What to Consider Before Joining a New Group: Tips from College Students

Guest Writers: Eleanor Tyne and Ella Allan-Rahill
February 2024

Starting college, we were both interested in joining many clubs to get acquainted with our institutions and make some friends. There were many groups available, from varsity sports to academic clubs, performing arts, and more. Both of us have joined groups and left groups as we’ve tried to find the organizations that best support our goals and interests. It seems common for new students to have this experience, especially as most have a desire to be a part of something – to belong. Joining new groups can greatly enhance your student experience, however, the wrong groups can also negatively impact your experience. To ensure you have some guidance in this process, we share our student perspectives, tips, and ideas to consider when joining a group, the connection between hazing and unhealthy groups, and common questions you might have about hazing and its prevention.

Questions to ask:

When deciding on a group to join, self-reflection is key. Here are some questions that are useful to ask yourself:

• What are my motivations for joining this group? 
• What do I hope to get out of it? 
• How do the values of the group align with my personal values?
• How will the group add to my experience on campus? (ex: could it provide me with new skills, connections, or opportunities?) 
• How might membership in this group detract from my experience on campus? (ex: will the time commitment take away from my other interests?) 
• Does this group have a history of conduct violations (hazing, alcohol-related, or other)? Can I find this information on an institutional website?
• Are there reports about this organization in the media? If so, are they consistent with information I’ve found on an institutional website?

It is important to weigh both the pros and the cons of joining any group. You can also use peers and other students as resources! If there are current members that you know and trust, ask them about their experience in the group. What was the process to join like? Did they feel welcome and safe throughout the process of joining? What did it entail? Getting clarity on what is expected of you as a new member can be key in your decision of whether or not to join.

Unfortunately, we know hazing is common in many groups.

Hazing humiliates, degrades, and endangers members, for admission into or affiliation with a group, regardless of an individual’s willingness to participate (Allan & Madden, 2008). Hazing can lead to physical, mental, and emotional harm that no one should have to experience. So, throughout the process of finding and joining groups, it is important to be aware of the traditions and initiation processes a group conducts, to ensure that they are not hazing (see the Spectrum of Hazing graphic below to help identify hazing behaviors). If you have already joined a group and you feel that some of the practices of this group are potentially harmful, humiliating, or degrading, or could be considered hazing, we have tips for you too!

Utilizing Your Resources:

In combination with finding specific information about the practices of groups you may want to join, it is also important to find resources and information on a campus and state-wide level. Many campuses have student support services with hazing prevention information. You can typically find these resources through your Dean of Students Office, Student Affairs Office, or Campus Safety Department. These offices can help you find out more about groups on campus and guide you in the reporting process if you believe you know of hazing happening in any group. 

It may be the case that your institution’s hazing prevention resources are underdeveloped. Maybe there isn’t clear or easily accessible information about the institutional hazing policy or ways to report it. You should also be able to connect with any of the offices listed above to learn more about hazing prevention efforts on your campus and see how you can help. 

For more helpful tips on how to start this work, visit our page on the StopHazing Student Ambassadors Program and keep an eye out for our upcoming Student Action Guide!

Common Questions:

“How do I know if I’m experiencing hazing?”

It’s easy to identify more extreme examples of hazing, such as forced alcohol consumption, but other forms can be harder to recognize. The Spectrum of Hazing (below), shows the three different types or categories of hazing as well as their frequency of occurrence and recognition. The behaviors on the left that are considered intimidation hazing happen with high frequency, however, they are often written off as “harmless pranks,” hence the low recognition of these behaviors as hazing. On the other hand, violent hazing behaviors, while they may occur in lesser frequency compared to other hazing behaviors, are more often recognized as hazing.

It is important to note that all of these types of hazing have the potential to cause serious harm and hazing can occur at any point on the Spectrum and continue in any direction. Research has indicated too that folks who experience intimidation hazing behaviors have a much higher likelihood of also experiencing violent hazing behaviors (Kerschner & Allan, 2021). 

If you think you might be experiencing, witnessing, or even perpetuating the cycle of hazing, it may be helpful to ask yourself: 

• Where might this behavior fall on the Spectrum of Hazing? 
• Is it embarrassing or causing me or others discomfort? 
• Am I being ridiculed or ridiculing someone else? 
• Am I being forced, or forcing someone, to do something I/they wouldn’t choose to do otherwise? 

You might find that you’ve participated in behaviors that fall along the Spectrum continuum, however, you might be saying, “I’ve agreed to participate in these activities, so it doesn’t count as hazing, right?” However, this is not the case. 

Since hazing often happens in situations where students are hoping to gain membership in an organization, there is a power imbalance between new members and those already in the group or with a certain status. This power imbalance impedes the ability to give true consent. This is because coercion and manipulation, which is common in hazing, warps your ability to give valid consent. 

“Should I report the hazing? How do I do this? I don’t want to get my group in trouble or face repercussions.”

Even if hazing is recognized, many people are still reluctant to report it because they fear repercussions from other group members or don’t want the group to get in trouble. However, many institutions and states have policies and laws protecting reporters and keeping reports anonymous. Several resources are listed below to support you in this. 

Remember, by reporting hazing, you are contributing to a safer and more positive campus environment.

• You can check your state’s anti-hazing law using StopHazing’s interactive map. Many laws protect reporters from retaliation and some require public reporting of hazing violations, so you can see your group’s history. After reading your state’s law you can check in with your school and see how they’re implementing this law. 
• Your institution may have an online reporting form for you to report hazing incidents or other conduct violations. This type of reporting resource is usually found on the campus safety website, or perhaps the Division of Student Life/Student Affairs or Conduct and Student Accountability webpages. This type of reporting form may allow you to submit a report anonymously, however, anonymous reporting can make it difficult for campus professionals to follow up on reports, especially if the information included in the report is not extremely detailed. 
• Instead of reporting anonymously, you can also call, email, or visit offices like the Division of Student Life, Dean of Students, Fraternity and Sorority Life, and others. 

Other Resources to Consider:

If you want to bring more hazing prevention initiatives to your campus, there are many ways to do this. Check out our recent blog post on the new hazing prevention curriculum, StandUp to Hazing, which takes only 20 minutes and is meant for students, staff, and groups alike. StopHazing also has countless other tools and resources, including workshops, trainings, and infographics. There are many easy ways to implement hazing prevention in your group and on campus. 

You can start by talking about it with your peers or scheduling a meeting to talk about it with campus staff and administrators. For support with this conversation, the Campus Commitment to Hazing Prevention Action Guide, specifically the Information Gathering Tool can help guide your conversation to gain a better understanding of current hazing prevention initiatives on your campus. If you are particularly passionate about hazing prevention, check out the StopHazing Student Ambassador Program for additional opportunities.  

In Conclusion…

Although it may seem daunting, intimidating, or just time-consuming to do something about the hazing you’re experiencing or hearing about, speaking up and taking action is necessary. If you are uncomfortable or experiencing unhealthy group dynamics or behaviors, many others are likely feeling the same way. Even acts that seem “harmless” can cause adverse physical impacts and mental conditions and create a culture that allows for more harmful behaviors to persist. Every student deserves to feel safe, included, and welcomed on campus, and you have an opportunity to help make this a reality.

References:

Allan, Elizabeth J, and Mary Madden. Hazing in View: College Students at Risk. 11 Mar. 2008

Kerschner, D. & Allan, E. J. (2021). Examining the nature and extent of hazing at five NCAA Division III institutions and considering the implications for prevention. Journal of Amateur Sport, 7(1), 95-118 

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Eleanor Tyne is an undergraduate student at Tufts University.

Ella Allan-Rahill is an undergraduate student at Bryn Mawr College