My First Semester at Sigma Phi Epsilon

January 18, 2010

Posted by Steven Vuong

My First Semester at Sigma Phi Epsilon

By: Mark Stratman (Freshman)

01/16/10

The first memory I have of the Sigma Phi Epsilon house is one of nervousness and anxiety. I pulled up with my parents a week before classes started to get moved in and help fix up the house during work week. I didn’t know anyone here other than the few guys who recruited me, and still I didn’t really know them that well. I had made the decision to join a fraternity because I didn’t know anyone at Iowa State, and I figured it would be a good way to make friends. But on the drive from Omaha to Ames I began regretting that decision. We parked in front of the house and within 5 minutes about 20 guys had all my stuff brought up to my room and everything was moved in. My parents left and I was now alone at this house with 35 guys who I had never met before.

The first week was difficult we worked, and the active members did their best to get to know me and my fellow new members, but a week is a short time to get to know someone. And as classes begun I still wasn’t sure if I had made the right decision or not.  And as the weeks and months of that first semester flew by I slowly grew closer and closer to the guys in the house.  And I credit that mostly to living in the house my first semester. Nearly every part of my day was now done with someone else; there was always someone to walk to class, study, eat, or just watch TV with.

I can also credit the house with more than helping me make friends, living in the house helped make my first semester successful academically. I was always hounded by the guys in the house if they saw me or anyone else getting lazy and laying on the couch a lot, they made me push myself and work hard which had a huge positive effect on my study and work habits. Everyone in this house cares about how each member does and wants this house to be number one on campus in every aspect.  And seeing how much everyone cares about this house everyday makes me proud to wear the letters ΣΦΕ.