"I Solemnly Swear..."

(Hippocratic Oath)

In reality, each Greek organization's oath is probably not all that different from the next, at least as far as words are concerned. Fidelity to the organization and its secrets, love for your fellow members... But the greatest difference between your oath and that of another fraternity or sorority is simple: you will never take the other's. 

Oaths are rarely taken in life. Opportunities come few and far between and, as a sorority woman, I have had the good fortune to have been given the opportunity to swear myself to an organization that means so very much to me, and join others who have done and feel the same! It is an oath that binds us, both to each other and to Alpha Omicron Pi, and which we recall to ourselves at every chapter meeting.

The first time each of us, I would venture to say everyone in the Greek community, took our respective oaths, they were most likely part of a larger initiation ceremony, and, in the slew of symbolism and rituals, was probably repeated hastily without the opportunity to reflect on their meaning.  As initiated members we all have (hopefully!) memorized this oath and understand its true meaning.  But what are these words, anyway? What do they mean to us? What does the Hippocratic Oath mean to doctors? What do marriage vows mean to a couple?

They are tenets that, by entering into a sort-of contract, we strive to uphold and attain throughout all our lives. Sometimes, this isn't easy. But I believe that it would take super-human strength to follow our oaths completely and thoroughly all of the time. However, look at the consequences of breaching the oaths I mentioned above: if a doctor goes against his creed, lives could potentially be lost; infidelity in a marriage can rip two souls apart. Shouldn't we take our oaths just as seriously? Our consequence might be retribution by our chapters and perhaps a probationary period. Perhaps it's time to really start taking our oaths as what they are - creeds by which we swear to live and do good, and never to break or dishonor them. Because our consequences really are more than just an uncomfortable meeting- they're the loss of respect of our chapter, the Greek community, and the entire campus.  It's letting those who have stood up for you and those who have come before you down. It's the threat constantly eating away at Greek life and our continued presence and relevance.

Oaths are more important than we think.