A new Thing That Singaporeans Are Worried About came not from mentally ill persons or the standard “foreigners are taking our job” trope — instead, it came from the hallowed halls of our prestigious academic institutions.

Like every other year, a new report emerged about the nasty things that are happening during orientation camps held by local universities. Varying in causes for outrage, this year’s new scandal is the fact that the bonding and ice-breaking games are becoming “increasingly sexualised”. A report on The New Paper mentions activities such as re-enacting an incestuous rape scene, answering inappropriate questions, cheers and chants that reference penises, and other games that involve intimate physical contact.

While Members of Parliament, school administrators and members of the public have been harrumphing their disapproval over such indecencies, we’d like to remind you that all this outrage has happened so many times before. Ragging of all sorts — raunchy or not — has been arranged by camp organisers for years here as extreme (and unnecessary) attempts to instil camaraderie among freshmen. Apparently, it’s “tradition” — the practice has been handed down over generations.

Not to defend the recent ongoings (incestuous rape? How fucking depraved can these college kids get?), but freshmen hazing in Singapore is nothing compared to cases in other countries. You want outrage? Let’s compare how freshmen across different countries get treated.

Singapore

• ‘Burning Bridges’, where freshmen had to answer inappropriate questions like, “Which man’s bodily fluid one would you drink?” or “Who do you do think is the sluttiest?” (National University of Singapore, 2016)
• Re-enacted a rape scene between a man and his younger sister. Guy had to pretend to kick open the door and say, “Kor kor (big brother) coming” while the girl had to respond, “Mei mei (little sister) don’t want”. (National University of Singapore, 2016)
• A human pole dancing game, where a freshman was the pole, while another freshman of the opposite sex pole danced. (Nanyang Technological University, 2004)
• ‘Sandwich’, in which sweaty students stood in line and passed ingredients of a sandwich (bread, tomato, cucumber, etc) till the end of the line using only their cheeks. (Nanyang Technological University, 2005)
• Male freshmen did push-ups on top of female freshmen, who had to lie down under them. (National University of Singapore, 2008)
• Freshmen passed M&M chocolates to each other using their mouths. (National University of Singapore, 2008)
• Whipped cream was sprayed on the bare torso of a male freshman; others had to lick it off. (Nanyang Technological University, 2008)

USA

• Female freshman (or rather, a sorority pledge) forced to act as a human garbage can. She was only allowed to clean up the floor and collect garbage using her hands and pockets. (University of California, 2010)
• College fraternity pledges forced to swim in kiddie pool filled with shit, semen and rotten food. Then they ate omelettes made out of vomit and chugged beer poured through the butt cheeks of fellow pledges. (Dartmouth, 2012)
• Pledge died from alcohol poisoning after carrying out ritual involving the consumption of a 60-ounce bottle of Belvedere vodka. (University at Albany, 2014)
• Pledge died from choking after being forced to swallow pieces of liver the size of club sandwiches without chewing. (University of Southern California, 1959)
• Pledge had to have testicle removed after it was repeatedly swatted with towels and shirts. (Wilmington College, 2013)
• Sorority pledges forced to crawl through mud into freezing creek while seniors screamed and spat on them. (Young Harris College, 2013)
• Pledges scalded with boiling water, hot crab boil and pepper spray in “hell night” initiation. (Tulane University, 2008)

UK

• Student died from alcohol poisoning after initiation ceremony that included downing concoctions such as a Jackson Five, which contains up to 12 shots of alcohol. Each drink had to be finished within 30 seconds. (Exeter University, 2008)
• Freshmen frogmarched down residential street with plastic bags worn over their heads, taking orders from another student dressed as a Nazi. (University of Gloucestershire, 2008)
• Rugby team recruit died from asphyxia caused by alcohol intoxication after a pub crawl initiation ceremony. Students given five minutes to down pints and spirits and run to the next pub every 10 minutes. (Hull University, 2006)
• Students forced to eat a 15-course meal that included pig’s snout with wasabi sauce, a pint of water with a goldfish swimming inside, raw leeks, uncooked squids and entire chillies. (Magdalene College, 2009)
• Students forced to consume 80 units of alcohol beginning with a bottle of gin and finishing with a bottle of port. Consumed through a condom. (Magdalene College, 2009)

Australia/New Zealand

• Student hospitalised after drinking a cocktail of dog food, sour milk, alcohol, tobasco sauce and shampoo. (St John’s College, 2012)
• Female student forced to mop up spilt milk with her t-shirt and roll around in milk on the floor. Seniors continued to yell and scream at her, telling her to pour orange juice over her chest. (Wesley College, 2013)
• First-year female students invited to a party during orientation week, where men surrounded them and yelled obscenities like “slut” and “skank”, and told them to “get the fuck out”.  (Wesley College, 2013)
• Students vying for lodging forced to undergo initiation to secure flats. Freshmen got their hair shaved into shape of a cross, drank alcohol, carried out physical challenges, and played drunken paintball games. (University of Otago, 2015)