How Far Would You Go

A detailed Summary of How Far Would You Go

Have you ever wanted to be a part of something to the extent that you would risk your life? There are many Americans every year who take part in something know as "hazing." Hazing is categorized as something you take part in, as initiation, affiliation with, admission into, or a continued membership into a specific group or organization. For something to be classified as hazing it must put someone in mental or physical danger. Hazing also is the involvement in destroying or removing private property.

There are many university organizations that involve themselves with hazing. Even though, many states have outlawed hazing, people are still going to try to continue their involvement. There are too many groups or organizations who believe that this action must go on. They believe that it is "tradition" or as some students at the Texas A&M University call it "good bull." (TAMU, pg. 4) When universities build there popularity around tradition it is very easy to excuse hazing as part of that tradition. But, what one university considers hazing is just fun to the other university. We must find a common interest on where the line should be drawn.

The hazing we here most about, occurs amongst

Not only does hazing occur in male Greek-letter organizations but it is popular among female sorority members too. At a university in New York, the Delta Delta Delta sorority was put on four year probation. The police had found some pledges walking around Memorial Park. These pledges had been dropped off by the sisters they were pledging for. Some of the sorority sisters believed that this was a harsh punishment. Especially since it happens in every sorority in the country.(Athenaeum, pg.2) Most of the female hazing events involve alcohol. Of course, sororities are not going to involve themselves in messy and brutal initiations.

Another group of people that involve themselves in hazing is the cadets at The Citadel. The Citadel is a one-hundred and fifty four year-old South Caroline military college. Of course in the past, it has been a unspoken rule that men went to the military and every since women have tried to make their appearance in the military it has been a tuff joyride. When four girls enrolled at Citadel they new exactly what they were in for. Or did they? Nancy Mace, 19, Jeanie Mentavlos, 18, Petra Lovetinska, 18, and Kim Messer, 18, all enrolled this past fall. One night, two of these girls experienced a very bad hazing incident. Mentavlos and Messer were asleep and one of the male cadets set fire to their blankets. A retired Army master sergeant called the incident, "Mean as Hell."(Citadel, pg.1) The girls' parents got lawyers since this was only half of the hazing incidents these girls received. During the night, the girls would be interrupted by other male cadets. During their interruption, the male cadets would sing sexually explicit songs.(Citadel, pg.1) After these hazing incidents the girls continued their study at Citadel but stopped with their military participation. The school officials at Citadel placed panic buttons in the girl's rooms.

our Greek-letter organizations. It is one of the most popular things to be apart of during your college experience. A fraternity is a very cultural experience. There are many different types of fraternities. There are Hispanic fraternities, black fraternities, gay fraternities and even Jewish fraternities. There are around 400,000 male undergraduates that belong to some type or form of a fraternity.(Dean, pg.2) Nearly every fraternity at every university in this nation indulges in this form of initiation. There are many types of hazing. These types of hazing are known as First Degree, Second Degree an

Some common words found in the essay are:
Mean HellCitadel, Hell Week, York Times, A&M University, , Degree Degree, Memorial Park, Third Degree, South Caroline, Mentavlos Messer, degree hazing, hazing events, hell week, involve themselves, greek-letter organizations, types hazing, degree degree, laws hazing, male cadets, third degree, greek-letter organizations popular, degree degree hazing, involve themselves hazing, hell week begins, hazing incidents girls,

Approximate Word count = 1693
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous