Zeta Beta Tau, Gamma Chapter is my fraternity at NYU. With over 50 active brothers on campus, we represent a voice of Greek life. Being a brother since sophomore year, I have had plenty of positive experiences. Contrary to popular belief, joining Greek life does not limit one to binge drinking at parties. It’s an excellent chance to meet and change peoples' lives.
What separate us from other fraternities inside NYU? Two years ago we won Greek Week, the week-long competition consisting of athletics, quiz bowl, and skit performance. Last year, we received the award of Distinction from the North American Interfraternity Council for our work with Be Positive, or B+. Out of 10,000 chapters, no more than 10 receive this coveted award. This year, we look to exceed our expectations with philanthropy.
ZBT has made strides to raise awareness with philanthropic events. We are partners with B+ to help raise money for children with cancer. Every year we adopt a “hero” to spend time with. Two years ago, I went trick-or-treating for the first time with our B+ hero, Christian. In my old neighborhood uptown, Christian and his mother showed up to trick-or-treat with us. It was by far my most Greek moment at NYU. For Christian, we were as much his heroes as he was ours.
This year, we have adopted our new hero named Mikey. With support from friends and family, we hope to rise above our previous fundraising plateaus.
Being part of ZBT has made a huge impact on my years at NYU. For undergrads at NYU, there are clubs and organizations for everything under the sun. NYU Greek life means being part of a community, something greater than yourself. From rush week to Greek Week, there is plenty of time to commit.
If you asked me why I joined three years ago, my answer would have been to have a consistent social scene. As a senior, with graduation looming, my answer is that being in ZBT is the primary reason for my NYU enrollment. Although greek life is considered an anomaly, it has been my backbone for the sometimes disjointed student body.
Finally, we have been tagged as the nicest fraternity in NYC, “Like, Mother Teresa nice.” If you happen to see someone sporting ‘ZBT’ letters on campus, send them some love. You know who we be.
