With the new year ahead, Kim Pierce was looking for change in her life. She changed her major and wanted to make new friends.

“I didn’t want to go through college without doing anything,” Pierce said, now a communications sophomore.

She decided to join the other 114 women hoping to become part of one of the 10 sororities at San Diego State University this spring.

The Rush process formally began on Saturday when the women were taken to each house by a “Rho-chi,” or Rush counselor.

In the fall, 10 women, who have been in the greek system awhile and can relate to the anxiety involved in meeting more than 50 new faces in one day, led the women from house to house to provide moral support.

“They are there for any type of questions the girls might have, to provide reassurance and to be a support system,” said Carrie Lounsbury, a Rho-Chi and Panhellenic board executive. Lounsbury gave out her number to the 15 women she took on Saturday and expects to hear from most of them.

Pierce arrived at Tula Community Center, the meeting place for the Rho-chis and other rushing women, at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. She stood among her peers, all sporting laminated name tags and cheerful dispositions.

“I’m not really that nervous,” Pierce said.

Promptly at 10 a.m. the women herded out in their groups ? all headed for different houses. The first stop on Lounsbury’s card was Alpha Phi.

“The most important thing is to find a house that you’re most comfortable in,” Lounsbury said. “You need to be able to go there in your sweats, without makeup, looking you’re absolute ugliest and still feel comfortable.”

Lounsbury, a greek veteran, advised the women outside on what kinds of questions to ask and what kinds of questions will be asked of them. The three most common: what’s your major? where are you from? where do you live?

“It gets very tiring,” she said.

A quartet of Alpha Phi members greeted their visitors, sang a song and performed a dance before getting to know them individually. The routine would be the same for most other houses, Lounsbury said.

Spring Rush is not as big as in the fall, when houses get the majority of new members, said Doug Case, greek life coordinator. He said about 60 to 65 percent of rushees join sororities and fraternities in the fall, and 40 percent join in the spring.

Fall Rush is almost a week long and spring Rush will end tomorrow when the women find out which women they’ll call their sisters. If a house doesn’t reach the total number of 80 people, it can continue the bidding process until it does.

The process for men who want to go greek is much less formal, at least in the spring. The men can visit any of the 13 fraternity houses they want on Saturday without the guidance of a Rho-Chi.

InterFraternity Council Rush activities, ranging from the dating game to casino night, began tonight and will continue through Wednesday. All Rush activities are alcohol-free, Case said.

Rush is a process in which people who want to join a fraternity or a sorority can learn about the different houses by attending various activities sponsored by each house.

According to Lisa Long, president of Alpha Phi, putting on your game face and having an open mind is important.

“Talk to people and find out what suits you. Also, Rush is like any other thing in life ? you have to put your best foot forward, so your chances of getting in will be better,” Long said.

Rushees are invited to meet all the members and have the opportunity to figure out which chapter interests them. At the same time, the members of each fraternity and sorority are sizing up the new recruits and deciding who they want.

Kyle Pendleton, assistant greek life coordinator, said it is rare that someone will not find a house they want by the end of Rush.

The reasons for joining a greek organization vary from making new friends to serving the community in several philanthropic events that most houses sponsor.

Being in good academic standing is also a prerequisite for joining a sorority or fraternity. In order to pledge a fraternity or sorority, you must have a 2.0 grade-point average and not be on academic probation, Case said.

Mark Campbell, IFC president, believes that someone who is well rounded and interested in getting involved, attaining good grades and making friends is a good candidate for joining a fraternity.

“Make a decision about the fraternity in which you feel the most comfortable,” Campbell said. “This is the most important in the long run.”

Long thinks one must consider each individual; each woman has different qualities that make a sorority diverse.

Students had an opportunity to meet with members of each sorority and fraternity through rushee orientation last Thursday. Panhellenic officers spoke to the interested candidates about various aspects of going greek, such as finances, time commitment, academics and getting involved.

Rushees also feel they have much to offer the fraternities and sororities.

Stephanie Schagren, a foods and nutrition freshman said, “I’m a good listener and a good friend. I’m very excited about meeting new people.”