Hazing is the initiation ceremony referring to rituals, challenges, etc. that involves abuse, embarrassment and humiliation used to initiate someone into a particular group, fraternity/sorority, sports team, etc.. Hazing has been around for 100s of years and the practices are only getting worse. Members of fraternities and sororities are responsible for a number of deaths that result from hazing, most recently a sophomore at Penn State suffered multiple injuries, including falling down a flight of stairs and was highly intoxicated. His fraternity failed to call for help for nearly 12 hours, and by that time, it was too late. He suffered from a non-recoverable brain injury and died as a result.

Hazing as been responsible for a number of college student deaths and the rituals and challenges these students have to do in order to be welcomed into a fraternity/sorority is frightening. These challenges and abuses include forced or required consumptions of alcohol, forced sexual acts, beatings of new or potential members, isolating new members, and humiliating new members. These are just some of the abuses hazees have to face.

In my opinion, hazing is completely immature and unorthodox. It does not make you cooler or more powerful. It makes the hazer look like a monster and someone who wants to gain control over a weak individual. When I think of a group or a club, I think of likeminded people that are a team. For someone in a frat or a sorority to think it is okay to haze a new member is beyond me. These people are not your friends. Friends do not cause other friends physical harm, and friends certainly do not go so overboard that they kill you. Hazing does not build unity. In fact, hazing may make the new member of the group afraid of being a member. This is not normal, this should not go on.

It is important that we speak out about hazing if we see it or experience it. It could easily cost someone's life, all for being apart of something and with people that you think are your friends. Stand up for what is right. Your voice matters.