Inspired

Motivational speeches and movies have sparked my desire to excel and have given me the drive to do something great. The desire has always been present but has currently been aroused. Also, I have recharged my batteries with plenty of family time, rest, socializing with old friends, talking with old teachers/advisors, and multiple jobs. Therefore, I am ready to achieve greatness at school. I know how to succeed in school, and I am ready to return.

I feel limited in my hometown by short-term summer jobs, lack of readily available student labor opportunities, lack of financial backing for initiatives, no student groups, and no unifying cause such as school spirit. I know simple solutions to some of these problems, but cannot solve all of these in one month during my short stay at home. Great project results don’t drop out of the sky. For instance, my Eagle Project took more than six months to complete. My typical summer day consists of working at one of my two jobs or visiting with friends. Despite my workload, I feel sub-par at home, because I am not running on all cylinders at all times like in college. I don’t have a final goal besides making as much money as possible before returning to school

I’m not looking to save the world, although I wouldn’t mind doing something to help others. I’m looking for something different to make my mark and to be extremely proud of. For me right now, I think the best avenue for this is on campus. First, I’m expecting to get better grades in order to further boost my GPA. Second, I want to give back to the community. I’m lined up for the fall to assist in a weekly worship service, lead a new-student outdoor education camp, volunteer with the Student Alumni Organization, assist on an SGA committee, and offering wisdom or advice to any program or person in need. This should be a good start for now and keep me occupied. Once I am fully involved and see possible changes, any or all of these have the possibility to expand into larger and greater things. Like I said earlier, I’m eager to return and complete these initiatives.

Rush

Just when I thought I could chill and relax, I’m suckered into the complicated system of rush. I’m very glad I’m on the brother side of it and not the rushee side. It is entertaining, because everyone will come back to campus to rendezvous and mingle for the evening. I was happy to see all my friends and delighted that many girls would lend a hand to help at a rush party by simply showing up. It was not all fun and games because I had to entertain our rushees and properly, yet truthfully, represent the fraternity.

We are continually searching to find the best guys to fit our style, which is able to chill, relaxed, classy, gentlemen like, intelligent, and motivated. It is necessary to find these types, because each younger pledge class is the future. We want the house to continually improve.

We could push beers down the throats of the rushees until they are forced to have a good time they can’t remember, but that’s wrong and illegal. That’s not who we are. We are more chilled than most groups. We simply hang out on the river, at a BBQ, at a baseball game, play beach volleyball, or what not. All the time, we are still having fun with some of the finest ladies on campus and even visiting the coolest bars and hearing the best bands. This way we actually talk to the guys and figure out who they really are.

I’m only a sophomore and it is exciting to see the future of the house. I know we will get the cream of the crop who come through our rush circle. We need to narrow down our rush list from 150 to about 35-40. The pressure adds a little stress. Alumni and in-house brothers add rushees who they may deem worthy to join our fraternity or at least want to check out. But, rush is mostly in the hands of the sophomores, because we are the closest in age to the rushees and know more graduating seniors from our hometowns.

We have only had a few events so far but continue to have guys come grill out during their orientations or any other visit to campus. I can’t wait till I move back to campus in July in order to take one really hard class by itself and help out during this exciting period.