Around this time every year you are guaranteed to see a flock of students downing snake bites dressed in fishy themed costumes (Surf society) school skirts (Golf society) or vibrant green swimming hats (Swim society). These boozy nights of challenges and being branded with the F for fresh are a unique introduction to university life.
(Photo by Vishnu R Nair on Unsplash)
The rules of drinking are as follows:
Here in Reading, societies tend to meet at Park Bar for some pre-game drinks, walk to the Premier - where one usually buys a Magnum or Dragon Soop. After The Dairy comes a Londis, Wetherspoons or Turks head, and then the club. This boozy night of antics may also involve drunk singing, having eggs thrown at you, eating dog food and being painted blue. These initiations tend to be more undercover in nature, adopting code names such as ‘Purple Pride’ in order to remain covert and being more student-led. More common in sports soc’s including rugby, cricket, golf, rowing, hockey but also agriculture initiations. For rowing, freshers drank 4 pints of milk and ran 4k.
A member of the sailing team reported having to eat a block of mature cheddar cheese in 10 minutes as a forfeit for not drinking. They give you a duck at the start of the night and you have to bring it to all the sailing events. “I lost my duck and I had to chop three snakebites”. Also drinking a pint whilst doing a handstand; and port to port: drinking a bottle of port on the way to the first sailing competition.
One student described a wild night of drinking an egg, consuming a whole bottle of wine, and kneeling on the floor while shouting the president's name four times. “I have never been so intoxicated in my life.” This year's Hockey initiation includes “a lot of costumes,” such as dressing up as a crayon, wearing questionable shirts, and dressing as your ideal partner.
Despite the chaos, Aronson and Mills' research on initiations suggests that enduring suffering can lead to a 'liking' hypothesis, indicating that undergoing an initiation fosters bonding and enhances a sense of belonging within a community due to shared experiences. Additionally, students are informed that they have the option to decline participation in any challenges by speaking with the society's welfare leader. In conclusion, initiations serve as an effective method to unite students and create memorable experiences.
(Disclaimer: While society initiations can be fun and memorable, we encourage everyone to participate responsibly and with respect for others. This article is intended for entertainment and reflection on the university experience and does not condone any irresponsible behaviour.)
References:
Aronson, E., & Mills, J. (1959). The effect of severity of initiation on liking for a group. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 59(2), 177.
Oxenham, S. (2022) The initiation ceremony experiments, BPS. Available at: https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/initiation-ceremony-experiments (Accessed: 18 October 2024).
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