Freshmen Initiation Ideas

Fraternities and sororities, sports teams and clubs take freshman initiation seriously and often put their prospective pledges through a series of tests. If the pledges can prove themselves worthy, they can later be formally inducted in an initiation ritual.

In the past, these tests were generally associated with hazing, which centered around physical and mental "torture" and excessive alcohol consumption, but nowadays students are dissuaded from these behaviors, and the tests can be safer and more fun. There are some activities more appropriate for college students than highschoolers, so keep that in mind when planning yours.

A number of positive initiation rites are appropriate for teenagers and college students and can contribute to a sense of community. Some of these include going on camping trips, attending picnics or banquets, working on fundraisers and playing recreational games together. People are much less likely to get hurt when events are based on safe, fun initiation ideas.

If those don't sound all that exciting, there are many clever rookie initiation ideas that can be used for high school and college freshman alike, as well as many sports team initiations. They start with a uniform group haircut for the incoming class, using a pair of cheap electric hair clippers. The hair will grow back, but the newbies will certainly look funny until it does. A themed costume party can also be hilarious; you can make all freshmen wear the same embarrassing outfit and snap plenty of pictures.

Just one embarrassing piece of clothing or accessory can also do the trick. For example, all freshmen could be required to wear Disney Princess backpacks for a week, or t-shirts with something silly like "I'm Just a Pledge." Ugly hats, pants and wigs can also work well here.

College-aged students tend to prefer less-innocent initiations, but it's still important to be safe above all else. Contests where freshmen do push-ups or sit-ups with one another are good bonding activities, but be sure to let members opt out if they aren't feeling well. Instead, you can have freshmen sing a song on command, or assign each person a silly word to yell whenever you give a subtle signal.

Another rookie initiation idea is a cooking contest like on reality television. Provide freshmen with a basket of ingredients and have them work to prepare a specific recipe in a short period of time. Don't give them any instructions, and see what they come up with together.

One of the most-dreaded initial rituals for traditional pledges is to turn freshmen into helpers for older fraternity and sorority brothers and sisters. Traditionally, this meant carrying around someone's heavy backpack for a week, doing their laundry or preparing their food. This sort of behavior is discouraged these days, as is making a rookie do your homework. Avoid these practices; there are plenty of other ways to gently tease your new comrades. Forced slave labor of any kind is never okay.

Most traditional freshmen rituals are more geared toward college-aged students, and some can be considered inappropriate for younger kids. There are freshman initiation ideas for high school that are less embarrassing and more appropriate for teenagers.

A volunteer day is a great way for these teens to meet one another, and these events can be organized by partnering with local organizations that help the community. A pizza night, scavenger hunt or outdoor barbecue or movie night can also help to form new bonds. To help ease the transition even further, upperclassmen can be paired with the freshman and act as their guides for a short period of time.