a little personal experience....

I joined a professional sorority at my first college. I was there for several years, became President, all that business. My Greek experience was spectacular and there was nothing even remotely close to hazing.

I took some time off from school, and transferred. At my new college, I decided to pledge a social sorority, as I hadn't been able to at my old school (bylaws - long story). I did a lot of research on the different sororities there, all of whom had plastered all over there websites and flyers "We Don't Haze!" I rushed. I was told "We Don't Haze!" I asked around on campus, from the few people I knew. I was told "They don't haze!"

Guess what. The first night I was inducted as a pledge, I was hazed.

I quit that night. I didn't turn them in... well, because I was stupid. I wish I had, but I was intimidated by being at a new school and not knowing another soul. So I kept my mouth shut.

The moral of this story? I'm glad I had GC and my prior greek experience. Without it, I probably would have stayed in and continued to pledge and be hazed. I know exactly where this girl is coming from... she's scared, and she IS doing her research by coming here and finding out what her options are.

Ginger you read my mind

PinkShip,

Hazing happens at the SSHE schools, it's well known. If you're not comfortable with what is asked of you, and lord knows I wouldn't be, you should be sure to at least report it to your greek advisor on campus. Greek Advisors will contact the HQs and so on. Just remember to take care of yourself.

As for the folks that are completely losing their minds here, WHOA!! Can't we all just simmer down!

Hmm,

i can't believe this thread is still active.

who moderates this board and what are they up to? :D

Um, i think i'ts pretty apparant what her motives are, seeing as how she hasn't come back to post on this thread.

I think DA has the best answer. No need to crucify trolls, just don't respond or get all huffy.

Kitso
KS 361

Oh my goodness!
 

Look at all of the vinegar and venom this thread has spouted!

Greek Chatters, please remember-- on the internet and off, everything you do and say is not just a reflection of you, it is a reflection on your GLO. Long after your name has been forgotten, your letters will be remembered with your words, and a negative connotation attached to your letters.

It isn't what you say, it is how you say that counts, and I am truly disappointed at what I am reading. This PNM had a question about what to do if she encounters an uncomfortable situation. All of the NPC sororities have zero tolerance policies on hazing, but the reality (as we know from the many news clippings we see each year and those that are posted to these boards) is that there are many local chapters of those NPC's who go behind the backs of their advisers and nationals to have a little "fun"-- and until they are caught, hazing happens. If it didn't there wouldn't be as many chapters on probation as there are out there. And believe it or not, there are chapters within your own sorority right now on probation for those reasons.

If any new member confronts a hazing situation, you need to just walk away and immediately report the action to your campus Greek adviser. If you allow yourself to be the subject of a hazing activity and you know it is wrong, you are just as much at fault, and you contribute to the jeopardization of your chapter. The initiated sister is supposed to know better, but as a new member, you are an adult with a sense of right and wrong, and you have the right as a member to raise your voice and ask your questions to your chapter, your sponsor sister, your advisers, etc. An NPC sorority is an organization dedicated to the mental, moral and social improvement of its members. Degrading new sisters has no place within the organization's goals.

To GC'ers concerned about non members trying to ferret out information on ritual, there are tactful ways to handle these people if you believe their communication is flawed or they have devious intent. But 9 times out of 10, you will catch more flies with honey.

Please watch your words and actions. Consider your GLO and all of its members-- we are all affected by your decisions.

Pardon my DA-Ness, but what is a SSHE school?

Tom - SSHE = Pennsylvania teachers colleges. :) (Although they educate more than teachers nowadays, of course.)

SSHE
 

SSHE is the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (composed of 14 universities).

Kitso, I don't think any of us can really question her motives. If you notice in her first post here PinkShip talked about filling out her bid card the morning she posted. She was actually posting very actively in the Rush forum on and up to bid day. Since then we haven't heard from her and I am just hoping that she wasn't disappointed with her bid results but has been out celebrating with her new sisters and has just forgotten to post. Or even worse I hope she isn't disappointed by the responses she has received to this thread asking about the possibility of hazing and her fear about it.

Unfortunately, especially with the advent of the two MTV shows and all the various news stories lately, hazing has been brought to the forefront of a lot of peoples attention. It has also created some fears for pnm that they may have never experienced before.

I just hate to see how cynical everyone seems to have gotten on greekchat lately. When I first started posting this was such a friendly place and now some of the friendliest people even seem to be getting cynical. I hope the trend reverses soon or we may not see to many new members on here in the not too distant future.

Congratulations on finding your home! Try to remember that the stress you're enduring now will lead you to a lifetime of sisterhood.

I'm glad you've educated yourself on what is and what is not acceptable, and I hope that you have the strength to report it if something unfortunate should occurr.

I understand that you're hurt and offended - I probably would be too. Just try to remember that one person does not always represent the mindset of an entire sorority.

a) Pink, congrats on your bid and welcome to our sisterhood!! I followed your rush thread from start to finish, and I've been waiting to hear where you went!!! I personally am very proud to have you as a member, and I know the other sisters on the boards will be too! stop by and say hi!

and b) I wish I had seen this hazing thread before. All i'm going to say is that if you (and by "you" i mean GC'ers who are initiated into GLO's) dont want curious people to ask what they percieve as an important questions, don't offer your advice ever again!! To me, these boards come off as a place where people can talk about all kinds of greek issues, ask questions and get impartial answers. Her question was by no means inappropriate, as many people have already noted. We all want to be helpful to new members - at least, most of us want to be helpful, I thought.

PinkShip - Congrats on Phi Sigma Sigma!!
HotDamn - When you make such rude and ignorant posts, maybe you should post under an anonymous name? You give Phi Mu a bad name when you act like that (and I know they are great women).

Oh, because you've never ever once posted something remotely rude or ignorant. :rolleyes:

HotDamn was not the only one who thought that this looked trollish.

PinkShip, congratulations on Phi Sigma Sigma, and if ever something happens that shouldn't, now you know who to contact and call.

I agree that things have gone way too far, and HotDamn should have been more circumspect in giving her opinion. That having been said, PinkShipChick07 is also WAY out of line by saying, "Thank God I'm not a Phi Mu, especially if all your sisters are as bitchy as you are." I understand you're hurt, but that response was totally inappropriate.

IMO, the two of you are both partly responsible and you both should apologize for the sake of keeping the peace around here. Just my 19.04 and you are free to disregard it.

I agree. PinkShip isn't totally innocent here either, and it's certainly no fair to attack HotDamn and be totally accepting of comments like that.

HotDamn,

The national website, even though in theory it's supposed to, doesn't represent each individual chapter. Why else are individual chapters hazing their new members? Of course, when the hazing chapters are exposed, hopefully something is done to prohibit this activity in the future. Maybe a reality check would do some good.

In a perfect world, hazing would not exist and there would be a clearer definition of what hazing actually incorporates. One person can see something as hazing but the next could see it as a bonding situation.

OK that's my two cents!

I think she pretty much cleared up ANY confusion about her quality as a sorority member all by herself.....

Thanks PinkShip!

pirepresent -- try getting your pledge sister to remove the word "bitch" from her post. Then we'll talk.

phisigduchesscv -- "posting very actively in the rush forum" =/= 14 posts.

Ok seriously i take offense to what is being said about phi mu, just because one girl seems bitchy doesnt mean the whole organzation has girls that are bitchy. Second if you are gonna be hazed or in the mist of being hazed you should take that very seriously. Most people are not willing to talk about there hazing experiences. Not one person said u were stupid about u worrying about being hazed. But then again u shouldnt worry about it because it shouldnt be happening and if it does and u dont like it you should leave. I have many friends in phi sig and i think they would take offense to u one asking a question about being hazed because it more or less is giving a thought to people that it is possible that ur chapter does haze and about saying anything bad about another glo. Sorry if i sound like im being bitchy but u know according to you its cause im in phi mu.
Pinkship i also sent u a pm explaining myself a little better.

PinkShip, Congratuations on Phi Sigma Sigma.

Maybe this thread should be closed.

All I have to say on this matter is that Phi Sigma Sigma has a hazing policy that is posted on the national website and is in your vision/reflection manual AND you had to sign off that you had read the policy when your signed your new member paper work.

That being said if there is any sort of hazing going on or you feel at all uncomfortable TELL SOMEONE PLEASE tell your SDC or your sapphire sister or whatever because this is NOT tolerated and I HATE to think a chapter of my sisterhood would haze MY new sisters.
I also have to say though that being a new member is a bit overwhelming, and stressful but should also be enjoyable, teach you something and help you really feel a part of the sisterhood. ! Have fun ! and LITP !