"No. I will not join a frat because I am not a tool!" "I am totally going to join a frat because I want to party ALL THE TIME!!!!!!!" What I am about to tell you is going to shock you and make your jaw drop.

That is not what fraternities are about. *GASP*

1. Charity

One thing that many people do not realize is that fraternities is that they are extremely philanthropic. Many fraternities have a national charity or organization that they will have fundraisers and donate money towards. They also may have a local charity that they may donate or volunteer with. Phi Kappa Theta's national charity is Children's Miracle Network Hospitals while Pi Kappa Alpha's preferred charity is The Taylor Trudeau Cycle for Life.

2. Friends or Family?

When I first came to college, I did not know anyone in the area. Some of the first friends that I made at college were the guys that are in my fraternity. One of the amazing things that I have learned personally is that the members in your fraternity is more like a family than just your "Frat Brothers". They have done many things for me including and not limited to: pushing and pulling me out of snow drifts, helping me with homework, taking care of me when I am not feeling well, and teaching me how to do things I have never done before. The guys that I have met in my fraternity have been more than just some guys... they truly are like brothers to me.

3. "All frat guys are tools."

Well, no. No, they are not. Jon Stewart. Ronald Reagan. JFK. Will Ferrell. These people are very prominent people in the world today. These people are also members of different fraternities and in my eyes I believe that they are not tools. I am not saying that there is not going to be the some people who maybe your typical frat guy but there is a lot of really great people.

4. It's Fraternity not Frat.

As you may have noticed throughout reading this that I have been saying fraternity instead of frat. Fraternity by definition is alocalornationalorganizationofmalestudents,primarilyforsocial purposes,usuallywithsecretinitiationandritesandanamecomposed oftwoorthreeGreekletters. While frat is defined as a college fraternity with the example of "a frat party." Fraternities help their communities and their fellow Greek life while a frat is a problem for a town and do not further themselves into life.

Joining a fraternity has been one of the best things that I have done in my 20 years of life. I am becoming a better person, making a difference in my community and I am making friends that will help me throughout my entire life.