Have you ever sat down and thought about how much your life has really changed in such a short amount of time? Don’t you find it interesting to trace the path your life has followed, and haven’t you found many twists and turns on that path that you once thought would be straight and narrow? You might find yourself being a totally different person involved in things you never thought possible as you flashback through time. I know I have.
Four years ago when I came to USM, I thought I knew everything. Well, it wasn’t long before I found out I was wrong and I actually knew very little about many things. I began to realize this when I became exposed to a different side of things I had never seen before. I then became much more open-minded and began to change.
At first I had decided that some things were not for me. Greek life being one of them, I told myself that I would never pledge a fraternity. I had heard all the negative stereotypes for years and developed a negative attitude towards them without ever meeting a brother or going to a rush. Now three years later in my second term as the president of Sigma Nu, I find myself fighting the same stereotypes that I once believed in. However, once people find out the other side of Greek life, learn how wonderful it is, and see all the good things we do, their opinions towards Greeks will change just as mine did.
Greek life has a lot to offer that nobody knows about. It makes you a better person and a better student. It gives you the opportunity to learn things about yourself and how to work with others. You both learn and understand your values. You learn the proper way to set goals for yourself. You make differences in the community by donating your time. You develop life-long friends who you know will do anything for you.
I hate the famous line “You’re just buying your friends” – that’s so far from the truth! First, the money goes to our nationals and to pay insurance. Second, money doesn’t buy real friends. This summer my 19-year-old brother died in a car accident. He was my only sibling, and my best friend. There were 25 of my fraternity brothers who met in Gorham at 5:30 in the morning and drove four hours to Vermont for his funeral. I had no idea they were coming. Five of them gave me a hug and got right back in the car and drove back to work that night.
Do you know how good it made me feel to see all these guys from all over New England there to help me on the worst day of my life? Pretty damn good, and I guarantee it didn’t happen because we pay dues! It’s because everyone in this fraternity will be there in a time of need. Brotherhood is like a family and that’s something special that you can’t get anywhere else.
Since being part of a Greek organization is something special, I encourage everyone to look into it and find out for yourself whether it’s something for you. Don’t sit back and listen to all the stereotypes and let them make up your mind for you. Sigma Nu has changed my life; I have learned things about myself that I would have never found out anywhere else. I have gotten better grades and understood my values and goals much better. All these things give me the advantage of learning, through my fraternal experience, ethical leadership and responsibility and these things will help me move gracefully into the world after college.
Look at what Greek life has done for me – I saw the other side of something and found something that I LOVE. I hope I have changed some minds out there and have got some people to think about adding some twists and turns to that straight and narrow pathway called life.
Matthew Tuscano
Senior, media studies major
President, Sigma Nu