""Omega Delta Phi Sorority of Potsdam, NY
The letters Omega Delta Phi mean sisterhood, friendship, support and love.

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Key - our house symbol Why choose Omega Delta Phi?
Key - our house symbolOmega Delta Phi History
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Key - our house symbol How to join Omega Delta Phi
Key - our house symbol Current Omega Delta Phi Sisters

Omega Delta Phi Sorority House

Omega Delta Phi Sorority House

 

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All About Rushing

Am I Eligible? 

Any Clarkson or Potsdam female student is eligible to rush upon signing up at the Barrington Student Union at Potsdam State. In order to pledge you must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0, follow all rush procedures (below), and have second semester freshman status or higher.

What is Rushing?  

Rush is the word used to describe the process of seeking to join a Greek organization. It is a period of time set by Potsdam State when college women visit all of the sororities to get to know the sisters of the houses, take a house tour, and get a feel for Greek Life. At the end of formal rush, each house decides who they will give bids to and pledging begins. Click here to go back to the top of this page.

Start Rushing!  

All female Clarkson University and Potsdam State students are eligible to rush, as long as you sign up at the Barrington Student Union (Potsdam State Campus) during the announced times. There is a charge of $1 to help cover the cost of the paperwork, flyers, and handouts you will receive.  Click here to go back to the top of this page.

Rush Procedures  

Very Important! To be eligible for pledging, you must follow the rules of formal rush. Keep in mind that you must have secondsemester freshman status (or higher) and a cumulative GPA of 2.0 in order to pledge. To begin rush, you must sign up at the Barrington Student Union at Potsdam State and pay a fee of $1. You will be given a rush schedule, contact information for every sorority, and some brief information about what's involvedwith rush.

Next, you are required to attend at least one rush party for every sorority that is recognized by Potsdam State. Clarkson students aren't eligible to pledge Alpha Sigma Tau and are therefore not required to attend a rush party. These parties last for one hour and are an opportunity to meet the sisters of each house and show you all of your options.

After all rush parties are complete you will attend an "Interest Party" for all of the houses that you are interested in getting a bid from. This is another opportunity to help you get to know the sisters and vice versa. Remember to show your true colors and make sure all of the sisters know you!

The next step is getting an invitation to final tea. You must attend a house's interest party in order to be invited back to final tea. This is a formal event and a more intimate opportunity, which is generally taken more seriously by both sisters and rushes. It is the last event before the sisters make their decisions on who to give bids to.

After final tea is a time called "silence period". It lasts from the end of final tea until the end of preferencing and is an opportunity for you to be alone with your thoughts and not be influenced by any houses. Preferencing involves you going to the Barrington Student Union and ranking one, two, or three houses that you are interested in pledging. This is a very important step during rush - if you do not do it, you will not be eligible to pledge! Be careful in deciding your preferences. If your number one choice decides not to give you a bid, you will be required to pledge your number two choice. However, if your number two choice does not give you a bid and your third choice did, you will be required to pledge your third choice. Keep in mind that you are only required to preference one house!  Click here to go back to the top of this page.

What is a Bid Anyway?  

A bid is an invitation to become one of a house's pledges. It is the biggest honor a house can bestow upon you because the sisters are asking you to become one of them and share in their bond of sisterhood. All Potsdam sororities hand out bids on the same day (usually different than Clarkson sororities). You accept this honor by attending bid night celebrations and ceremonies, which are different depending on the sorority. Bid night is the official beginning of pledging, which last from 3-8 weeks. If you do not receive a bid from a house, it may be a good idea to talk to a few of the sisters to find out why - it may be because some sisters feel that they need to get to know you better before asking you to join. Remember that bids are not handed out recklessly and the sisters are looking out for your best interest as well!  Click here to go back to the top of this page.

What is Pledging For?  

Before we begin, throw out everything that you've heard in the news or from your parents and friends about pledging. We will NOT physically harm you, we will NOT circle your fat, we will NOT make you drink alcohol, and we will NOT make you eat disgusting food. You WILL get to know the sisters of the house, learn about the house, learn songs, meet fraternity members, bond with your pledge sisters, etc. Pledging is a time when you prove your desire to become a sister of the house you are pledging. You are pledging your loyalty, devotion, friendship, and love to the sisters of the house. It is a necessary step in becoming a member because it teaches you what is expected of you as a member and how to be a good member once you are in. Potsdam State allows a pledging period of up to 8 weeks and it is up to each house to decide when to let the pledges in. However, it is generally accepted that in order to get in, you must meet the house's individual requirements.  Click here to go back to the top of this page.

The Big Decision - How Do You Make It?

Becoming a member of the Greek Community is a HUGE decision, and we want you to be well informed when you make it. Consider the following things when you are rushing and make a decision based on where you will fit in best.

How well do you get along with the sisters? Which house do you fit in with best? Have you hung out with the sisters on a sober level? (Remember that people are MUCH different with a few drinks in them.)

What exactly do you like about the sisters? Does your personality match that of the sisters in the house? Are you ready to make a commitment? Have you talked to other students that are thinking of pledging the same house? How can this house benefit you? How can you benefit the house?

All of these are basic things that you should think about before deciding to pledge. Getting a bid to a house is a very big honor and should not be taken lightly. By giving a woman a bid, the sisters of Omega are trusting she will be a good sister and a good addition to the house. Remember that not everyone that rushes gets a bid, so take it seriously when you do. The most important thing to remember when making the decision is whether or not you are ready to make the commitment and share in such a great opportunity. Think it over!   Click here to go back to the top of this page.

Still have Questions?

 If you have any further questions about rush, bids, eligibility, pledging, or anything at all, please don't hesitate to ask. Our phone number is 265-6150. Make sure you let Omega know you are interested in meeting us and remember that the only way to get to know Omega is to meet the sisters - our website says a lot, but it isn't enough!

Want to meet more friends? Omega Delta Phi recognizes women from both Potsdam State and Clarkson University. Why limit yourself?   Click here to go back to the top of this page.

REMEMBER: THINK RED INSTEAD!