EMMA PIRHALA / MANAGING EDITOR

Imagine being a 19-year-old boy. After rounds of interviews, small talk and answering questions, the day has finally come. Standing in a repurposed gym clutching a slip of paper with two options and confidently choosing one while shakily grasping a pencil. The excitement is immediately replaced by one singular thought: “do not trip.” Handing over the card and hearing a name  shouted across the turf like a draft pick to the NFL, followed by a slightly uncoordinated sprint toward a roaring huddle of men now called brothers.

Students who wandered past the Wellness Center on Tuesday, Feb. 17  were likely greeted by a scene reminiscent of “Harry Potter.” The drawing of names, chanting and finally, the big announcement. No, Toreros did not just witness someone being cast into Gryffindor, but rather, someone receiving a bid to one of USD’s seven Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) affiliated fraternities. 

At USD, FSL members make up just 25% of the student body. However, their influence spans the campus — and so do their voices. Particularly the voice of USD junior and Vice President of Recruitment for the Interfraternity  Council (IFC) Zach Fallon. Fallon’s yells were heard around the Wellness Center. As part of his duties, Fallon   draws and  calls  the  names  of  over   100 new  members. 

The tradition’s exact origins are unclear. Bid Day is normally held on the Paseo de Colachis. However, inclement weather caused IFC to pivot at the last minute to the Wellness Center field. 

“Originally, we had it on the [Paseo de Colachis] where it normally is, and it got canceled because it was raining,” Fallon explained. “So we emailed the Wellness Center. They were really nice about it and said, ‘Yeah, here we reserved the gym for you.’”

IFC    partnered with the wellness center throughout recruitment, helping to build community by gathering the fraternities.

In a world defined by “touse” and “bouse” — TikTok popular terms for top house and bottom house, respectively — Fallon emphasized the importance of togetherness in the impactful albeit amusing tradition.

“One of the things we really want to do is try and get all the fraternities kind of in the same place together, like interacting,” Fallon said. “Bid Day builds up this community with all the fraternities [coming] together. Some schools  just call them and tell them to show up. So they wouldn’t have that kind of community    that they have at USD.”

Just a few years ago, Fallon was in the same shoes as the new members. 

“I remember the emotion of waiting in line to get my name called to run out too,” Fallon reminisced. 

USD first-year Luca Limarzi rushed Phi Gamma Delta, or Fiji as most students know it. He described that Bid Day helped welcome him to the IFC community. 

 “Bid day was super laid back and the guys did a great job of making everyone feel welcome and confident,” Limarzi said. “Definitely a good introduction to Greek Life at USD.”

USD first-year Aidan Nicholas joined Delta Tau Delta, known as “Delt,”and shared his experience rushing. 

“At the beginning of the school year, I wasn’t sure if I would ever join a fraternity,” Nicholas said. “But beyond that, since coming to USD, I’ve really tried to take advantage of every opportunity available to me as a first-generation college student. Joining a fraternity felt like more than just a social decision, it felt like an opportunity to build brotherhood, network, and create meaningful memories. My parents didn’t have the chance to experience college in this way, so being part of something like this feels like I’m truly making the most of the opportunities in front of me.”

However, Nicholas noted the nerves surrounding Bid Day — especially the possibility of tripping. 

“I was a little nervous on bid day,” Nicholas    said. “But honestly, most of that nervousness came from not wanting to trip while running. At      the same time, I was overwhelmingly excited. Running and becoming   a part of  Delta Tau Delta was   something I looked forward  to   that whole day.”

A big source of the mounting pressure is the sheer amount of people who show up for the occasion. The event draws eyes from around the University, not just the involved in fraternities.

Despite the unknown emergence    of the tradition, some USD students treat fraternity Bid Day like an unofficial campus holiday. Students gather to cheer on friends, celebrate new beginnings and — perhaps most importantly —make sure no one trips on the way to their future brothers. 

USD senior Madison Gambon frequents the Bid Day tradition, and expressed her     admiration of it. 

“I love  frat rush because I think it’s hilarious watching grown men run at each other,” Gambon said. “They scream and jump and holler and shoulder check each other … And some of them will fake each other out. It’s the funniest thing ever. And they all get so excited.”

By the time the last name is called, the chants have gone hoarse and the field is scattered with    sneaker   tracks and lingering nerves. For a campus that draws just a quarter  of students to Greek Life, Bid Day manages to draw a crowd and create tradition. And for the new member clutching a bid and silently praying he doesn’t trip, it is the first sprint into a community he will hold even after the cheering fades.

Diego Torero receiving a bid and running home to his forever fraternity. Kyra Lefebvre/The USD Vista