FASET (Georgia Tech’s Freshman Orientation) was in two weeks and I had no idea what to expect. I didn’t even know if Georgia Tech was the right choice. I went in expecting the worst. Nerds everywhere, and Asians being the vast majority. “Fraternity life, that was the only way to find normal people here.” That’s what I thought to myself. As I began orientation, it seemed so odd. We were integrated into groups, we introduced ourselves, and began doing ice breakers, ya know the usual. It was like I was having a bad dream all whilst being at a Summer camp.

Rush Week was here and I had shown up 2 days late. No biggie. What difference can 2 days do? I showed up and it was one of the most awkward things that could be done with a group of guys. Man – flirting, the epitome of Rush Week. I went around to meet some of the brothers from Pike, Delta Sig, Kappa Sig, Lambda Chi, and Delta Chi the last 3 days (the free food was also an important factor) and I had narrowed it down to Delta Chi. They seemed super chill and academically driven. I was in college for a degree so what better way to be involved at Tech than to be in a Fraternity that focused on that? I went there the last day of rush for the full 3 hours. I was almost positive I was going to get a bid, one of the brothers had almost guaranteed me a bid whenever he texted me. It was 8:57 P.M. and rush ended at 10 so I had plenty of time, until I started seeing brothers show people out. I tried to stall the best I could and get attention of Blaustin (his real name was Austin) but it was too late, I ended up on the sidewalk in front of the house. “Sorry man, maybe next time.” A walk of shame, that’s what it’s called right? That’s what I took whenever it happened. I saw so many people in my same boat with their heads down and it seemed impossible to grasp what had just happened. Was I not “cool” enough? Did I say something? I started running through all these scenarios that could’ve made a difference and I just couldn’t wrap my head around it.

I Had Been Excluded and I’ll be honest, I was slumped. All 3 of my roommates had been given a bid: 2 Kappa sig, 1 Lambda Chi; I was the odd man out. As the semester went on, Aaron and Miles started questioning if the Fraternity life was right for them. As I overheard them talking about all the time that was consumed from doing it I became a tad jealous of the involvement that they were in. Friends were so much easier to make if someone was in a greek organization, but the exclusiveness seemed a bit outrageous. This semester had already been my least favorite and the school year hadn’t even started yet.

Being Excluded Included because my two roommates who rushed Kappa Sig had dropped, and concluded that it was not the right fit and the effort they put in was not worth it. I had made friends that could have just as well been in a fraternity/sorority but weren’t. I guess it wasn’t such a big deal that I wasn’t in a fraternity.

“Dude I’m so sorry, come back in the Spring.” A Delta Chi had told me to come back for Spring Rush and I was definitely going to, there was no doubt, but as the semester has progressed, I began seeing what life was without being in a fraternity. It was fun, manageable, not very exclusive.  Remember what I said before: “Fraternity life, that was the only way to find normal people here.” I might have called myself the dumbest person on planet Earth. Sure, a fraternity would be fun, and being a part of an organization that were as close-knit as a family would be nice, but who said that couldn’t be found outside of that? I did, and I had been enlightened by the bid that I DIDN’T get.

WHY IS CLASS SO HARD?! “Stahp. Please. All my other friends are partying. Why are you making me study. I could’ve gone to u[sic]ga and gone out every night. Dear Georgia Tech, I HATE YOU.” Lol at my first thoughts of Tech because I realized in the middle of the semester that the degree I’ll be receiving will mean so much that all this hard work will pay off. The environment that I’m surrounded with is so encouraging to just do better and stay on my grind (of studying). At most other schools, the phrase, “I can’t I have homework” or “I have to study” would be made fun of, but here, it’s encouraged. Of course, when able, the students at Georgia Tech have a fun time in the end, which seems even more rewarding because of the hard work we put in.

The Flies in My Room are really annoying. I’ve learned a lot this semester, not academically (Lol), but just about being a college freshman halfway in the real world. It’s willing to get your hands dirty and getting rejected. Yeah, hard life, suck it up. Not to sound cheesy, but at the end of the day, you’ll be alright. You’ll find the right friends, you’ll think the flies in your room are annoying but in the end, they’ll go away. At least I hope.