Curious about Fraternities at UF.
 

I came to GreekChat hoping that I could get some information on what Fraternities may be best for me based on my background, personality, and interests. I have had a very traditional conservative southern upbringing. I was raised by my grandparents in the Jacksonville area. I grew up fishing, roaming the woods, and pretty much creating fun for myself because I lived on the St. Johns River out in the middle of nowhere. It was a very simple life and the culture, as I stated earlier, was very conservative. My family on both sides is from Alabama and Tennessee originally, thus my roots are deep into the South (from the time of immigration on both sides). I still hold true to these roots and who I am. I have a very obvious accent to that people here in Gainesville often ask me where I'm from. I feel that I am a very outgoing person and hold leadership positions here at UF. I am pretty well respected amongst my colleagues, students, teachers, and friends. I am a die-hard sports and outdoors fanatic. I played golf in high-school and was pretty successful. I play about every other sport known to man and have been successful at all. As far as hobbies go, I love to bass fish during spawning season. That is basically me.

As far as what I am looking for in a Fraternity, I would say the "brotherhood" is at the top of the list. I want to be apart of a great group of guys who I can call something greater than friends. I want to feel that team nature, where I feel that I am apart of something greater than myself the individual. I am also looking for the networking and the social functioning with sororities. I definitely am looking at all of the social aspects of Fraternities as positives.

My concerns include comfort and image. I want to be around a group of guys who I can identify with as far as background, upbringing, values, and interests. I also would like to be apart of a fraternity that has a respectable image, one that I would be proud to associate myself with.

Here are the fraternities that I am considering along with the comments I have heard regarding them:

KA

SAE

ATO

I would appreciate any help I can get even if it's just a little bit. Essentially, I'm a genuine guy, a genuine southerner, and just want to be surrounded by others of the same qualities.

your best bet is going to be actually meeting the guys and getting to know them on a personal level.

I may regret this, but I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and not quote for posterity. I'm also going to suggest you think about deleting much of what you said -- especially chapter reputations. We don't do chapter reputations here.

As for the question I did quote, only you can answer that question by meeting the guys in the chapters at UF and finding out who you click with. No one, certainly not random strangers on the internet, can tell you what fraternity is the best fit for you.

I've always observed that men join (NIC type, at least) fraternities for all of the wrong reasons, but stick around for all of the right ones. Thank God.

Ok, so we can now do many things online: shop, take classes, bank, research, hold meetings, pay bills, clock some hours at work....but you still can't rush online. Go do the same thing you did just now, only in person this time.

If you have legitimate concerns about hazing, I guarantee you that nothing gets past the local press. A chapter in trouble for hazing will be pretty easy to find on the google.

If it's such a great group, why would you want to be apart from them?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR76QJPSJQ0

well you definitely scream KA at UF. But it's probably because you already decided that's the one you want, so you're projecting an image to match. As much as it's great to have a lot in common with your friends, diversity is not something you should be trying to avoid.

Good luck & maybe leave out the part about the woods near Palatka & just tell people you're from the Jax area... lol. And maybe cut out some of the arrogance too.

"Genuine Southerner" sounds to me like "Real Americans(TM)"

Well, due to the advice from above, I've deleted the "reputations" and a locational reference about myself. I do realize that I can't rush online and I will rush this spring. There is no doubt about that, but when it comes to something as serious as this, I like to do my homework ahead of time. I would also like to hear of experiences from these respective fraternities I named. As, for the group of guys, it is something that I want to be "apart" of as I stated. Yes, this does seem counterintuitive, but I am essentially saying that I want to have a group that I can relate to, learn from, and enjoy. Ultimately though, I realize I am an individual and that no one will make my decisions for me and make me who I am. I will decide all of that for myself, which is the simply individualism. I want to find a happy medium between the group and the individual. I feel that my statements about the clothing are the ones that come across as arrogant. I don't find that arrogant, rather honest.

Well we can only help so much. Go out & get to know the guys, that's the only way you'll find out which one is a good fit.

No, honey. "Apart" means separate from. I believe the words you're looking for are "a part of" or "a member of," implying that you actually want to be near them.

If it was possible to headdesk and facepalm at the same time, it would apply here.

Also, Mr. Comma would like to inform you that he is suing for overtime wages owed.

Place hand on desk, palm facing up. Smash head on hand, hand on desk.

Break finger.

Seek medical attention.

Honestly, reading individual testimonies on the internet is not really going to be helpful when it comes to really getting to know a fraternity. Instead focus on meeting the guys now, and make even more of an effort in the spring. They ARE the fraternity you'll possibly be joining. You need to meet the actual members of these different fraternities in person.