I always wanted to be a “college man, mmm and a little bit more.” Earning a college degree was a household expectation. The day I finally moved to Marquette University changed my life forever. There was no way of predicting what experiences in college would be more profound than others. To be honest, Greek life was not what I expected it to be.

Joining a fraternity never came across my mind. In fact, I told myself that it would never happen. On April 3, 2011, that changed. I joined the best fraternity in America – Sigma Phi Epsilon, Wisconsin Zeta Chapter.

This Fraternity has taught me so much about myself, others, and life. These are some of the many things I have learned as a brother of Sigma Phi Epsilon.

1. Networking. Networking is the key to your success. Consider rush week your first chance to practice it. Step out of your comfort zone and learn how to talk to people. By the time you attend your first EDGE or CLA you will be good at networking. This skill will come in handy when you are a senior searching for your first job out of college.

2. History is exciting. That’s right. HISTORY. When you join a brotherhood such as SigEp you quickly discover that you are part of a unique history. The LROB will become your best friend when you first join. At some point you will realize the significance of your membership. SigEp has come a long way since our 12 Founding Fathers’ days at Richmond College. After 112 years, we are still continuing traditions which they set forth.

3. We are always wearing our letters. SigEp is a lifetime membership. You are representing yourself, your chapter, and our national Fraternity every time you are in public. Remember that. We are “Living the Ritual” every day, not just when we are at Ritual or in chapter. You are a representative of this Fraternity. The concept of which I speak will be applicable to you when you enter the real world. When you are an employee of an organization, you are also a representative of it regardless of whether or not you are on duty.

4. Social responsibility. All of us Greeks know how big of a role philanthropy and service works are. When you go to college you have a social responsibility to give back to the community that you are now a part of. Our fraternity brothers are blessed to be where we are. We must never forget those less fortunate than us. Be a part of the community you live in and “Be the difference.”

5. Finding balance in life. SigEp teaches us how to become Balanced Men in the world we live in. The Balanced Man Program gives us the tools we need to be successful inside and outside the classroom. What is even more important is the fact that the lessons we learn from SigEp are going to help us once we graduate. College will go by fast but the BMP lessons will stay with you forever.

6. You never stop learning. One of my favorite lines in our Creed is, “I know that I cannot expect the Neophyte to be a finished product.”  We are young and have many more years ahead of us. The thought of knowing all at this point in our lives is unrealistic. Our brothers are growing together every day into men that will leave a mark on this world. Realize your potential and chase after it. Be the best you can be.

7. Virtue. I would not be the man I am today if SigEp had not taught me the importance of virtue. Kyle Whelton, my brother, describes it in a creative way. He says, “It’s the cornerstone. Everything in my life is built upon the importance of virtue and striving for excellence.” To read more about Kyle’s interpretation of our cardinal principle, see his article.

8. Diligence. No one said succeeding in life would be easy. If it were easy, everyone would do it. Diligence teaches you work ethic. SigEp prepares you for the real world and what it takes to be successful in all walks of life. This Fraternity will show you every year how hard work pays off.

9. Brotherly love. I think every SigEp reading this can agree that our fraternity brothers are much more than friends. They are more than brothers. They are our family and family is everything. Brotherly love has taught me how to be a better friend, brother, son, and more. We are so blessed to have each other. Never lose sight of the important things in life. I closed our most recent chapter meeting by having brothers go around and hug each other. It was a moving. Try it out sometime.

10. Leadership. We are leaders amongst our peers. Greeks are out there changing the world one step at a time. Some of the greatest leaders in the country came from Greek life. Personally, SigEp taught me how to be a leader for my brothers. Three years ago I was not interested in Greek life nor was I ready to lead. Now I am president of my chapter. I never would have been able to lead my brothers without the lessons SigEp has taught me.

11. Teamwork. You are not always going to agree with a brother or a coworker, but you can learn to work together. SigEp has taught me the valuable lessons of collaboration. No organization could reach success without the collaborative team work of its employees. Quality work will surface when a strong team is behind it.

12. To be myself. Many people in the world feel pressured to be someone they are not. We also tend to set unrealistic goals for ourselves based off what is “normal” for society. SigEp has taught me to appreciate an individual’s uniqueness as well as my own. My Fraternity helped me become the person I am today and taught me to be proud of who I am.

There is so much more I could write about SigEp. When your life has been changed by something as special as this Fraternity, you often struggle to find the words to describe it.

To those considering SigEp, do it. There are three things that you can only do in college: live in a dorm, study abroad, and join Greek life. I promise you will never regret joining this amazing Fraternity of Balanced Men. You will have life-changing experiences. You will find a family. You will leave college prepared for the next chapter(s) in your life.

To SigEps reading this, take some time to think about how you have been changed by our brotherhood. Find the brother who recruited you and thank him for taking a chance with you. Spend time with your fellow brothers and enjoy every minute you can. Finally, be thankful for the opportunities you have been given. You have no idea how good you have it. I hope and pray that we may meet one day.

This article originally appeared on the author’s personal blog.