[ROWDYsister]

For Bid Day, after the PNMs have the New Member Induction ceremony and the Rho Chis reveal their affiliations, all the PNMs, Rho Chis, and sisters meet at Norman Field, which is what it sounds like...a big field. All the sororities surround the field, holding balloons and Bid Day gifts, singing songs and chants. The PNMs stand in big circles with their Recruitment groups. Fraternity guys stand around the field and watch from the adjacent parking garage to see all the madness. Once the girls get their bid cards they're instructed to hold them over their heads so they can all open them at once. Then it's like Christmas morning...everyone rips open their envelopes, shrieks, and runs toward the group they've been invited to join. Some girls walk because they're not happy, but for the most part everyone's sprinting and screaming with happiness.
Then they go back to their respective houses, the new members and the sisters all pose for a big house photo, then pledge class photos (formal and crazy) and then there are the Bid Day activities. Most houses hang out in the house all evening with planned activities. For example Pi Phi has differently-themed rooms and all the new members go around learning about the sorority and Greek life and meeting all the sisters. (My roomies and I are hoping to have the Spring Break room).

This past spring I went to a few fraternity rush parties. The ones I saw hand out individual bids at any given time and when someone accepts a bid they ring a bell or call everyone's attention and then all the brothers bunch up and start hurling guys in the air. And I don't mean, "Whoopsy daisy, yay you're a new pledge," I mean serious throwing these guys in the air and singing the fraternity song. Loud business but fun.