If you recently saw 1,000 women screaming through campus with uniformed costume-like shirts and large signs, it wasn’t a parade.
It was bid day.
Once a year, every national Panhellenic Council (PHC) sorority on campus offers a bid to a potential new member at the exact same time. This year, a bid was extended to nearly 630 members at the EMU Amphitheater, with the new members in the center of the circle and representatives of the sororities surrounding along the railings above. Once a new member receives her bid, she then runs to her new sisters, where they then all run to their new home.
Of course, the festivities weren’t complete without the watchful eyes of fraternity men that knew of the impending madness. Others watched with pure curiosity as they attempted to pass by.
To be honest, I’m not sure what we’re celebrating more — having a new pledge class, or that recruitment finally ended. After a week of meticulously done hair, makeup and nails and perfecting conversation with poise and class, there’s no better way to let off steam than to run through campus screaming at the top of our lungs in the most unladylike manner.
The next day also marked the ending of sorority lock-down, with rules requiring an alcohol-free week and a midnight curfew.
The door lines, hours of conversation at deafening noise levels and lock-down are over. What came out of it are 50-60 new members for every sorority — and our lives to finally going back to normal.