End the Freshman Funk!

Oh, freshman year of college. A new place for many, new people for most, and a new experience for all. The adjustment is difficult, and the first few months at school can be very hard and very stressful. So, what is the key to getting through the beginning of college?

I found that the key to getting out of the ‘freshman funk’ is to get involved with something on campus based on personal interests, no matter what it is. I found myself in the same boring routine- or funk, as I prefer to call it- during my entire first semester. I went to the same classes, ate the same food at the same dining halls, did the same workouts at the same gym, and hung out with the same people in the same places every week. Now, if you are the kind of person who enjoys doing the same thing every day or every week, then stop reading this post. I am unsure if I am in the majority or minority, but I am a person who has found that such strong repetition really gets me down and makes me a lesser version of myself. Having the same strict daily routines my first semester killed my grades, my personality, and my spirit. So, towards the end of that first semester, I began looking for things to get more involved in.

Enter Phi Gamma Delta. Growing up, I always pictured myself in a fraternity. I had rushed fraternities when I first arrived on campus, but none really clicked. Then, I heard that a new fraternity was arriving on campus in the spring, and I had a chance to be a Founding Father. This really appealed to me because I would be able to instantly meet so many new guys, and I would be able to make my mark on campus and leave a new legacy with a brand new organization. So, I talked to some recruiters, went to a couple info sessions, and began the interview process. Through all this I realized this was something I wanted to do, something I was ready to help build from the ground up. And at the end of my third interview, the recruiter I was meeting with handed me an envelope- inside, a bid card!

Fast forward eight months, and joining Phi Gamma Delta (also known as FIJI) has been the best decision of my college experience. We are well over 80 members, and I can call every single one not just my friend, but also my brother. And it isn’t just other FIJIs I have met. We have events with sororities, other fraternities, and many other different campus organizations, and I have gotten to meet some really great people through our events with these other groups. We also have an extensive graduate brother presence in Boston, so I have also had the privilege to get to know some of these great men. As for what I actually do within the fraternity, I am on multiple committees- one committee being recruitment, which is extremely important and has kept me busy with planning and meetings over the past month during our first recruitment on campus. I also play on three different intramural teams this particular semester, and my basketball team is currently heading into the playoffs with an undefeated record! I have taken part in community service with my brothers every weekend this semester, and I would not have spent that time doing anything else. My grades have even began to rise, as I now have more than 80 guys to hold me accountable. Thanks to FIJI, I no longer have the tedious repetition I lived through during my first semester at Northeastern. I truly do not think anything could have enhanced my college experience as well as Phi Gamma Delta has these past months.

So, what’s the point? Join a fraternity? Join Greek Life? To these questions, I say no, not necessarily. The point is to get involved, no matter what it is! Join something that you’re passionate about, something you love to do, something that butters your roll and gets you going! And if you think joining a fraternity is something you believe will improve your college experience, then by all means, try it out! If not, then look for something else that fits your interests. No matter what you love to do or what peaks your interest, find something that caters to this love. Only by doing this will you break out of the cocoon that engulfs you while you sit idly by and let life run past you. With hundreds of clubs and organizations here at Northeastern- and an extremely easy procedure to start your own- there is something out there for everyone. So, break the monotony of sitting on the sidelines, bust out of the ‘freshman funk,’ and get involved!

By: Max Jarrells