Of course I view Fraternity life as an opporutunity. I'm biased. It has been the best opportunity of my life.
So why wouldn't anyone else view it as an opporunity?
well, it lies within the individuals. Not everyone wants to get the most out of their fraternity/sorority experience. Not everyone believes in holding themselves to a higher standard... Not everyone is willing to change...
So that in itself is a pretty big delimma.
So how do we make it more relevant? How do we make fraternity/sorority life what it used to be?
I guess we can't... life isn't the same as it used to be over a century ago... just another delimma I suppose.
But I was able to get something out of it, so there must be an opporunity within our community somewhere.
I realized I never met my founders... but I must admit, they believed in some pretty sweet stuff. And I'm damn proud to believe in it as well. Fraternity Life is what we make of it. The Individual. The Individual can create the opportunity for themselves, and others, or they can just as easily be a delimma for us all.
Don't be that individual.... Strive for more out of life and from your experience. You will make a difference. You will change.
Friday, March 12, 2010
strengths and weaknesses
My Fraternity.
We follows the rules, for the most part, and I see us as a decent role model for the rest of the fraternity community... in that standpoint.
However, we do lack a little bit of the brotherhood aspect at times, maybe some guys just get a little too carried away with their studies. Hey a 4.0 is great.... but a 93 is still an A, you are allowed to miss a point every once in a while, feel free to sacrifice some of the time you spent memorizing the dictionary to play a game of basketball with me.
IFC.
We have a strong bunch of individuals who really do want to make a difference. Best of all we have the support of our University behind us.
However, we have a lot to try and accomplish, and our community sees the council as a separate entity...
The community.
The community has so much to offer. We have opportunities out the wazoo. Frienships are built daily and leaders blossom over night.
However, even though we are not on the same level as many other institutions (in a good way) we still have our downfalls. I was ignorant of them for quite awhile, and it is very hard at times to think that something I love so much has so many flaws... because of the individuals within the system, not because of the system itself.
Hazing will not build better brothers, it will destroy them.
Alcohol will attract attention when recruiting, but not the kind you want.
Yes women are great company, no you are not allowed to degrade or control them.
We follows the rules, for the most part, and I see us as a decent role model for the rest of the fraternity community... in that standpoint.
However, we do lack a little bit of the brotherhood aspect at times, maybe some guys just get a little too carried away with their studies. Hey a 4.0 is great.... but a 93 is still an A, you are allowed to miss a point every once in a while, feel free to sacrifice some of the time you spent memorizing the dictionary to play a game of basketball with me.
IFC.
We have a strong bunch of individuals who really do want to make a difference. Best of all we have the support of our University behind us.
However, we have a lot to try and accomplish, and our community sees the council as a separate entity...
The community.
The community has so much to offer. We have opportunities out the wazoo. Frienships are built daily and leaders blossom over night.
However, even though we are not on the same level as many other institutions (in a good way) we still have our downfalls. I was ignorant of them for quite awhile, and it is very hard at times to think that something I love so much has so many flaws... because of the individuals within the system, not because of the system itself.
Hazing will not build better brothers, it will destroy them.
Alcohol will attract attention when recruiting, but not the kind you want.
Yes women are great company, no you are not allowed to degrade or control them.
Why Perfection?
ahh perfection.
Spring atmosphere, 60 degrees, sunny days and star filled nights... and just the right company. That's perfection.
Maybe throw in a little music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJzGtzGydtQ) and a glass of wine... Hey we did say perfect right?
But in all seriousness, why do we seek perfection?
Nothing is really perfect, is it? Can't something always be better? Can't you always improve just a little bit more? Can't you always learn a little more? What is this idea of perfection and why do people constantly kill themselves trying to achieve this false idea?
How about this idea... lets be content. Lets be happy, satisfied, thankful... the list goes on and on. Lets rejoice with what we have, and share it with those who have not.
Lets ebrace life and the opportunities it has given us. Let teach others how great life really is and all that it has to offer. Who knows we might just enjoy going along for the ride!
In my opinion, the idea of perfection is a destination. In other words, a stopping point. The best part of life is the journey, not the destination.... and why would you ever wanna stop the journey???
Fraternity and Sorority life cleary defines how we should live our lives. It is defined in our Ritual... I guess if I had to say what a perfect world would be... I would say people actually knew what their Ritual was, and stood for, any maybe even lived it.
Spring atmosphere, 60 degrees, sunny days and star filled nights... and just the right company. That's perfection.
Maybe throw in a little music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJzGtzGydtQ) and a glass of wine... Hey we did say perfect right?
But in all seriousness, why do we seek perfection?
Nothing is really perfect, is it? Can't something always be better? Can't you always improve just a little bit more? Can't you always learn a little more? What is this idea of perfection and why do people constantly kill themselves trying to achieve this false idea?
How about this idea... lets be content. Lets be happy, satisfied, thankful... the list goes on and on. Lets rejoice with what we have, and share it with those who have not.
Lets ebrace life and the opportunities it has given us. Let teach others how great life really is and all that it has to offer. Who knows we might just enjoy going along for the ride!
In my opinion, the idea of perfection is a destination. In other words, a stopping point. The best part of life is the journey, not the destination.... and why would you ever wanna stop the journey???
Fraternity and Sorority life cleary defines how we should live our lives. It is defined in our Ritual... I guess if I had to say what a perfect world would be... I would say people actually knew what their Ritual was, and stood for, any maybe even lived it.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Oath
Sigma Phi Epsilon does things a little differently since we don't have pledge classes. When someone accepts an invitation to join our Fraternity, they become Sigmas. As they grow as individuals and from their experiences in the Fraternity, they go through the rituals of Phi and Epsilon accordingly.
Without going into too much detail, because we have different stages, we have multiple Rituals. Which means individuals progress at their own rate, and not with the rest of the brothers who joined at the same time. However, multiple Rituals means we get to reaffirm our Oath numerous times, each and everytime we have one of those Rituals.
The Oath is my favorite part of the Ritual, for one simple reason. It explains the life long commitement I made to living a life of purpose and high principles.
Some Brothers in my Fraternity do not see it this way... they see it as just another obligation... Just another time when they have to dress in pin attire and "show up" so that they don't get fined. This pisses me off more than any other thing in my individual fraternity. Other things get to me more (like sex, drugs, and fraterol... and don't get me started on recruiting with alcohol) but within my Fraternity, I don't agree with this mentality. Each time we do the ritual, it is an opportunity to relive the first time we did the Ritual, and repeat the promise we made in the Oath. Each time we do the Ritual we are once again showed how we should be living our lives. Not to mention the fact that it our our duty to be there for the Brothers who are going through the Ritual for the first time.
I had someone last night tell me they didn't know what it meant to be a Sigma Phi Epsilon. My answer was simple. Someone who has not gone through all of the Rituals will not have a defined answer to that question. However, they are to make their own answer off their individual experiences with Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love... Our highest Principles. And if you do not know who you are after going through the first time, Maybe you should do a little more than "showing up" to the Ritual the next time, you might learn a thing or two. considering the fact that the little book hidden in the closest defines the person you should strive to be.
Without going into too much detail, because we have different stages, we have multiple Rituals. Which means individuals progress at their own rate, and not with the rest of the brothers who joined at the same time. However, multiple Rituals means we get to reaffirm our Oath numerous times, each and everytime we have one of those Rituals.
The Oath is my favorite part of the Ritual, for one simple reason. It explains the life long commitement I made to living a life of purpose and high principles.
Some Brothers in my Fraternity do not see it this way... they see it as just another obligation... Just another time when they have to dress in pin attire and "show up" so that they don't get fined. This pisses me off more than any other thing in my individual fraternity. Other things get to me more (like sex, drugs, and fraterol... and don't get me started on recruiting with alcohol) but within my Fraternity, I don't agree with this mentality. Each time we do the ritual, it is an opportunity to relive the first time we did the Ritual, and repeat the promise we made in the Oath. Each time we do the Ritual we are once again showed how we should be living our lives. Not to mention the fact that it our our duty to be there for the Brothers who are going through the Ritual for the first time.
I had someone last night tell me they didn't know what it meant to be a Sigma Phi Epsilon. My answer was simple. Someone who has not gone through all of the Rituals will not have a defined answer to that question. However, they are to make their own answer off their individual experiences with Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love... Our highest Principles. And if you do not know who you are after going through the first time, Maybe you should do a little more than "showing up" to the Ritual the next time, you might learn a thing or two. considering the fact that the little book hidden in the closest defines the person you should strive to be.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Happy Monday
While working today, I found myself with a case of the Monday Morning's, so I decided to listen to one of my favorite songs. Here is the link. Hopefully you like it too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erPnyi90cIc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erPnyi90cIc
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Ritual
So I realize I am writing this blog is coming a little late, especially since we already talked about it in class, but I have had a really long week trying to stay on top of everything I have going on so I didn't quite get to my blog.
So getting into it, what are my secret thoughts on Ritual. Well as Julie said, and many others after our discussion yesterday, Ritual isn't much of a secret. Everyone knows we have one, that we perform one. They all know we have knocks, passwords, handshakes, candles, music, dim lighting... I think you get the picture. I think the secrecy of the details (for example the specifics in our rituals and how we go about performing them) separate us as individual fraternities and sororities. However, we are not really separated, once again as mentioned in class, because of the Life long commitment we pledged to upholding ourselves to the principles defined in our Ritual, and doing so to the highest extent.
So ya we have Ritual. Webster's Define's Ritual as follows
Ritual \Rit"u*al\, n. [Cf. F. rituel.]1. A prescribed form of performing divine service in a particular church or communion; as, the Jewish ritual. [1913 Webster]
2. Hence, the code of ceremonies observed by an organization; as, the ritual of the freemasons. [1913 Webster]
3. A book containing the rites to be observed. [1913 Webster]
I thought a lot of that sounded pretty familiar... So if Webster's published it, how can it be that secret?
We'll like Brandon mentioned, I like the little secret details that we have as our individual fraternities and sororities, as define in our Ritual.
But because we made a commitment to upholding these principles, we have the responsiblilty to portray these principles in our everyday actions... in other words, living the ritual... bet you didn't see that one coming.
So getting into it, what are my secret thoughts on Ritual. Well as Julie said, and many others after our discussion yesterday, Ritual isn't much of a secret. Everyone knows we have one, that we perform one. They all know we have knocks, passwords, handshakes, candles, music, dim lighting... I think you get the picture. I think the secrecy of the details (for example the specifics in our rituals and how we go about performing them) separate us as individual fraternities and sororities. However, we are not really separated, once again as mentioned in class, because of the Life long commitment we pledged to upholding ourselves to the principles defined in our Ritual, and doing so to the highest extent.
So ya we have Ritual. Webster's Define's Ritual as follows
Ritual \Rit"u*al\, n. [Cf. F. rituel.]1. A prescribed form of performing divine service in a particular church or communion; as, the Jewish ritual. [1913 Webster]
2. Hence, the code of ceremonies observed by an organization; as, the ritual of the freemasons. [1913 Webster]
3. A book containing the rites to be observed. [1913 Webster]
I thought a lot of that sounded pretty familiar... So if Webster's published it, how can it be that secret?
We'll like Brandon mentioned, I like the little secret details that we have as our individual fraternities and sororities, as define in our Ritual.
But because we made a commitment to upholding these principles, we have the responsiblilty to portray these principles in our everyday actions... in other words, living the ritual... bet you didn't see that one coming.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Diggin Deep..
Soo What Happened Last Friday?
We'll we had a nice little activity that consumed most of class time. Not gonna lie I didn't mind doing it.
It was a values based activity, one in which we had to seek out other members of the fraternity and sorority community, and talk with them about values. The question topics related to the individuals fraternity/sorority focus, their values within the sorority/fraternity, and what ritual means to them.
Its always interesting, at least to me, to see how people answer that last one.... Some people are straight laced and just say its a ceremony. Others really like to dig and tell me how personal it is to them.
I personally relate to the latter. The Ritual is the most meaningful part of my Fraternity Experience. I'm not sure how much more I can emphasize that last point... I mean, how can individuals overlook its importance?
Ritual is the one thing that makes a different from every other student group/club/team/organization/ect!
The Ritual is where we pledge to uphold our values, not just for our years here at Ohio State, but for Life! During Ritual I am constantly reminded of the higher standards in which I have committed to living. Each time I take part in the ritual, I am that much more inspirted to live it out.
At least for me, thats what happened last Friday. Just talking about the ritual anymore gets me excited to be a Brother in the Fraternal Community. And I was inspired to tackle a week which seemed like it would never end.... But I am strong and I will succeed in my endevours. Not because I am cocky, but because I have been blessed with support anf experiences from my Fraternity Experience which will be to my benefit in all of life's tricky little obstacles.
I hope you feel the same, because our community is not a joke, and we will make a positive impact.
So let me buy this round.. ( I tried to post a song here by ACDC, have a drink on me, but it didn't work, still figuring out blogging I guess.....)
We'll we had a nice little activity that consumed most of class time. Not gonna lie I didn't mind doing it.
It was a values based activity, one in which we had to seek out other members of the fraternity and sorority community, and talk with them about values. The question topics related to the individuals fraternity/sorority focus, their values within the sorority/fraternity, and what ritual means to them.
Its always interesting, at least to me, to see how people answer that last one.... Some people are straight laced and just say its a ceremony. Others really like to dig and tell me how personal it is to them.
I personally relate to the latter. The Ritual is the most meaningful part of my Fraternity Experience. I'm not sure how much more I can emphasize that last point... I mean, how can individuals overlook its importance?
Ritual is the one thing that makes a different from every other student group/club/team/organization/ect!
The Ritual is where we pledge to uphold our values, not just for our years here at Ohio State, but for Life! During Ritual I am constantly reminded of the higher standards in which I have committed to living. Each time I take part in the ritual, I am that much more inspirted to live it out.
At least for me, thats what happened last Friday. Just talking about the ritual anymore gets me excited to be a Brother in the Fraternal Community. And I was inspired to tackle a week which seemed like it would never end.... But I am strong and I will succeed in my endevours. Not because I am cocky, but because I have been blessed with support anf experiences from my Fraternity Experience which will be to my benefit in all of life's tricky little obstacles.
I hope you feel the same, because our community is not a joke, and we will make a positive impact.
So let me buy this round.. ( I tried to post a song here by ACDC, have a drink on me, but it didn't work, still figuring out blogging I guess.....)
And let's toast to the wonderful opportunity that we
have in front of us. It's time to do some work.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)