BETA THETA PI
BETA THETA PI
There is no way that I can accurately discribe my continueing fraternity experience, but I can give you a brief overview. In the Fall of 1991 I joined the Alpha Pledge Class at the UC San Diego Colony of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. Being a colony at the time, I was originally given role number 348 from our sponsoring chapter San Diego State University the Epsilon Beta Chapter of Beta Theta Pi. Finally in 1994, after five struggleing years (three of which I was integrally involved in) we received our charter and became UC San Diego the Zeta Gamma of Beta Theta Pi where I am number 21 on the roles. Currently, I am the Chapter Counselor (Advisor) of the San Jose State University the Zeta Eta Chapter of Beta Theta Pi.
At the time that I pledged, I was aware that my dad was a member of Beta when he was in college at Stanford University (Lambda Sigma Chapter). However, it was not until I was initiated, and was able to come home; give my dad the Beta grip; see a twinkle in his eyes that I had previously not seen; call him "brother," and sit down and talk to him about our quite similar experiences.
How can I possibly use such a small space to descibe my experinence and feelings about something that has given me so much as my fraternity had given me. I could ramble on and on about what Beta means to me, but I think that I'll just give you a brief overview as to how Beta has effected me on the many different levels that it has.
It's rather ironic that I ever got involved with a fraternity in the first place. Prior to college, I thought most frat boys were complete tools (not that I think that most of them aren't tools now). My only experience with them had been when guys from my high school would come back at lunch with their letters on and try to impress the girls. In addition, my only other knowledge was the media's portrayal of the entire Greek scene. Anyways, when rush came around in the Fall of my freshman year at college, I passed--never even thinking twice. About three weeks into school, I was walking throught the Price Center when this guy at some booth jumped out in front of me and asked if I knew anything about the greek system. I replied no and tried to brush him off (hey, I was on my way to class--believe it or not). Then he asked if I was interrested in finding out more about fraternities. Again I said no and proceeded to walk off. He followed me for two steps, and then asked me if I knew anything about Beta. I stopped and told him that my dad was a Beta and that I knew that most of his friends to this day were his old fraternity brothers. He got all excited, introduced himself as Bob, and dragged me over and introduced me to the other two guys at the booth, Dan and Steve. We all talked for a bit, they handed me a schedule of events, told me that they were going bowling that night, and I took off to class. To make a long story short, I wound up joining the Alpha Pledge Class (re-Founding Fathers) of the then UCSD Colony of Beta Theta Pi. Joining me in that pledge class are some of my truest and greatest friends to this day: Rob Brannen, Brian Dulac, Pat Lamy, Brent Brewer, Chris York, Chris Sieler, and Paulo Sellitti. Together, we built the chapter that is now the Zeta Gamma Chapter of Beta Theta Pi.
Throughout my five years at UCSD and in the house, I was fortunate enough to become brothers with many more men who joined our ranks. And that is what has made my Beta experience so incredible. Learning how to work with others on a daily basis and dealing with all that life can throw at a person. Beta's greatest asset is its brotherhood. There is no way in hell that I would ever trade all of my adventures and experiences that I went through with my brothers--and there were a ton of them. I learned to work with, around, and through people. I learned how to get a job done despite the normal--and even sometimes extraordinary--obstacles. I learned that I have capabilities I never thought I posessed. Beta prepares a man to be able to function within society.
Beta helped me become a man. Not in through sex, drugs, hazing, or anything else of that sort, but by taking responsibility.
What makes Beta different from other similar associations is that she attempt to imbue each of her members with three principles that are seen as the "keys to life." Yes, there are some perversions of the original intent that occur from time to time, but for the most part, Beta is a "great" and "good" association.
The reason that I so dearly love and am so dedicated to Beta is my brothers. They mean the world to me. Every single brother from my chapter has taught me so much. I feel that I carry a piece of each of them, and likewise each of them hold a piece of me. Some I feel more strongly than others, but all of the men of Zeta Gamma have played vital roles in my life. They made my five years at college what they were. The motto of our chapter is "an intense and genuine bond," and that is exactly what we achieved. As screwed up as our chapter was when it was left to us eight Alpha Class members once we were initiated, I have always felt that the Founders of our chapter did the singular best thing for our chapter--and that was to force us into a situation that the only was we were going to survive, was to become fraternity brothers in the truest sense of the term.
~kai~
LINKS:
San Jose State's(Zeta Eta) Homepage--where I'm the advisor
SDSU's (old EB) homepage--where I was initiated
