Excited about Rush in NJ, yet still a little nervous.
 

Ok. I REALLY want to rush Gamma Phi this semester, and I'm totally excited about it, and I'm willing to fully commit myself and everything, but I'm scared about one thing and I'm sure most of you know what I'm thinking about. Hazing. I've heard some pretty bad stories already about what other sororities at my university do to their pledges, but no stories about Gamma Phi. I know no one is going to bad mouth Gamma Phi because you're all sisters here, but I need to know, how bad does it get? The sisters at my chapter here seem REALLY awesome and my school is SUPPOSED to have a strict 'no hazing' policy. Yet, I can already name two other sororites here who blatantly disregard said policy. I don't mind mild calisthenics(push ups and MAYBE even situps), line ups, scavenger hunts, or even a little bit of reciting codes and historical timelines aloud(from memory). But the minute someone starts to YELL in my face and call me degrading names and try to make me their slave I will leave and never look back. Another thing is initiation. I have this strict fear of being blindfolded from a traumatic childhood experience and if ANY blindfolding is involved in the pledge process after I have informed them of my aversion to this I will DEFINITELY leave. I really want to be part of something good and decent, and I do not believe that anyone should feel like they have to do something they do not want to just to be accepted, they should be accepted based on academic merit and how well they mesh with everyone and if they embody the standards of the organization. Am I sounding completely nuts here? Please some put my mind at ease. How was the pledge process for all of you? I would love to hear some of your stories, and as detailed as possible. Thank you so much for reading. :)

- - - Excited About Rush in Jersey

Gamma Phi Beta does not and should not haze. I'm not going to tell you anything bad that happened to me because nothing bad did happen to me. I think I have a pretty good idea of what school you go to, and those sororities all should be reported. A Gamma Phi Beta chapter who is hazing should be reported to our International Headquarters - we do not haze and we are not supposed to haze! The new member period (the word pledge is not supposed to be used) is supposed to be a fun way to bond with the girls who will become your sisters and learn information and history about the sorority that will make initiation more special for you.

Should you choose and be chosen to join, and I hope you do and are, you will be given a phone number to our anti-hazing hotline. If anything happens that you ever feel uncomfortable with, you should discuss that with the New Member Educator and Vice President of Membership Education, but should you not feel comfortable with that, call the hotline. Gamma Phi is truly not supposed to be hazing, so hopefully the fact that you have heard nothing about the chapter there means that they don't haze.

I hope this helps you and is what you're looking for. I know when my chapter says they don't haze, it's because they mean it, not because they are covering something up.

Very well said Kathleen.

To all Gamma Phi's nothing more needs to be said on this subject.

Thank you guys SO MUCH.:D You really put my mind at rest. I do carefully remember the the Gamma girls not using the word 'Pledge' at all during their presentation at the recent info session I attended. I also spoke to my brother and his ex-girlfriend who was a Gamma Phi, and she says that nothing that would violate any school or federal law or policy would take place during this process. I feel so much better now and I am so excited for the first Informal Rush party tonight. Glamour magazine was on our campus today, so I thought to make a good impression on the girls tonight I'd get my hair done by one of the professonal stylists that was on hand. It looks really good, but I'm gonna go put on my makeup and get read y to go because I have class before the party and I don't want to be late to either of them. I promise I'll keep in touch with all of you on the site, and hopefully we'll soon be sisters!

- - - Jennifer in New Jersey(sorry about the previous anonymity)

Kathleen, once again you rock. I don't think anyone could have said it better.

Just to reiterate, hazing is illegal and is not condoned by ANY National Panhellenic Council organization, so if you or anyone you know experiences it, the chapter should be reported immediately. Info we used with my chapter for PACE meetings was at http://www.stophazing.org and, as you'll see, 42 states including New Jersey, have anti-hazing laws.

On a lighter note, I've always said that the only "hazing" I experienced was being barraged with gifts from my sisters- which is the truth! I'm sure just about any Gamma Phi, or other sorority girl, will tell you the same. ;)

Good luck with recruitment and, if you want, you should post your recruitment story in the Rush forum! All of us on GC are addicted, so we'd love to hear it, and to welcome you!

Carol