pledgeship
Pre-initiation trial period
Pledgeship is the period during which a person is a pledge—a prospective member of a fraternity or sorority who has not yet been fully initiated.
The term covers both the status and the duration: During my pledgeship, we had to memorize the fraternity's history.
Pledgeship typically involves tasks, rituals, and tests of commitment before formal initiation.
Formal admission ceremony
- hazingAbusive initiation practices
- rushQuick sudden movement
- sororityWomen's collegiate social organization
- Greek lifeFraternity and sorority culture
brotherhood · sisterhood · big brother · big sister · neophyte · probation · rituals · lineage
Learning trade through employment
- probationaryConditional on good performance
- mentorshipGuidance from experienced person
- learningGaining knowledge gradually
- instructionGuidance for action
guidance · candidacy · novitiate · induction · orientation · preparation · testing · evaluation
Solemn personal commitment
- oathFormal binding promise
- dedicationWholehearted loyalty to purpose
- promiseCommitment to act
- allegianceLoyalty owed to authority
devotion · loyalty · obligation · fidelity · bond · covenant · undertaking · sworn
initiation
Formal admission ceremony
- hazingAbusive initiation practices
- rushQuick sudden movement
- sororityWomen's collegiate social organization
Greek life · brotherhood · sisterhood · big brother · big sister · neophyte · probation · rituals · lineage · paddle
apprenticeship
Learning trade through employment
- probationaryConditional on good performance
- mentorshipGuidance from experienced person
- learningGaining knowledge gradually
instruction · guidance · candidacy · novitiate · induction · orientation · preparation · testing · evaluation · discipline
vow
Solemn personal commitment
- oathFormal binding promise
- dedicationWholehearted loyalty to purpose
- promiseCommitment to act
allegiance · devotion · loyalty · obligation · fidelity · bond · covenant · undertaking · sworn · duty
pledgeshipbrotherhood
Kinship among men
sisterhood · initiation · depledging · independence · expulsion