Bids distribution

[33girl]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

I can kind of see what you are saying, but they did list all the groups on the bid card. So, to me, it seems like they ought to be pretty excited about what they got.

That's easy to say when you got your first choice, or when you've had years to look back on it and are happy things turned out the way they did.

But when you are at a school where freshmen rushees are heavily favored and upperclassmen don't have a very good chance at bids, and your choice is kind of you pledge a sorority you're not crazy about or don't pledge one at all - it's a little hard to get jazzed, especially when there's a bunch of people around you. I mean, some girls are in the happy situation of having 2-3 groups they love on their pref cards, but some definitely are not.

[UGAalum94]

But I think they're better off trying to get jazzed. I think the enthusiasm in the moment can reassure them that it's going to be a great experience even if it is imperfect at the start.

I think the likelihood of a girl talking herself out of a bid she probably would have enjoyed is greater if she's left on her own to idealize how awesome it would be to be somewhere else rather than starting to celebrate almost immediately.

But I don't really know.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

I think the likelihood of a girl talking herself out of a bid she probably would have enjoyed is greater if she's left on her own to idealize how awesome it would be to be somewhere else rather than starting to celebrate almost immediately.

I see your point. Don't misunderstand - I think that the rho chis or the Greek life director should encourage the girls to go to bid day no matter what, because, well, they're bound to that sorority for a year anyway, so they might as well. But I also think that you need to mourn that "lost opportunity" a little to move forward and you can't really do that when 500 women are in your face from the moment you open your envelope. It's different for everyone, I guess. I just think doing everything in public is hard, for the rushees AND for the sororities. I can't imagine what it's like to see girl after girl crying because she got a bid to your sorority.

I think you can easily convey the Panhellenic feeling and unity by doing something like RaggedyAnn described.