The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Should High School Seniors Be Rush Ready ALREADY????

Episode Date: April 18, 2026

It sounds crazy, but it’s time to start preparing for Fall Rush. Bachelorette Trista Sutter, an Alpha Chi Omega, joins this episode and has advice for you in the rush process that could change the game for you!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Welcome back to another episode of Dirty Rush. I am your host, Jennifer Fessler, and I am joined by Gia Jude Ice. Today we have a very special guest. She made history as the very first bachelorette and is basically Indian University royalty. Our friend Trista Sutter, hi. Hi, hi, guys. Thank you so much for joining G and I. I'm always so happy to see you.

You're just like, you're just my breath of, I don't know, everything good. But anyway, so you guys. warmer weather is coming and that can only mean one thing that rush season is around the corner. So today we are diving into the ultimate rush do's and don't, breaking down what to do, what to avoid, everything in between. So let's get into it. So we have heard to do certain things in April if you want to join a sorority, right? So Gia, what are you? So when I had a rush, I actually rushed first semester. And basically the only requirement that we had to have was a good GPA.

And I really don't remember if I did have to have a resume. But if anything, then that was just my resume from high school that I used while applying to college. So basically anything that I was involved in. in high school, which was, you know, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, St. Jude's Foundation, kind of any, like, foundation or clubs that you were involved with in high school, that could better your chance of getting into your sorority. Right. And, but yeah, I had the GPA.

A lot of my friends didn't. So I kind of went into rush alone with only a couple people that I knew. But it was super fun, long days. but it was also exciting because as a freshman, it's like you want to get involved somewhat in a big school. Did you feel like, I mean, now it sounds like you have to have these things done, right, if you want to join a sorority.

And you have to do them in high school, which to me is just complete insanity. Like they say now there's all these, all this advice about you have to finish up your social resume, right? Even if you don't have your GPA and you put it on the college's Facebook groups and Instagram so make sure your social media is cleaned up. This is all before you even start the process.

This is a lot. Yeah, I don't think it was nearly as intense as it is now. But I could predict that obviously any sorority who had interest in me probably did look at my socials. So obviously I would say to any girl who's thinking about rushing and if you're underage, do not post with alcohol bottles or don't maybe post, like don't post vulgar things if you want to get into like one of the top sororities. So they definitely do a background check on you. I think that's pretty standard. And they just see and judge you based off of your social media if they want you to be in the sorority. And then when they meet you in person,

I guess that solidifies it all. Tristan, you didn't have this, right? We didn't have this. Girl, we, social media wasn't even boring yet. Right, right. I always think you're so, you're younger than I am, Tristan, but like, yeah, like that wasn't even a thing. I mean, not by much.

I'm 53. So I, you know, I, no. We didn't have to worry about this. You, you get through high school. You're enjoying your senior year. You're, you're finishing up. You're graduating. You're doing all the exciting things, right?

and then you go to college and then you worry about rush then. And maybe you were asking for letters of recommendation, but you weren't doing any of the things that I'm hearing about girls doing. I have a friend who was literally going to visit with the sorority leaders, or the girls in the sorority that she knew or any contacts, like this past fall or maybe even like the winter of their of their, senior year. So if they know that they want to rush a particular sorority, they are having to go visit. And she's going... You don't even know if you're into the school yet, do you?

Well, I think she may have already been admitted because I think she was early decision. But where? But she's going, she's going to Alabama. And obviously, Bama has like a really intense rush. Right. Right. So she was like, all about it. She knows the sororities that she wants. She was going, this is Colorado to Alabama. It's not like it's close. You know, she's taking plane flights to go, you know, visit these girls and do all these kind of social things. They're going to lunches. They're going out. They're like, you have to be on and it is during your senior year. So I'm sorry, you guys. I think that's so, it's crazy. I don't mean to be like extreme. I like, give me a break. Your senior in high school. You're trying to enjoy.

Now you had to go through four years of high school, which is like the worst thing ever, right? I mean, not for everyone, but like some people, gee, I think you had a great high school experience. Whatever, who knows. Yeah, I mean, senior year was probably one of the best years of my life. But also my senior year of high school, I definitely was not thinking about what I would be doing for Rush going into Rutgers. So it's kind of crazy that a lot of the, you know, that a lot of the seniors who are graduating and, you know, You know, they're excited for graduation and going to college now have to think about their rush resumes in April. I think it's awful.

Like, I think it's a bit much. And I mean, I just saw a rush resume, an example of one. It was this woman, Ashley Jernigan. And they look really intense. It literally looks like you're applying for a job. I mean, you have to put a headshot. It almost looks like a modeling portfolio. I mean, I didn't.

Oh, yeah. those when I was younger. But it's basically a standard piece of paper with your headshot, your education, your major, like anything that you did in extracurriculars for high school, like your business accomplishments. It just so, I mean, in case you weren't anxious enough about starting college. Right. And about, and you, you, you weren't, like, you weren't busy enough applying and getting

in all of your applications and your test score. And now you have to put together a resume. it's too much. Yeah, it does seem like a lot of pressure. I mean, regardless, it's pretty standard, though, for most students, at least when they are applying to college, you kind of do have to put up a resume. I mean, I have one that is saved, like, from high school that I did apply to schools with. So, I mean, you can just use that and, you know, hope for the best.

But just a word of advice. my opinion. And I mean, just because I have younger sisters, I think being involved in high school regardless, if you're planning on joining a sorority or not, is very beneficial while applying to college just to show that you are involved and that you were involved in, you know, any clubs or extracurricular activities. I think that's always a plus. It probably is. I mean, I'm not saying it's not. And if you were like, you know, student council in high school, like all of that stuff. like I think helps while applying to college, not saying that's going to get you in. But I guess now sororities are requiring a resume, which that was not the case for me.

But I just say copy and paste the one that you sent to your colleges and you should be fine. I don't know. I feel like you have to like actually make it look super cutesy and like very feminine. Do you know what I mean? like as opposed to like a professional resume, I know that the girls, the ones that I received for writing letters or recommendation for alpha, I was an Alpha Kai for Alpha Kai.

Um, they have like, I, I feel like I saved it because I wanted to remember what it look like when I was receiving letters of recommendation so that when Blake'sley goes through it, she's a junior this year in high school. When she goes through it, I knew what to put together.

But it was like she had her monogynum, on the envelope or on the folder of the outside and then she had an adorable you know little headshot and then it was like all cute colors and it may have even been I think one of them was applied to Clemson and so she had like the Clemson colors so you have to like I mean it really takes a lot of effort and energy these days to just like not only apply to the college which is so stressful, but apply to essentially apply to be part of rush and put your best face forward. Yeah. I mean, now that you say that, now that I'm looking at this woman, she, you know, put an

example up of what a resume should look like. It does look very girly. Yeah, right. Doesn't that depend on the sorority? I mean, hopefully there are enough sororities out there for girls that are not, you know, girlie or whatever that means. Right. Right. Right. But I just feel like for these, it was very Southern. You know what I mean? Like very Southern sorority, like very, the monograms and, you know, all of the things. And definitely that doesn't have to be everywhere. But I just feel like it's just

the effort. You know, there's just a lot of effort that needs to be put into them. 2%. That is the number of people who take the stairs when there is also an escalator available. I'm Michael Easter, and on my podcast, 2%. I break down the science of mental toughness, fitness, and building resilience in our strange modern world. I'll be speaking with writers, researchers, and other health and fitness experts, and more, to look past the impractical and way too complex pseudoscience that dominates the wellness industry. We really believe that seed oils were inherently inflammatory. We got it wrong. Many of the problems that we are freaked out that in the world are the result of stress. Put yourself through some hardships and you will come out

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Gia, you just mentioned this woman, Ashley, or these different pages crush my rush. And what are the other? There are some other ones at the sorority sister. And I'm sure they're doing God's work. and I'm, you know, I'm sure that they are helping girls everywhere. But then this also like goes back to like these women are also probably rush coaches, which again, I think is just crazy. Gia, we interviewed them, remember?

I want to say our first pod, we were interviewing rush coaches. Yeah, like go in, be yourself. I don't think it needs to be that much pressure. Sure, if you want to put a little more effort into your. resume, but I don't think you need to be coached on how to be yourself. But that's, remember we talk to these coaches about that. Okay, so I have a friend who I went to Indiana with. I was a red stepper with her.

And she was a coyote and she started a company. What is a red stepper? Sorry. I can't let, I can't let go. What is a red stepper? Jen, I love you. It was like the, we danced at the football games. Of course.

Of course you were a red stepper. Why does not surprise me for one second? Or just little Tristach. So anyway, she started a sorority rush business where she coaches people. She teaches people how to apply, how to get in, what to do, what not to do. Like literally all of these things she's telling people to do. It's a huge, huge business and people pay for it because they feel like this is what they have to be doing in college. If they don't get into a sorority, then they're not going to have to have.

a good college experience. Like that's that for some people, that's what they think, right? Yeah. I want, I want to bring her on or like connect her to you guys. And crush my rush actually sounds like the name of the business that she started, but I don't know if that's it. We had interviewed a couple of these women. Again, that was like our first pod. And I remember afterwards, probably it wasn't very nice to me, but I was like, give me a, It is. It's my friend. Jen Carabetta. So we went to IU.

That is her, that's her company. Crush My Rush. Oh my gosh. That's hysterical. What a small world. We're like kind of talking. Guys, at Crush My Rush. And I'm sure that she again is doing good work.

But I remember Gia, after we'd interview these people, they were charging thousands of dollars. Thousands. Thousands. Yeah. It's like people paying. It's like minimum at least. It was like a $5,000 flat fee. And I mean, people also pay that money for college advisors where in that sense,

I think college advisors are super, super helpful. Like, I had one. Yeah. They helped me. So did Rachel. tremendously. I could not stand on that more. But to pay an extra $5,000.

rush. Get the fuck out of here. You crazy? It's a little too much. I just feel like even if I said that to my mom, just because she didn't do a sorority, she didn't rush, she just, you know, she went to a local school and got her associate's degree. There wasn't, she wasn't allowed to go far. So if I, you know, I think it's for the parents who don't know what it is and then for their children to like ask them, oh mom like you know going into this new chapter of my life would I be able to get a rush coach I really feel like my mom would say yes because she would be like like she doesn't know what it is. She obviously needs one clearly she has to have one.

You know the same thing with a college advisor. My mom was like okay girls like if you guys need one no problem. But now obviously like I'm the first. If I were to ask her for a rush coach I really do think she would have been like okay because she would have wanted me to have the best college experience. But trickling down to my other sisters, I would look at my mom and be like, absolutely not. Yeah. They do not need one.

Like this is crazy. You screwed it up for Adriana. Yeah, all of them. You screwed them. Well, I think it also depends on the school that you go to because there are schools like the Southern schools that are like the Florida schools, all of those schools, it's so competitive. Yes. It's very intense.

For sure. are fully invested. And honestly, legacies don't matter anymore. Like, I feel that it actually works against you. So, like, these ladies who are like, oh, my daughter will be fine. I was a coy. I was an advocate, whatever, you cannot rely on that anymore because I think they actually hold it against you.

So I think that this business, when I heard that my friend that Jen was doing crushed my rush, I was like, I want to be involved. Like, what a great idea to help these girls. and if people are going to pay, they're going to pay. Amen, sister. You know, like, so, hey, I gave Jen all the props. If you don't want to use it, you don't want to use it. But I think that she does a really good job.

She, of course, can't guarantee that she's going to be able to get you into a sorority, but she's going to help you, you know, to be able to put your best foot forward. The only thing where I say it could be beneficial is if you are not, the most maybe outgoing person and if talking to new people scares you or intimidates you. That is where I could only see it being beneficial. But if you are somebody who is super outgoing can hold a conversation and, you know, really, really enjoys getting to know people and being bubbly and, you know, you don't burn out quickly because rush is really long days.

Then I think that, you know, going the lengths of getting a rush code. and following up with how to be taught to kind of be during rush, I think it's a bit much. But if you are somebody who is a little shy and does have trouble getting to know new people and being as social, then I understand it. I just think it all depends on the person. And I know that it's important.

I know that the sorority that you get into definitely affects your four years, right? I'm not, so I don't want to like minimize the importance of it And if you have the money and you're anxious and you can do it for yourself or your parents can help you with it, great. I just know here in the Fessler household, I don't give a shit if she needed it or not. I wasn't hiring a $5,000 rush coat. So I'm not that good of a mother. I mean, yeah, 100%.

I mean also if you have it, if you're within the means to do it, sure. But do I think it's a necessary thing to do? No. also your personality and who you are as a person you are going to gravitate towards those girls as you rush so that'll also all fall into place when the time comes i hope so i just feel like i have heard so many horror stories of people that are they're great girls great personalities super cute great families you know they're academically um excellent you know they've done really well in school and still they have issues because of all of the things that the sororities require you to do these days.

And that's like, I mean, I've heard so much as you have to have this bag. You have to have this belt. You have, you know, all of these things. And they're like, if you don't, oh, you're out. I'm like, I'm sorry, what? Like, it's, I don't think it's as easy as it was, not easy as not the word, but it was, I think, more innocent back in the day when you could actually just show up and be like, hi, I'm Trista. It's so nice to meet you and like show off your personality and that's how you

got into a sorority. I wish that that was what it was about because it should be about if you click with the girls, if you have the same vision and values and all of that. But I don't know that it's like that because I, because it's kind of on my radar for the future, I've been paying attention. And I think it's too bad that a lot of it seems to be, you know, more focused on superficial stuff and stuff that you like have to have instead of who you are. Yeah, see, that was not the case for me at all. And I went to Rutgers University Big Ten school. And that was just not my experience. I mean, my sister Gabriella recently also just rushed. She's a junior.

So she, but she rushed her freshman year at the University of Michigan. Again, another big 10. And Michigan blows ruckers out of the water with just like how intense and fun the school is, you know, school spirit, the whole nine yards. And she did not have that experience either. I think when it comes to the materialistic things, an aspect of it. I really think it targets

those southern schools, which is sad. But, you know, in a school like Alabama, I think some of the sororities really do target that. And I think it is sad because it does put a lot of pressure on the girls. And Alabama, it's a great school.

It's so fun. Like, Greek life is a huge part of it. But I think it does put a lot of pressure. And I think the pressure is really high with schools in the South. Yeah. They also talked about having rush bags.

And I don't know if your daughter is looking into that, but rush bags are basically just like a bag of goodies that you hold around with you all day to kind of keep you afloat. I mean, when I was rushing, sure, I had a granola bar in it, maybe a powder puff with some powder, my water. And just little things to get me through the day. odorant perfume. But the bag didn't have to be anything crazy. Just was like, you know, a little tote bag to like walk around with and store your things in. But I don't know. I think it gets a little crazy where they're like stock up. I mean, I do think a bag is important

to carry mince if your shoes hurt in between walking from house to house, a hairbrush, little makeup stuff, like a snack, water. But. I don't think the bag should matter. I think you should just have like the things you need to fuel you throughout the day. Are they saying that you have to have like a certain type of bag? Like what's the, tell me about the rush bag because I don't think so. The rush bag. I mean when I rushed when any, you know, and my sister's rushed, it's literally just a bag of little essentials that you need to get you throughout your day.

So obviously you're talking all day. you want to stock up with some mints or gum in case like, you know, it just happens sometimes when you're talking all day. You want to have fresh breath. Yes. Yes. Then some comfy shoes because typically when you are rushing, you want to put on like a little kitten heel or a heel when you're rushing.

So just to carry around some sandals or slippers to slip on between houses. Then a hairbrush if you want obviously to fix your hair, some makeup, a mini fan, especially if you go to a school, like, that's really hot just to keep you cool. Water bottles, some snacks, like deodorant perfume, just to keep you prepared throughout your day. And I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I also don't think they have a standard on what the bag needs to look like. I really hope not. Okay.

But I think it's just like a little tote bag that you keep around. Yeah, I think you pack, you pack a flask, you pack a joint, and you pack a Xanax. And then you go from house to house and try to get through your effing day. I mean, that's what I would recommend. If I'm a sorority rush captain, whatever, or whatever, professional rush person I'm saying, yes. Pack yourself in edible and hit the road. Just kidding. Just kidding.

Just kidding. All right. Can you even imagine what Rush would be like if that were the case? And everyone would be a lot more fun in my humble opinion. It would be crazy. Yeah. We would all be off the walls. Everyone would be just laughing.

Yes. I don't remember ever even thinking of those things back in the day. I mean. Me neither. Me neither. I feel like, gosh, you just showed up. Yep. You just showed up.

And hope for the best. You didn't even really think about, I mean, I know I thought about what I wore, but it wasn't like, you know, like going out. I know that people get outfits upon outfits upon outfits. It's like you have to have a different outfit. And please, back in the day, you wore the same outfit, maybe like two different days to the different sororities, you know? But it's like, oh, no, you have to have this dress for this sorority and this dress for this sorority and this dress for this sorority. I'm like, it's just so much.

It's so much. I mean, I was definitely in the same outfit all day. Okay, good. Like, I mean, I changed obviously each day that we had. Yeah. But I was in one outfit all day. Yeah. You didn't make like a costume change, a wardrobe change.

No, no, no. We didn't do costume changes. Okay, good. All right, guys, that is it for this episode of Dirty Rush. Make sure to follow us on Instagram and TikTok at Dirty Rush podcast so you don't miss new episodes, exclusive clips and more. This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.