The historic Horseshoe was conspicuously quiet on Aug. 23. While the famous USC landmark is typically a tranquil place, it is also the annual site for Sorority Bid Day, which is held the first Sunday following the start of classes.
This year, however, the festivities were moved to the Colonial Life Arena for the very first time. The move was due to safety concerns for sorority women and also to keep the beautiful Horseshoe clean and glitter-free. This move was not entirely popular among the Greek community, but it ended up being a blessing in disguise, as it rained heavily on and off throughout the day.
Though Bid Day at the Colonial Life Arena does not hold the years of tradition that the Horseshoe held, it does have a number of benefits. For starters, bricks or spectators didn’t trip up the new members while they ran to their sisters. Spectators were also banned from the arena floor amongst new members, eliminating potential unpleasant remarks towards the women.
Sorority women were also better able see their new members receive their bids and run to their sorority from the stands. This was a major change, as sorority women often could not see the reveal in prior years due to the lack of space on the Horseshoe. Being able to watch the new members’ excitement the very moment that they got their bid was undeniably emotional for everyone in the arena.
While the new venue doesn’t have the history of Bid Day on the Horseshoe, it was a successful event overall. With lots of time and potential, this could easily become a new and favored USC tradition.