I’ve always wondered how fraternities and sororities work in college and they always sound so strange in the stories I have heard. what is hazing? why are there rules and what are the rules? my college is small enough that we don’t have them, but even if we did I probably wouldn’t be aware they existed here.
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They are just social clubs. The details vary by group, but the general picture is this: If you want to join, you “rush” during the early part of the school year by attending recruiting events. You can also attend the events with no intention to join. If they like you, they’ll give you a bid that you can accept or decline. There’s usually a bit of a trial period where you learn about the club history and traditions and whatnot, and if that all goes well you get inducted in some sort of ceremony. Benefits can include housing. You also have to pay dues and attend meetings where they plan events, elect club officers, and talk about recruiting.
Some are more social, some are more service oriented, some are more academic-oriented. Some are co-ed (don’t discriminate on gender), others require you be of a specific gender.
Hazing is a historical practice by which the fraternity/sorority would put potential candidates through various nonsense or mild torture as sort of a twisted bonding exercise (or just plain sadism). It is now pretty much universally banned. But there seems to be something about the practice because it’s a common thing in social groups going back thousands of years. But it’s an abusive practice.
ELI5: How do fraternities work?
byu/lenny_hernandez inexplainlikeimfive
ELI5: As someone not from the US, what exactly are sororities and fraternities at university?
byu/ImperialSeal inexplainlikeimfive
ELI5: As a Brit, can someone explain what fraternities/sororities are, what pledging is, etc?
byu/DefendTheArk inexplainlikeimfive
etc.
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