VICE News talks to would be frat boys about peer pressure at Penn State. WATCH MORE: bit.ly/2DXIPIe

“Frats are outdated in the era of Snapchat and legal weed.” -Some GDI

Pretty sure he did more than just a Zumba class

“There’s always gonna be parties, but I more want the connection” lol yeah ok buddy

“Frats may seem outmoded” shows how out of touch vice is with the real world. I got to a mid-sized SEC school, 60% of students here are in Greek life. Frats may seem “outmoded” until you step on an actual college campus and really see their prevalence.

This is hilariously disconnected from the reality of the situation...

I was in a frat in college. None of them were at my wedding. You don't need a frat to make friends and the relationships you build without frat culture is going to be more real than anything they find in or at a frat house. Am I still friendly with them? Yes. And I liked almost all of them, we just never got to the point of being life long friends.

imagine being forced to pay thousands of dollars and drink until you risk dying just so you can have friends... sad af

They should become "bros" with the kids that are getting A's in their classes. Thats a friendship that will really pay off.

I attempted to join a relatively mild and nerdy frat my junior year because I'd become friends with a lot of the members. After going through a bunch of stupid rituals and using all of my extra part time job money ($500) to pay my dues that first semester I was completely disillusioned and left. In many ways it is just paying to have friends who are joined together in a weird, secret cult atmosphere. Better to make real friends on your own.

*walks up to pike house* "who do you know here?" yeah dude they weren't gonna let you in

How do they all look and sound alike? What is up with that?

I think my biggest regret in my undergrad was believing in that frat “bros for life” bullshit. You can meet the best friends of your life in a more organic way

They said one of the frat rituals was drinking out of a pot that contained semen. I would have walked out the door right then. Just trifling. No self respecting man, especially a straight one would even consider that.

screw all the hazing that actually gets people hurt or even worse killed, but some of the hazings stories are hysterical

Kudos to this video, it seems pretty fair, reporting as much info as possible (and talking to that president) without jumping to conclusions or making false claims. I was in a fraternity at a smaller school, my chapter was 50 guys, and had a great time. Made some of my lifelong best friends. What I say to people that are on the outside looking in is that every chapter is a fraternity unto itself. I've known chapters, including my own, that would never do any of the crap you hear about in the news and were standup guys. And I've known chapters that are exactly the Brads and Chads you despise, I don't like them either. The "hazing" I went through was mostly manual labor, cleaning the house, and what amounted to team building exercises. The brothers messed with us but it was in a good natured way, not vindictive or dangerous. I think it helped us grow together as a group. We threw great crazy parties, we could get drunk as hell if we wanted but no one forced us to. And we always took care of girls. All I can say is that these things need to be handled on a case by case basis and that they should be held to the same standards as anyone else.

the obvious reason for frat enrollment numbers going up from 2007-2017 is that the amount of students enrolled at the school also increased from 2007-2017 at a comparable rate. Frat numbers most likely increased cuz enrollment numbers went up therefore it is obviously more people but it is expected because the total amount of kids go up. the percentages stay the same.

Not buying it he’s keeping the secret too. They made you do more than a Zumba class bro

Living at a frat house just seems terrible. I couldn’t live with no privacy and random dudes I probably wouldn’t get along with

UCI alumni here. As an international student, I joined Greek Life to have fun and get a unique perspective towards American culture. And I did have a lot of fun, but I am never going to join these kinds of “forced fun” cultish organizations again. We had to show how cool we are and put in a lot of unpaid labor (we were actually paying for it)- it was overwhelming. Also, a good friend of mine in the fraternity overdosed on Xanax and lost his life.

one quick google of that kids name and you find which frat hes from 😂

"you're just going to have to trust them"... I'm glad we got answers.

The most ironic thing I see is I've seen athletic teams, athletic clubs and other student groups haze people far worse than fraternities. But when one of those people gets sick, they team/club/whatever doesn't have to worry about the school shutting them down so they actually call and get them to a hospital. It's chalked up to as some random college student getting too drunk or whatever. But if they were in a fraternity or sorority, it's now a crime that needs to be met with the most severe punishment.

I was in a Fraternity at a very large school. It is unexplainable, why it was a great experience. The bonds were and still are stronger than any other friendships I’ve ever experienced. I rushed just over 20 years ago and my brothers were at my wedding, godfathers to my kids and still close friends. We have grown up together and still keep in touch. Out of all my friends that weren’t in fraternities, they don’t have the same closeness with their friends. I would compare it to athletes that played college sports. These people were having the same experiences as you and it gives you community. It’s really what everyone strives for is being apart of something bigger. The traditions brought you closer. After 20 years, I know 30 guys I could call for advise, connections or a friend to keep a secret. These are not things that can just be purchased.

My sorority leadership was the most valuable thing I got, it’s insane how much responsibility it takes as a student. I’m not besties with any of the girls. All good friends tho! I’m so happy our initiation is chill, frats are so much more intense and it definitely takes a certain kinda guy to go along with it, even at my college 😂 it’s better today than in the 80s and 90s.

I’m gonna say it Most of you don’t care ab Tim piazza you just hate fraternities and want to stigmatize them.....

Anybody who needs a frat or sorority needs a spine first. Pay for friends? These friends who NEVER have your back, wont call 911 to help you, or show up at your hospital bed to threaten you to keep silent? F that.

All that plus $200 to $2000 a semester just to have friends you won't remember both during and after college isn't worth it.

All I can say about greek life is you'll never understand it if your not in it and we'll never understand the point of view of those who oppose it. No point in arguing it, there's valid arguments on each side. Just try and understand people are different and people like different things so stop bashing them for it. That goes for both sides.

I think that reporter drank a "pot" of weaksauce before doing those interviews cus those questions were softballs

Why isn’t this considered gang initiations?

how come all these bros look like jake paul?

Frats are fun thats why I and many others joined one. Hazing is a serious issue but I think we need to respect a fine line. I remember my school would always go overboard with hazing prevention and it honestly had the opposite effect on the frat guys mentality.

I go there... sometimes to get weed.

hazing is ridiculous and people don't know their limits. More accountability and monitoring should be done across all campuses

"Frats may seem outmoded in the era of snapchat and legal weed"

You’ll eventually find out that not all of you will get along as you think, ideas will eventually differ, though I believe the process of joining is reasonable, definitely think about the group of guys you are joining.

I live in state college and walk those streets all the time. Visit during state patty’s day, it’s a war

I walk by that place ever time to go to class... what a shame

“I wanna join for the networking” mmhmmm sure

Can someone please explain to me why the frat boys here had their charges dropped while those involved in that Asian frat that had a similar hazing death got jail time? Racist much, or am I missing something?

Oh god. The guys are so cringey

As someone who joined and pledged a frat. Hazing can get craaazy.

it really is weird seeing the familiar streets of my town in a documentary

Literally only the last few seconds of the video talked about Penn State keeping 'secrets'.

this kid lived two towns over from me in high school. its been so sad seeing all the posts about him on facebook from friends and family. so much injustice

Vice, you act like this stuff isn't happening at every frat on every college campus (with greek life) in the country.

Schools in Indiana get the guys really drunk and make them box/fight each other

Interviewer really ate that yoga shit up

Frats are a total waste of time period. They do whatever they want with no punishments handed down. If I was in charge of that particular frat where that kid died it would be shut down permanently! The people involved in the kid death put in prison for man slaughter.

I was just like the kids they interviewed when I rushed. I just wanted to fit in and try to make my social life the best it could be. I was too young and dumb to see it for what it was. Most fraternities are expensive, glorified drinking clubs that don't do anything productive. I thought it would be a good organization to develop myself into, but most of the people in my chapter focused on smoking weed, drinking, and partying. The "brotherhood" aspect is fake. You just get a bunch of assigned acquaintances through the rest of your college career. There are some chapters out there that are the exact opposite, but those seem to be more rare. Looking back I was probably better off not joining.

Kid at 3:30 didn’t get a bid

I still wanna be in a frat but in a good one I think the idea of brother hood is cool and the bond in all that

God upon hearing about ‘The Pot’: Noah... get the boat

I go to a school where greek life is big and i can tell you first hand greek life is absolutely disgusting. 90% of the people involved treat people not in greek life like second class citizens, they routinely torment people for initiation rituals, and exclude people who aren't rich and white. To top things off, I personally know 8 girls who have been sexually assaulted at fraternity houses. The fact that schools still allow greek life to exist is appalling. It should be permanently banned from every school.

"In the year of snapchat and legal weed" lmao i can only imagine...

All these people want is a family while they’re away from home (and parties) but it’s sad bc they’ll do anything

Well no shit they're keeping secrets. Thats part of the whole thing. Your part of something that other people aren't and with that comes a bit of trust. Drinking semens gay though

If you want to get hazed join the Marine core Infantry I know

Happened this weekend too. Smh

"In the era of snapchat and legal weed"

“Frat” - cringe

As a man in a fraternity at a smaller school, the differences between us and Penn State is massive. There are also plenty of differences in the way national executive boards handled situations in the past and how they do now. Our chapter at Penn State was completely disbanded due to misconduct and every brother in other chapters agreed due to the transgression of values that we’re meant to uphold. I’m not saying that all things fraternities do are good either, there are obviously problems with the way in which some conduct themselves, but plenty of fraternity/greek life activities can be forces for good. Community outreach programs, philanthropy events, professional connections, these are all things I have personally experienced as a member of greek life at my school. The culture at each school needs to be nurtured individually to create this positive environment, and thats something each IFC and school board need to work on together because fraternities and sororities can have some of the largest positive impacts on their school and surrounding communities if utilized properly.

“i wanna meet some of my best friends for the rest of my life that might kill and humiliate me right now”

PSU student here, frats just recently reopened and they’re just as popular as ever. Don’t think shit is going to change as long as everyone is rich enough to wipe away legal problems

Here’s one- my friends were locked, drunk, in a dark room for 12 hours with a wet puzzle and had to try and finish it. They got 13 pieces, a record!

Being naked in a room full of guys with the lights off was scary for me in my experience

Weak people need a frat..

The guys that killed him got MONTHS in jail. A few even got HOUSE ARREST. Disgusting!

The whole "meeting people and making strong bonds" excuse for joining the Greek scene is BS. It's for the parties, the validation from peers, and the fear of having a less fulfilling social life because secretly you are afraid that you will not be accepted or loved without this construct. Frats also promote misguided and toxic expressions of masculinity (alcohol abuse, sexual conquest, physical violence, etc.), which appeals to immature boys who are trying desperately to find their place as they try to grow into men. Why these institutions still exist is beyond me. You can have student organizations without any of the garbage associated with Greek life.

On the simplest level fraternities are gangs. You have to prove your loyalty by doing stupid shit that risks your life. If the gang feels you have done enough, you then are allowed to reap the benefits of being in the gang.

It's all fun and games (supposedly) until some poor soul actually dies, like Tim Piazza--which does happen all too frequently. Then suddenly it's, "Who--us? We didn't do anything! We don't know anything! That's not what our fraternity is about. We're not about torture or hurting anyone." That's the official line. And then sooner or later it happens again.

If you’re paying for so-called “friends”, the you’ve already lost.

Imagine having an interview with Vice and you drink Stella 😅

I’m pretty conflicted about frats as a highschool senior. I really can’t stand the frat bro stereotype and I know a lot of people are true to it as well as all the shady stuff like hard drugs, sexual assault, and hazing but I do see benefits in terms of making friends and connections and having fun.

chi phi fraternity at penn state recently got suspended due to the death of a visiting high school senior

I have no interest in a fraternity because: 1. They're only short term friends despite they torture the first year 2. I don't drink alcohol 3. Party scene isn't my thing 4. As a black person, practising anything greek is cultural appropriation 5. I go to college for the education (and to do sports)

I got to USC (southern california) and know people in frats and here are some hazing specifics. Alpha Epsilon Pie makes a kid sit in a trash can while everyone throws up on him, and they throw bottles past pledges heads (one hit a kid in the face and he was hospitalized). Phi Sigma Kappa tazes people. Beta Theta Pie makes kids spit beer into each others mouths. ZBT lets cockroaches loose in the dining halls of rival schools. Phi Psi forces kids to binge drink in a sauna. Think joining a frat is a good idea? Think again.

It's happening at PSU just like every other university with frats. Maybe you can go ask the other schools.

Only 3,000 out of 47,000 feel the need to join, it's their choice. They know the potential consequences of joining. Most have the sense to be their own person and not join.

as a British person the whole frat thing is weird to me, it simply does not exist in Universities in the UK

Join the best frat on earth. Marine Corps. Real brotherhood

Can wait to play soggy biscuit XD

I clicked on this cause I thought the thumbnail said 'BOII'

I went to a Zumba class and wore a pink thing on my head! Lmao.

me watching this knowing im going to penn state in the fall🧍🏾‍♀️🧍🏾‍♀️🧍🏾‍♀️🧍🏾‍♀️

People act like Penn State is the only college with frats

I was in a quite well known fraternity at a large school for all four years of college and while there was some dumb hazing for pledges, there was nothing like this. Wasn’t really a drinker and was no one made me. There were some stupid hell week activities (not dangerous, just stupid) that I refused to do and I was told okay. There are always idiots everywhere but it is not endemic to organization. Fraternities are a social organization and I am still in contact with many of my fraternities brothers many years later. They are secret but trust me, the secrets aren’t that interesting. It’s a social club that gives you the opportunity to have a peer group in the middle of a large university.

You people do realize the point of these rituals right? It's to weed out the weak. If you can't hack it you don't belong in the brotherhood.

Lies lies and more lies. He did way more than a Zumba class. If he didn’t why wouldn’t he share his frat’s name if he is so proud of not being hazed and “only having to do a Zumba class”. Fishy fishy

*fraternity

*BOII*

Lol trust frat dudes ??? Shoot I don’t even trust them with a drunk girl Are you getting the message ........

I thought this was only In movies

The frat guys where I went to are so bad local bars wouldn't deal with college kids, unless you where a local you didn't get in, and that was for the frat guys safety.

Who else saw the thumbnail and thought it was a roasting frat. BOII

Hahaha my process was rough as hell

I would never pay to have friends. Most people don't know it cost thousands to be in a frat or sororities

Nik Lanum president of Theta Chi

Secrecy? No, they just heard Vice News and decided not to talk to you