Rituals Outside?
 

Visiting one Alpha Phi Omega chapter for brotherhood rituals, I was pleasantly surprised that they did the ritual outside around a campfire in one of their advisor's wooded back 40 (or at least it seemed like that much forest) and I have heard of another APO chapter holding one of the rituals outside.

For your GLO, would you consider holding either pledging or brotherhood/sisterhood rituals outside (or have you actually seen/heard of chapters doing so)?

Yes.

The point is to be safe and free from nonmember spectators or interrupters. If that can happen outside and no one is uncomfortable, that's even better.

Sure, why not?

One of our chapters actually holds different parts of initiation at different local landmarks. I joined them for it a few times, and it was amazing.

Sure. Several of our chapters have done part of inspiration (day before initiation) outside so that they can form an anchor and hold candles....very impressive if on a hillside.

This reminds me of that annoying KKPsi initiation scene in Drumline. They know good and well that if the chapter had initiation outside and nonmembers could view, those nonmembers would not be running up at the end of the ceremony.

Not for APhiA. Wouldn't work.

There was one fraternity that had rituals outside at one school I attended. They had to know that the sorority next door was seated in lawn chairs on the roof watching.

My chapter is doing something outside next week. We were told to dress warmly, but that's all I know seeing as it hasn't happened yet:) (not that I would share if I did know!)

Wouldn't work for us. Ribboning and pinning, maybe ... initiation, no.

There's also the logistical question of finding an outdoor venue away from prying eyes. I went to school in a big city where we would have had to drive quite some distance to find a suitably isolated outdoor spot. Undergrads were discouraged from bringing their cars to campus, and when I was an active I don't think anyone in the chapter had a car, so that would have meant renting a bunch of minivans. Far easier to book a room on campus.

Heh, that reminds me of the "found footage" from YouTube about "Skulls and Bones" at Yale, if I remember correctly. LOL. Definitely filmed from a roof.

As for ours, nope, I don't think it could be done. Plus I wouldn't want someone seeing our Ritual that wasn't supposed to.

I'd say no. We actually guard to door. No door, no guarding, no ritual. ;)

Nope. Wouldn't work for us.

Well, our inspiration isn't secret. I wasn't think about secret ritual...there are public ones...ones you do at things pledges can attend...memorials, etc...

While our Associate Member, Alumni, and Officer Installation Ceremonies are open to the public, we did have a Big Brother/Little Brother Ceremony outside by a lake in front of a big bonfire once. It was very unique and done with utmost care: no risk management violations. No alcohol allowed. Fire extinguisher on standby. No primary Ritual used.