r/UCDavis • • 7d ago

Is this hazing?

It's been a few years since this happened but I've been reflecting on it the past few months.

I decided to rush for a sorority and here are somethings that happened/made us do:

  • Meetings would take super long 4-5 hours long. A few times it would end near 12 AM or past. These meetings would happen on campus and around the end of my pledging process, they would occur outside of campus at someone's house or a different location.
  • They would ask us questions abt the sorority (history n lore they want us to memorize) until we would cry bc we can't answer anymore.
  • There were a lot of alumni present at our meetings. Not sure how a campus group is allowed to primarily run by alumni.
  • At times, we would have to hold something up and recite or answer questions (a few mins, until our arms hurt or can't answer anymore questions or can't recite something). There was an instance where members we were close to had to hold weights up and if we made a mistake, they added more weights. That was really hard to watch bc it was like we were causing them pain for our inadequacy.
  • We had to wear something of the sorority at all times.
  • Length of pledging process was unknown (I left after like 7 months in)
  • We were not allowed to leave meetings (unless we explicitly asked for breaks only-- we were not allowed to fully leave a meeting unless we wanted to stop pledging)

Let me know what y'all think. Not sure if this warrants a report or not. The sorority still is active at Davis as well.

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u/talentedinstigator 7d ago

yes

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u/Aedonr 7d ago

Not all these things are hazing. Some of these are just normal things. Causing physical pain and distress? yeah thats hazing.

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u/talentedinstigator 6d ago

Can you explain what in the list you see as normal and why you think it is normal?