I am proud to say that I am a member of Beta Theta Pi, Theta Alpha Phi, and Omega Eta Epsilon. I would never have imagined that I would join Greek life. I came into college with the stereotypical thought of Greek Life. They party, drink in excess, sleep around, and obtain low GPA's. I thought I would never become part of this system. Fast-forward to 3 years later to the start of my senior year and I have become part of three Greek organizations.
I would never have thought that I would join and make some of the best memories and friends during my first 3 years of school. However, as great as my experience has been it has also been one of the toughest.
When someone asks me about my Greek experience, I usually describe it as a rollercoaster ride. The word choice is pretty accurate because Greek life has its ups and downs, but it depends on how you view these situations.
When I first joined Beta I expected to find a second home away from home. I was a bit naive, to say the least. I came in with unrealistic expectations. I wanted to create a sense of belonging and community with every person in the organization. What I found was that Greek life was divided. Not just at the university level, but within the organization itself. People would play "politics" and I saw many things that discouraged me from wanting to fully open up to my brothers. I had resentment towards my brothers my first year in the organization.
The second year of college was met with many challenges in both in school and my personal life. I decided to join my second Greek organization TAP a professional theater fraternity. I felt a genuine connection with the members in TAP. I felt welcomed. It was a place where I could go and escape from my troubles by connecting with those who have similar interests as me. I felt at home for the first time. I was getting the social interactivity I wasn't getting from Beta.
However, just like any other organization, there were politics and these politics caused me to drift away from the organization. When I was ending my third year I decided to join Omega Eta Epsilon. I joined because I was looking for a community where everyone was in it because they cared for the organization's values. When I was initiated into OHE I was excited because the people in the organization are genuine. They showed an interest in me and I felt very comfortable to be myself.
I have been part of the Greek system for 3 years. They have been the best and the toughest three years. A lot has happened in each organization and I have grown so much because of each organization and the people in the organization.
Whenever someone asks me whether they should join Greek life I tell them my honest opinion. It is a rollercoaster ride but if I had the chance to relive everything I would.
