[shadokat]

To comment on Christi's post, our campus was just like that, except I was in the one sorority that didn't haze. And let me tell you something....money had nothing to do with our membership. We took quality women who wanted to belong to a quality organization and support our ideals.

You say because you were hazed, you're so much closer to your pledge sisters. Well, being 5 years out of school, I can tell you that I still talk to my pledge sisters at least once a week via email or the phone. We have semi-annual get togethers at the beach or something, and that didn't come because someone hazed us. It came because we all support and believe in our ritual and ideals. Many sororities on my campus believed in earning letters. We believed in the same....just via learning about the values and traditions, the ritual and ideals, that go with being a sister, and living your life by those ideas each day.

Finally, while we were going through our new member program, we were asked to do many things, but one that was most important was respect for sisters, ourselves and our letters. Hazing doesn't respect new members...it forces them to bond together to survive a period of time, and it also binds them in a resentment towards those who hazed them. I've seen it firsthand through friends who pledged hazing sororities, and it's truly a shame. I'm glad my sisterhood bonds came through respect, love and ritual. THAT'S what brother/sisterhood is all about.