How Do You Present Bids during COB?

[ree-Xi]

When I COB'd Alpha Xi Delta, we had to wait in our dorm rooms for a certain amount of time, I think between 7 and midnight, during which we would either get a phone call or a knock on the door. We had to have our doors closed.

My next door neighbor, and the girl on the other side of her, also rushed. Every time one of our phones rang, we'd freak out, first out of fear of getting the dreaded call, then out of frustration at someone tying up the line.

I had a knock on my door at around 11:45, and a sister hand-delivered my bid to me. I was so happy because this was a girl I knew from high school; we car pooled together, and performed in musicals together. I was doubly psyched bc we had had a minor tiff in HS, and I was petrified that it was going to impact my chances. She was one of only two people I knew in the sorority.

At the same time, I heard a knock on one of my neighbor's doors, as well as a phone ring. My next door neighbor also received a bid, and the girl two doors down received the phone call.

Immediately after receiving our bids (and hugging and crying), we were rushed off to the chapter room. My neighbor and I tried to console the other girl, but we had to go. I felt really bad about that, and I am not sure if another way would work better. I think it was pure coincidence that three rushees (there were 5 spots open and around 25 PNMs) lived in the same suite of 10 girls.

[KSUViolet06]

I joined my chapter via COB. I attended COB events on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. A sister told me that I would be hearing from them by Sunday (about whether or not I got a bid). Sunday came and no one called. I figured I wasn't getting one.

On Monday, I went to a lecture for class, figuring that I wasn't going to be a Sigma. I was pretty bummed out. On the way out, I saw the Recruitment Chair (who had to attend the same lecture). She told me that she meant to call me, but forgot. I figured she was going to tell me TO MY FACE that I didn't get a bid. She said, "Hey, will you come to our game night tonight? We feel like you need to meet more girls before we make a decision."

So a sister picked me up along with like 4 other PNMs (who had been at all the COBs last week too) and brought me to the house that night. In the middle of a game of Catch Phrase, the VP came down and said she had an announcement to make. She said "The sisters of Sigma Sigma Sigma invite you 3 ladies to join our sisterhood" and handed us shirts and goodie bags.

I was flabbergasted. I'm pretty sure I said "Are you kidding me!?" because I seriously didn't think that was going to happen. We accepted, and went out for ice cream.

Generally, we would have the PNMs come to the house and surprise them with bids, then go out for ice cream or something. The last few COBs were usually invite only, so we knew that the girls who attended the last few COBs were interested and would accept. This eliminated the "what if they don't accept" issue.

Girls who didn't get bids usually received a phone call at some point BEFORE the invite-only events. For example, if Monday was invite-only, a girl who wasn't going to be invited back usually got a phone call on Saturday night or Sunday.