I’m A Mentally Handicapped Girl, And The Fraternities At My School Have Made College Feel Like Home

Flava Fran9 years ago

The summer before my freshman year of college, my whole family was trying to persuade me against leaving home for school. They were really scared I would get hurt or something, like every parent is, but my parents were especially concerned because I am mentally handicapped. I was just worried I wouldn’t have any friends. I was prone to bullying when I was younger and I had a hard time fitting in socially.

I didn’t know much about Texas State University. I simply chose it because it had a river that ran through the campus and I love water. I didn’t know anything about Greek life except what I had seen in the five minutes I watched American Pie Beta House before my dad shut it off the television. I had heard the stereotypes that frat boys are mean, and my uncle was a Beta at Columbia and I heard crazy stories from him about Greek life, but I didn’t enter Texas State with any negative opinions because I don’t form opinions based on rumors.

The first few months of my freshman year, I always sat by myself in one of the dining halls, but one day a group of boys in Delta Tau Delta asked if they could sit with me and of course I said yes. When I was younger, boys would never sit with me, so I was quite honored they wanted to. The Delt boys were really nice and continued to sit with me after that. Some of the guys in my dorm were Delts as well. We would play Legos together and they were nothing but nice. The following year, I met a bunch more Delts and they always came up and talked to me and made sure I was okay. I really don’t understand why so many people think so poorly of fraternities when they’re made up of such amazingly kind gentlemen.

I met ATO that following year too. I moved out of my dorm and I was always getting lost. When I got lost, I would knock on the ATO house door and one of the guys would walk me home. It was usually dark outside so I was very thankful they would walk me and make sure I didn’t get lost. Whenever I would walk around campus, Delts and ATOs would say hello to me and, after a while, I was able to recognize them and I would go up and hug them. I found a home away from home with them.

There are all these negative stereotypes about fraternities and not enough spotlight on how great they really are. I’d like to say I’ve found a family within the Greek community. The fraternity Delta Tau Delta is comprised of some of the most compassionate, generous, giving, and caring guys I have ever met. The Delts have raised a copious amount of money for the Wounded Warriors Project and for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Additionally, the Delts go out of their way to help and protect me. I have difficulty with little everyday things, but the Delts help me in ways I could never thank them enough for. Their generous actions of walking me home in the dark, taking me to run errands, eating with me, doing arts and crafts, helping me with homework, having fun with me, and more have helped me become a more confident person.

Alpha Tau Omega has done a lot for me, too. Every year they help me throw my annual “Fran’s Lemonade” stand to raise money for the food bank. They set up the table, get customers, and buy the lemonade.

I will forever be thankful to both fraternities for the amazing impact they’ve had on my life. Their actions continue to inspire me to hopefully be even half the Good Samaritan that they are. Be Frat. Be Fran. Be Good. That’s a Total Fran Move..

Editor’s Note: I met Fran while filming “Exec Board.” Fran rules. – Bacon