Anonymous wrote:W&M has a very well monitored system. I haven't heard of any hazing in the sorority system. None when I was there, haven't heard of any when my daughter was there. Not that something couldn't happen, but it's not a major issue. My son just joined a fraternity and has had no issues. Just a nice social group. There have been some sporadic issues with fraternities in the past, but those fraternities have been removed from campus if the issue is significant.

https://www.wtkr.com/2017/12/01/william-mary-sorority-suspended-for-hazing-violations

W&M has a very well monitored system. I haven't heard of any hazing in the sorority system. None when I was there, haven't heard of any when my daughter was there. Not that something couldn't happen, but it's not a major issue. My son just joined a fraternity and has had no issues. Just a nice social group. There have been some sporadic issues with fraternities in the past, but those fraternities have been removed from campus if the issue is significant.

The Omegas used to brand.

Brand, as in: burning the Greek letter into the skin on the arm, using a red hot branding iron. Google it.

They did this up through the 90s; possibly later.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is in a frat at a SEC school. Hazing was minimal IMO. They had to wear certain outfits. One frat had boys parade in dresses for examples. Pledges have to clean the frat house in the am so n many frats. They had some other stupid activities, but none sounded dangerous.

All you know is that this is all that your DS shared with you about being in a frat - but you can't know for sure that this is all that he experienced in terms of hazing at his frat. They are trained and told not to share all details esp with parents.

+1

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to be naive but are girls fully naked during this process, or in underwear (not that this isn’t horrid)?

Depends; varies by sorority, university, etc. and as a PP said: this is all private and kept very secret. Sisters are coached and sworn to secrecy.

Sorry to be naive but are girls fully naked during this process, or in underwear (not that this isn’t horrid)?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hazing is serious problem with Greeks. Someone dies every couple of years. Most Greeks have experienced blacking out, many become alcoholics later in life, which also leads to early death. Hazing didn’t really start until after WW2 when all of the soldiers returning from the war used the newly established GI bill to go to college. Prior to WW2 it was really focused on philanthropy and being scholarly. Wish it would revert to what it was back in 1890s.

I’ve heard that sororities (and the Greek system in general) at W&M is more like this. Anyone have experience with Greek life at W&M, specifically sororities?

My daughter has expressed interest since she’s heard there it’s more about a group for camaraderie, study partners, and service. She’s not interested in Greek life as depicted on Bama Rush but people tell her the scene at W&M is very different.

Same and my wm freshman just accepted a bid today and now I am suddenly scared about hazing. I have no personal experience with greek life!

Anonymous wrote:DS is in a frat at a SEC school. Hazing was minimal IMO. They had to wear certain outfits. One frat had boys parade in dresses for examples. Pledges have to clean the frat house in the am so n many frats. They had some other stupid activities, but none sounded dangerous.

All you know is that this is all that your DS shared with you about being in a frat - but you can't know for sure that this is all that he experienced in terms of hazing at his frat. They are trained and told not to share all details esp with parents.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not really hazing, but more of a “trust exercise,” but expect sorority pledges to have to disrobe in front of their sisters, at least once in private. It’s widespread and normal.

So do you only trust people you’ve seen naked? This makes no sense and is far from normal. The pilot doesn’t come out of the cockpit nude and yet you still trust them to fly your plane. In fact, I’d wager you wouldn’t trust a pilot who did this.

Meh.

You probably should not look into the traditional initiation rite for The Masons (hint: wear clean underwear that evening).

This whole thing is not a big deal.

Holy crap. As a mother of a kid who enjoys his social “partying” and is looking into frats, this is all scarier than I imagined.

I’ve done my best to limit SEC apps but it can really happen anywhere. Handles of JD taped into one’s hand is the most frightening thing.

DS is in a frat at a SEC school. Hazing was minimal IMO. They had to wear certain outfits. One frat had boys parade in dresses for examples. Pledges have to clean the frat house in the am so n many frats. They had some other stupid activities, but none sounded dangerous.

Absolutely

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hazing is serious problem with Greeks. Someone dies every couple of years. Most Greeks have experienced blacking out, many become alcoholics later in life, which also leads to early death. Hazing didn’t really start until after WW2 when all of the soldiers returning from the war used the newly established GI bill to go to college. Prior to WW2 it was really focused on philanthropy and being scholarly. Wish it would revert to what it was back in 1890s.

I’ve heard that sororities (and the Greek system in general) at W&M is more like this. Anyone have experience with Greek life at W&M, specifically sororities?

My daughter has expressed interest since she’s heard there it’s more about a group for camaraderie, study partners, and service. She’s not interested in Greek life as depicted on Bama Rush but people tell her the scene at W&M is very different.

Bama Rush sounds more fun and the kids are definitely cuter!

There’s so much more to life than being cute. I’m sorry you’re stuck in an eighth grade mentality.

Anonymous wrote:It’s not really hazing, but more of a “trust exercise,” but expect sorority pledges to have to disrobe in front of their sisters, at least once in private. It’s widespread and normal.

So do you only trust people you’ve seen naked? This makes no sense and is far from normal. The pilot doesn’t come out of the cockpit nude and yet you still trust them to fly your plane. In fact, I’d wager you wouldn’t trust a pilot who did this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not really hazing, but more of a “trust exercise,” but expect sorority pledges to have to disrobe in front of their sisters, at least once in private. It’s widespread and normal.

This is an old urban legend. I heard this was going to happen in the early 90s when I pledged and nope. Not at my sorority, not for any of my friends in other sororities, not for any of my relatives or their children who rushed, not for my kid or any of her friends now.

Trolls have really taken over DCUM in the last year with intensity. It’s a real shame because this website has been so helpful in the past as a good parenting resource. Now let board warrior trolls have ruined it.

Just because it did not happen to you, does not automatically render it “urban legend.” You are a sample size of one.

And the fact that it’s widespread comes from all the remarkably similar accounts (ie not coincidence), from all the sisters and former sisters across the USA: all the accounts mentioned ceremonies in private, which all involve the robe. It’s debatable how many still involve the physically-harmless but still humiliating sharpie marker. But they all consistently include pledges partially or fully disrobing in front of their sisters, then receiving their robe to cover up.

It is also something no college women would run home to tell mommy about; it’s all private and it’s kept private. And it still commonly happens.