Do old members want to meet new members? Yes. Do we want the new member class to bond with each other? Yes. Do these hands haze? Absolutely not. Hazing is wrong and dangerous in so many ways. In honor of National Hazing Prevention wWeek, here is a list of things you can do instead of hazing the new members.
Invite the new members to go to events
The events don’t have to be specifically for your Greek organization or even for Greek life in general. You can invite them to go to anything -- from the Student Productions meeting to an event hosted by your Resident Assistant. New members need to feel included in life beyond just your sorority. Invite them to everything. Be friendly.
Invite the new members to watch movies or TV with you
You know you were going to watch that new episode of "Grey’s Anatomy" on Thursday anyway, so why not get a couple of your new members who are also in love with the series to watch it with you instead of sitting in your room alone. You can gab about how sad you are that Yang and McDreamy are missing during the commercial break. Bonus points if you start crying together, because crying over a show is not hazing.
Invite the new members to play sports with you
Good, healthy competition is always fun. Getting sun and volleying a ball over a net or tackling your future Big is a great way to bond. Even if you aren't kicking a ball around with your best friends, you may find out you have created an awesome future intramural team.
Invite the new members to eat with you
I like food. You like food. Everyone likes food. What more is there to explain?
Invite the new members to do basically anything because you are sisters now, and it is fun to be friendly
Joining a sorority is not just about going to parties and formals and chapters. It is about finding a group of girls who you feel comfortable with and who share values, hopes, and maybe even a favorite TV show. Embrace the fact that you have more than a hundred sisters with whom you can do almost anything (legal). Hazing is not the only way to form bonds, and it is definitely not the best way.