Beyond the Probate
posted by Wil Brown | April 24, 2019 | In Arts and CultureFor someone who has never attended a university before, it can be confusing as it relates to what is taking place during the event or even why the people you are watching decided to join an organization in the first place.
I remember the first probate I ever attended was in the spring of 2017. After being invited by a coworker to an event which I thought was merely a party, I found myself at the school’s probate. Thinking the event was a party, and hearing how long it was supposed to be, I showed up well after it began. I remember seeing a sorority sister coming out singing and screaming at the top of their lungs, all while wearing heels and floral-patterned dresses.
Then there was the part that really confused me. As I watched many members of the crowd including the person who invited me leave their seats in excitement as a certain group came out to the floor. They seemed to be the main attraction of the night, after all there wasn’t as much excitement for the other groups I had watched come out. The first group turned out to be members of Zeta Phi Beta sorority and the second group turned out to be the members Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, which I now know since attending school here.
Unless you are a member of one of the organizations or actually talk to someone of the Greek lettered organizations, you would never know why students join these various organizations. Recently, I spoke with members of different Greek organizations on campus to learn more about the organizations’ mission and individuals’ motivation in joining.
Junior computer science major Quaveon McCallum is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. He is an only child, and the brotherhood aspect of the organization was important to him.
McCallum stated: “The fraternity reached out and brought me under their wings.”
He credits them with making many new friends and helping him to become more of social butterfly. For anyone interested in joining an organization, he recommends doing your research.
Junior communication student Brian Barber, who is also an only child, is a new member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. Barber’s father was a member of the same organization, who instilled in him being a great man.
Barber stated: “I wanted to instill some of the values instilled in me on the next generation.”
As Barber also recommends anyone interested in joining an organization, he recommends doing your research, taking their time, and not feeling obligated to join.
He made a point to emphasize joining for the right reasons: “You should not join just to put letters on. Join because at the end of the day you want to do work for your community.”
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