Being in a fraternity is all about becoming a productive member of society.
SigEp's mission statement again is: Building Balanced Men
To me, being a citizen means being a productive member of society that works for the greater good and acts responsibly.
A SigEp balanced man must maintain a sound mind and a sound body. By promoting healthy lifestyles, SigEps are modeling the way for all citizens to lead healthy lifestyles, a healthy lifestyle is especially important with the rise of obesity in America. A sound mind promotes thoughtful discussion and a need to continue to be informed to make educated decisions. A good citizen must be able to carry out these discussions and must be able to make the difficult decisions for the betterment of our country and our society.
Ideally, a fraternity is supposed to create model citizens: gentlemen and gentlewomen who are going to lead productive lives as leaders of our generation.
I am confident that SigEp has done this for me.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Guest Leader Panel
Luckily, last week during our guest panel I took notes, so I guess that'll be really helpful when talking about the two points that I took away
Take-away #1: "People are going to disagree with you or you aren't doing anything right". I thought this was a really powerful statement... and one of the biggest challenges of leadership within our chapters and our community. I find it extremely difficult to face rejection from my own brothers- to have my own brothers upset about something I said or did. It's really difficult, but at the end of the day, you can't please everyone and you have to "break a few eggs to make an omelette". Sometimes it's important to make the unpopular decisions if they're the right ones.
Take-away #2: "Always Have Fun". With all of the serious talks we have about congruence, leadership, elevation, integrity... it's sometimes easy to get wrapped up in all of our community's or chapter's problems... we need to remember that we joined social organizations meant to provide meaning and happiness to our lives at many levels, including a socially. "Having Fun" doesn't mean (and shouldn't mean) only alcoholic events... but just spending time with your brothers or sisters and providing meaning and happiness to your day. I know that sometimes I get wrapped up in the looming problems... but it's important to enjoy life every second of every day because you never know what's waiting around the corner (see blog below).
I thoroughly enjoyed our guest panel and hope that one day I'll be able to confidently say that I too impacted our Greek community.
Take-away #1: "People are going to disagree with you or you aren't doing anything right". I thought this was a really powerful statement... and one of the biggest challenges of leadership within our chapters and our community. I find it extremely difficult to face rejection from my own brothers- to have my own brothers upset about something I said or did. It's really difficult, but at the end of the day, you can't please everyone and you have to "break a few eggs to make an omelette". Sometimes it's important to make the unpopular decisions if they're the right ones.
Take-away #2: "Always Have Fun". With all of the serious talks we have about congruence, leadership, elevation, integrity... it's sometimes easy to get wrapped up in all of our community's or chapter's problems... we need to remember that we joined social organizations meant to provide meaning and happiness to our lives at many levels, including a socially. "Having Fun" doesn't mean (and shouldn't mean) only alcoholic events... but just spending time with your brothers or sisters and providing meaning and happiness to your day. I know that sometimes I get wrapped up in the looming problems... but it's important to enjoy life every second of every day because you never know what's waiting around the corner (see blog below).
I thoroughly enjoyed our guest panel and hope that one day I'll be able to confidently say that I too impacted our Greek community.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Brotherhood
I just had one of the strongest experiences of "brotherhood" since accepting my bid to become a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon.
Tonight, we had our first ever pot-luck Thanksgiving dinner. The night was filled with laughter and great discussion and AMAZING food. I was especially grateful to have Thanksgiving with people I cared about- my annual family dinner had to be moved around- my cousin is in Afghanistan and my grandmother is ill, so we moved our family dinner to accommodate my cousin's leave and my grandmother's health... I wasn't able to go home due to midterms and because they were trying to prevent my grandmother from being overwhelmed... so I was planning on just not having turkey this year... luckily, I was still able to spend this holiday eating turkey, and stuffing, and pie, and all the fixings with people I really care about.
This was great brotherhood- but the real brotherhood came after.
First, the backstory:
Last night at about 8:30 PM, my brother: J.R. Miller, 22 years of age, had a stroke. He was rushed to the hospital and is slowly making steady improvements... but he's still no where near back to normal and has a long road to recovery ahead. He's extremely intelligent, respected, quick-witted, and passionate. He had a Coop waiting for him in New York for after he graduated, which was supposed to be this year.
My experience with overwhelming brotherhood occurred when about 20 of us sat around the table in our formal room and prayed. Several different religious backgrounds, joining together as brothers, to reach out to a higher power to watch after one of our brothers and his family. I have seen what it means to truly care about someone as a brother- to know what it's like to have an entire group of 100+ men behind you, believing in you, supporting you and your family in an extreme time of need.
That's what brotherhood means.
Please keep J.R. and his family in your thoughts and prayers.
Never EVER take a moment of your life for granted.
Tonight, we had our first ever pot-luck Thanksgiving dinner. The night was filled with laughter and great discussion and AMAZING food. I was especially grateful to have Thanksgiving with people I cared about- my annual family dinner had to be moved around- my cousin is in Afghanistan and my grandmother is ill, so we moved our family dinner to accommodate my cousin's leave and my grandmother's health... I wasn't able to go home due to midterms and because they were trying to prevent my grandmother from being overwhelmed... so I was planning on just not having turkey this year... luckily, I was still able to spend this holiday eating turkey, and stuffing, and pie, and all the fixings with people I really care about.
This was great brotherhood- but the real brotherhood came after.
First, the backstory:
Last night at about 8:30 PM, my brother: J.R. Miller, 22 years of age, had a stroke. He was rushed to the hospital and is slowly making steady improvements... but he's still no where near back to normal and has a long road to recovery ahead. He's extremely intelligent, respected, quick-witted, and passionate. He had a Coop waiting for him in New York for after he graduated, which was supposed to be this year.
That's what brotherhood means.
Please keep J.R. and his family in your thoughts and prayers.
Never EVER take a moment of your life for granted.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Oath
Well... since the bomb threat seems to be going on... I'll take this time that I'm locked in my room to write my blog.
You may be surprised that I haven't written it sooner- normally I get really inspired by the prompts and write really long diatribes about visions to improve the Greek community.
Well, to be honest... the prompt: "oath" hasn't really inspired me.... I guess it's because "oath" is something that's not really something that can be changed.... oath is something that doesn't cause issues.... now if you break that oath you'll create issues... but that has more to do with values congruence which I've discussed plenty.
SO what IS an oath?
Dictionary.com:
a solemn appeal to a deity, or to some revered person orthing, to witness one's determination to speak the truth, tokeep a promise, etc.: to testify upon oath.
I'd probably define it closely to that: a promise to a higher power to live or act a certain way.
SO why take an oath? Again- being in a fraternity is a way of life... reinforced by this oath you are promising to a higher power to live your life a certain way.
I wanted to post a youtube video to spice up the blog but only found one that'd be remotely appropriate but it's 8 minutes long and has a lot of "preaching":
It's a man talking about the "curse" of a fraternity... he says that by taking an oath towards God to join an organization is sinful... it was interesting.... but.... I didn't agree with it and didn't want to put it up- if you're interested you can search "oath fraternity" on youtube and check it out for yourself.... it's a really interesting look at how oaths really do address a higher power and how that's a really BIG deal. I just feel that it's a positive big deal rather than rebelling against the higher power big deal.
Next week's blog will be more lively again- I promise.
You may be surprised that I haven't written it sooner- normally I get really inspired by the prompts and write really long diatribes about visions to improve the Greek community.
Well, to be honest... the prompt: "oath" hasn't really inspired me.... I guess it's because "oath" is something that's not really something that can be changed.... oath is something that doesn't cause issues.... now if you break that oath you'll create issues... but that has more to do with values congruence which I've discussed plenty.
SO what IS an oath?
Dictionary.com:
a solemn appeal to a deity, or to some revered person orthing, to witness one's determination to speak the truth, tokeep a promise, etc.: to testify upon oath.
I'd probably define it closely to that: a promise to a higher power to live or act a certain way.
SO why take an oath? Again- being in a fraternity is a way of life... reinforced by this oath you are promising to a higher power to live your life a certain way.
I wanted to post a youtube video to spice up the blog but only found one that'd be remotely appropriate but it's 8 minutes long and has a lot of "preaching":
It's a man talking about the "curse" of a fraternity... he says that by taking an oath towards God to join an organization is sinful... it was interesting.... but.... I didn't agree with it and didn't want to put it up- if you're interested you can search "oath fraternity" on youtube and check it out for yourself.... it's a really interesting look at how oaths really do address a higher power and how that's a really BIG deal. I just feel that it's a positive big deal rather than rebelling against the higher power big deal.
Next week's blog will be more lively again- I promise.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
No Holding Back
Ok- so our blogs were apparently not harsh enough.
So this is going to be harsh.
Prepare yourself for a rant.
First and foremost- we need to take ourselves seriously. Honestly- when we give up trying to change the perspective of non affiliated buckeyes, we lose. It's an uphill battle... but if we don't work to change how people look at us, we've lost. We're done. We'll keep getting the same types of people and our community won't grow. When we run around high street, drunk, yelling our organizations names or songs we're only proving everyone else right.
Next- we need to start acting with character. Drinking every night of the week, skipping classes, talking badly about other people (both affiliated and nonaffiliated- the word GDI makes me want to vomit), stealing composites, breaking into houses, using both men and women for a "hook up", skipping mandatory events, or even worse: showing up to mandatory events drunk: all completely derogatory to your chapter AND the community as a whole.
How about wearing your letters while drinking? having your letters VISIBLE in pictures of people drinking? Having your letters on a beer pong table? Wearing someone else's letters to drink or to a TG?
Now don't get me wrong- I love having a good time and really enjoy the SOCIAL aspect of my SOCIAL fraternity... but there's a difference between a good time and perpetuating stereotypes or being incongruent with our values. Do you need to get black out drunk on a Tuesday? Do you need to "hook up" with three different people every week? Do you need to try to steal things from other people? Do you need to use derogatory language towards other affiliated or nonaffiliated people?
We're making connections. Sure- other college kids are doing it. WE AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE OTHER COLLEGE KIDS. we're supposed to be men and women of VALUES and CHARACTER and LEADERSHIP
Yet we continue to make connections between the stereotypes and the reality.
We are not a community of alcohol obsessed, dramatic, unintelligent, undirected, or morally debased peoples.
We need to be seen as (and act in accordance to the view of) a community that values diversity, service, values, scholarship, brotherhood and sisterhood, leadership, and ambition.
So start acting like it.
So this is going to be harsh.
Prepare yourself for a rant.
First and foremost- we need to take ourselves seriously. Honestly- when we give up trying to change the perspective of non affiliated buckeyes, we lose. It's an uphill battle... but if we don't work to change how people look at us, we've lost. We're done. We'll keep getting the same types of people and our community won't grow. When we run around high street, drunk, yelling our organizations names or songs we're only proving everyone else right.
Next- we need to start acting with character. Drinking every night of the week, skipping classes, talking badly about other people (both affiliated and nonaffiliated- the word GDI makes me want to vomit), stealing composites, breaking into houses, using both men and women for a "hook up", skipping mandatory events, or even worse: showing up to mandatory events drunk: all completely derogatory to your chapter AND the community as a whole.
How about wearing your letters while drinking? having your letters VISIBLE in pictures of people drinking? Having your letters on a beer pong table? Wearing someone else's letters to drink or to a TG?
Now don't get me wrong- I love having a good time and really enjoy the SOCIAL aspect of my SOCIAL fraternity... but there's a difference between a good time and perpetuating stereotypes or being incongruent with our values. Do you need to get black out drunk on a Tuesday? Do you need to "hook up" with three different people every week? Do you need to try to steal things from other people? Do you need to use derogatory language towards other affiliated or nonaffiliated people?
We're making connections. Sure- other college kids are doing it. WE AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE OTHER COLLEGE KIDS. we're supposed to be men and women of VALUES and CHARACTER and LEADERSHIP
Yet we continue to make connections between the stereotypes and the reality.
We are not a community of alcohol obsessed, dramatic, unintelligent, undirected, or morally debased peoples.
We need to be seen as (and act in accordance to the view of) a community that values diversity, service, values, scholarship, brotherhood and sisterhood, leadership, and ambition.
So start acting like it.
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