Think before joining in a Fraternity.

What is fraternity? - A fraternity (Latin frater: "brother") is a brotherhood, although the term sometimes connotes a distinct or formal organization and sometimes a secret society. A fraternity (or fraternal organization) is an organized society of men associated together in an environment of companionship and brotherhood; dedicated to the intellectual, physical, moral, religious, and/or social development of its members.

The oldest active American college fraternity is the Kappa Alpha Society founded in 1825 at Union College, followed closely by Sigma Phi Society (1827) and Delta Phi Fraternity (1827) at the same school. Other fraternities are also called literary societies because they focus on the literary aspect of the organization and its role in improving public speaking.

In my college years, a few fellow student who are member of fraternity trying to recruit me, but they didn't force me to join in them. I have friend who is a member of fraternity, she is a girl use to be a girlfriend of fraternity leader, that leader is also my instructor in our P.E. they two are protecting me from those student trying to recruit me, although they are frat. member they didn’t recruit me, we become good friend, even I’m not a member of fraternity I know what the fraternity's doing because of them, some student, including me, thought that fraternity is not good, because of my experience at that time, almost every day there is a fighting in our university from some fraternity, sometime our school suspended the classes because of this war from fraternities, so, it puts in my mind that fraternity is not really good, especially the hazing ritual, hitting any parts of the body by paddle or  buckle of the belt of the new recruits.

Hazing is a tradition that still practicing by some old fashion fraternity, Hazing in the early 1980's and 1990's gave the Fraternities a bad name, currently most major Fraternities have an active anti-hazing policy in place with penalties ranging from expulsion of individual members to absolute discharge of an entire chapter.

What is Hazing? - Hazing is the practice of rituals and other activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group. Hazing is seen in many different types of social groups, including gangs, sports teams, schools, military units, and fraternities and sororities. Hazing is often prohibited by law and may comprise either physical or psychological abuse. 

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hazing-how-badly-do-you-want-in

Other things not good in fraternity is Sexism, some fraternities take toward women is notoriously misogynistic and is demonstrated in some of the practices of the groups from taking pledges to strip or do something or use their body to prove their loyalty or wanting to join in fraternity, there are even cases of institutional sexism and also Drugs and alcohol.

But not all fraternities are like this, many Fraternities are excellent networking groups for later life, give college students a second "family", a brotherhood who can protect them.

Fraternity’s organization can offer a lot of benefits for college students. Off-campus housing, a fantastic social support network, good leadership opportunities, and a close community, many of them have a strong presence on campus and even stronger commitments to public service.

One important thing to note, however, is that hazing should never be a part of your pledge process to a fraternity, think that there is already a anti hazing law in any form, Even it's okay and part of a historical process, it's not something that should be taking place, many student had died already because of hazing, don’t follow them. A fraternity that worth joining for, is those who have an "initiations" that are healthy, fun, and in an environment that supports positive choices. Not the one that will kill your future.

There are also some organizations recognized by the school, why we don’t join them instead of joining in fraternity that are prohibited by school. But Fraternities are here to stay and part of our university experience, Hazing is a part of Fraternity if you really want to join in fraternity think twice or find the one that is not tolerate hazing.

Reference:

• http://collegelife.about.com/od/cocurricularlife/a/GreekLife.htm
• http://teenadvice.about.com/library/weekly/bl10thingsfratsoro.htm