Hazing In College

College students entering their first year often find themselves questioning if they should even be there or not. It is a common question and many find that they are just not fit for that kind of life. On the other hand, however, there are those who test their mental and physical stability by placing their selves in difficult situations, or environments that would not normally suit them. They want to see what they can do and make of themselves. This is also not uncommon because it is well understood. This happens a lot in everyday life as well, so there is no alarm. There are those who are afraid, and there are those who want to stand out. That is where sororities and fraternities come into the picture when college life is being discussed.
Entering a group is often an exciting idea because students want to see where they belong and have others who they are compatible with. These exciting ideas rarely remain exciting. By the end of some journeys, whether long or short, students finally understand the reality of things. The results usually have students shying away from joining these groups because they are afraid of the outcome.
Hazing is one of the most popular reasons why students may be backing away.
What many do not know about hazing, though, is that it is not some “brilliant” activity that has just recently been applied in sororities and fraternities. Hazing has been around for quite some time, but has just recently begun to get worse. Hazing can easily be said to be a modified word that has pieced its way into society. Hazing, as described before, is “an invitation for a person to trade his or her humanity or self-respect . . . for full inclusion in a group or organization” (Michael J.). It has not always been called hazing, however. People once used the terms flogging and fagging, which sound similar, but also have slightly different meanings (Vern Bullough, and Bonnie Bullough). Unlike hazing, flogging and fagging were more like punishments rather than optional harm. A psychologist named William Smith found that flogging was "in its nature a mode of education" and that by applying “the sharp stimulant of the cane”, students would be better off in the future (qtd. in Rose, Natalie). Flogging was more of a beating whereas fagging was popular for young children to do tedious tasks. The pieces start to connect together as these truths begin to unravel. The traditions of hazing broke off from these old terms, flogging and fagging, and became something of its own
(Solberg).
It can be scary to think about sometimes because these things really do exist. It is not a scary tale to persuade incoming college students from joining certain clubs and organizations. This time it is the truth, and many do not like to hear the truth. That is when the questions usually begin to spread. People want to know why hazing even exists and how they can help to put it to a stop. The answer is a disappointment. Answers will be different depending on who is being asked these questions, but the real answer is that there is no answer. It is that awful truth that no one likes to face. A missing detail that people often do not realize it that hazing was not just recently started, and it has existed before anyone even knew what it was. Rewinding to one-hundred years ago, hazing existed even then: the beating of school children, the mistreatment of slaves, and the unfair behavior in the work place. This is not something that everyone has always known about, but it is something that everyone has always done. The sad truth is, hazing will always exist. It can be as small as bossing someone around; however, it is not impossible to slowly mend what hazing has done. That is the job of society now. Before it spirals out of control, it can be improved if people only try. That is the next question. Will people try?