I won’t shy away from saying that I read this book with a skeptic’s eye.
Dirty Rush is described as being written “true-to-life,” but I have a hard time finding that 100% believable.
For the past three years, I have been heavily involved in my sorority (technically a Women’s Fraternity), Zeta Tau Alpha. I have loved every second of it. I have found women who have become family and who are with me every step of the day. I have gained valuable leadership, philanthropic, and diplomatic experience and I have even had the opportunity to plan large scale events such as 5ks that raise thousands of dollars for Breast Cancer Education and Awareness.
Many people say that Taylor Bell captures Greek Life perfectly in her novel, and although we went to different schools and were even involved in drastically different sized Greek programs, I must say that Taylor Bell and I did not see the same rush systems.
This novel is just that, a novel. It is exciting, has ups, downs, sex, adderall, hazing, cocaine, alcohol, and hot boys. It has a rising action, a climax, and a falling action. Please do read this novel if you want something to entertain you for a few hours, but please DO NOT read this novel if you are looking for an accurate description of Greek Life, because this is not it.
Dirty rushing is something that most sororities will not do. Not just because it is discouraged, but because it hurts everyone. There is a reason for the rules, rules I have hardly ever seen broken. Bell also writes a lot about hazing. I would also like to talk about that in comparison with my experience. Very often, women will refuse to go through recruitment simply because they are afraid we will haze them. Books like this make it difficult for us to persuade young women that they will not be harmed, physically or mentally. The media, much like this book, blow up every scandal at every turn because it is a big money maker.
The truth is, if these women, who walk through the door, are truly my sisters: why would I even consider laying a hand on them? If I want them to be there for me as much as I am for them, why would I make them do pointless tasks to prove their loyalty? Some Greek organizations have hazed in the past, and a few may still do it, just like sports teams, clubs, and even work environments may haze. However, for a long time now, the Greek community has done their best to pull away from this stereotype and there are countless anti-hazing programs across the country. I cannot speak for other groups, but I can assure you that I was not hazed, I have never hazed, and I will never condone even the consideration of hazing (an opinion shared by the national council of Zeta Tau Alpha).
It is books like “Dirty Rush” that give Greek Life a bad reputation. It is books like this that I despise.
Bell did get one thing right in her book: going Greek will change you. It will help you become a better leader and help you find the big sister who will stand next to you during the most drastic event. It will help you find women who are willing to push men in the dirt so you can stop crying. Greek is good. It may be difficult to explain, and in my opinion, Bell doesn’t do a very good job of explaining the hard parts, but she does do a good job at explaining the part where you become so much better with the help of your sisters.
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