Another Bid Day to put in the books

Each year, hundreds of girls open their coveted bid letters and run toward Sorority Hill to their new homes. This year was no different, with cheers of joy heard as far as two blocks away.  

Kathryn Clark photo

Families and members of Phi Mu form a crowd.

Saturday marked Troy’s annual Bid Day, a special day for sorority recruits, following a week full of rush events, where they finally get to find out which sorority chose them. 

Jessica Jordan, the mom of a new member of Kappa Delta (KD,) said it was a very emotional week.  

“Oh, my goodness,” Jordan said. “She was so nervous, and she wanted to keep an open mind to all the different groups, and she was just unsure, and then she got sure about midweek. 

“She told me, ‘Mom, I just have to get KD. I just love KD. I'm gonna cry if I don't.’ She got it, praise the Lord. We're so excited!” 

Jordan said she’s most excited for her daughter to meet new friends this year and have a good college experience. She wished congratulations to all other new members.  

Emotions and excitement ran high that day on Sorority Hill.  

“I kind of knew where I wanted to run home to from the beginning of the week,” said new member of Phi Mu Avery Riera, a freshman from Columbus, Georgia, majoring in biomedical sciences. “I was really, really excited whenever I got Phi Mu, like I started jumping up and down. 

“When we got to run home, I literally sprinted here because I got to sprint and run home to my best friend, and it was just literally, like the best day ever. It was so much fun.” 

Another new member of Phi Mu, Jaycie Smith, a freshman majoring in interdisciplinary studies from Scottsboro, Alabama, said the lack of sleep from rush was worth it. 

“Rush week was super fun for me,” Smith said. “I made a lot of amazing memories that I’ll cherish forever, and I’ll definitely say that the lack of sleep was worth it.  

“My favorite memory from rush week was the night before Bid Day when three of my friends and I went on a walk around campus to get rid of our nerves, and we ended up in the amphitheater behind Rushing Hall listening to worship music and dancing together!” 

Smith said she looks forward to her first year as a member. 

“This year, I’m really looking forward to meeting as many new people as possible and truly making the most out of every opportunity presented to me,” Smith said.  

Smith encourages anyone considering rushing to just go for it. 

Kathryn Clark Video

New Sorority members run toward sorority hill.

“I would tell anyone that is considering rushing next year to do it because the entire recruitment process is so much fun,” Smith said. “I was someone who was on the fence about even registering initially, but I am so glad that I did because I have met some of the most amazing people throughout this week and although all of us ran home to different houses, our friendships are still thriving.

“I would just add that the diversity of Troy Panhellenic as a whole is truly inspiring. Every single girl I met in each house during recruitment came from different backgrounds and lifestyles than me, but we were still able to connect on our morals, values and often our faith, which I think is beautiful!” 

To learn more about recruitment, visit @troypanhellic on Instagram.