Being initiated into a fraternity means you will be taught the secrets and rituals of your organization. Some of these secrets are minor, but others go to the core of the fraternity. Keeping these secrets are vital for the health of your fraternity.
You might ask – why are they vital? Because the secrets are what separates a fraternity from other student organizations. Think about it – it isn’t too uncommon to have a group of guys that are really close friends on a college campus. However, what is uncommon is for those friends to have traditions that go back many generations of students.
The secrets also unite the local chapter to a much larger fraternity. All brothers get to experience first-hand the ideals and vision of the original founding fathers by practicing the same ritual at each chapter.
Just as importantly though – having a ritual makes being in a fraternity more fun. My fraternity had certain secrets that everyone in the chapter knew, but no one ever divulged these secrets to outsiders. Secrets often form the core of the pledge program, and it wouldn’t be as much fun if someone let the secrets slip.
If you are a brother in a fraternity – be sure to keep your secrets. If they aren’t important to you, that is ok. I assure you they are important to the rest of the fraternity, and you owe it to them to hold your rituals and secrets sacred.
