<p>I just finished pledging and it was great. No hazing or stupid stuff like that for us which was nice. And I'd say a good 80% of my pledge class were freshmen.</p>
<p>I got a bid, pledged, and withdrew one day before initiation because of transfer considerations. But, to get the bid, all I had to do was show up to a couple of rush events and talk to some of the brothers. The pledge process involved:</p>
<p>-- Weekly pledge meetings with quizzes over material pertaining to the fraternity.</p>
<p>-- Some community service.</p>
<p>-- Hanging out at the house and getting to know brothers.</p>
<p>-- Completing an interview book which had all the brothers and some recent alumni.</p>
<p>-- Buying and designing paddles for our big brothers.</p>
<p>-- Going to special ceremonies.</p>
<p>-- Doing AlcoholEdu, and any other related programs required by nationals or campus Greek Life Office.</p>
<p>-- Wear a pledge pin at all times (except sex, sports, sleeping, and showering).</p>
<p>So nothing bad at all. Now, I know some people who were hazed, and were made to do things like Edward 40-Hands, but in general, hazing is no longer really done. Obviously, some schools still have big problems with it (SEC, Cornell), but those would appear to be the exceptions.</p>
<p>Yeah I fotgot to say about the pledge pin. </p>
<p>We had to "Dress to Pin" every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. That means: long sleave dress shirt, black dress pants, tie, black dress shoes, black dress socks, formal black belt, and our pledge pin 2 fingers above our heart. The only time we didn't have to wear it was sleeping, showering, sex, sports, if we were going to drink, or do anything illegal.</p>
<p>It wasn't that bad. Yes, it was hot. But everyone can tell that you're pledging, because no one is going to walk around dressed like that for no reason, so it was a really good was to meet random girls in sororities.</p>
<p>I really don't have any witty anti-frat comments to add, but it's just not my "scene," as someone else said.</p>
<p>and you felt the need to say this why?</p>
<p>Because I can add to a thread if I want to, a handful of other people have also rejected frats in it.</p>
<p>but you aren't "adding" anything at all. if this was about rotc, or any other club/group/cause for that matter, and someone said "that isn't my scene", everyone would have a negative reaction. but when someone makes a derogatory comment towards fraternities, it's accepted as being ok...</p>
<p>Probably because they damaged their reputation with hazing and drinking (protip: serving alcohol to minors knowingly is illegal, college frat or not). The original ideals of "brotherhood" seem to have been lost in the public eye to wild partying.</p>
<p>You guys can do your part to try to fix that reputation. The first step would to probably end hazing (seems to have been done, as noted in this thread) and excessive drinking/serving to minors.</p>
<p>good point. we should start to stereotype more groups as well.</p>
<p>People wouldn't form the stereotypes if they didn't see it occurring at so many frats/on so many campuses.</p>
<p>
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we should start to stereotype more groups as well.
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</p>
<p>I don't think he's adding anything more to the stereotype than 30 years of National Lampoon movies have already done.</p>
<p>My roommate pledged a frat and is now a brother.</p>
<p>His frat "hazed" similarly to what diesel described in post #7. In other words, it didn't haze at all.</p>
<p>He spent A LOT of time at the house. Before becoming a brother, I rarely saw him in our room save for sleeping. I almost didn't see him at all during his initiation week. Afterward, though, he wasn't at the house quite as often.</p>
<p>If you're interested in frat life, I definitely recommend attending rush events. I rushed on the first day, but decided that I wasn't interested.</p>
<p>Just remember that if you get a bid and accept it, there is a very large initial time commitment to the fraternity.</p>
<p>When should you start doing these steps while a senior in high school or after you enter college?</p>