My name is Benjamin Charles Huebener. I am a third year student majoring in Human Nutrition, with the specialization of Nutrition in Industry... essentially this means Business Nutrition but Fisher will not let any other College use the word business.
I joined my Fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon, on January 12th 2008 and experienced my first ritual 3 days later on my 19th birthday. Two years later I still call myself a Fraternity Man and am more than PROUD to do so.
I have many theories about the benefits of the Fraternity and Sorority Community, especially about our Community here at The Ohio State University, and most of them speak for themselves based off of our statistics... such as a higher GPA than the all undergraduate average.. but my overall opinion of Fraternity and Sorority life has been shaped over my many experiences with the community, and cannot be shown in just one statistic.
You see, I see my involvement with the Fraternity and Sorority Community to be an investment.
An investment of one of my time, money, and talents. I did not join Sigma Phi Epsilon because I needed friends; I made plenty of friendships during Autumn Quarter. I did not join because I am wealthy and had money to throw away... that is FAR from the truth. And I sure as hell didn't join to be a Frat Boy with a popped collar, spray on tan, and an attitude that I am better than every other GDI.
I decided to become apart of a rich tradition of young men who made a pledge to themselves, as well as to their peers, that they would live a life dedicated to higher principles, to which they would hold each other accountable for life. These are the principles of Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love.
I wanted to join an organization in which I surrounded myself with others whom I thought were better than me. Not because I enjoy feeling inferior, but because I wanted to be in a situation which constantly challenged me to strive for more out of life, which constantly made me try to improve, and which constantly keeps me trying to grow and learn as an individual.
I will be the first to admit I like keeping my classes and my organizations separate. The fact that I am taking a class for one of my organizations did not make me necessarily happy. I have dedicated the vast majority of my free time to the Fraternity and Sorority community over the past two years and I was not forced to because I had a Fraternity Exam or Reflection Paper to write. I Did it because I truly believe that I am getting a great return on my Fraternal Investment.
however, I also understand that we live in a time of change, and after reading Tyler and Maggie’s Post, I am excited to run with this opportunity to promote to the profound benefits that come from the Fraternity and Sorority Community.
And just like any investment... the more you put into it, the more you can get out of it.
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I appreciate your thoughts here and especially like your mention of values and being a Fraternity Man.
ReplyDeleteAnd I do really like your last point here about the investment... well said.
See, I read it!
I'll echo Tyler with kudos on the emphasis on values and the opportunity to invest as much or as little as you would like to get out of your Fraternity experience.
ReplyDeleteI can definitely relate when you say you wanted to join an organization "in which I surrounded myself with others whom I thought were better than me." I have experienced the same thing from my time in Sigma Phi Epsilon and you are one of the prime examples.
ReplyDeleteI have felt for quite some time that our community as a whole does not have the same drive or passion as we do. I hope that we will be able to challenge the community to better itself, as our brothers have challenged us.