There is more to college than academics itself. To many, college is a time of increased socialization and personal development. Students partake in various clubs, groups, and organizations to gain a full spectrum and understanding of what college life has to offer. One popular avenue that college students take to experience interaction is membership in a Greek letter society, also known as a fraternity or sorority. Fraternities and sororities have taken on recent negative publicity and criticism as being hotbeds of sex, drugs, and discrimination. Greek life has taken a hit from several sources including the mass media and movies, such as Animal House, which dramatize the deviant procedures and practices that are perceived to occur in every individual fraternity and/or sorority. In spite of this negativity, Greek letter societies are in fact institutions that promote the academic, moral, and social development of their members.
When I entered college as a freshman, I knew full well that I would join a fraternity. Fraternity life comes second nature to me, as I am a three time Sigma Nu legacy. My father and cousin were Sigma Nu’s at Southern California and my uncle was a Sigma Nu at UCLA. Coming from a long line of Greeks, I believed that I had a complete and accurate understanding about what my fraternity experience was going to be like. I could not have been more wrong. I quickly found out that the Beta Tau chapter of Sigma Nu was far different than any other fraternity on campus as well as any chapter my family had been a part of.
During rush, the week that fraternities meet potential members or candidates, I immediately became involved in the organization. In my first encounter with some of the brothers, I found myself volunteering with Service NC State. In the subsequent rush events, I participated in sports, had meals on and off campus, and attended several informational sessions with rushees and brothers alike. I felt like the brothers truly wanted to include me in a wide variety of aspects in the fraternity early on. When I later accepted my bid, I began the pledge or “candidate” process, and truly began my journey in becoming a Knight, the formal designation given to Sigma Nu initiates.
During the candidate process, I learned exactly what Sigma Nu and especially what Beta Tau was all about. As a group, my candidate class went to the Sigma Nu headquarters in Lexington, Virginia and spent a whole weekend learning the current and historical significance of the fraternity. We were also given the huge undertaking of co-organizing homecoming along with the Delta Gamma Sorority in which we won 3rd place. My experience as a candidate also taught me key life lessons such as academic responsibility, social consciousness, and moral understanding. I learned the importance of time management, as I had to balance fraternity with academics. I learned how to act in a variety of situations that ranged from meeting with respected alumni to collaborating with sororities on service projects. Lastly, I gained moral understanding through our fraternity’s designated driver and LEAD programs.
As I finally became a newly initiated brother and Knight, I looked back upon my journey and relished in the great changes I undertook. I matured from an innocent high schooler to an experienced college student, from a follower to a leader, and from a boy into a man. I cannot think of any other organization that could facilitate all of these things happening in such short period of a time. It is for this reason that I am thankful for Sigma Nu and the Beta Tau chapter for having such a strong and meaningful impact on my college experience. I am truly a Sigma Nu for life.