I Know You Want It

A common myth is that hazing is a “reality” in Frats and sororities. We've all seen it in movies and we've all heard stories from our friends. Hazing can be defined as people or individuals who are forced to do something that is psychologically, physically, or emotionally harmful or damaging (Merriam Webster). Greek organizations all over the world have taken steps in developing human rights policies and strict “anti-hazing” policies to get rid of hazing in all forms from all campuses and fraternities. In the 1980s the movie “Animal House”, became a hit. The movie’s “mocking” of the wild side of fraternity life: binge drinking, hazing, sexual harassment, wild parties, drug use, and poor living conditions, became the American public’s view of Greek life. Many television movies and shows depict the ‘crazy side,’ of Greek life and choose to show its negative side. In doing so, many movies and shows do forget to showcase the beneficial side of joining a Sorority or fraternity and show its positive

Between family legacies, traditions, and an abundance of college themed movies, books, and television shows, it would be difficult to find a prospective college student who is not familiar with the idea of “Greek life.” For the purpose of this essay, “Greek life” refers to the system employed by many colleges and universities to establish and maintain fraternities and sororities (primarily dominated by caucasian and economically advantages students). It is important to note the existence of fraternities and organizations outside of this stereotypical “Greek” realm, such as coeducational honor and service based fraternities, though even these are not fully exempt from detrimental practices. Fraternities and sororities are often looked down upon with a negative light for a number of reasons, some of which include dangerous hazing habits and unsavory social scenes. While there certainly are undeniable benefits and negatives within these systems, the biggest effect they have is on gender. “Greek life” in college is unhealthy due to its impact on post-college gender expectations by promoting party culture, encouraging misogyny through ingrained tradition, and indoctrinating women into subservience at an impressionable age.

The differences between interactions of social events are derived from people feeling secure and protected verses feeling threatened and helpless. Campus settings are interrupted as high-risk environments for rape culture and are seen to promote sexual aggression from the dominant groups. When looking at systemic factors in the problem we can see how fraternities create guideline that follow in the traditions of perpetuating rape culture. Men who participated in fraternity living arrangements are encouraged to interact and bond with like-minded members. Often these brothers are not encouraged to develop or share experiences with others outside of the fraternity. This level of involvement embraces the dominant cultural beliefs or values to be see as a way of life. Without being able to experience healthy and diverse situation these people are

Walking around a university’s campus any day of the week, one sees an array of Greek letters worn proudly by young men and women in the Greek system. Fraternities and sororities play a big part in a university. The Greek system can also be an easy target to direct criticism. There are those who oppose the Greek system and those who embrace it. Evan Wright opposes the Greek system in his article “Sister Act” that was featured in Rolling Stone Magazine. He uses examples from students at Ohio State University in Columbus to show his disapproval of the way sororities are now days. He portrays sorority girls as catty conformists who are obsessed with partying with fraternity

In the 1960s, there was a considerable decrease in the number of students joining fraternities and sororities on campus. The movie implemented a rejuvenation of the Greek college, party life on campus. Sperber writes “Nationwide membership in fraternities doubled from about one hundred thousand in 1970 to two hundred thousand in 1980, and doubled again to almost four hundred thousand in 1990” (16) Due to the rise of party and prank behavior attributed to membership, colleges put regulations in place to stop student drinking. These regulations do not work. The regulations also contradict the advertised Greek life used while recruiting students to pledge. My impression of this is that it still occurs today. I agree with Sperber, there are many students entering college just to be part of this

College; some look for the experience to open their minds in extending their educations; as others look at it as the first step towards adulthood and running away from home as fast as possible. Sororities and fraternities have been around for decades with America’s blind eye turned towards the injustices that encompass the stigma. Student hazing deaths are climbing and something has to change to prevent these actions. What will it take to change fraternity culture?

When asked about drinking on his college campus one student commented, ‘it's part of the American college culture. I don't know of any college where a large part of the student body isn't drinking on the weekends' (Shinew, 2005)".

“axle is loosed past engagement, you kept me sealed exactly against you, our hairlines wet as the arc of a gateway after a cloudburst, you secured me in your arms till I slept”

'American Teen,' directed by Nanette Burstein, is a documentary film set in a small town in Indiana. The film follows the lives of five high-school teenagers through their final year of high-school in a way that hasn’t been perceived since ‘The Breakfast Club’. The film over-exaggerates the problems, demands and complications the modern generations are facing today by combining candid footage with false, staged events. The goal is less to provide a slice of reality than it is to estimate a fictionalized version of that reality through the inclusion of re-enactments, dramatisations, voice-overs and other techniques, deceiving viewers into believing that what they’re seeing is actually real.

Over several decades, Greek life has been an integral part of colleges and universities throughout the United States. There is a high demand of “fitting in” in today’s society and a question that students, parents, and teachers alike often ask themselves is, “Does Greek life provide a more safe or harmful environment?” With strong evidence, it is absolutely absurd to believe that fraternities and sororities do more good than they do harm. Various statistics provide factual evidence as to why Greek life is a toxic and dangerous environment for many young adults. Between the rape culture, hazing, and delinquency linked to the students associated with Greek life, it is time that it comes to an end for good so that students may have a more safe and enjoyable college experience. Fraternities and Sororities should be banned off of college and university campuses due to the danger and drama associated with them.

A typical student from the novel can most likely be described as a “Princeton slicker” (51). The “slickers” are predominantly smart, well-dressed and successful, but what truly draws the line between them and the other students is the slickers’ “sense of social values” (40), or, in other words, their snobbishness. The very structure of the college, with its clubs and societies

My body tingles, still feeling the need to be on the dance floor, moving with the music. Everything is soft and a little bit muted around me, and it all seems brighter. Everything is funny, so funny, I can’t stop laughing. I didn’t drink did I? It doesn’t matter, because everything feels so good now. So good, until a

On the other hand, Nathan argues, “Rather than being located in its shared symbols, meetings, activities, and rituals, the university for an undergraduate was more accurately a world of self-selected people and events” (237). This cannot be said for American universities as a whole. Many if not most colleges have strong on-campus communities starting at the roots of student living; the dorms. Every week you will find a plethora of activities and events going on no farther than the students’ downstairs lobby. From events like “Residents Fest”, where the different dormitories face off in multiple competitive events, to comedy shows and entertainers that come to the campus

Meeting someone at a party or already knowing someone at a party and performing sexual acts on one another seems like it is part of everyday life on a college campus anymore. College students are not only the most common people found in this culture, but are also most susceptible to becoming a part of this culture. Say that a male freshman goes to a new friend’s apartment for the weekend to hang out, not knowing there were going to be girls over for the weekend too. The man becomes physically attracted to one of the women there, and on impulse, tries to kiss the woman. The woman kisses back, and before they know it, the two have just hooked up. Becoming part of hook up culture is just that

Blushing she stopped dancing and put her hand in his, she did not doubt what the tone of the voice meant, it was happening at last. Hurrying to keep up with his stride she prayed that they would not bump into someone she knew. He dragged her through the crowded hallways, past the car park and into a park. The chilly night air made her shiver when they slowed down to a normal pace, and she questioned her own sanity for a brief moment.