Waiting with bated and clouded breath, sorority members stood bundled up outside Leverone Hall to greet their newest sisters Tuesday night.

441 women received bids last night, 39 more than last year, according to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life.

New members sat on their bid envelopes during a small ceremony and countdown, before then opening them and rushing outside to meet their chapters, Assistant Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Jenni Glick said.

As the first women ran out of the side doors of Leverone Hall, representatives from each sorority began to scream and wave signs, bouncing awkwardly in long down coats. Crowds began to accumulate in front of life-size Greek letters, and the screaming grew louder. Girls shouted into cell phones, pausing to hug friends as they ran to their chapters. Some NU students paused to observe the spectacle and passers-by looked on with puzzled expressions.

“This is the end of sorority rush? It really fits the stereotype,” one resident said.

Bid Night was held on Deering Field last year, but it was moved inside this year.

The decision was mostly because of weather, but also was intended to create a different atmosphere, Glick said.

“We knew that by having it inside that (the potential new members) would be more comfortable and it just makes for a more exciting atmosphere where we can control it a little bit more,” Glick said before the event. “We’re going to have music playing, and it’ll be more of a private thing and not open so random people aren’t watching. And (it’s) warmer.”

More than 600 women registered for formal recruitment. Those who did not remain in the process until Bid Night dropped out for a variety of reasons, Glick said.

“They don’t have enough time, they’re involved in other activities, it wasn’t what they thought it was going to be,” Glick said. “It’s a personal choice.”

OFSL will not have the official numbers of accepted bids for a couple of weeks, but Glick said she expects the numbers to decrease slightly.

Members chanted and sang on the way back to sorority houses, where they met the rest of their chapters for Bid Night activities. The members of Zeta Tau Alpha went into Chicago to play Whirlyball, a game that mixes lacrosse, hockey and basketball with bumper cars.

New member coordinator Natalie Bond said the chapter is proud of the success of their first standard recruitment.

“We’re over the moon about how everything has gone, and this is just the beginning,” the Weinberg senior said.

Reach Sara Fay at [email protected].