USC's 13 sororities hosted Bid Day, the final stage of recruitment, at Colonial Life Arena, to welcome their new sisters after almost two weeks of recruitment events.
All the sororities marched and chanted down Lincoln Street towards Colonial Life Arena while parents and friends waited for them. The sisters continued their cheers as they packed into the arena.
Pi Chi leaders who have helped the soon-to-be sorority sisters throughout the process lined the two tunnels to help cheer on their newest sisters. The potential new members emerged in waves and ran to their respective sororities who promptly embraced them.
“It feels like you’re running home to your family. You just feel so loved and they just take you right in,” said Haley Hofstetter, first-year nursing student and newly welcomed Alpha Gamma Delta member. “I literally just thought I was blacked out. I had no idea where I was going but it was literally just pure excitement.”
The newly welcomed members joined their sororities in the stands and participated in their first cheers with their new sisters.
Mackenzie Kopczynski, third-year biology and philosophy student and Alpha Delta Pi sister, said she and other sisters began crying after the new members ran to their sororities.
“I remember being in that position on Bid Day and we were just running and you’re so happy you don’t even really know where you’re going and there’s just so much excitement, and being on the other side is always more fun because you get to watch them and just see,” Kopczynski said.
Pi Chi leaders then gathered in a circle cheering and celebrating their return to their chapters. Pi Chi leaders disaffiliate from their chapters during recruitment to remain unbiased. Each leader then removed their staff shirts to reveal their own sorority jerseys and then ran back to their chapters.
Taylor Reader, first-year psychology student, was placed in her top choice sorority. “I’m so excited, a little overwhelmed, but super excited,” Reader said.
She was given the advice to be herself and to trust the recruitment process.
“Honestly, I kept hearing ‘trust the process' and ‘it’ll all work out.’ It was kind of cheesy, but it really did work out and just to be yourself,” Reader said.
After the Bid Day festivities, the sororities were dismissed and some met outside the arena to take pictures with family, friends and sisters.
Kopczynski’s advice to the new members was for them to introduce themselves to older sisters even though it may be intimidating.
“Just be yourself, be open," Kopczynski said. "I was so scared to really introduce myself to the older girls because I was so intimidated by them being like juniors or seniors.”
She said all the sisters want to get to know each other and get involved as they continue through the process of becoming sisters.
“Congratulations to all the girls no matter where they went," Kopcynski said. "I know they’ll be happy.”