Attendees run toward a crowd during Bid Day on Sept. 14 at Brazos Park. Sororities welcomed their new members with hugs and cheers.
As a countdown from ten began, Helena Thomas stood anxiously at Brazos Park with an envelope in hand. She faced the letters of the four national sororities on campus, one of which would be her new home.
When the chant ended, the public relations sophomore opened her envelope only to find another, smaller envelope, delaying her answer. As soon as Thomas opened her bid, she ran to her letters, jumping and throwing her arms up in excitement. She had just become one of the newest members of Delta Delta Delta.
“I thought I was going to throw up,” Thomas said about waiting to learn what sorority she’d be joining. “Tridelta was always in my heart, and I knew that’s where I wanted to run home to.”
Thomas was one of many new Greek life members who participated in Bid Day for chapters in the College Panhellenic Council and the Interfraternity Council on Monday at Brazos Park.
The event began with new sorority members coming out of the University Center and lining up by the stage at Brazos Park. Recruitment was over, and all that was left was running home. As the girls opened their bids, screams of excitement rang across the lawn, and new sorority sisters embraced.
Architecture junior Dawn Dempsey did a suicide bid for Alpha Chi Omega, meaning she was all in for that sorority. Even though she had an inkling of where she was going, she still had nerves as she opened her bid.
The nerves quickly turned to excitement when Dempsey saw her friends and her new sister, Shelbi Griffin, an economics senior and president of Alpha Chi Omega.
Griffin said it’s fulfilling to welcome new people. As an older member, she has seen newer ones grow and said she can’t wait to see the leadership opportunities members take on as her time comes to an end.
“It’s just beautiful getting to see the way that the girls blossom in the chapter throughout their time,” Griffin said.
Broadcasting senior Andrew Wolgast chants with his brothers during Bid Day on Sept. 14 at Brazos Park. Wolgast emphasised the growth of community and student life on campus that Greek life provides.
Once the sororities cleared out, it was time for the new fraternity members to run home.
They gathered outside of the Career Development Center, waiting for the go-ahead to join their fellow brothers.
Chapter by chapter, they ran to their letters, led by flag bearers of each fraternity.
Engineering freshman Leonidas Garcia joined Kappa Sigma. He said the energy before and during the run was unmatched.
“It was electric. It was like an arena, almost,” Garcia said. “It felt like I was running out into the stadium.”
As the groups ran, onlookers recorded and cheered them on. Garcia said he expected Bid Day to be a hangout at the chapter house but said it was an organized event with school participation that exceeded his expectations.
“I didn’t know we were going to do a run,” he said. “I didn’t know we were going to be screaming and yelling and everything like this, but the fact that we did was amazing.”
Once all the fraternity members ran to their letters, everyone gathered for a group photo, marking the end of Bid Day.
As everyone cleared out, Christopher Alexander, kinesiology freshman and one of the newest members of Pi Kappa Alpha, took time to reflect on his Bid Day experience.
When asked what he would remember most about the day, Alexander said the adrenaline rush, being in the group with all the brothers and jumping and yelling was a pretty surreal moment.