What is sorority initiation?

Initiation: The formal ritual ceremony that brings new members into full membership of the sorority or fraternity. Through initiation, members learn and pledge themselves to the ideals of the sorority and fraternity. Many initiation ceremonies are only open to initiated members.

What does it mean to be initiated in a sorority?

Usually within her first semester of joining, and sometimes as early as six weeks after accepting her bid, a new member participates in an initiation ceremony that teaches her the secrets and rituals of her sorority while awarding her with full membership.

How long is sorority initiation?

They are meant to make the values of a sorority hit home and celebrate the vision the original founders had. Some initiations last a few hours, others for a few days. All have their own dress code and behavioral rules, like no alcohol consumption for a few days or not wearing makeup to initiation.

What happens during initiation week?

Unfortunately, history tells us that Initiation Week (also referred to as “Honor Week”, “Hell Week”, “I-Week”, etc.), which should be about welcoming new members to the Legion of Honor, sometimes devolves into one final test comprised of physical and/or psychological hazing for candidates to prove their “worth” of ...

What happens initiation ceremonies?

Separation from the family and other-sex peers, initiation into adult sexuality, instantiation of male dominance and aggression, and demonstration of peer group and political loyalties are seen in initiation rituals.

Women Share Sorority Horror Stories

What is the purpose of initiation?

Initiation is a rite of passage marking entrance or acceptance into a group or society. It could also be a formal admission to adulthood in a community or one of its formal components. In an extended sense, it can also signify a transformation in which the initiate is 'reborn' into a new role.

What is the difference between hazing and initiation?

The initiation rites can range from relatively benign pranks, to protracted patterns of behaviour that rise to the level of abuse or criminal misconduct. Hazing may include physical or psychological abuse. It may also include nudity or sexual assault.

What happens at female initiation?

The female initiates are first removed from their village and reside in a provisional hut under the care of specially selected relatives who act as the 'mothers of initiation. ' On the first day of initiation, the Sara females are bathed after their hair and clothing are removed to undergo a ritual circumcision.

What is the most common sorority hazing?

The most common hazing behaviors included participating in a drinking game (53%); singing or chanting in public in a situation that is not a related event, game, or practice (31%); drinking large amounts of alcohol to the point of getting sick or passing out (26%); being awakened at night by other members (19%); and ...

What is sorority pledging like?

Pledging a sorority involves different activities and meetings, many of which are mandatory. This means that for most collegiettes, pledging ends up being a huge time commitment. New members spend a lot of time learning about the different aspects of their sorority.

Why is sorority initiation important?

Initiation is an important part of forming a group. It gives new members a sense of belonging, it builds common experiences among the whole group and sets norms among them necessary for performing.

Do sororities haze during initiation?

Seventy-three percent of students in social fraternities or sororities have experienced hazing in some form. Hazing is defined as “an initiation process involving harassment,” and is a practice that has been around since at least 387 B.C., when it was practiced in Plato's Academy.

Should I drop my sorority before initiation?

Consider Continuous Open Recruitment

If you've given it a real go and still are feeling like something is off, you can always consider dropping your sorority before initiation and trying out the process again in a different way!

What does dirty rush mean?

Here is a list of some situations that could fall under the category of "Dirty Rush" during or prior to sorority recruitment: Being promised a bid or being guaranteed that you will get invited back to another recruitment round.

Do sororities choose based on looks?

Stereotypically, sorority rush and sorority culture place great emphasis on beauty ideals. Some sororities use physical appearance to decide whether someone qualifies for membership due to sorority members having a short window to meet and converse with potential new members.

Why can't you join another sorority after being initiated?

The Panhellenic Compact, which is a Unanimous Agreement between the 26 member organizations that make up the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), prohibits dual membership. Basically, women are not allowed to join two NPC sororities in their life.

What is the number 1 sorority?

The largest sorority by membership is Chi Omega, also called “Chi O,” and the largest sorority by active chapters is Alpha Omicron Pi, or “A O Pi” for short.

What is the biggest sorority?

Despite being a women's organization, Chi Omega only refers to itself as a women's fraternity instead of a sorority. As such, Chi Omega is the largest women's sorority organization in the world with over 355,000 initiates and 181 collegiate chapters.

How many pledges have died from hazing?

In 2021, NBC reported that since 2000, at least 50 college students have died from hazing, with the majority of those deaths related to alcohol. According to independent researcher Hank Nuwer, the toll could even be as high as 105.

Why do girls go to initiation school?

Speaking about the initiation of women, he explained that women go to initiation school to mark their transition into womanhood. This is marked by their first menstrual period. They are taken to the bush away from influences and taught the law and how to behave as a woman.

What do they do at initiation school?

The initiation schools are regarded as cultural educational institutions where initiates are taught the values inherent in social responsibility, discipline and acceptable conduct, as well as more about their culture.

Are special clothes worn during initiation?

It is even customary for the initiated to dress very formally for a set period of time after the rite. Each initiate receives a new blanket and is now called "ikrwala" (singular) which means new man or amakrwala.

Is yelling hazing?

Harassment hazing is used to confuse, frustrate, or cause unnecessary stress for new members. This behavior has the potential to cause emotional anguish and/or physical discomfort. Examples of harassment hazing include: Yelling or screaming.

How can you tell if someone is hazing?

Signs that hazing may be occurring:

Required carrying of certain items. Loss of voice due to having to yell. Performing of special tasks for the members or others. Required attendance at late night work sessions, resulting in sleep deprivation.

What can you do for initiation?