38:42-40:26]

• The episode closes by promising even juicier future stories, inviting listeners to share anonymous experiences, and reflecting on the emotional complexity of sorority life:

  “I’ve never heard anyone or any program or podcast really diving in to this subject matter. Right, like really getting into it... the good, the bad, the ugly.” (Jennifer, [38:53])

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Superficiality and Status:
  “There’s always a taboo to what you can release about sorority rush, and we’re ready to tell it all.” (Jennifer, [03:03])
  “Jen, as now an almost 57 year old woman, I want to take my 20 year old self and just kind of hold her because it was so scary.” (Jennifer, [05:31])

• On Celebrity Influence:
  “Nobody that I wanted dropped me... If anything, I felt the pressure of choosing the right one.” (Gia, [12:06])

• On Social Media’s Impact:
  “Now... you have to scrub your social media and then you have to make sure... you look like nobody has ever had as much fun as you have...” (Jennifer, [23:34])

• On Systemic Exclusion:
  “You could be such a well rounded person... but if you don’t fit that criteria of this certain sorority, then they'll place you somewhere else.” (Gia, [25:50])

• Toughest Realization:
  “Not getting called back to any is probably the worst feeling that nobody—nobody wants you.” (Gia, [31:19])

• On Belonging:
  “Especially going to a bigger school, [a sorority] kind of makes this huge school feel a little smaller.” (Gia, [37:32])

• On the Podcast’s Uniqueness:
  “I’ve never heard anyone or any program or podcast really diving in to this subject matter... the good, the bad, the ugly...” (Jennifer, [38:53])

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Topic | |----------|---------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:12 | Introduction to Dirty Rush & episode premise | | 03:45 | Jennifer’s rush story – Texas, 1980s | | 06:42 | Gia’s rush at Rutgers: fame, pressure, and decisions | | 11:48 | Gia on rushing as a celebrity | | 16:44 | Daisy’s reluctant start at San Diego State | | 18:38 | Daisy on feeling out of place & finding her group | | 22:33 | Social media’s impact on rush | | 24:20 | Evaluating PNMs: image and Instagram background checks | | 25:17 | The ranking system & its psychological cost | | 30:51 | Parental perspectives & stress | | 34:39 | The cost of sorority life | | 36:17 | What makes it worth it—bid day & memories | | 38:42 | Preview of future episodes, call for listener stories |

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Tone & Style Highlights

• Conversational, blunt, and empathetic: The hosts repeatedly express both nostalgia and critical self-reflection.
• Open and supportive: Welcoming all perspectives, aiming to validate both those who loved and those who struggled with sorority life.
• Witty and unfiltered: Humor and candor (“I want to puke a little bit...”).

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Takeaway

This episode sets the stage for a uniquely honest, insider look at Greek life: the hard truths, personal transformations, and controversial traditions. It validates the anxieties of incoming students (and their parents) and reframes sorority life as a complex but memorable part of college, full of both possibility and pressure.

Listeners are encouraged to share stories for future episodes, ensuring a truly unfiltered discussion of “the good, the bad, the ugly” of Greek Life today.

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Transcript

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[B]

Dirty Rush, the truth about Sorority Life with your hosts, Me, Gia Giudice, Daisy.

[C]

Kent and Jennifer Kessler. Hi you guys. Welcome to Dirty Rush, the show all about the wild, scandalous and sometimes messy world of sorority Rush and sisterhood. Whether you're about to rush, whether you're reminiscing about your own rush or just fascinated by Greek Life. This podcast is for you.

[A]

We're here to pull back the curtain on what it really means to go through recruitment, from the outfits and parties to the pressure and drama and everything in between. But we're not going to stop there. We'll also dive into what sorority life looks like after rush. The friendships, the challenges, the traditions, and how sisterhood evolves throughout college and even beyond graduation.

[B]

And best of all, you're finally going to hear the truth behind everything that goes into sorority rush. And we're basically going to tell you everything that you guys have wanted to hear and more. There's always a taboo to what you can release about sorority rush, and we're ready to tell it all.

[C]

So we're gonna share personal stories, debunk myths, and offer tips to help you survive and maybe even thrive during rush and the years that follow.

[B]

We're so excited to dive into our first episode. Today, we're keeping it personal and real, sharing our own Rush stories and what sorority life has meant to us. So let's get started.

[C]

Okay, guys. So I am Jen Fessler. You may know me from the Housewives of New Jersey. We are not here to talk housewives. We are here to talk about something that I went through about a million years ago at the University of Texas at Austin. I rushed my junior year. Actually. I transferred from Boston University. I started out in Boston, even though I'm from Texas, and I really felt like I was missing out. I was. Boston is a city school, and UT is the quintessential college experience in the South. The sororities are big, the girls are mean. It's everything that you sort of picture. At least what I pictured before I entered this crazy world of Greek life and rushing. And my rush experience, I'm. I'm going to say was tense, anxiety provoking, exciting, a little pukey, but I think probably less stressful than what you guys have or had experience, and certainly less stressful than what goes down today. I can tell you that I rushed every sorority house at the University of Texas. But as a Jewish woman, I knew that I was going to. Or I wanted to end up in one of the three Jewish sororities. And. And the three were AE Phi, which. And please forgive me, because, again, I just want to puke a little bit. But A Phi, which was the pretty girl sorority, sdt, which was the nice girl sorority, and Defy E, again, please forgive me. I didn't make it up, but they called it dogs, pigs, and elephants. I'm sorry.

[B]

I don't know.

[C]

It's horrifying. Like as now an almost 57 year old woman, I want to take my what is a 20 year old self and just kind of hold her because it was so scary. And I remember walking into these big. Because in Texas everything is big. These big sorority houses. And the girls were all beautiful and they were all thin and they were all perky and I was none of those things. But I was transferring and I had very good friends who were part of the pretty girl sorority, which was a phi. The thing is, I felt more comfortable in the nice girl sorority sdt. But from the beginning, all I wanted was what I think you guys call now top tier.

[A]

Tier.

[C]

That's what I wanted. That's what I wanted and that's what I got. And for good or bad, I became an AE Phi. So which we'll delve into those years, of course. But I want to hear about you guys and just a little bit, tell me a little bit about what schools and a little bit about your own personal experiences.

[B]

Yeah. So I am Gia Giudice. Some of you might have known me from growing up on the Real Housewives in New Jersey. Now I have a new show on Bravo called Next Gen NYC and a podcast called Casual Chaos. So my years of my career really started to evolve once I graduated from college. I graduated from Rutgers University and I rushed my freshman year. I rushed my freshman year second semester. And I was one of a few of my friends actually that did rush because a lot of them did not reach the GPA requirement. So to rush at Rutgers you had to have a 2.5 GPA. And some of my friends, honestly a lot of my friends didn't have that. So I was a little nervous. I didn't know if I then wanted to wait until my sophomore year to rush because all of my freshman year friends and all of the girls in my dorm weren't rushing. So I was kind of going in alone. I knew a couple people that were still rushing and that were able to rush, but I kind of went through the whole rush process by myself. So Rutgers is not like Alabama. I definitely don't think it's like Texas. So to give you a little backstory, I mean, Rutgers is in New Brunswick. It's not the best area, it's not the best town. Rutgers kind of takes over New Brunswick and New Jersey. So not to be like rude, but the town's a little gringy. I mean it's, it's not like there were shootings, break ins. I mean it was definitely rough. So I think Greek life definitely kind of gave a light to Rutgers. And it was either you were in Greek life or you were with the people who played sports. And so I decided to rush my freshman year, and there were top tier sororities, and they were zta, gfi, sdt, and fiseg. So those were like the top four sororities that you wanted to be in while I was going through the rush process. It was a three day process or. No, it was a couple weekends, actually. The first weekend was going to see all the houses. So I think Rutgers had about 11 sororities. So we. It was different rounds. So the one round, then it was philanthropy. Philanthropy was the last round. I'm like, blanking on the second round.

[C]

You blocked it?

[A]

Yeah, I'm blanking at sisterhood. Yes.

[B]

Sisterhood.

[A]

Yes, yes, yes, yes, I think so.

[B]

There were three rounds of the recruitment process, and it was three weekends. So the first weekend was really seeing all the houses, seeing. Seeing who called you back. And that was definitely intense because you were trying to impress all these different sororities. And there were sororities right off the bat where, yeah, you're judging a book by its cover. I knew that I did not want to be in any of these. Some of them also didn't have houses, so that was a big thing you would want. I knew I wanted to live in the sorority house, so that's why I eliminated a lot from my list. And then, you know, it's all based off a first impression. And some people at the time just weren't my cup of tea. So as you eliminate, they eliminate you. You go through this process. Then it came down to philanthropy, where you pick your top three. And I picked five. Sig, G, fi, and zta. I was kind of gravitated toward sdt, but they had a bad rep, even though I really liked the girls. So I dropped sdt, even though I probably shouldn't have. And I went with FISEG, G5, and Zeta because they were top tier at Rutgers and they had the best rep. And so then I went through it all, and even though I was probably more gravitated towards G5, at the end of everything, ZTA had the nicer house and the better chef and just all of the amenities that I thought were nicer in what you were paying for. Because sorority was like paying for a sorority was also crazy. So at the end of the day, I then chose ZTA because majority of my friends who were older and from my hometown were. Were in ZTA because a lot of people from my hometown Went to Rutgers. It was a Jersey school. And then I ended up choosing zta. And that was my Rush story.

[C]

Can I just ask one question? Going through it, I can't imagine going through it as a famous person.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

I mean, I can't imagine how that transformed that experience for you. I think. I don't know, I'm guessing that it was probably different for you. I don't know if it was harder or easier because being Gia Giudice, I.

[B]

Mean, I think I went. I think it was a little easier in the sense of nobody that I. I know this sounds like screwed up, but nobody that I wanted dropped me. So no sorority actually dropped me or. I never felt that, like, horrible feeling in my stomach. Yeah, I honestly, I didn't feel too much pressure. If anything, I felt the pressure of choosing the right one. And at the end of the day, because of who I was and who my family was, I chose ZTA because people knew me from home in that sorority.

[C]

So more authentic, more comfortable.

[B]

I feel like I felt like a sense of comfort and I was like, okay, people from my hometown are here. My best friend ended up becoming my big. Which we can get all into that. But I think I just felt more comfortable and kind of protected in a way. I don't know. And I was also so nervous in college to just have fake friends. So it was kind of that whole thing.

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[A]

So me, I went to San Diego State.

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[A]

Idea about sorority life or what it was. I'm from like a small town in Minnesota. Like nobody there did a sorority. Like, I had no idea. And then Christy, who is like my best friend from college, she called me and she was like, you need to sign up for recruitment. And I was like, I'm not doing that. Why would I do that? She was like, I'll pay your recruitment fee. And I was like, I really just don't want to do it, Chrissy. Like, I don't understand what it is. Me and her had never met in person yet. Anyway, she convinced me to sign up the night before. You could like sign up the Last night, you could. I signed up. And then I get to school, and our parents drop us off.

[C]

They leave.

[A]

It's like this whirlwind. She's like, what are you wearing? And I'm like, what do you mean, what am I wearing? You guys, when I tell you, like, I had no idea what this was about. I had no idea. And then we're picking out outfits and stuff, and coincidentally, my last name's Kent. Her last name is Keller.

[B]

You were in the same group, and.

[A]

So we were in the same group. Yeah. And it was, like, 12 girls. And, like, San Diego State is, like, a huge school. So many girls go through rush, and I go into the first house, I forget what it was, and I leave. And I was like, hell, no. I'm down. This is bonkers. Like, this is crazy. I just talked to all these girls. I felt like they were just judging everything I sent. I'm like, chrissy, I'm like, I'm not doing this. And she was like, can you please just take it out today? Just so I don't have to go alone? And I was like, okay. And so then I remember I went into a Kio, and I was like, wait, that was kind of fun. And then she convinced me to, like, stay with the process, so I did. But it was a crazy experience. And I was like. I felt like I was speed dating a bunch of people.

[C]

So funny. Guys. I look at you, Daisy, and I see every single girl that intimidated me in every single one of those houses in Texas. Like, this. They were, all right, beautiful, beautiful, blonde.

[A]

Literally no ideas.

[C]

And meanwhile, right?

[A]

And then I remember, like, waiting in line to go into the sorority house and, like, looking around, and every girl's, like, smiling like this, and, like, so many girls are wearing, like, all this designer stuff. I had nothing designer. And I was like, what is going on? Like, why am I here? And then walking in and having conversations. Eventually, I just decided to go with it. And then I remember on prep day, you picked at San Diego State, it was, you could prep two. Two houses if they didn't drop you. So I prepped the two that I wanted.

[B]

What was it? Pref round.

[A]

But. So I had Alpha Fee and Akaio, and it was like, Alpha Fee, Akaio and PI Fi were, like, the top houses at San Diego State at the time. I don't know, like, what are now? But I hate when people are like, oh, top houses. Because also, a lot of my other friends were in other houses. And, like, I made, like, such good friends with girls and other houses too. So I'm just like. I hate the whole, like, ranking system. I feel like it just gets more and more. But then, anyway, I ended up doing Alpha Fee, and I hated it. First semester, I hated it. And that was crazy to me, too, because everyone was like, oh, my gosh, I love a sorority. Like, it's so fun. But I think when you get into a sorority, no matter what, like, not every girl's in there is going to be your best friend. And at the beginning, I was definitely, like, in the wrong group of girls. Not saying that they're, like, bad girls or, like, at all. Like, we just didn't vibe, you know? And then I, like, found my group and ended up loving it. But I think especially going away for college for a semester, it can be scary. Like, you don't know you're making new friends, and if you get in the wrong group, like, it can make or break out anything. But now I have some of my best friends from my sorority still to this day, and it's so fun you guys were your.

[C]

Because back then, my mother didn't even know what a sorority was. Like, she went to secretarial school in Brooklyn. Yeah, so she didn't. But. Well, I don't know if your mom, I'm guessing, was not in a sorority either. Daisy was yours?

[A]

No, my dad wasn't at all. My grandma actually was, but I didn't know until, like, after I joined a sorority. And then my grandpa was like, did you know your grandma was in one? And he was in a frat, too. So then I was like, oh, no one told me about this.

[B]

Ever so funny, right? Yeah, no, I mean, my mom graduated with her associate's degree. She wasn't allowed to go far for school, so she had no idea. I. I signed myself up for college. Like, I did everything. I. You know, she was there with me, obviously, learning. And now she has the hang of it because she's on her third child in college, but I was the first one. That's why I had a college advisor helping me, you know, step by step on how to even apply to schools. Like, we had no idea what we were doing. And then when it came to sorority, she was like, what is this? Like, this is what. What are you doing? I'm like, oh, in dta having fun. I was like, want to come for parents weekend? She goes like, yeah, okay. Like, everything was just new. Very new.

[C]

You guys know that now. Like, I've heard that the mothers, they have to go for this whole experience. Like, they wait in hotel rooms to either like to pump their daughters up or console them or it can be. So do you guys. Have you heard of that? As have you heard of anybody having.

[A]

Ever heard of there? I've heard of that, but not. I don't think it's San Diego State. It really happens.

[C]

But.

[A]

Or when I was there at least. Or I didn't even know because I didn't even know what it was. But I remember girls like sitting on the curb, like bawling their head off when they got like dropped from a house. And I was like, this is like. And I remember like a girl on my floor thinking her like life was over because she didn't get in one of the houses she wanted. And I like didn't understand it completely.

[C]

Well, you're in an advantage for sure.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I feel like down south it's a lot more intense. So you probably experienced it at Texas. I did, but I feel like when I hear. Especially on TikTok, because when Bama Rush happens, it's all over TikTok. It circulates the Internet. It's actually crazy.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And there's a couple girls who are now viral from Bama Rush and now they're sharing it. They have a huge following. They're with brands now. Like they're full blown influencers just from starting this whole, you know, starting their TikTok channel based on Bama Rush, but then looking at the Bama houses, their sorority houses are insane mansions. Mansions.

[A]

Granite.

[B]

Granite countertops. Like, like spiral staircases. I mean, they're nicer than people's average home.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

It's for sure insane.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So I think if I would have done something like Bama Rush, completely different experience and way more intense.

[C]

So also, I think the difference between old lady Jennifer and young people, beautiful Daisy and Gia, is that I didn't have social media. I know that's hard for you to picture, period, but picture me not having it. And I think probably we were a little bit better off because I hear now these stories of how you have to scrub your social media and then you have to make sure that when it's looked at, you look like nobody has ever had as much fun as you have in their lifetimes.

[A]

And it's crazy too, because when you're going into recruitment, like being on the other side of recruitment, like you're looking at girls before they even come into the house. Like you're looking at their Instagrams, you're looking at everything you can find online about them before they come in.

[B]

You're doing a Mini background check.

[A]

And I remember when we were doing that, I was like, wait, it's so invasive. We're looking like through all my stuff before I even like. And they were like, yeah, we already knew like a lot about you.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Well, they basically have their top picks.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So each sorority has like a list of their top picks. From looking at the potential, like the potential members coming in and let's see.

[C]

Like, what do you think that they are? What. What constitutes. She's my top pick. And I, again, it's like so much of this for me as somebody who is now a mother is just horrifying. And I know though, that sorority life has been a highlight for so many. It was for young women, for older women, they love it. But looking at it from a different, A bit of a different perspective now, I'm wondering, like, when the sisters looked at your social media, what were they looking for? I have. I could guess. But what do you think?

[B]

I think your first thing right away is your look, your image.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And I think also, like looking at what you're involved in and what you like post about too, you think there.

[C]

Are there sororities that are looking for. They really want women or girls from the debate team? Are there any of those that exist or girls that have done a lot of charity work or.

[A]

I think for sure. Because you kind of have. You like fill out forms before.

[B]

I think so, but I think it also, you know, there's just so much that goes into it.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yes. You could be such a well rounded person in high school and you were on the debate team and you did deca and all these things that you did in high school that were so amazing. But if you don't fit that criteria of this certain sorority, then they'll place you somewhere else. Or it's. It's like a whole. It's a whole ranking system basically.

[C]

Right.

[B]

Which is terrible.

[A]

It is crazy.

[C]

Imagine getting ranked. Women, girls getting ranked.

[A]

I know. And I remember like, I was always thinking, cuz you had like these little like rush sheets. So a girl comes in and then they would leave and you would like rank somebody. And I would always get sick to my stomach because I was like, days, this is like horrible. And I hated doing it. And then I was like, I wonder what my rush card said. You know what I mean? And you start thinking things and I'm like, oh, these girls are in my sorority. And they were all ranking me. But I did have the time of my life after that first semester and I loved it. And I'm so grateful for it. But I also think it's like important too. You don't have to be in a sorority to love college and have a great time.

[B]

I think I definitely could have done without really.

[A]

I have a ton of friends that weren't in a sort of already so interesting. Yeah.

[C]

My daughter who is G is age just so I think a year younger than before all of the algorithm.

[B]

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[D]

Microsoft has officially ended Support for Windows 10? Upgrade to Windows 11 with an LG Gram laptop voted PCMag's Reader's Choice Top Laptop Brand for 2025. Thin and ultra lightweight, the LG Gram keeps you productive anywhere, and Windows 11 gives you access to free security updates and ongoing feature upgrades. Visit LGUSA.com iHeart for great seasonal savings on LG Gram Layer laptops with Windows 11 PC Mag Reader's Choice used with permission. All rights reserved. Your ticket to Big Savings is that big blue envelope in your mailbox. Valpak. It's brimming with deals from big name brands and your favorite local spots, dining services, stuff you're already buying. All for less. And you could score 100 or other instant prizes just for opening it. Or save even faster with mobile coupons you can use right [e-mail] Valpak there's definitely something in it for you.

[C]

You've got the New Year's motivation, but the crowded gym?

[B]

Not so much.

[C]

Keep your drive with iFit, we bring the world's best trainers right to your living room. Whether you want to crush a studio, cycle class, build strength, or Zen out with yoga, IFIT adapts to your pace and your Schedule. No waiting, no judgment, just results. Make 2026 the year it sticks. Start [e-mail] Gia went through it also at Delaware. So different than going through it in California or the South. Maybe a little more similar to Rutgers. But she did it during COVID Yeah. And. And the waiting. And I was sick for her. Probably more sick than she was waiting to get, you know, to push the button on the computer and see if what you're, you know, who was prepping you and you wanted.

[B]

If it was a mask Zoom breakout room. I know.

[C]

Oh, my God. Yes.

[A]

Ridiculous.

[C]

And then I remember she. Well, I had very serious ideas of which sorority she should be in. And she had different ideas, and it was all about for her. She also wanted to be in a top tier sorority, and I wanted her to be in the sorority with the nice girls. And it didn't matter. Ultimately, it was her decision and she had a good experience. But there's a whole other layer to this as a mother that I won't bore you guys with today. But it is. It could be really just the anxiety of the whole thing. Oh, like, you know. Yeah. Made me up my medication, I think during that time a little bit.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

No, it was definitely my. Actually my nail tech.

[C]

It was.

[B]

Her daughter was at Rutgers, goes to Rutgers, and she was going through the recruiting process and she was like, venting to me how her daughter didn't get called back to any sorority at Rutgers. And you know, when you're in that, I'm sitting there getting my nails done. She's like, so upset that her daughter didn't get called back to any. Cause she knew I went to Rutgers, I was in Zeta, and I felt terrible. I was like, what do you say? You know, it was. And now her daughter's studying abroad, and she's hoping that her daughter has such a better experience studying abroad. And I was like, I hope so. And I felt. I just felt so terrible because not getting called back to any is probably the worst feeling that nobody. Nobody wants you. You know, like, you're not. You're not accepted by anybody. And that's where I think, like, the line needs to be drawn at some point, because that could just send the girls into such a spiral, I feel.

[A]

Oh, it definitely does.

[C]

Absolutely. I remember walking into maybe my first house that I walked into at Texas, and I was a big girl probably at that time, like a buck 80 or something was big. Not whatever. Anyway. But the point is that it felt to me like every single girl there was thin, fit, beautiful. Forgive me Daisy. They all look like you. They just did. And. Well, and Gia, too, but I. They were all blonde, of course, big blue eyes. And I just. I just remember feeling that just less than, like, I can never. Aspiring to be with these beautiful Barbies. Knowing. But I also knew that I was probably going to go into this Jewish sorority anyway, so I kind of had that, which was helpful. But the pressure of that, when you're just starting college, Right? Yeah.

[B]

You want to make the right decision.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And I feel like a lot of people, they're, like, leaving high school to kind of get out of those cliques a little bit. And then I think you get to recruitment and you're going through it, and you're like, wait. And is this a click, too? Depends where you go for sure. Because, like, I have a friend that I'm really close with, and she went to Ole Miss, and, like, oh, that's a big one.

[C]

Right?

[A]

Yeah. And her, like, only friends are the ones that were in her sorority. And I'm like, were you friends with, like, any other girls and other sororities? And she's like, no. Like, once you got into your sorority, like, those were your girls, and, like, their best friends were, like, in her wedding and everything. But I think it depends where you go to and, like, what the Greek life is like, right?

[B]

Yeah. No, I mean, at Rutgers, you were friends with girls in different sororities.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I think that was also another thing. If you were a girl, like, if you had boobs and a vagina, you could get into any frat party. So I. That is what I was saying in the sense of I probably didn't need to be in a sorority at Rutgers. And a lot of girls feel that way. A lot of girls, too, at Rutgers. They rushed, they found their friends, and then they dropped because they were like, okay, I have all my friends. I'm going out the same way that I would be going out if I wasn't a sorority. The only thing that gets a little more clicky is, I guess, mixers.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So, okay, Zayda is mixing with pike tonight, so that's a closed mixer until 10:30. Then the party opens at 11, so now everybody else can come in. Yeah, that was the fun part, because then you got closer with the frack, like the boys in the fraternities. Yeah, that was what was fun. But a lot of my friends dropped because they felt like they didn't need it. And what's the point of paying this 2, $3,000 a semester if I don't need to be in this sorority if it's not really benefiting me.

[C]

Which is the other thing we should talk about, which is the money of it.

[B]

The money, like, how so expensive?

[C]

How about those girls that just don't have the money for it?

[B]

Well, especially at Bama. I know. I know. When I told my friend, because my friend went to the University of Alabama, I told her, I think my. I think I paid, like, maybe 2500. Close to 3000, probably a semester.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

To be in ZTA. My friend Faith, I went to Bama, and she was in one of the top tier ones. It was like, I want to say, like, probably close to 6,000 a semester.

[A]

Crazy.

[C]

These parents were not only saving for college, they're saving for rush.

[B]

They're saving for, like, 100, which is crazy.

[C]

Which is so crazy. I remember, like, with the boys. So they went the frats, and there were three Jewish frats also at ut. And so you got your bid and you went to the house. And then the boys. All the boys got to pick which house to go to to ask the girls to the first mixer. Like, we were like, yeah, we were like, cattle. And then all the frat boys showed up. Cattle. Oh, my God. No, literally.

[B]

I mean, literally.

[C]

And like, they showed up, and a lot of them showed up to 85, because, again, that was where the pretty girls were, and I didn't get asked to go to the mixer. So the greatest day of me getting into 85 was like, you should have chose the nice girl sorority. That's where the nice boys went. Well, I mean, it sounds now, looking back at it, it's just so, so sad. But, like, I don't know how the.

[B]

Boys put a damper on your bid day.

[C]

I know.

[B]

That's horrible.

[C]

I know.

[B]

We're literally staring at it. I have to say, bid day was probably, like, one of the best days.

[C]

Really?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Because I. We ran home. We ran home, and I ran home to zta. It was so fun. I mean, the older girls were sneaking me drinks even though they weren't supposed to.

[C]

Right.

[B]

We were having so much fun and just dancing, and then we went out after. And those are the times where I was like, okay, this was worth it. Joining a sorority. These times and these memories and getting a little. And the big little process and all those. So fun. All those little events like that where you genuinely were with your sorority sisters and not concerned, consumed by, like, other things. That's the stuff that was super fun.

[C]

And there is, I think, so much pot. There's so many positives Right. Like, going to a school, especially one that's. That's big, and having this group of sisters and having it fat. Having that happen fast.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And then all of these events and all of these mixers and matches and like, immediately you have this immediate social life, and I think you also. Right.

[A]

And you did so much, like, closer with people. I feel like, too, in ways, like, you become a little like a family. Yeah.

[B]

No, you do.

[C]

Pledging process. Going through that.

[B]

That's crazy. We definitely have to talk about that. But that also, you know, it's true. Especially going to a bigger school. It does give you that sense of. It kind of makes the. How the school. How do I say this? It makes this huge school feel a little smaller.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So, I mean, I have to say, Rutgers is massive. I think I knew every single person in Greek life. The school felt so small. I saw the same people every time I went out, every time I went to the bars. Same faces. And Rutgers is huge. I should have been seeing a different face every time I went out. Same people.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

I think that's. I think that's why I got a little old, too, but.

[C]

Well, I think if you ask me, everybody at the University of Texas, that Austin is Jewish. Let me assure you that that is not the case. But it felt like everybody there was. Was Jewish and all of my friends and all of the boys and everyone. And it. Which is such a. It's such a strange thing, but because, like, you, we were enmeshed. We hung out together, you know, all the time.

[A]

Yeah. Okay, guys, this is just the beginning of Dirty Rush. We're going to take you through the good, the bad, the ugly, all. All the lingo, everything you need to know. It's going to get really juicy.

[C]

Yeah. Well, listen, sororities have been around for, like, 150 years, so we have a lot to cover. And certainly it's a different experience now than when I rushed. And I'm guessing it was very different 150 years ago as well. But I don't think we'll find anyone to talk about that. But you guys, I don't know. I've never heard anyone or any program or podcast really diving in to this subject matter. Right. Like, really getting into it. And in terms of, like, the good, the bad, the ugly. And I know a lot of mothers and their daughters who are now going through it, have been through it. There's a lot to cover. Right.

[B]

So much to cover. And we are so excited to tell you guys our stories and really dive deep into what all of this really means. But we're even more excited to hear your stories, so make sure to leave a voicemail. Leave your questions at our hotline 844278 rush again 844278 rush and you guys can share all of your stories. This is going to be totally anonymous and we are so excited to really get into this.

[C]

I'm hoping some of you fives from Texas call in please and some of.

[A]

You Ruckers baddies San Diego State give us all the tea.

[C]

So guys, until next time, just please be your amazing selves. Sisterhood starts with those first steps. My sisters. I'm thrilled to do this with you, my very little sisters. We're gonna have fun you guys.

[B]

This is so fun. Episode one Done.

[A]

See you guys back.

[D]

Did you know Microsoft has officially ended Support for Windows 10? Upgrade to Windows 11 with an LG Gram laptop voted PCMag's Reader's Choice Top Laptop Brand for 2025. Thin and ultra lightweight, the LG Gram keeps you productive anywhere, and Windows 11 gives you access to free security updates and ongoing feature Updates upgrades. Visit LGUSA.com iHeart for great seasonal savings on LG Gram laptops with Windows 11 PC Mag Reader's Choice Used with permission. All rights reserved. Your ticket to Big Savings is that big blue envelope in your mailbox, Valpak. It's brimming with deals from big name brands and your favorite local spots, dining services stuff you're already buying, all for less. And you could score $100 or other instant prizes just for opening it. Or save even faster with mobile coupons you can use right [e-mail] Valpak there's definitely something in it for you this time of year. Most of us are checking off our holiday gift lists, but identity thieves have lists too, and your personal information might be on them. Protect your identity with LifeLock. LifeLock monitors millions of data points every second and alerts you to threats you could miss if your Identity is stolen. LifeLock will fix it, guaranteed, or your money back. Make this season about joy, not Identity theft. With LifeLock, save up to 40% your first year at LifeLock.com iHeart terms apply. Get into the spirit with Vizio's MyHub, a new, simpler way to find everything you Love on Vizio TV. This holiday season, MyHub is your destination to discover new movies and shows tailored to you, find exclusive deals and discounts, and keep your favorites organized in one convenient place. Plus, Vizio TVs have all your favorite apps built in like iHeartRadio so you can stream that festive music playlist. My hub makes it simpler to find what you want when you want it. Visit vizio.com iheart and experience entertainment made easy today.

[A]

This is an iheart podcast.

[B]

Guaranteed human.