Initiation

This past weekend my sorority held its initiation ceremony. Almost every sorority considers the initiation ceremony as something holy and sacred. At the conclusion of our initiation ceremony, I was so happy to see all of our new members smiling with joy and posting statuses on social media sites about their excitement of officially being a member of Alpha Phi!

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What is Initiation? The purpose of initiation is to teach a sorority's new members about the significance behind all of the sorority’s symbols, Greek letters, motto, rituals, etc., followed by a pledging of commitment to the sorority. Depending on the sorority, new member vows may be recited through a motto or creed, signed in a book, sung through ritual songs, or proven by an activity. A new member is not considered an active member until they profess their vows.

A sorority's initiation ceremony is typically kept a secret, therefore the ceremony is different for all sororities. However, every initiation is the same nationally within a particular sorority. For example, initiation for Alpha Phi at the University of Delaware is the same as initiation for Alpha Phi at the University of Maryland. An initiation ceremony that is the same nationally creates a strong connection amongst sorority sisters. For instance complete strangers who find out that they’re in the same sorority, are able to become instant friends due to their shared bond!

Common meanings behind symbols.