How Many Characters Can I Post? I Hope It’s More Than 140 Because This Is Really Long.

After graduation, I thought my passion for Alpha Phi Omega would slowly fade away, since I am no longer constantly around the euphoric LFS.

But upon returning to Davis earlier this year for the Alumni BBQ hosted by the awesome alumni secretaries, I can’t say my passion was rekindled since I don’t think it’s ever died down.  I still read every single Iota Phi emails (I, however, did ignore the Alpha Phi Omega “final request” for me to update my information — actually I think I just got another formal paper request in the mail yesterday.  Turns out, they are year book pushers!), and I still visit everyone’s Facebook page.  Yes, everyone.  All 700 of you.  You can quiz me on your name, I have a 37% accuracy rate.  Come on, for an alumna, that’s pretty good since our brain functionality suffers from exponential severe shrinkage.  It comes with age.  Where’s my walker?

When I first moved back, I tried to go to a few Bay Area chapters’ events, such as Gamma Beta (SJSU) and Zeta (Stanford).  I have to say though, since I didn’t experience any thick and thin (you know what I mean, old I-Phier.  Maybe you don’t.) with those bunch, it was really hard for me to bond with them.  I mean, I think they like me and all, because who doesn’t, but it was just not the same.  Now I am not saying we are the coolest beans out there (though it is implied), but I think the chapter cultures are so different that I just wasn’t used to it.

Not wanting to give up the service aspect that made Alpha Phi Omega so great, I chose to do service outside of the fraternity.  I can’t say that I can repeat my glorious 250 hours of service, but with the busy schedule (work and… work), I at least tried to do some Relays For Life here and there, and I’ve done two AIDS Walks since I graduated (and YOU should join my team!).  One thing that Alpha Phi Omega has programmed into my brain is to always dedicate part of my life to greater causes, aside from trying to finish a 20x20 all by myself from In-N-Out.  I hope this brain-washing organization can instill that passion and dedication in every single one of you as it has to me.

I remember when I was still an active, whenever graduation rolled around, I was always thinking, “OMGZ, all the old people that are holding the chapter together are leaving!!! What are we going to do without them telling us what to do?  How can we preserve our many traditions!!!!!!!11111”  Fear not, young ones.  Even though many awesome traditions seem to be lost in transitions, and some of them we should not ever speak of (Jay Kay.  Or not.), we must not consider them lost.  They are more like… improved.  Beta versions.  Tradition 2.0.  And isn’t that how we progress?  We take something that’s already awesome, and turn it into something more awesome to fit each term’s needs.  Think chili cheese dogs.  Hot dogs?  Awesome.  Chili Cheese?  Awesome.  Chili cheese + hot dogs?  Nom nom nom.  And if the improved tradition escalates into a monster, (in the chili cheese dog example, something that you can only see at thisiswhyyourefat.com), we can always tune it down a little, and pass it on.  Look at our chapter now, people still like it, most still enjoy the leadership opportunities it provides, the friendship that blossomed, and the service that was… served…  I mean, even if crazy ideas had been realized in the past, we are still ever mindful, ever serving, all humanity.

Iota Phi is probably the best thing that has happened to me (and quite possibly the worst, depending on which perspective you take… and which events you speak of…) during my college years.  Now you can say, “That’s pathetic.  You spent four years doing community service when you could be partying and be all hip, young, pretentious and shit.”  But I must raise my objection - I spent four years partying and be all hip, young, pretentious and shit ON TOP OF doing 250 hours of service in a term.  Beat that, bi… I mean, people-that-said-I-was-pathetic.  I might have spent four years of my golden era dedicated to Alpha Phi Omega, but it was not time wasted.  So enjoy it while you still can, because life is not a beach party after college!!!!!  And if you are Isaac Liao, graduate school!!!!!

The Awesomest Friend You’ll Ever Have,

Peggy Sung