As a member of a Greek organization, I’ve encountered various stereotypes about Greek Life since I first went through recruitment (also known as rush). These range from the understandable to the completely absurd, and I’ll get to those later. What really irks me is that many of these stereotypes are started and perpetuated by things such as the media or one person’s experience, things that can be radically different from what going Greek is really about. In my opinion, this fact can lead members of Greek life to subconsciously embody these stereotypes, simply because it seems like that’s what sorority and fraternity life is supposed to be.

House parties, mixers, hazing, drinking, sex…what seems to be forgotten are the positive facts about going Greek, and there are many. A whole article could be dedicated to someone’s opinion on why going Greek is amazing, but I’m not here to write specifically about that. What I am here to write about are the most common stereotypes that apply to sororities in particular and why these stereotypes are not always truth. (It’s also worth mentioning that  stereotypes can vary from campus-to-campus and person-to-person, depending on individual experiences.) Read More »

Hazing. It’s a touchy subject, and by “touchy” I mean one that we never want to touch on… or ever be a part of. I happen to come from a very anti-hazing chapter and university, both of which take ample precautions to eliminate hazing. Yet at colleges across the country, hazing still exists (and goes too far). And it exists in student groups and organizations that don’t have Greek letters in their names.

Why, then, are sorority and fraternity incidents the ones that are always making national news?

Most recently, two fraternities and one sorority at George Washington University were stripped of their houses on campus for hazing and underage drinking incidents. And of course, the story made it into the Washington Post. And this wasn’t the first time that’s happened.

In fact, it seems to me that the only time hazing stories get any media attention, they involve the Greek community. (It also seems that the only time the Greek community gets any media attention it’s for hazing, but that’s a whole different issue.) Should those who break the rules (and the law!) be punished for their actions? Absolutely. Should those who stand by and let it happen be punished too? Yes. But we all know that it’s not just the frat boys and sorority girls who partake in hazing rituals. Read More »

No matter the size of the school or the type of environment, every student wants to find her place: lifelong friends, fun activities, and a sense of belonging in a brand new setting away from protective parents and high school stereotypes. But is such a prize worth the price?

…is there a price?

For some, it could be drinking excessively to prove you can keep up with your pledge class. Or maybe it is participating in embarrassing or humiliating acts around campus, to show your dedication to a new group. Kidnappings and road trips? Sure. Taking nude pictures? Alright, if you say so.

It’s true. This semester, new sorority girls at schools across the Southeast found themselves targeted on Facebook by a Lexie Hillbrenner, an alum of their chapter who handpicked them as potential future leaders of their sororities – what great news for any new pledge!

After hours of chatting about majors and backgrounds, Lexie felt as welcoming and friendly as any other sister…so when she asked girls to complete random tasks ranging from reporting the distance between their dorm and the sorority house to what color underwear they were wearing, it didn’t hit too far from home. It’s college and they probably thought, “we’re Greek, and this is just part of getting into the house!”

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Whether you’re a member of a sorority, sports team, or even a more unofficial group, think twice before you haze – it’s way more serious than it seems at first glance. Some people see hazing as a rite of a passage, a tradition, or something that will make people stronger and more committed. In reality, hazing is dehumanizing, cruel, and potentially dangerous…not to mention illegal. Considered “adult bullying,” hazing at a college level is punishable by law.

Get the facts before you participate in any hazing rituals.

What is hazing? By definition, hazing is “”any activity expected of someone joining a group that 
humiliates, degrades, abuses or endangers, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate. This does not include activities such as rookies carrying the balls, team parties with community games, or going out with your teammates, unless an atmosphere of humiliation, degradation, abuse or danger arises.”

Hazing can be as simple as withholding rights, or as severe and serious as burning, assaulting, or drugging another person. And while the more innocent forms of hazing may seem inconsequential, these are often considered misdemeanors – even if the victim is consenting. The power structure of hazing is dangerous in and of itself; a younger person or someone who is a position of inferiority often feels too threatened by possible punishments to speak out, so even if someone doesn’t seem bothered by your actions, it’s still considered hazing. Read More »

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This past weekend, the Delta Kappa Epsilon chapter at Yale University led pledges across campus, blindfolding them and forcing them to chant “No means yes, yes means anal.” The boys were led across Yale’s Old Campus, which is where the majority of freshman females live. The pledges also shouted about necrophilia — you know, that charming habit of having sex with corpses.

Not suprisingly, this “hilarious” initiation has caused quite a ruckus on campus. The president of the fraternity, Jordan Forney, apologized about the incident, claiming it was a “lapse of judgment.”

To me, it seems more like a “lapse of maturity, intelligence or respect for themselves or women.”

As a recent Lemondrop article mentions, it’s highly unlikely that this incident was a game-time decision. The older fraternity brothers knew exactly what they were doing and where they wanted to do it.

The extraordinarily degrading and misogynistic chants are irksome and naturally arouse disgust amongst females nationwide, but particularly to those on Yale’s campus. The Yale Women’s Center is calling for disciplinary action to be taken against the fraternity. My fingers are crossed that their pleas will be heard.

Read More »

[We scoured the country to find the ultimate sorority girl to share her expertise with you. After reading through tons of applications followed by hours Facebook-stalking all the candidates (which proved difficult thanks to FB's privacy settings....), we found her. And now, with sorority recruitment under way at many schools across the country, she's getting down to business and sharing everything you want/need to know about going from scared rushee to enthusiastic active sister.]

To protect the traditions and longstanding process, sorority rush is inherently shrouded in secrecy. Every chapter keeps their plans hush hush, current members can’t talk to potential new members, and everything – from rush songs to what snacks they’ll be serving – is kept on total lock down.

And to a nervous rushee with no idea what is about to happen, it can all be quite overwhelming.

To ease your minds a bit (and stop all the rumors about fat circling….), I’m going to open the doors of those palatial sorority houses and let you see things from the other side. So here it is: what every girl about to go through rush wants to know. Read More »

Photo and girls involved totally unrelated to story.

What is the meaning of a sorority exactly?

As an outsider, a self proclaimed anti-sorostitute, I’ve never really understood the purpose.  It’s a “special bond” they tell me.  A “sisterhood” they say.  Here is what I know:  I have a sister, and I have never struck her with a paddle 201 times in one week.  She has never been at the hospital with blood clots and welts on her ass that somehow symbolize our “loyalty” to each other.  I have not forced her to endure this pain to prove to me that she is worthy of being my sister.

Unfortunately, an anonymous Sigma Gamma Rho pledge at Rutgers University cannot say the same.  When she began to pledge the sorority, she was told that they do not condone hazing.  It took her one whole week, until she couldn’t even sit down, to finally go to the hospital and turn in the girls who had been beating her endlessly during the duration of her “non-hazing.”  Six girls were arrested and charged with aggravated hazing.

We are all thinking the same thing: how could these girls do this to her and the other pledges? It is cruel, evil, and outrageous.  But here is the bigger question: how could the pledges allow this happen to themselves? Joining a sorority is an elective activity.  No one forced these girls to pledge.  It was their choice.  Even though they were told that hazing was not condoned, why didn’t they opt to leave once they saw a paddle?  And even if they were too afraid to leave, why the hell did they go back for day two, three, four, etc?  Read More »

Unfortunately, hazing and college go together almost as seamlessly as Solo cups and Natty Light. Fraternities and sororities get most of the attention, but hazing activities pop up all across campus. Sports teams, student groups… even student government hazes new members in some way.

According to StopHazing.org, hazing is defined as “any activity expected of someone joining a group (or to maintain full status in a group) that humiliates, degrades or risks emotional and/or physical harm, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate.” That can include everything from going to an event in costume to being thrown off a roof between two matresses (and yes, that did happen at my school).

In its original form, hazing was used to create a bond between a group of people. Basically, older members would put their new recruits through obstacles in attempts to force them to band together against their oppressors. And in theory it works – how many times during middle school did you and your classmates band together when faced with an evil teacher or, better, a sub?

The problem is that it has gone too far. Students are getting injured and sometimes even killed during acts of hazing. ABC recently did a study on this where they brought hazing out into the open to see if people would step up and stop the cruel acts. And what happened? Read More »

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