Fraternity Initiation and Lifestyle

On the October of 1996, members of the Kappa Alpha Fraternity at Texas

University traveled to a ranch north of their school to commence the annual initiation of their new pledges. Jonathan Culpepper a leader of their university clan poured a can of beer on John Warren a freshman pledge, and ordered him to do push ups while Culpepper sat on his back. He then pulled up viciously on his underwear, this eventuating two days later in one of his testicles being removed. This story is only one of many documented behind the scene incidents that occurs during a Fraternity initiation. You may have already guessed that the topic for my speech today is Fraternities. I will explore fraternity lifestyle, why students decide to join these organizations and present what happens within a fraternity. The definition of fraternity is “A body of persons associated as by ties of brotherhood”. In common terms,

‘fraternity basically is a glorified club, where members must bond, interact and live together over the period of the college life’. This club becomes a place for members to meet, socialize and create friendship amongst other members. As a result each member gains recognition, sense of belonging in a family and an ability to feel needed and wanted by the club. A fraternity is an old university tradition, which started in the early nineteenth century. There are many Fraternities that exist within each college campus, for example,

Delta Chi and Zeta Beta Tau – to name only a few. A Fraternity also consists of secret handshakes, new friendships, wild parties and the dreaded initiation week. First of all, before anyone is accepted into the group, a member must take part in an “INITIATION”. This is not as simple task and often at times, it is the initiation that many perspective members dread. This will be further explained later on. To become a member one must follow the following steps:

1. Firstly you will need to choose a fraternity, I imagine this is the most important decision of all, because if you do select the wrong one your experience of fraternity life will be one of your down points of your university career. For example Stephen Rose, when Stephen thought of a fraternity he pictured brotherhood and a new way of life. But as he pledged himself into a fraternity the only thing he experienced were endless push-ups, running around buck-naked and a handful of beatings. So the first step is the most critical. 2. After you have chosen your desired fraternity, the next step is the interview conducted by the fraternity brothers.