Sororities dole out bids

While most Penn students watched the Super Bowl, women who have spent the past two weeks rushing Penn's sororities finally received bids last night. The emotional ceremony took place in Houston Hall's Bodek Lounge, where women assembled anxiously in groups with their recruitment counselors, called rho chis, who had served as advisers throughout the rush process. Anu Singla, vice president of recruitment for the Panhellenic Council, began the night with a speech directed to the 330 women who gathered to receive their bids. "I want to congratulate you all on an amazing two weeks and thank you for braving the long, grueling parties, the snow, the cold and the anxiety," she began. Singla emphasized the importance of Greek life and urged the incoming sorority sisters to devote themselves fully to the Greek system so that they might derive the best possible experience. Following Singla's speech, rho chis were called on to ceremoniously remove their blue shirts with the words "panhellenic recruitment," leaving them in shirts bearing the names of their sororities -- information previously unknown to the rushees. Rho chis then distributed bids, pledge invitations, to their rush groups. And that's when screams of joy, hugs of elation and in some cases, tears of disappointment broke out. Despite Singla's request for the women to delay opening their bids, envelopes immediately littered the ground as women clung to the bids inside amidst a chaotic scene. The new members of Penn's sororities trickled into the Perelman Quadrangle where their sorority sisters were waiting with signs and cheers. Each of the seven chapters took turns chanting and headed to local restaurants for dinner. The overwhelming sentiment among all the women involved was relief. "I'm thrilled that it's over, but it was definitely worth it," College freshman Melanie Lewis said. "It was a fantastic recruitment year," Associate Director of Programming for the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Lea Shafer said. "I anticipate that the vast, vast majority [of women who received bids were] very happy tonight." Panhel President Alison Ng concluded that the process went "even better than we hoped. It was a very exciting day, and we're really happy that so many of the girls are going to have a really great experience." And while it did seem that most women present were genuinely happy, some complained about the timing of the event. "I'm glad rush is over, but I just want to watch the Super Bowl, and all my guy friends want me to watch," College freshman Jill Ivey exclaimed. "This is always on Super Bowl Sunday, an American institution," rho chi and College senior Lauren Glaser said. Panhel is "assuming that girls would rather be doing this than watching the game.... You would never see a fraternity do something like this." But despite the fact that this event coincided with the Super Bowl, most of the women present went to dinner smiling. "I feel badly for a friend who really wanted to be here but" didn't get a bid, Nursing freshman Shally Iyer said. "I didn't know how fun this would be, and I am so happy to be in this room." That sentiment was echoed by Nursing freshman Mary Kreider. "I am so happy that I am in Theta!"