Hazing is not the Way | Teen Ink

Hazing is not the Way

February 22, 2013
By Katie Iverson BRONZE, Oswego, Illinois
Katie Iverson BRONZE, Oswego, Illinois
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

Have you ever done something just to fit in, and feel accepted? Have you ever said, “Well everyone else is doing it.” Would you still do what everyone else is doing if it requires drinking underage, doing something humiliating or extremely dangerous? I mean it’s just for fun, right? Wrong, participating in risky hazing events could determine your death bed. Hazing needs to stop, it’s not worth it to be accepted in a group if it could jeopardize your future. In this country, about 1.5 million high school students are hazed each year, 1.5 million students are being stupid, and 1.5 million students are risking their life to be in a stupid club. Do you want to be one of those 1.5 million students?

To start off, hazing is a “ritual” of events to belong and fit into a group. You have to perform certain acts like jumping off extremely high areas, being forced to put your face in a used toilet stall, having to sprint until you pass out and throw up, and doing all of those things just to prove that you can be in the group. You could end up fracturing bones from jumping off high areas, and get emotionally scarred and sick from the intake of used toilet water. Even when none of those events have anything to do with either the group or sport you’re in. They’re humiliating and extremely dangerous. Usually not many adult know that teens are participating in Hazing. Hazing can last from a day to days to weeks to months
Next, hazing is controversial because almost every teen desperately wants to fit in but if having to fit in could ruin your life, it’s not worth it. People do Hazing because they think it is just for fun. Sure it may seem funny to watch someone’s reaction when they are eating something utterly disgusting, but when it’s yourself doing it, it’s not very funny anymore, is it? Hazing can lead to a long ruff road of recovery ahead of you full of sensitivities, nightmares, and flashbacks to the dreadful Hazing days. Like when people in war have flashbacks. You’ll be triggered by the easiest things, waste your precious time on earth worrying about every tiny thing that occurs. Leading to a life of fear. Or one of the worst things possible things that could happen is death. Think about all the things you’ll miss out in life. You only get one shot to live, don’t screw it up by making a stupid decision

Following this, effects of hazing include Physical, Emotional, and long term effects. Physical effects can lead to having to take medical treatments for the rest of your life, broken bones, never been to walk freely outside in the grass ever again. Severe events could include death, and diseases, and many more. Emotional effects can lead to being humiliated, sensitivities, and your self-esteem. Furthermore, long term effects can include Suspension, losing any chances of getting into college, and criminal charges. For example two varsity athletes in Minnesota who pleaded guilty to assault charges for paddling a teammate with a wooden board were suspended from school, charged with misdemeanors, and forced to pay hundreds of dollars in fines, according to news reports. You also could lose respect and trust from your parents because you went behind their backs to attend stupid events. So from there on your curfew could go from 11:00 at night to 9:00. Hazing can also lead to loosing friends. So if you do participate in Hazing then I hope you like flipping patties at McDonalds for the rest of your life.

To prove how dangerous hazing there are many dangerous cases of Hazing events. Most cases have age range from freshman in high school to seniors in college. People that participate in hazing are Mostly younger players, for example freshman. People in their early 20’s and seniors and juniors. So in conclusion mostly teens participate in hazing. Groups that participate in hazing our universities, athletic teams, organizations, colleges, and social groups. The sports that participate in hazing are football, soccer, tennis and basically any kind. Take the junior girls in a Chicago suburb who were strangled, choked, kicked, and punched in a touch football game as part of the "rite of passage" to senior year.

To summarize it all up hazing can be a way to fit into a group but it is not the right way. Participating in Hazing can lead to a loose of friends, family members, respect, and trust. Sure it’s always great to fit in, but not always worth it. It can
totally ruin your future ahead of you. Like the saying make smart decisions when you’re young because you will regret those dumb decisions later, don’t pass over that saying. Life is what you make it so don’t screw it up now.



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