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Question: From a sociological point of view, how would you explain Fred’s choice? Meantime, how would you
explain the choice of those freshmen who did not join any orientation activity?
Before Fred had started his university life, he felt no need to belong to any group may
be actually because the learning mode in secondary school is exam-oriented, having a good
academic result and enter the university may be the only goal for some students, including Fred.
It is totally fine or even better if Fred does not socialize and join the group. Nonetheless, after
being a freshman, Fred is somehow entering society. According to Durkheim, people in modern
and organized society need to work with each other in order to survive. Fred may gradually
realize the importance of belonging to a group for group assignments and university life. By
socialization, He may start to think his social position, and what the college students and society
want him to do other than do things base on his own perspective. Before participating in
orientation activities, Fred may search online about others' past experience of it. Due to a token
of entering the university and most of the people encourage freshmen to attend so as to find
group members and meet new friends, joining these become a social structure for Fred to feel
In the activities, Fred has done many things that he did not want to do. It may be because
of the social structure. Fred is forced to follow the framework and rule such as shouting out the
slogan, having lunch together and wearing a special t-shirt. Moreover, since a majority of
freshmen are willing to act the same way, it becomes a social norm among them. Therefore,
Fred has no choice but to follow their actions. Otherwise, he may be labelled as ‘deviant
everyone, some may consider it is interesting whilst some may think it is meaningless. These
activities are objectively providing an opportunity for freshmen to socialize and experience
university life. But through looking at different news, comments and own consideration, they
interpret ‘orientation activities' subjectively. Therefore, some freshmen think it is not necessary
to join. Also, they may advocate individualism, they think everyone has the freedom to choose
what they want and need not to follow the society, it is just their own choice but not deviant
behaviour.