I remember coming to college, and I did not have any interest in joining a fraternity. I could never picture myself as a fraternity man. I had this negative mindset about fraternities -- a media portrayal of fraternities. I thought that fraternities only included men who are misogynist, homophobic, prejudiced, and judgmental. I was scared of getting hazed like I'd heard about. I thought that fraternities only partied, drank alcohol, and skipped class. But I was wrong.

I found out when I rushed for a fraternity that there is more to a fraternity than I could ever imagine. I can't pinpoint out what made me really want to join a fraternity -- maybe it was I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself, or I wanted to be part of an organization with a strong sense of community. I can attest that the media's portrayal of fraternities is incorrect -- most of them are not the way the media makes out fraternities to be.

There is so much to being in a fraternity that's failed to be mentioned by the media or not mentioned or seen in the movies. I've yet to see or hear about the strength of brotherhood in the media or movies. A bond forms between the members creating brotherhood. Yes, we bump heads from time to time -- but what organization doesn't. It's a group of men who come together despite their adversities and differences, and we bond over these adversities and differences. We accept each other for the way we are, but we help each other grow in ways we never thought was possible. We are there for our brothers during the good and bad times. We just don't bond over women, video games, Netflix, and music. We bond over our experiences in life.

A fraternity isn't about the parties, the alcohol, or getting laid like the movies show. We do community service and we have philanthropies. Fraternities spend a majority of their time planning ways to give back to the community. It's an important aspect of a fraternity and one of the many reasons men decide to join fraternities across the country. We are men who find enjoyment and pride in community service: We don't do it because we have to. We do it because we love it. It can be a lot of work, but at the end of the day, it is worthwhile. We do it with our brothers, which makes it an even better experience.

And being in a fraternity means upholding a standard and value of yourself. It's a reflection of the type of man you're supposed to be. It teaches you the value of respect for yourself, women, and men around you -- you learn what being a gentleman really means. It helps young men hold themselves to a high standard. It gives men a positive and influential group of men that can help mentor them into becoming a successful person. A fraternity teaches young men the value of human life, strength, punctuality, organization, and structure.

It's the memories that make it enjoyable. Every fraternity has its ups and downs, but we learn to overcome them. It can be stressful and tiring at times -- especially chapter meetings. It makes it all worthwhile because it's even more time that I am able to spend with my brothers. I am glad I joined a fraternity because it has given me some of the best memories of college. It has presented me with the opportunity to meet some of the most amazing men in the world. I am proud to be a fraternity man.