Spring Break

Spring break is a time for college students to get away and go party on the beach with friends. One of the kids in my pledge class invited everyone to his beach house in florida for the week. I really wanted to go but at the same time wanted to see my family. After all, my birthday was during spring break and my family wanted to celebrate. Thinking I wouldn't be able to go, I was encourage by my friends and supported by my family and decided to go have some fun in florida for most of the break. That way I would still get to see my family while having some fun with my friends. His beach house was on an island facing the intercoastal waterway. It was the perfect house for a group of 12 college students because his parents planned on tearing the house down and building a brand new one. We went swimming off the dock and went boating. The beach was a 2 minute walk from the house, and although it was really windy, we had a great time there. We stocked the kitchen with food and took turns cooking. I made a big breakfast of bacon and eggs two mornings and made some delicious pasta one of the nights. It gave me the perfect opportunity to test my cooking abilities. The warm weather and palms trees made spring break that much better. I got to hang out with some of my closest friends at college and create stronger relationships. I cannot wait to see what next year brings.

THON 2012

Coming to Penn State, I knew what THON was and that it was a big deal. Considering my sister graduated from the Smeal College of Business in 2007 and watching Penn State football games since I can remember, thon was nothing new. In fact it was one of the reasons why I chose to spend my next four years at Penn State. Thon is one of those things you can never truly describe until you've attended one yourself. Even then, words cannot describe everything you see including the multitude of emotions experienced. My Thon experience started at 2 pm Friday afternoon when I met my fellow ATO brothers at the BJC to block off the section for our org. At 4:00, the doors opened and we rushed to the section we annually occupy to reserve spots for the many supporters that would attend throughout the weekend. For 24 of the next 46 hours, I was on shift for my R&R committee doing security, and checking people on/off the floor, but the entire time I wished I was back with ATO/ZTA. When my final shift ended at 12:30 Sunday afternoon, I ran back to the sea of orange that is ATO and forced my way into a crowded section to be with my brothers. Supporting such a great cause with all my friends made those last four hours one of the most memorable times of my life. The best part was when the total was announced. After the scandal and a canning weekend cancelled, it was going to be hard to beat last year's total. ATO/ZTA worked extra hard this year because of these reasons. Not only did ATO/ZTA once again raise the most money out of any greek organization, but THON as a whole beat last year's total by $1.2 million. During a time when $10 million seemed impossible, we proved that anything is possible especially when the kids are at stake. FTK!

It's hard to believe that in 10 days I will be experiencing my first every THON here at Penn State. I've heard many stories from friends about their past experiences with thon and, not knowing what to expect, am nervous but excited to make my own. Beside my fraternity, I am on an R&R committee for thon which has been a great experience. It has been great to meet so many new people and make lots of friends in the process. Coming from a graduating class of 1000+, a large school is nothing new, but at the same time it makes a person feel small. I am grateful to have met so many cool people. So back to the committee, tonight we learned what shifts we would be working thon weekend. As a pass team member of R&R, I am responsible for security and checking people on/off the floor during thon weekend. I am working four 6-hour shifts during the course of the weekend with 6 hour breaks in between. This would not seem like a terrible thing until you realize you cannot sit (which I did tonight). It never crossed my mind that I would be standing every single moment I would be at the Bryce Jordan Center during that weekend. Compared to the dancers who must stay standing for 46 hours straight, four 6-hour shifts seem like nothing. Afterall, next weekend will be my first thon experience and I would not trade it for anything. I am trying to make the most out of my experiences here at Penn State and thon is definitely one of them. This weekend I will be going away with my fraternity to raise additional funds for thon. Like canning, we will be staying at brothers' houses but going door-to-door instead of standing on street corners. Pledgebooking, as this is called, is what sets ATO aside from many other organizations in thon. It is that extra push that takes us that much closer to a cure. FTK.

#1 - A Semester of Hard Works Makes a Brother for Life

My first semester as a freshman at Penn State was one full of excitement and opportunity; but at the same time, it was one full of stress, time management, and the occasional long night. Pledging a fraternity is in no way an easy task. Committing hours upon hours of my time to show my support and willingness to join the brotherhood was daunting among the acclimation and first semester schoolwork I was experiencing. Thinking it would never end, I kept my head up and before I knew it initiation time had come and winter break soon followed. Now that second semester had started and pledging is long gone, time seems infinite. I can now devote much more effort to class and school work, making new friends and chilling with old ones, extracurricular activities including my THON committee, getting in shape by lifting weights and running, and de-stressing at the end of the day by watching my favorite TV program. I do not regret my decision to join a fraternity or when I decided to enter into the process of becoming a brother. Although I may have neglected my friends more than I would have liked, I am now able to devote much more time to forming bonds and lasting relationships with those who mean something. By joining a fraternity, I am not only entering into a brotherhood for my time here at Penn State, I am entering into something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Many think "frat bros" are idiots who like to party and get with girls. In reality, they are much more than that. These guys are gentlemen who not only work to better themselves, but also work to better the school and community. Alpha Tau Omega (ATO), the fraternity I joined, is Penn State's top Greek fundraiser for THON and it has been for many years. I look up to the older brothers in the house with respect and look to them for guidance. They have a lot to teach me and I have a lot to learn.