First things first-- rituals are not to be compared or confused with anything cult related. This is an often misconception to what our rituals are with people who are unaffiliated to greek life. What they don't understand is that rituals are so much more. Yes, they're secretive and nobody else knows about them except the members of the organization, which is how it is supposed to be. Rituals are the one thing that binds all members of an organization together throughout the nation. The rituals stay the same throughout each chapter which makes them special to each and every member.
Rituals are history. They hold all the secrets of each individual organization that are near and dear to our hearts. They tell stories and show us who we are as people. Rituals teach us the values that our founders wanted to instill in our hearts and minds forever. They are kept secret to add a special meaning that can only be shared between the brothers and sisters of the organization.
Another common misconception is that ritual ceremonies are scary. They are actually the farthest thing from that. They are lovely and joyful ceremonies. Sisters and brothers come together to appreciate the secrets that are kept between one another. Since certain rituals are kept for certain events or specific times of the year, we never get bored from each ritual. We also only get to hear and see the ritual ceremonies once or twice a year which makes them feel new every time.
Each time we hear a ritual ceremony we feel a little bit closer to our founders and our values. No ritual ceremony for any organization is the same. We all do different things while appreciating the love we have for our organizations. So when you're wondering why our ritual ceremonies mean so much to us, think about everything that they entail. And although they are secrets, they allow us to hold a deeper meaning for our organizations. Ritual to me, is the most important part of being involved within my sorority. It is something that I can forever hold close to my heart and have when I'm long out of college.
