The Tragos Quest to Greece is the pinnacle of the SigEp experience.

My life was changed this past summer when I traveled to Greece with eighteen undergraduate brothers and six mentors. From chapter leaders and officers to district governors and Order of the Golden Heart recipients, I was surrounded by the some of the best SigEps in the country.

Together, my fellow undergraduate brothers and I very quickly realized how much of an honor it was to be on the Tragos Quest to Greece, and in the presence of some of SigEp’s most dedicated volunteers.

Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to reflect on my experience and realized it never would have happened had I not taken a chance and applied. In fact, I almost didn’t apply. I didn’t think I was qualified and didn’t think I would be chosen.

Passionate SigEp undergraduate leaders should apply. If you don’t take a chance and apply, you’re making a huge mistake. The Quest can and will change your life … it did for me.

Below are five reasons I applied for the Tragos Quest to Greece. I wanted:

To gain a deeper understanding of SigEp. There were so many questions… What do Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love have to do with our Greek letters? How did the ancient Greeks view the idea of Sound Mind, Sound Body?

To learn the history of fraternities. I had to ask more questions because I needed to know where we came from and what our purpose was from the beginning. Where did fraternities come from? How did fraternities start? Were they philosophically based?

To experience a different culture. I love experiencing new cultures and cuisines. The more I thought about traveling to Greece and learning about the Greek culture, the more I wanted the Quest to become a reality.

To dive into myself. I wanted to gain new experiences and life lessons. I knew the Quest would allow me to forget about everything going on at home and would give me the time to focus on myself.

To enlarge my SigEp network. I am always looking for more opportunities to build and strengthen SigEp relationships. I knew I would get the chance to meet outstanding brothers from across the nation as well as various SigEp staff and volunteers.

As the first semester of my senior years comes to an end, I’m looking back on my time as a SigEp undergraduate thus far, and the Tragos Quest to Greece is definitely the most impactful experience I have had.

In the end, the amount of time and work it takes to apply and prepare for the trip is well worth it. I am grateful to have been a Tragos Quest to Greece scholar. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I went for it, and so should you.

Apply today for the 2016 Tragos Quest to Greece. The deadline for applications is November 13, 2015.