We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Author Info Last Updated: October 21, Part 1. Decide what type of fraternity you want to join. Fraternities may have similar goals of cultivating friendships and taking part in campus life, but no two fraternities approach these goals the same way.
Each fraternity has a different charter, plans different events, and focuses on different aspects of campus life. Attend events at several different fraternities. Spend the first night or two of rush week sampling events at as many fraternities as possible to determine which one best suits your personality and goals for life on campus.
In addition to simply meeting people, keep track of what life as part of each community will entail. Create a narrowed list. After getting a sense of a wide array of fraternities and what each one is about, create a short list of the ones that most appealed to you. Meet with as many brothers of each fraternity on your list as possible.
This is dependent upon how many fraternities are on your list, but spend an extra day of rush week meeting with as many brothers of each fraternity on your list as possible. Be pleasant yet honest with all of the brothers with whom you meet.
By keeping your options spread three or so fraternities, you raise your changes of getting into one of them. Manage your bids. Depending upon the demand of the fraternities on your list, they may hold offering bids to potential recruits until late in rush week, or they may start offering them early on if they find people they believe are a perfect fit. In addition to accepting or declining a bid, most fraternities will allow you to place a hold on the bid while you continue weighting your options.
Make sure you fully understand the specifics of putting a hold on your bid. Choose your fraternity. Take the proper amount of time to weigh your options and choose the one that most complements your personality, goals on campus, and expected level of interaction. Part 2. Know what to expect. Due to the highly controversial history and connotations of pledging, many fraternities have actually done away with the process.
This means that while you will be expected to maintain a commitment to learning about the community and upholding its practices, you may not actually have to pledge. Take a zero tolerance approach to hazing. Stories of violent, even deadly, fraternity initiation rites are myriad, with students and universities citing some very violent and abusive practices of certain fraternities. Some fraternity initiations can involve physical torture, the commission of a crime, and in some rare, but sadly present, cases: these actions go beyond the control of the brothers in charge and a pledge will actually die.
In fact, hazing deaths are increasing at an alarming rate all around the country, and many law enforcement agencies, in cooperation with universities, are actively monitoring fraternity initiations to ensure that it is safe.
What is a Fraternity Initiation? Why is a Fraternity Initiation Important? Share on facebook Facebook. Share on twitter Twitter. Share on linkedin LinkedIn. Prev Previous Sleeping Students? Networking is an integral part of the college experience and Greek life provides one of the strongest foundations for social interfacing with a network of peers. Greek organizations help build networks that often prove beneficial to students when looking for internships, employment, recommendations, or employees.
The connections gained through your organization, both within your university and at the national level, can have serious long-term benefits. There are currently more than nine million alumni of fraternities and sororities working out there in the real world.
Joining one of these organizations makes you the member of an exclusive club. This membership affords you an instant connection with any other members of that club. As you advance in your college education and your career, these connections can become increasingly valuable for landing interviews, listing references, or getting letters of recommendation. Imagine showing up for your first day on a new job in your nicest shirt, every hair in place, and your fingernails nicely manicured.
Hazing is technically forbidden, but the reality is that it still happens and is fairly widespread. At least one hazing death has occurred on a North American campus every year since As noted above, this is the leading cause of costly insurance. You should also bear in mind that not all new member hazing is brutal. Some of it may just be annoying or mildly demeaning. Most commonly, pledges are asked to do trivial, pointless tasks, many that may be publicly humiliating. Pledges are often required to prove their worth and learn their place in the pecking order of a fraternity or sorority.
The real test is whether the activity is harmful to you or others. Second, would I allow someone I care about to do the same thing?
Perhaps one of the better kept secrets about Greek life is all the good that fraternities and sororities do. Many work hard to instill a culture of service and philanthropy.
Involvement in philanthropic activities varies from one organization to the next, and even from one chapter to the next. Still, most chapters do provide pathways to involvement in some sort of community service project or philanthropic endeavor.
Many chapters even have leadership positions dedicated to this aspect of Greek life. Members in charge of service initiatives will delegate responsibilities, log the hours contributed by each member, and coordinate service events and fundraisers. Every national organization has an award which recognizes the service contributions of its most outstanding chapter. Without exception, the chapters that win these awards are always aggressively involved in philanthropy and community service.
Some chapters raise tens of thousands of dollars every year for their charity of choice while instilling a lasting appreciation for the value of philanthropy and community service among members. Alcohol and illegal drugs are a common hazard for Greek organizations. The vast majority of hazing-related deaths have resulted from forced binge drinking.
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