Question about Bid Day at Auburn University?
 

Hello....

My daughter is rushing at Auburn University this fall. I've heard from several other Mom's that they are planning to attend Bid Day. Since I wasn't Greek and don't live in the Southeast, I am not sure exactly what happens on Bid Day, when and what time it would be appropriate to be there, what percentage of parents show up, and if my daughter will be upset if I don't show up.

I've noticed quite a few of you are from the Southeast and of course one of your Moderators is an esteemed Auburn Alum, so I thought I might be able to get some answers from you all.

Thanks!

p.s. Love, Love, Love this website. You all have been so helpful in the last couple of months as I have learned so much about Greek life. I am really, really happy my daughter has chosen to rush! Keep up the good work...

Wow! I think some moms will attend if they were members of the chapters on campus, but I never knew that it was an event generally attended by parents. My instinct it to say that if you weren't a member of the GLO that your daughter joins, it might be a little awkward since it's really about the present members welcoming new members.

There were certainly be parents weekends in the fall so that you can meet the chapter and be welcomed as parents yourselves.

Perhaps the Auburn Greek Life office could really answer this question best if you don't hear from some GCers first

One would think that, but I know that some family members, even ones who were not in the NM's GLO or in a GLO at all, go to Bid Day at Ole Miss (probably depends on how close Oxford is ;)). I imagine it's the same at Auburn. I think it's unnecessary and even a bit intrusive. If a legacy pledged her family member's GLO, maybe, but let her have her day with her new sisters. Go to her initiation instead, go to Parent's Weekend, go for a random weekend/football game if meeting her sorority sisters is the goal.

However, check with your daughter to see if she would want you to be there. If she does and you want to go, I see no reason why you shouldn't share in her excitement.

At Alabama probably 75% of parents come for bid day. All the sororities provide a bid day meal at the house for parents, siblings, friends, and new members. I'm sure it is very similar at Auburn even though they don't have houses. It is expected for parents to attend at UA not intrusive.

Wow! Good to know. Is this a long standing tradition?

When I was a freshman, I moved up to Auburn all by myself before recruitment. My parents came a week later to be there on Bid Day and for my first day of classes. A lot of parents come for Bid Day, but that doesn't mean if you can't make it your daughter will fell left out. There are plenty of activities throughout the day for her to take part in. If you do travel to Auburn for Bid Day, you're in for an experience unlike any other you've had before. A llittle advice: Wear comfortable walking shoes because there is virtually no convenient parking and you will most likely have to walk a good bit. Also wear cool clothing. This is, after all, Alabama in August. It's almost guaranteed to be H-O-T!!!

Eta:
Attending Bid Day is in the "Top 25 Things to do at Auburn Before You Graduate."

Ditto - LOTS of girls families attend bid day, not to mention the swarms of fraternity guys there to check out the new member classes :) It's a lot of fun and definitely very hot! However, it certainly isn't mandatory for you to be there - I was from TN and my parents weren't there and it was ok for me - then sent me flowers that day and came a couple of weeks later. It's up to you and your daughter!

Yes, hordes of parents attend Bid Day now! Somebody help me out on this because they used to gather by Social Center but it seems they've moved? A carload of parents from here went last year and said it was a mob scene.

And like the other posters said, some don't attend and it's okay. Please let us know how your daughter's rush goes! :)

Even if they aren't members of the house their daughters/sisters pledged? I would think it would be kind of weird to show up to a sibling/daughter's bid day at another house if a woman was an alum from another house.

Yeah, 2 of the moms were Greek and their daughters pledged other groups...one was cut from her legacy group, one had cut her mom's group. I guess that as I have, the moms decided they would embrace their family's new sororities wholeheartedly! One mom (along with another local mother whose daughter pledged that group 2 years ago) spends a lot of time down there helping her daughter's sorority and she's decided that this chapter was a lot better for her daughter than her legacy group would have been.

I think that it's nice that it is this way. At first it stuck me as an outgrowth of helicopter parenting to be honest, but if the groups have embraced it as a opportunity to have a big open party, that's wonderful.

Auburn and Alabama both seem to have a much more inclusive atmosphere with the outcome of recruitment which probably helps their PR. (Think about how the published list of new members freaks some people out, but I think it's nice and the open bid day just takes it one step further: come and celebrate with us!)

We didn't do that at UGA when I was there; at least at my group, but personally, I've come to realize that UGA misses a lot of chances to improve PR and intergroup relations. The idea of a big open day of parties just didn't seem to happen. I don't know if it's people being deliberately exclusive or just socially retarded.

(I wonder if knowing about these system-wide happy, public outcomes keeps more PNM is recruitment overall. Even if they get dropped by some groups, the girls look forward to participating in bid day and authentically believe being Greek with be worth it, even if they're not XYZs)

Thanks so much for all of your advice... As always, you all seem to be "in the know" and you are always so gracious in sharing your advice with those of us that are new to the Greek system!

I'll definitely keep you all posted as to how my daughter's rush goes. As you know, it begins in less then a week. Once we get closer, I'll start a thread and we can all track her progress together! She's excited, I'm excited, we're both a little nervous (but in a good way!). I'll look forward to being able to give you all daily updates (being discreet, of course) as to what she's doing.

Talk to you all soon...... 6 days and counting!........ :)

Please feel free to attend Bid Day! It's a wonderful and fun day. Your daughter will be meeting her new sisters for the first time, and you'll have the opportunity to meet them and their parents as well.

I know that when I was involved with the planning for Recruitment, we planned on having parents, sibling and extended family at our celebration after bids were given out. That included lots of non-alcoholic liquid refreshment for the lovely August heat. It's a great time to meet the sisterhood that your daughter will be joining and see some of the things that she will experience in the next few weeks and years to come while she is a Tiger. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

Can't wait to hear what happens! All of us rush-thread addicts on GC are very thankful that Auburn has recruitment so early. :D

Just to clarify, you (the original poster) would not attend your daughter's initiation.