Kappa Kappa Psi, the National Honorary Band Fraternity, serving college and university bands since 1919.

Yeah, I'm a girl.

Yeah, I'm in a fraternity.

Yeah, deal with it.

Despite the fact that some people probably throw low-key (probably even high-key if we are being real) shade toward co-ed fraternities, I promise you that I am still able to make "throw what you know" posts on my Instagram and brag about how I've found my college family in my group of brothers.

I am not even sugar coating this or kidding you one single bit: Becoming a brother of Kappa Kappa Psi has been one of the best decisions of my college years.

During my first band camp at Marshall University, I filled out a check to "Kappa Kappa Psi," and I vividly remember thinking, "Who?...Where?...What in the world is a Kappa Kappa Psi?" meaning are these Kappa Kappa Psi people real or just a figment of my imagination somewhere in the band room.

I'm going to be honest because I am sure I am not the only one who felt this way: I had no idea what I was in for whenever I decided to attend a number of recruitment week events my freshman year; I was scared, nervous, and definitely pretty clueless. Coming to college from the other side of the state, I didn't have very many friends yet, but I knew that I loved music and helping music programs I was involved with.

Even though the 2017-2018 academic school year is my third year of being an active brother, I have seen and felt myself grow more this year alone than during the first two combined. I am more than excited to attend my first District Convention because I have heard so many life changing things about it, such as learning to personally love and accept your brothers for who they are, and understanding roles in the fraternity...plus, getting to meet brothers I have never even met before who go to different schools in different states sounds entirely too cool to pass up! My fellow brothers in the Zeta Lambda Chapter have always been there to build me up when I have felt weak and beat at rock bottom...and they've also been there whenever one of us just wants to make a food run. (Kappa Kappa Psi food runs are the BEST food runs.) Many of my favorite memories come from spending time with my brothers, and I will hold those memories close to my heart until the day I die.

I have become a more confident leader and musician through service, and even though our service can be an insane amount of work sometimes (Tri-State and Middle & High School Honor Bands especially), it is always worth it to know that we have helped a program who has given us so many reasons to smile and make something of ourselves: The Marshall University School of Music.

Being a brother of Kappa Kappa Psi makes you truly involved in being a part of something bigger than yourself. Every single day we have the ability to impact current and future students on our campus, and it is our job to spread the importance of musicianship in a positive light that is definitely not always seen or acknowledged...but that is why we "Strive for the Highest."

AEA